Olympic Eventing Format

[Wishfilly]

So, I think after watching that last round of showjumping, a lot of us were not too keen on the Olympic eventing format with two rounds of showjumping.

However, I'm not sure if there is an alternative way of doing things? The IOC say that individual and team medals can't be decided in exactly the same competition, and having separate individual and team competitions rules out too many smaller (eventing-wise) nations from contention.

So, does anyone have any alternative suggestions?

 

[Lexi_]

Bending race would be fun ?

 

[Lexi_]

But no seriously, I think we’re stuck with this for the time being. They‘ve tried having separate team and individual competitions and clearly they don’t want to do that any more. If you can’t win two medals for one performance then it’ll have to be a second round of showjumping to settle it.

 

[Wishfilly]

But no seriously, I think we’re stuck with this for the time being. They‘ve tried having separate team and individual competitions and clearly they don’t want to do that any more. If you can’t win two medals for one performance then it’ll have to be a second round of showjumping to settle it.

Yes, I imagine we're stuck with it.

I'm just wondering if something like a one phase showjumping event with the first part counting for teams, and the second for individual would be allowed? Might be easier for everyone than getting off, having a break and having to get back on? And then the horses could rest and be cooled down properly afterwards?

 

[Bernster]

But it’s a bit odd cos the dressage and xc are the same, so you’ve got 2 of 3 being the one ‘round‘ and just the sj as two phase. ?‍

 

[HashRouge]

My only possible suggestion would be to have the final round of SJ on a different day, to give the horses more of a break and also to allow the riders to enjoy the results of the team competition more. I guess that wouldn't be popular though, because the eventing is already quite lengthy.

 

[ElleSkywalker]

Bending race would be fun ?

This gets my vote ?

 

[PoppyAnderson]

If they must stick with the 2 round format, decide the individual first then the team. I think there's something in the psychology of doing it that way round that makes it the least bad way.

 

[Kat]

Yes, I imagine we're stuck with it.

I'm just wondering if something like a one phase showjumping event with the first part counting for teams, and the second for individual would be allowed? Might be easier for everyone than getting off, having a break and having to get back on? And then the horses could rest and be cooled down properly afterwards?

I think that is the only possible way to do it if we don't like the current version.

It has been this way for quite a while.

In 2000 the team and individual were separate but this excludes smaller eventing nations as they need more riders. The two rounds of show jumping have been used since 2004 which is when we switched to short format eventing too.

 

[ycbm]

Bending race would be fun ?

This.

Or the Olympic Committee should change the silly rule that says team and individual medals can't be won on the same performance, it's just an arbitrary rule. It's very artificial to call it a separate performance just because one part of a three stage event is repeated.
.

 

[RachelFerd]

I quite like the 2 rounds format. No issues with it myself.

I also thought that the 3 from 3 team format did make for particularly compelling viewing.

The only thing I'd change would be to let the 4th horse run as an individual. Retaining the big penalty for subbing them into the team as required.

 

[Kat]

I quite like the 2 rounds format. No issues with it myself.

I also thought that the 3 from 3 team format did make for particularly compelling viewing.

The only thing I'd change would be to let the 4th horse run as an individual. Retaining the big penalty for subbing them into the team as required.

I think that would be more fair. It seems such a shame for them to travel and not compete, plus it means you don't potentially get to sub in a completely fresh horse, you could also make them completely sub their whole score, rather than just one or two rounds.

It seemed a particular shame for Sara Alotsson-Ostholt that she wasn't eligible for the individual because she hadn't done the first two phases.

 

[fetlock]

My only possible suggestion would be to have the final round of SJ on a different day, to give the horses more of a break and also to allow the riders to enjoy the results of the team competition more. I guess that wouldn't be popular though, because the eventing is already quite lengthy.

That's all I could come up with, thinking about it.
Team SJ the day after the dressage then individual SJ the day after XC.
Not quite in the spirit of a 3DE but fairer on tired horses after the XC.

 

[Wishfilly]

I quite like the 2 rounds format. No issues with it myself.

I also thought that the 3 from 3 team format did make for particularly compelling viewing.

The only thing I'd change would be to let the 4th horse run as an individual. Retaining the big penalty for subbing them into the team as required.

I did like the 3 from 3 format too, and I agree that letting the 4th horse run would be a good idea- it also removes any possible unfairness due to the sub being fresher than someone who has gone cross country the day before.

I know the two round showjumping format has existed for a while, and it's not hugely problematic, but it did feel like there were some slightly tired combinations having to showjump a second time, which isn't great to see.

 

[Lexi_]

I just don’t like the greater emphasis it gives the showjumping third of the competition. I don’t have a solution that involves the other two elements though!

 

[teapot]

Thinking bigger picture, the last Olympics of just one sj round was Sydney and the xc was super tough. It is still a three day event so where you do test people?

Regarding fitness of horses - the British horses looked fantastic, and I wouldn't say those poles were caused ONLY by tiredness. Fitness of the event horse is part of the competition - they jumped for an extra 60 seconds or twelve fences almost 36hrs after they went xc. A horse competing at Badminton might not finish the course until 4pm, and be sj at 11.30 am the next day...

I would say the 7m45 course in ridiculous weather/humidity played more of a part than two sj rounds.

 

[piebaldproblems]

What about having the top riders compete at gymkhana races to decide who gets the medals?

 

[piebaldproblems]

Jokes aside, I like what someone else said about having arena eventing to decide the individual. Current format favours showjumpers a little too much.

 

[Lexi_]

While we’re talking format, I think the new dressage test worked well!

 

[fetlock]

Thinking bigger picture, the last Olympics of just one sj round was Sydney and the xc was super tough. It is still a three day event so where you do test people?

Regarding fitness of horses - the British horses looked fantastic, and I wouldn't say those poles were caused ONLY by tiredness. Fitness of the event horse is part of the competition - they jumped for an extra 60 seconds or twelve fences almost 36hrs after they went xc. A horse competing at Badminton might not finish the course until 4pm, and be sj at 11.30 am the next day...

I would say the 7m45 course in ridiculous weather/humidity played more of a part than two sj rounds.

Fair comment re Badminton but the Tokyo horses had more travel - from the equestrian park to the island the day before XC, then back to the park again straight after it.

 

[Bernster]

Having the sub go round as an indiv and then swapping in their scores if they get subbed in seems so sensible and obvious. But then I was thinking what is the sub there for? If they need a ‘spare’ due to injury, then it doesn’t work as there’s a risk the sub gets injured. When there was a discard score from 4, did they have a 5th sub or just the 4 and they all competed?

 

[Kat]

Having the sub go round as an indiv and then swapping in their scores if they get subbed in seems so sensible and obvious. But then I was thinking what is the sub there for? If they need a ‘spare’ due to injury, then it doesn’t work as there’s a risk the sub gets injured. When there was a discard score from 4, did they have a 5th sub or just the 4 and they all competed?

It has varied over the years, I think often 4 competed and there was a travelling reserve too. However once the competition started there was no subbing in, the reserve was just for if one of the team couldn't start.

 

[DabDab]

They could run individual and team alongside each other but change the rules so that a rider can only compete in one or the other.

Alternatively they could have the individual competition decided first and then a team relay type format over a final course of jumps to decide the team comp

 

[Kat]

They could run individual and team alongside each other but change the rules so that a rider can only compete in one or the other.

Alternatively they could have the individual competition decided first and then a team relay type format over a final course of jumps to decide the team comp

They ran individual and team alongside one another in 2000 with scores only counting for individual or team.

They won't do it again as it is too difficult for less established eventing nations to compete.

 

[DiNozzo]

They ran individual and team alongside one another in 2000 with scores only counting for individual or team.

They won't do it again as it is too difficult for less established eventing nations to compete.

Surely they could do it with the same rules about subbing a rider in? They'd lose that individual score then, but so what? It gives a level starting field for everyone, and then surely goes in favour for less established nations.

 

[Wishfilly]

Jokes aside, I like what someone else said about having arena eventing to decide the individual. Current format favours showjumpers a little too much.

An arena eventing course for the individual medals is a good idea, but it doesn't solve the issue of tiredness, unfortunately.

They could run individual and team alongside each other but change the rules so that a rider can only compete in one or the other.

Alternatively they could have the individual competition decided first and then a team relay type format over a final course of jumps to decide the team comp

A team relay, sort of hunt relay style would be very exciting for the crowd, and could involve less jumping efforts for each horse, too?

Thinking bigger picture, the last Olympics of just one sj round was Sydney and the xc was super tough. It is still a three day event so where you do test people?

Regarding fitness of horses - the British horses looked fantastic, and I wouldn't say those poles were caused ONLY by tiredness. Fitness of the event horse is part of the competition - they jumped for an extra 60 seconds or twelve fences almost 36hrs after they went xc. A horse competing at Badminton might not finish the course until 4pm, and be sj at 11.30 am the next day...

I would say the 7m45 course in ridiculous weather/humidity played more of a part than two sj rounds.

I wasn't thinking of the British horses when I was thinking of the tiredness, more some of the earlier individuals to go.

I do accept the XC was shorter as well and there was a longer break before SJ. But equally the horses had to travel to/from the XC, so couldn't just be rested during that period.