Put a sock in in Lineker...

[bongo-girl]

COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EARS when last night on the Beeb olympic round up Gary Lineker signed off with a very snide 'and it was silver for GB in the equestrianism...tally ho'. Why is this perpetual classism accepted towards our sport? Yes, horses are expensive. Yes, we do have a royal connection with the sport, but Mr Linekers footballing/crisp endorsements/commentary earnings would put many eventer's income well in the shade.
Also, if the boot were on the other foot, and comments were made about someone at the poorer end of the socio economic spectrum there would be a total outcry. Its like the word 'posh'. Hate it when it is used to imply something about someone....

 

[KautoStar1]

so I'm not the only one who thought 'what a tit'.
Silly irritating little man.

 

[Feathered]

Yep me and OH we're watching then, and we said the same thing.

Yeah great, thanks for that Lineker!!

 

[BBH]

I think you are being a little sensitive if I may say.

The eventing coverage has been more than I can ever remember on TV and I think we should be enjoying that, although I have to say without Zara on the team I think it would possibly have been relegated to a snippet on the medal update slot.

It will be interesting to see how much coverage dressage and showjumping get without royal connections.

And no-one can be under any illusions that equestrian sport is very expensive at that level so I think its silly to expect people to agree its for the masses.

The tally ho bit prob comes from un horsey people's stereotype of hunting folk.

 

[RutlandH2O]

COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EARS when last night on the Beeb olympic round up Gary Lineker signed off with a very snide 'and it was silver for GB in the equestrianism...tally ho'. Why is this perpetual classism accepted towards our sport? Yes, horses are expensive. Yes, we do have a royal connection with the sport, but Mr Linekers footballing/crisp endorsements/commentary earnings would put many eventer's income well in the shade.
Also, if the boot were on the other foot, and comments were made about someone at the poorer end of the socio economic spectrum there would be a total outcry. Its like the word 'posh'. Hate it when it is used to imply something about someone....

^^^^^This!!

 

[mtj]

Yep, I thought he sounded a total *anker as well.

 

[quirky]

I wasn't offended by it in the least
Tally Ho is an expression exclusively associated with horses and hunting in particular, so he wasn't way off the mark was he?

 

[bongo-girl]

What I'd like to know is if Zara had shown talent for swimming or judo, what would the perception of those sport be? Also GL is a broadcaster with responsibilities in shaping peoples opinions. Its just cheap and old hat to stereotype equestrians...

 

[bongo-girl]

I think it was as much about HOW he said it as what he said....

 

[BBH]

What I'd like to know is if Zara had shown talent for swimming or judo, what would the perception of those sport be? Also GL is a broadcaster with responsibilities in shaping peoples opinions. Its just cheap and old hat to stereotype equestrians...

' Shaping people's opinions' LOL He's a broadcaster not the Dalai Lama

Have some perspective.

 

[silu]

I agree with BHH and perhaps a raw nerve was hit? Let's get real here there is NO way someone however talented could even get to The Olympics nowadays without either their own enormous wealth or funded massively with both horses/training etc etc.
I was watching the weight lifting and someone from Indonesia I think who is a goat herd by profession got a bronze. Can you honestly imagine the same scenario in Eventing or any of the other equestrian disciplines? "Life isn't fair, get used to it" comes to mind. That said I am delighted for The British Team, they were worthy winners of their silver medals.

 

[bongo-girl]

Thank God he's not the Dalai Larma!! DL doing a great job at being the DL! But he does 'speak' to millions every night via tv and thereby probably has more impact on your average Brit than the DL. I just roll my eyes whenever class stereotypes are used yet again to illustrate horse sports. Of course they cost lots, as do nearly ALL sports at this level (goat herders aside!), but it wouldn't be acceptable to make those comments about other perceived classes...would it?

 

[quirky]

I just roll my eyes whenever class stereotypes are used yet again to illustrate horse sports. Of course they cost lots, as do nearly ALL sports at this level (goat herders aside!), but it wouldn't be acceptable to make those comments about other perceived classes...would it?

I disagree. I've never heard of a swimmer paying £10's of £1000's to buy a swimming costume and keep it in tip top condition

 

[KautoStar1]

I dont think anyone can dispute the cost of running a normal horse, let alone a team of top competition horses and therefore the general perception that its elitist. Thats not the issue.
It wasn't said in a jolly funny way, it came across as a bit patronising, he was almost rolling his eyes.

 

[Dab]

I....Let's get real here there is NO way someone however talented could even get to The Olympics nowadays without either their own enormous wealth or funded massively with both horses/training etc etc.

You are right, however just to point out that you are saying that someone with massive talent but no personnal wealth can get to the olympics if they are sponsored/have wealthy owners.

Yes horses are expensive and it helps to have your own money but all of the riders rely on owners, otherwise none of them could make a living.

Therefore someone without much money but with a great talent and a massive work ethic can make it, just like Mark King!

There is definately reverse snobbery that goes on in this sport. People seem to forget that these riders who make it to the top are extremely talented, they work so very hard, and not only that they have to be good business people and good to their owners. Talent needs to be respected which ever end of the wealth spectrum you come from!

 

[Kat]

It wasn't said in a jolly funny way, it came across as a bit patronising, he was almost rolling his eyes.

I didn't see the part in question but I thought a fair bit of the olympic coverage was a bit patronising. I wanted to kick John McEnroe, he was talking to Olga Korbutt like she was simple.

Oh and what is wrong with John McEnroe's face? Has he been at the botox? He didn't look like himself.....

 

[BBH]

Thank God he's not the Dalai Larma!! DL doing a great job at being the DL! But he does 'speak' to millions every night via tv and thereby probably has more impact on your average Brit than the DL. I just roll my eyes whenever class stereotypes are used yet again to illustrate horse sports. Of course they cost lots, as do nearly ALL sports at this level (goat herders aside!), but it wouldn't be acceptable to make those comments about other perceived classes...would it?

I don't think GL would have made a throw away comment thinking it would be interpreted as a class war. Perhaps you'd like your presenters to read off a preprepared script aka Iranian TV.

Horse sports are incredibly expensive and are not accessible / available to most people and thats a fact. How many of the few people who begin to ride have to give up due to the continued expense. Most successful equestrian competitors have a helping hand background ie parents who own farms, are offspring of top equestrians themselves or they are the offspring on the very wealthy. Yes there are a few who have made it through sheer guts and hard work but they are the minority and probably have to have more business acumen than the others in that not only do they have to have the talent but they have to attract and retain wealthy owners / sponsors.

I cannot think for one minute Gary Linekar has any impact on the average thinking brit through what he says tbh. He presents a sports show end of. He is not a Nobel peace prize winner or some great intellectual mind so I cannot imagine too many people hanging to to his every word as gospel.

 

[Dab]

.... are not accessible / available to most people and thats a fact. How many of the few people who begin to ride have to give up due to the continued expense. ....

Are riding schools more accessible than say rowing clubs, fencing clubs, shooting ranges, sailing lakes...

A lot people give up riding because they are not very good, find it too difficult, just not passionate about it...just the same as other sports really!

 

[woodlandswow]

i think the fact I hate Gary Lineker anyway made me even more annoyed - he is a horrible man - and yes, it was the tone more than anything else.

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

Not as bad as news reporter on sunday on "Radio 4" and the Gee Gees are trotting around nicely at Greenwich.

 

[WandaMare]

Not as bad as news reporter on sunday on "Radio 4" and the Gee Gees are trotting around nicely at Greenwich.

Couldn't help laughing at that one, how old was he, sounds like something my Grandad would have said

 

[Honey08]

I wasn't offended by it in the least
Tally Ho is an expression exclusively associated with horses and hunting in particular, so he wasn't way off the mark was he?

For years "Oh Tally Ho!" has been said by people to take the mickey out of horse riders as well as it being an expression to do with hunting - as if GL would have had any idea it was anyway.

The man is an idiot, even worse, and idiot that the nation think is a really nice man. He isn't he is awful!

He is being very nice to the two female rowers now. Perhaps he is just anti-royal - didn't get the right seats at the royal wedding that he and his pushy wife had expected!!

 

[Gingerbear]

Err England foot ball team ! What have they won ! In the past 20 years..... Gary its ok to keep eating the crisps...

 

[Tiffany]

I'm really enjoying the Olympic coverage until Gary Lineker is commentating. Why not stick to football Gary because then I can avoid you because I don't watch that