Riders react to the appointment of Sue Benson for 2012

[teapot]

After Benson was appointed for designing the xc course for London 2012, riders have spoken out against the decision

<u>Taken from H&amp;H online:</u>

Australian rider Clayton Fredericks, for the Event Riders Association (ERA) raised concerns with British Equestrian Federation (BEF) chairman Hugh Thomas, before the decision was made.


"We had some inclination it was going this way. Every rider I've spoken to in the past few weeks — hundreds — says the same," he said. "Considering the calibre of the other candidates, I don't believe they made the best decision."


Mrs Benson, who could not comment to H&amp;H, has not designed a championship or four-star track. She admitted in June that she was on a "steep learning curve" after her course for Bramham this year was openly criticised.


The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) proposed four designers to the London Olympic Games Organising Committee (LOCOG). The others were German Rüdiger Schwarz, who designed at this year's World Equestrian Games; France's Pierre Michelet, designer at one World Cup final and two European Championships, and America's Derek di Grazia.


"I cannot see how Sue Benson is in the same league as Pierre Michelet," said Olympic rider Andrew Nicholson. "She just hasn't got the experience yet."


Another rider, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "I'm against this, considering the courses that have produced in the past and the quality of the other candidates."


Riders are questioning whether Mrs Benson was picked because she is British, but the FEI insists the decision is "based on ability not nationality".


A LOCOG spokesman said Mrs Benson was picked for "her experience at the highest level, her excellent ideas and her experience of designing in a public area".


The spokesman said the decision had been made with the FEI and the BEF.

Clayton Fredericks added: "It is disappointing that, in a decision of this nature, ERA has been ignored. I warned Hugh how riders would react. If you look at who has made consistently good courses, the choice is obvious."

 

[Alibear]

All that said , she has got 6 years OK allowing for pre planning what 4 years more to gain experience? I don't think there's a course deisgned out there who hasn't done a track that's be critisised at some point.

 

[SJFAN]

My sentiments exactly. I don't believe that the riders quoted should have made public their views at this stage. Perhaps if by 2008 a majority of the ERA still have serious concerns about Sue's abilities then they could make a representation to the OC. It is not up to the competitors to choose course designers any more than it is for dressage riders to choose their judges.

 

[lorenababbit]

Also pierre michelin has not designed a 4* either for the record though he is currently much beloved since he has softened the course at le Lion and done a world cup final. obviously the brits wanted a brit designer if they could get one and sjfan is right about the riders bitching now. perhaps they should have made a bit more effort when the short list was annouced months ago. Further the olympics may count as a 4* but the track never is or else the minor nations who only need to be 3* qualified to go, wouldnt get round.
yes sue did not have the best bramham but she has been there six years and at beokelo for at least 3 and as someone said she has got a few years to refine her technique.
Also for the record this year there were no horse falls at Beokelo, and more at Burghley than there were at Bramham and Burghley didnt run in a 36 degree heatwave either.

 

[teapot]

To me, it seemed so odd that they were voicing their concerns so early.

There's 6yrs to gain experience of doing the championship tracks as it were and it's not like the Olympic stuff is ready and wont be for a couple of years atleast

 

[Olliedog]

I guess everyone gets a bit nervy when it comes to equestrian sports and the Olympics. There are some Olympic officials who would dearly love to see eventing ( equestrian in general, in fact) replaced by some thing more 'mainstream' like chess or ballroom dancing. Thus a huge amount of responsibility now falls on the course designer to deliver the goods (exciting results with minimal mishaps).

 

[LEC]

I think its a clever ploy by bitching now the riders make sure that she will try and get as much experience as possible and make more of an effort to improve by the time 2012 comes along. I just hope that Sue Benson does not go for a soft option. I am pretty sure the Olympics is only 3* level anyway and Athens had no impact at all xc which was a shame unlike Aachen this year.
I have been really impressed with XC this year as it had a real impact at all the major events bar Badminton. I loved seeing bold xc efforts and the fact that none of them were a dressage competition. It gives people hope on horses who are mid way through the field after dressage that they can still achieve a good placing.

 

[dieseldog]

The thing about the olympics is that to keep eventing in they have to get minority nations competing, and countries in the far east just don't have the horse/rider power to compete around a proper 4* event. Which is why IMO the world championships are a better competion than the olympics from a sport point of view, but if I was ever in the position to compete at that level I would rather win an Olympics than a worlds.

They need to make the course easy still but make those the alternatives, but still have the harder direct routes for the big boys.

TBH, if the XC hadn't been so easy at the last games Leslie Law would never have won a medal as his horse stepped over the jump in the water after stopping at it.

She has got time to learn and I hope she does a good job

 

[lorenababbit]

well said last three posts! Personally i think that after the cost of running equestrian in hong kong away from the rest of the games in 2008 is assessed, i think that horse sports particularly eventing will be on thin ice. At least dressage showjumping and para can all use the same arena(s) its the cross country that is the killer. Dont forget that it was cost that was the original reason for ditching long format and that wazs completely gone in two years between WEG 2002 and Athens. Those of us that love eventing need to keep our eye on the real issue because as a londoner i just cant see them digging up Greenwich Park and all the listed buildings there as it is.

 

[dieseldog]

So what fences do you think she'll build?

Tower bridge, some red buses/black taxis, stonehenge....

 

[LEC]

I bet UK will fight hard to keep eventing its one thing we are good at! NZ is the same. The sports they keep suggesting for the Olympics are pathetic - Golf! and I say this as a sport mad individual not just through horsey interest. Lets hope with increasing press coverage due to Zara and the Grandslam it will get good coverage.

 

[SJFAN]

Of course Eventing should stay in the Olympics and I agree it's unnecessary that people keep trying to get other sports into the Games which have already been over-expanded. I disliked the tampering with the format so that there were Team and Individual events which meant that the Individual medals were devalued imo as they were not in fact the best individuals, given that in most cases the best individual pairs went in the Team event. The Olympics is supposed to represent the summit of sporting achievement so it's wrong to use a 3* instead of a 4* track. They should revert to 4* making sure that there are plenty of long slow options for the less accomplished competitors.

 

[lorenababbit]

But officially it is a 4* or at least the equivalent and you have to presume there will be lots of mini london landmarks to jump over in or through. and as for golf.....a good walk spoilt if you ask me! It is a shame that horse sports are in such danger though as they wre one of the original ancient greekinclusions unlike synchronised swimming...

 

[SillyMare]

I think it is great to have a new(ish) British course designer like Sue Benson coming up and getting such a big event - regardless of whether it is 3 or 4*, it is still the medal that everyone wants.

Hope she does really well and as others have said above, she still has time to gain some experience before the Olympics. We have a handful of great 3 / 4* course designers in this country - I'm sure she will be able to get any advice she wants.

I hope they build a proper influential 4* track with plenty of really long easy routes to make sure most people can get round and all the teams can get a score.

 

[monica123]

i think they should have waited