Wallace The Great

Seville

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Gets my vote. ( see H&H news). Plus I'm a member of BD and I honestly can't see why she can't do intro TQ on him. I know BD have quoted FEI rules. No wonder us dressage divas get such a bad rep!
 
Absolutely agree. Surely for club membership they can bend the rules! As a BD member myself I would support that (actually happy for full membership, but can see the FEI challenge for some competitions). Maybe need to lobby the FEI!
 
He is an equine*, the sport is for equestrians**, seems like he should be allowed to compete to me! ( particularly at Quest level, its was designed to be inclusive). (plus he is really cute)

What does the rule say which excludes him?

*"Equus is a genus of mammals in the family Equidae, which includes horses, donkeys, and zebras. Within Equidae, Equus is the only recognized extant genus, comprising seven living species. The term equine refers to any member of this genus, including horses."
**"British Dressage is the organisation which oversees all affiliated dressage competitions and training in the United Kingdom. British Dressage is a member of the British Equestrian Federation."
"The British Equestrian Federation is the national governing body of equestrian sport in Great Britain and represents the country at the International Federation for Equestrian Sports"
 
Yes I don't understand them a) referring to the FEI rules, b) thinking that the FEI rules make it any clearer!

It has also been commented that Buckeye (mule) is going to WEG so how does that work? :p
 
I don't see why he shouldn't compete. It seems to work in America, I've seen mules there compete in reining which is very similar, plus trail and roping events. Surely his legs move the same way?

But I remember talking to a lady who's 6 year old kid wasn't allowed to do a lead rein gymkhana on their donkey, and there was that mule banned from a competition centre recently, so ear-ism is a thing sadly.
 
If the Americans can do it there's no reason why the rest of us can't. Also, mules are cute:)
 
Just playing Devils advocate...How would you instruct judges, do you have a slightly different scoring requirement to be fair to the mule (yeah, I know the answer, I'm just trying to think from the other side). You wouldn't want a mule owner complaining that they'd been marked down because the mule doesn't have the conformation of a horse...

But it's quest so personally I think let them join, for no other reason than that is the ethos of quest; come and join in no matter what you ride. And, think of the publicity they could get from it.
 
Just playing Devils advocate...How would you instruct judges, do you have a slightly different scoring requirement to be fair to the mule (yeah, I know the answer, I'm just trying to think from the other side). You wouldn't want a mule owner complaining that they'd been marked down because the mule doesn't have the conformation of a horse...

nope scoring the same, when I saw some video of him the other week (as the owner usually has welshies) I actually presumed he was PBW not unknown breeding

https://www.facebook.com/teambenhillwelshd/videos/594141377618534/

They don't seem to struggle to judge them the other side of the pond though granted the better ones tend towards a more horse way of going than donk, and the people judging trailblazer last year coped too.
 
Just playing Devils advocate...How would you instruct judges, do you have a slightly different scoring requirement to be fair to the mule (yeah, I know the answer, I'm just trying to think from the other side). You wouldn't want a mule owner complaining that they'd been marked down because the mule doesn't have the conformation of a horse...
.

well if that was going to be the case I'd request a separate scoring requirement for my 14 hand welsh D just hitting small tour, when all the competition is 17hh warmbloods :D :D :D

I can't see a logical argument to exclude them tbh.
 
My mule is only a yearling currently but I'm hoping this mule activsm will get the rules changed for when she's ready to play!
 
Just playing Devils advocate...How would you instruct judges, do you have a slightly different scoring requirement to be fair to the mule (yeah, I know the answer, I'm just trying to think from the other side). You wouldn't want a mule owner complaining that they'd been marked down because the mule doesn't have the conformation of a horse...

But it's quest so personally I think let them join, for no other reason than that is the ethos of quest; come and join in no matter what you ride. And, think of the publicity they could get from it.

But dressage isn't marked on conformation. Way of going is the judging criteria so as long as the mule is correct, then he should me marked accordingly.
 
As a mule "owner" (or carer/probation officer...), I am all for letting them compete: it's not like Carl and Charlotte are going to be worried.......But I do recall a mule being banned from eventing in America after she'd been eventing for a number of years, only when started getting seriously good scores 'though....
 
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