WEG Eventing Team Selected - Thoughts...

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Utterly shocked not to see Oli T and Laura Collett on the team.

Not sure what else Mr Bass could have done to impress and while I realise there was a lot of negative press surrounding Oli's actions at Badminton, given his recent 4 star form, surely he deserved his place.

Thoughts...
 
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We have no idea what they've been performing like in training, if there are any little injury/ soundness niggles and how they're likely to cope with long distance travel.
On that basis, I trust the selectors and I think they've chosen an ultra-compeitive field, although it's a real shame Bulana can't be there
 
TheMule said:
We have no idea what they've been performing like in training, if there are any little injury/ soundness niggles and how they're likely to cope with long distance travel.
On that basis, I trust the selectors and I think they've chosen an ultra-compeitive field, although it's a real shame Bulana can't be there
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Fair point re the soundness/ suitability for long distance travel. But then, I'd also include in that the ability to cope with heat/ firm ground. Given Gemma T withdrew AS from Gatcombe citing hard ground and saying he prefers the mud/ soft, his selection is a surprise for me, given the likely conditions in Tryon. As I must say is Tina given how often Billy The Red has been blowing up in the dressage lately.
 
We are so lucky to have such depth to choose from!

I have to say I find Arctic Soul an exceptionally odd choice and do agree Billy the Red hasn’t been the most consistent in the boards - although he was good at Hartpury and maybe a nice long flight will take the edge off him :D

I bet the atmosphere is blue in the Townend Camp
 
TheMule said:
We have no idea what they've been performing like in training, if there are any little injury/ soundness niggles and how they're likely to cope with long distance travel.
On that basis, I trust the selectors and I think they've chosen an ultra-compeitive field, although it's a real shame Bulana can't be there
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Lauras response on Twitter seems to suggest that there are no soundness issues or niggles with Mr Bass. He has been well travelled this year (though not over cooked by the looks of his record) and has super consistent results. Oli has a horse that has won in the USA so clearly has the form after the long trip.

I imagine Gemma made the team as he ground has been reported to be boggy which suits her horse. Plenty of time for it to dry up though and then she could be in trouble.

I honestly don’t know how Tina has made it ahead of Laura with many fewer runs, and problems with the horse blowing up in dressage lately.

Although I think Tom deserves it, I think Laura deserves it more.

Really gutted for Laura and Oli.
 
Perhaps professionalism and good sportsmanship does count for something. But that's me being catty!
I guess Artic Soul is our new Opposition Buzz, pretty much guaranteed quick clear as a pathfinder. Billy The Red travelled to Rio (and did the dressage test) so has done the atmosphere before, not that he did it particularly well IMHO.
 
Feel really sorry for Laura. She has been so consistent and done everything she could have done.

I'm not massively surprised about Ollie, although world no. 1 I couldn't say which of his 3 would be an obvious choice. Ballaghmor Class has had a few poles and Ollie fell at Aachen, Cooley Master Class I think has had soundness issues and Cooley SRS had issues at the Europeans and more importantly maybe wasn't presented the next day..

I was surprised Tina was selected given her form this year, but absolutely thrilled for her and she is such a reliable team performer it's great to see that acknowledged.

Piggy has had really strong form bar the 50pens at Luhmuhlen.

Ros & Tom haven't put a foot wrong all year, and the fact Gemma is selected on Arctic Soul suggests to me they are anticipating a tough xc track.
 
Oli has released a statement...

“Obviously, I am hugely disappointed not to have been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2018 World Equestrian Games as the current world number one.

“I have given it everything I can with outstanding results, especially winning in Kentucky on Cooley Master Class and gaining second and fifth-placed finishes at Badminton with Cooley SRS and Ballaghmor Class on the back of winning Burghley.

“It is not to be for me this time, but I wish all five riders selected for the team the very best in Tryon and I will be supporting them fully in their efforts to win the world title after our success in the European Championships last September.”

Quite a smug sounding statement to me? Although to be fair, I don't like him as a rider so may be reading into it.

Collet hasn't been particularly professional either on her twitter page- retweeting lots of protest type posts.



Read more at https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/new...venting-team-named-661912#EcmIVdUCBiZPKJ7l.99
 
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I can’t believe that they have left oli off the team. He’s the world no.1 and has had brilliant results this year on 3 different horses.
Feels like a massive snub and insult from BE imo.

He produced the results yet hasn’t been acknowledged for it.
 
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I am quite glad Olli didn't get picked, his behaviour this year has been awful, and before anyone says he apologised he certainly hasn't learnt from his previous record of yellow cards. Good luck to the team I say!
 
Steerpike said:
I am quite glad Olli didn't get picked, his behaviour this year has been awful, and before anyone says he apologised he certainly hasn't learnt from his previous record of yellow cards. Good luck to the team I say!
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i agree, horse welfare should be paramount and the way he rode the grey horse at badminton was horrible to watch..i had started to enjoy watching him ride as he seemed to have grown up and ride more sympathetically but my opinion has changed now and i am glad he wasnt chosen, perhaps that will hit home....
 
Whatever we think of Oli's behaviour this year, it is bonkers to leave the number one rider at home. Yes his statement is a bit smug but I can't say I blame him, his form totally eclipses anyone else on the team. It's almost like we don't want to win!
 
apercrumbie said:
Whatever we think of Oli's behaviour this year, it is bonkers to leave the number one rider at home. Yes his statement is a bit smug but I can't say I blame him, his form totally eclipses anyone else on the team. It's almost like we don't want to win!
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I think horse welfare is under intense scrutiny atm, and giving a place to OT after the debacle at Badminton, would not be a good idea. World no 1 or not, I wouldn't want him riding my horses.
 
cundlegreen said:
I think horse welfare is under intense scrutiny atm, and giving a place to OT after the debacle at Badminton, would not be a good idea. World no 1 or not, I wouldn't want him riding my horses.
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Fair enough but then they should come out and say it if that's the case. The advantages of social media is that poor riding now gets called out.
 
BE have simply taken the most sensible PR route and who can blame them. The poor riding and media attention saga will fade and Mr Townend will be back on on the team in due course. WEG has come too close to the unsavoury incidents and too close to the loss of some of his high profile sponsors who may also be involved in other aspects of BE sponsorship.

His rather trite statement is the only sensible and grown up thing he could do, but I bet you wouldn't want to be on his payroll at the minute, or perhaps the first horse to make a mistake under him.

Personally I don't think he should be representing GB just yet regardless of his world ranking.
 
DiNozzo said:
Oli has released a statement...

“Obviously, I am hugely disappointed not to have been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2018 World Equestrian Games as the current world number one.

“I have given it everything I can with outstanding results, especially winning in Kentucky on Cooley Master Class and gaining second and fifth-placed finishes at Badminton with Cooley SRS and Ballaghmor Class on the back of winning Burghley.

“It is not to be for me this time, but I wish all five riders selected for the team the very best in Tryon and I will be supporting them fully in their efforts to win the world title after our success in the European Championships last September.”

Quite a smug sounding statement to me? Although to be fair, I don't like him as a rider so may be reading into it.

Collet hasn't been particularly professional either on her twitter page- retweeting lots of protest type posts.



Read more at https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/new...venting-team-named-661912#EcmIVdUCBiZPKJ7l.99
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I didn’t read Oli’s statement as being smug, more just a bit defensive and not able to eff and jeff about it, so went down the proving his credentials route?

Laura’s always very prone to that sort of retweeting, whether it’s positive or negative news.

Still don’t quite know what my reaction is tbh! Billy The Red seems an odd choice, given the recent issues, and I can only assume Arctic Soul is there because he’s a reliable choice over the full length cross country course? I’ve read in some article about the big hill at 8 mins in and the time looking difficult which would support it.
 
I think the selectors have done a great job. They were damned if they put Oli on the team and damned if they didn't. They couldn't please everyone and to be fair out of 9 team starts he has only gone clear cross country once. So that to me would have been the concern. Ros was a dead cert for me. As was Tina to be honest the horse hasn't had his best season mostly down to lack of runs due to Tinas injury but looking back to the Europeans Billy the reds round was the round of the day for me and he's consistently clear SJ, plus her experience is invaluable. Same with Piggy, her horse is also very consistent and had some great results this year, dont think its had a pole all season. Gemma's decision not to run at Gatcombe possible had something to do with being long listed for WEG and the selectors can be 99.9% sure he will get round the cross country no bother. I'd say they have 5 with the potential to do a very good dressage and finish on that dressage score.
 
debbielinder said:
I think the selectors have done a great job. They were damned if they put Oli on the team and damned if they didn't. They couldn't please everyone and to be fair out of 9 team starts he has only gone clear cross country once. So that to me would have been the concern. Ros was a dead cert for me. As was Tina to be honest the horse hasn't had his best season mostly down to lack of runs due to Tinas injury but looking back to the Europeans Billy the reds round was the round of the day for me and he's consistently clear SJ, plus her experience is invaluable. Same with Piggy, her horse is also very consistent and had some great results this year, dont think its had a pole all season. Gemma's decision not to run at Gatcombe possible had something to do with being long listed for WEG and the selectors can be 99.9% sure he will get round the cross country no bother. I'd say they have 5 with the potential to do a very good dressage and finish on that dressage score.
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We have got a great team, I think the 'problem' was that we had too many good options to pick from. Worse problems to have... Gutted for OT and LC but SO SO pleased to see Ros on the team, she's on fire at the moment.
 
Surely Marilyn Little is a US problem? British Eventing were faced with an impossible decision with OT and decided to opt for the least controversial - there's no denying that the public outcry (however you feel about his riding personally) was vile and they've chosen to play safe with public perception. They're still an excellent team and I'm very excited to be cheering them on - especially Ros!
 
When i was growing up, Tom McEwan was my neighbour and he kept his ponies in my parents' field with my pony (at the time). We went to school and pony club together so i am definitely happily Tom got in the team! Woohoo!
 
Denzel2017 said:
Surely Marilyn Little is a US problem? British Eventing were faced with an impossible decision with OT and decided to opt for the least controversial - there's no denying that the public outcry (however you feel about his riding personally) was vile and they've chosen to play safe with public perception. They're still an excellent team and I'm very excited to be cheering them on - especially Ros!
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Although wouldn't it have been the perfect place to show that he has changed? And it is a sad day that a witch hunt is able to influence team selection so much. As yes his riding wasn't great but it was no worst than a lot of professional riders I see who are deified by the public and can do no wrong. But aside I think it is a reasonable team but they certainly haven't picked a winning team by a long way (although I would love to be proved wrong!)
 
apercrumbie said:
Whatever we think of Oli's behaviour this year, it is bonkers to leave the number one rider at home. Yes his statement is a bit smug but I can't say I blame him, his form totally eclipses anyone else on the team. It's almost like we don't want to win!
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First aim of WEG 2018 is to secure a place at Tokyo, second aim is to win gold.

Read the selection policy, it's fairly clear cut.
 
teapot said:
This is one of the selection criteria 'Demonstration of behaviour that indicates a commitment to a positive team environment both on and off the field of play'.
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I believe this is what you're referring to (taken from the other thread). One criteria out of many and I don't think all team members selected really fulfil the performance criterion. Still don't get it.
 
apercrumbie said:
I did read it yesterday but will do so again - is there a particular part that you're referring to?
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Page 1 refers to the aims of sending a team to WEG, with medals second and third objective, not first.

Page 4 and 5, especially the bold bullet points on page 5 are about team selection. From reading that pdf, I can totally understand why OT and LC haven't been chosen in favour of the five that have.
 
Mr Bass has only had 4 completions this year with the last one being in May. He did dressage and SJ at Aston-le-walls in the "WEG section" but did not run XC in July. There were at least 2 of voting members of the selection panel there as well as the Richard Waygood and Chris Bartle. I wonder if there has been an injury issue that Joe public is not privy to.
 
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