The Voice
Well-Known Member
link for the results at the wc show http://events.horses.nl/2008/goteborg/results/results.htm
William Whitaker loses top ride Arielle
- Thread starter HHO admin
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cruiseline
Well-Known Member
Abdullah Al Marri qualified at the Arab League in Syria, but due to quarantine regulations, he could not transport his horse for the final, which was really unfortunate as they have a fantastic partnership. Abdullah is one of the nices riders we have on our circuit here in the United Arab Emirates.
It was decided that to give the rider a chance at the final, a new horse was to be found. I can assure you that although it is sad for any rider to loose a horse, life will go on, the owners will now be in a position to purchase 'several' nice horses for him to ride.
Unfortunately, due to the short time the rider and horse were together, the final did not go too well. However, I am sure we will be seeing alot more of Abdullah and Arielle on the international scene this summer.
Good luck to them both.
It was decided that to give the rider a chance at the final, a new horse was to be found. I can assure you that although it is sad for any rider to loose a horse, life will go on, the owners will now be in a position to purchase 'several' nice horses for him to ride.
Unfortunately, due to the short time the rider and horse were together, the final did not go too well. However, I am sure we will be seeing alot more of Abdullah and Arielle on the international scene this summer.
Good luck to them both.
cruiseline
Well-Known Member
You would be suprised at just how many of the top horses change hands before big competitions, that is the way of the world, it is a business first and foremost.
An offer comes you take it, you only have to look at what happened at the recent British Open to see that it can be so easily, 'here today, gone tomorrow'. Horses are not immortal.
Any and all riders have the right to participate in a final that they have legally (under the rules set down by the FEI) qualified for. If the FEI has made a boob, and they do, no rider should be penalized for it. When Abdullah entered the competition in Syria, he was not aware that the quarantine regulations would pose a problem. In fact until the final result of the competition, neither did the FEI, why because of planning. This is not the same as a lame horse by any stretch of the imagination. Abdullah would have been only too happy to have ridden his own horse, but the quarantine rules did not allow him. Not his mistake!!!!!!!!!!!! The FEI should have seen that holding a qualifier in Syria so close to the final was a mistake.
William was not stopped from riding in the final because 'some Arab wanted to', he was stopped from riding because the owners saw a very lucrative business deal that was too good to pass over. Business pure and simple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
An offer comes you take it, you only have to look at what happened at the recent British Open to see that it can be so easily, 'here today, gone tomorrow'. Horses are not immortal.
Any and all riders have the right to participate in a final that they have legally (under the rules set down by the FEI) qualified for. If the FEI has made a boob, and they do, no rider should be penalized for it. When Abdullah entered the competition in Syria, he was not aware that the quarantine regulations would pose a problem. In fact until the final result of the competition, neither did the FEI, why because of planning. This is not the same as a lame horse by any stretch of the imagination. Abdullah would have been only too happy to have ridden his own horse, but the quarantine rules did not allow him. Not his mistake!!!!!!!!!!!! The FEI should have seen that holding a qualifier in Syria so close to the final was a mistake.
William was not stopped from riding in the final because 'some Arab wanted to', he was stopped from riding because the owners saw a very lucrative business deal that was too good to pass over. Business pure and simple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FRESHMAN
Well-Known Member
Whoa. I am always up for good business any day, but (& this is very important) Whilst I understand that there was some technical problems mainly caused by the FEI It is also the riders duty to be aware of rules etc. Ignorance is not a defence. I do not really have a problem with your rider being given a dispensation. I do feel strongly that this should apply to the other rider also. Mainly because I believe before the deal went through it was ok'd & reported as such on H&H. After the deal it was knocked back. Now this is a totally different situation. I will ask again (as you are from the UAE) Is this person a relative of Princess Hiya or not? It is a relatively straight forward question, but one that needs answering. I LIKE clarity.
Furthemore I feel sure that Abdullah would have preferred to be on his own horse, that in its self though makes one wonder why he thought he could buy one & do ok in a WC Final after only a couple of weeks. There is only one John Whitaker as far as I am aware. Anyways the proof of that point showed in the results.
Furthemore I feel sure that Abdullah would have preferred to be on his own horse, that in its self though makes one wonder why he thought he could buy one & do ok in a WC Final after only a couple of weeks. There is only one John Whitaker as far as I am aware. Anyways the proof of that point showed in the results.
cruiseline
Well-Known Member
For your clarity, Simple question and simply answered. FYI Abdullah Al Marri, is a born and bred UAE National, I have known him since he was at school, jumping in junior classes, Princess Hiya is Jordanian, two different countries! No they are not related!!!!!!!!!!!!
Before you ask, no Abdullah Al Marri is not a member of the UAE Royal family either. He is a hard working young lad, who has worked his way through the grades to get where he is today.
I do not think that he has any misconceptions of being John Whitaker, in fact I know he hasn't. He is just a humble rider who went to several qualifiers and finished at the top of the leaders board. I am sure he aspires to, one day, be like him, don't all riders making their way up the ladder.
I agree that it is a riders responsibility to know the rules of the competition, not, however, of the always changing FEI quarantine regulations and Ministerial red tape, not even the Ministeries can keep up sometimes. Hence the fact so many horse have been stranded abroad in the past after participating in international competitions. I am quite sure their owners did not send them over knowing that they would not get them back. I can assure you that Abdullah was fully aware of the jumping rules that applied to him and his horse in Syria. Do you honestly think that any of the riders who competed (and there were many) did so knowing that their horses would not be able to participate in the final. How could they, the FEI was not even aware of it at the time. You tell me of any rider who enters a competition thinking, Oh if I win this QUALIFIER, will I be able to jump in the final. No, the pure fact that you win, means you go to the final. Self explanitory one would think, why would anyone think any differently.
If an owner decides to make a business deal on their horse prior to a top international competition, that is the riders bad luck and one of the pitfalls of not riding your own horses. You will find that most professional riders at international level have signed contracts with owners, safe guarding their rides up to and including particular finals, why, because they know it happens. It can not be an excuse that riders use against the FEI to allow them to compete on a different horse. What, the owners have sold their horse and is laughing all the way to the bank and I have nothing to ride now, so let me ride something else, really! It is the risk every non owner rider takes when they pick up the reins. You would be considered naive if you thought this was the first time an owner had sold a top horse from underneath the rider before a big final.
No rider (regardless of where they are from) can be penalised for doing what the FEI have ask them to do in order for them to participate in a final. Abdullah Al Marri did that, he followed the rules, by the book, and finished the leader of the Arab League.
If you would like additional clarity, please let me know.
Before you ask, no Abdullah Al Marri is not a member of the UAE Royal family either. He is a hard working young lad, who has worked his way through the grades to get where he is today.
I do not think that he has any misconceptions of being John Whitaker, in fact I know he hasn't. He is just a humble rider who went to several qualifiers and finished at the top of the leaders board. I am sure he aspires to, one day, be like him, don't all riders making their way up the ladder.
I agree that it is a riders responsibility to know the rules of the competition, not, however, of the always changing FEI quarantine regulations and Ministerial red tape, not even the Ministeries can keep up sometimes. Hence the fact so many horse have been stranded abroad in the past after participating in international competitions. I am quite sure their owners did not send them over knowing that they would not get them back. I can assure you that Abdullah was fully aware of the jumping rules that applied to him and his horse in Syria. Do you honestly think that any of the riders who competed (and there were many) did so knowing that their horses would not be able to participate in the final. How could they, the FEI was not even aware of it at the time. You tell me of any rider who enters a competition thinking, Oh if I win this QUALIFIER, will I be able to jump in the final. No, the pure fact that you win, means you go to the final. Self explanitory one would think, why would anyone think any differently.
If an owner decides to make a business deal on their horse prior to a top international competition, that is the riders bad luck and one of the pitfalls of not riding your own horses. You will find that most professional riders at international level have signed contracts with owners, safe guarding their rides up to and including particular finals, why, because they know it happens. It can not be an excuse that riders use against the FEI to allow them to compete on a different horse. What, the owners have sold their horse and is laughing all the way to the bank and I have nothing to ride now, so let me ride something else, really! It is the risk every non owner rider takes when they pick up the reins. You would be considered naive if you thought this was the first time an owner had sold a top horse from underneath the rider before a big final.
No rider (regardless of where they are from) can be penalised for doing what the FEI have ask them to do in order for them to participate in a final. Abdullah Al Marri did that, he followed the rules, by the book, and finished the leader of the Arab League.
If you would like additional clarity, please let me know.