‘Dressage prize cash doesn’t match up’

High British dressage rider and coach Carl Hester on latest internationals and the horse workforce choice fallout

Wellington CDI was an excellent competitors with standout numbers throughout the board. Over 110 FEI checks had been ridden, and greater than 400 within the Premier League. Greater than 50 nationwide grand prix checks had been ridden, and the Nirvana Assortment prix st georges night drew 17 combos, with £2,500 going to the winner, the best prize for any British Dressage (BD) Premier League class.

Simply as spectacular had been the amenities at Wellington. This 12 months, they added one other inch of floor at a price of £50,000 to maintain the sector in good situation and upgraded the stabling and clubhouse amenities.

David Sheerin FBHS, Wellington’s normal supervisor, defined: “Our coverage is to speculate forward of the sport earlier than repairs are wanted. We reinvest any earnings, and it pays off as folks visiting are likely to respect and take care of it if we preserve all the pieces trying good. It takes spend and energy, and our fantastic workforce works so laborious to make sure all the pieces appears to be like nice.”

Additionally they piloted a undertaking to get most people attending known as the “Worldwide Dressage Viewing Expertise” with QR codes and guides to clarify to the general public what they had been watching. Tickets had been free and reservations had been excessive, however sadly, the rain put a damper on attendance.

Realistically, we will’t count on non-horsey folks to need to spend a day watching whereas getting moist!

Curiosity on social media was excessive, although, particularly within the behind-the-scenes footage utilizing bodycams. The workforce had additionally invested in a brand new 360-degree Instagram digicam, which created some fascinating new angles.

As David defined: “It’s all about creating belief with the general public, opening the doorways and exhibiting folks the stables, the welfare checks and so forth.”

David and his workforce are actually trying ahead to a different three-day worldwide in early October, with small tour lessons together with a music class, a center tour and the grand prix lessons. They’ll see the demand for these lessons, they usually’ll present nice alternatives. Let’s hope the rain stays away.

It’s not a moan, however alternatively, how unhappy that having gained each the grand prix and the particular, I got here away with a revenue of £60! And over two internationals this 12 months, I’ve come out at a loss. It’s an costly enterprise, however dressage prize cash actually doesn’t match as much as different equestrian sports activities.

Disappointment for pony riders

The information of the BD selectors’ choice to not ship a workforce to the horse Europeans created an enormous furore and, in fact, opinions had been aired on social media. No names, however listed below are a few of these feedback, as my job as a columnist is to air among the opinions…

● “Want to vary selectors in the event that they’re unable to pick”● “My coronary heart goes out to under-16 pony riders battling by means of GCSE exams similtaneously choice trials, just for this to occur”● “Nicely completed BD, stealing sweet from the kiddies”

Along with the explanations given on the selectors’ assertion, that the panel “collectively agreed that our younger riders on this age class weren’t fairly able to compete at championship stage”, it has been introduced that assets as an alternative could be reallocated to fund a further coaching camp within the autumn.

I perceive that if a workforce had been despatched, based mostly on final 12 months’s scores they might have completed within the backside quarter, so there was additionally the difficulty of this posing a possible danger to the riders’ psychological well being ought to the workforce not convey dwelling success.

I can see each side of the argument, however having been on groups and not using a medal in sight for years, what it boils all the way down to is that this: do we actually really feel that when you can’t win, you possibly can’t go? If there was no intention of sending a workforce, why draw up a shortlist?

● Have you ever or your youngsters missed out on workforce choice, or do you assume restricted assets ought to imply solely medal contenders get picked? Write to us at hhletters@futurenet.com, together with your identify, nearest city and county, for the possibility on your letter to seem in a forthcoming challenge of the journal

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