Shock Horror – Dressage Selection Stuff Up!

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When the competitions that would be the selection events were being discussed, the question was always, where can we find a competition that will let eight Australian riders compete in the Grand Prix class. Please note, that is Grand Prix singular. I can remember discussing it at Boneo Park with the dressage chef d’equipe, Julia Battams, and that’s when I first heard Rotterdam mentioned. Rotterdam, I said, that’s a great show, but will they really give us eight entries? Yes, said Julia.

And we started planning our trip to Holland…

Now it turns out that instead of us having eight places in THE Grand Prix at Odense and Rotterdam, we have four places in the four-star (or in the case of Rotterdam 5 star) Grand Prix and four places in the three-star Grand Prix, at the two shows, and that blows the whole notion of an objective selection policy out the window. It didn’t matter which Grand Prix, three or four or five star, our riders competed in, but it had to be the same class for the word ‘objective’ to apply.

There is no doubt that the four riders who start in the four-star Grand Prix will get more marks than if they did exactly the same tests in the three-star Grand Prix. That you can establish by going back and comparing the marks at 3 and 4 star competitions. The top horses are in the four-star, and when the winning mark is in the 80’s that drags the lowest marks up, winning the winning mark is in the 70’s, that drags the scores down. Sure it is in part the quality of the dressage is on the whole better in the four-star, but it is not entirely that – when they are handing out lots of 8’s then their worst mark comes up. Add to that, the judge sitting in a four-star class expects a higher standard of performance than in a three-star class, and that expectation (and this has been scientifically proven) affects the marks they hand out. It’s actually worse at Rotterdam, where there is a five star and a three star GP.

High Performance manager, Chris Webb says that he was always aware that this could be a problem and had been in discussion with the organizing committees, but that he only received formal notice of the situation a week ago, and that since then, discussions were being held with the riders to come up with the best solution and a rider consensus. Well I can tell you that the four riders selected to go in the 4-star, and although Chris denies it, I am informed that they are already selected and look very like the team that went to the last WEG, will be highly of the consensus that this is a good decision – but the four riders in the three-star, will not be so consensed.

There is no doubt this is not a good decision, and it would be better to have found lesser shows with an-all-in-one class option, but assuming this cannot be done now, here is my suggestion, which although not perfect, is at least kind of fair. All eight names into a hat, four drawn on one side, four on the other. The first four ride in the four-star at the first show, and the three-star at the second, and vice versa. And while we are at it, the order of go should also be random and out of the hat, so that no one is given the likelihood of a better scoring, later spot, on the draw.

I’m not sure if my suggestion would stand up in the Court of Sports Arbitration, but it would have a better chance than this subjective selection determining who is likely to get the best result in the so-called ‘objective’ selection process.

– Chris Hector

 

3 thoughts on “Shock Horror – Dressage Selection Stuff Up!

  1. oh…@###(*)^*)&%! Here we go again…. all the time, money, heartache, work and dreams…. and then get subjected to this…. honestly,

  2. Oh what a disappointment to those 4 on the “lower” list. Probably would have been fairer to tell them they were out before they booked their flights if that were the case and it sounds as though it is.

    What is wrong with these people!!

    And why couldn’t the competitions have been held here anyway. Oh yes, I know .. “atmosphere”. Crap. Sounds already rigged to protect the rich and famous.

  3. I have been watching and participating in equestrian sport (Dressage in particular) for many years and cannot remember an Olympics (or WEG) where selection, the selection process and administrative issues have not been flawed and spoiled the excitement the fans – not to mention the lack of fairness for all riders looking to represent their country.

    Dressage enthusiasts wish to support the riders who have earned their right to be considered and have been told that European selection is the only way to ensure that they compete against each other on an “equal playing field” basis. Now we find that the riders will not be able to go head-to-head and this means that the subjective elements of selection are likely to arise (again) and cause the problems of the past!

    The issue of the number of places available at European qualifying events (particularly in the qualifying period) has been a problem before, so should have been on EA and the Australian Selectors’ radar. There are many people involved who have lived through the selection issues of previous years and should have been advising.

    There are a number of multi Olympians in the mix and they have lived through these problems and would be very aware of selection issues.

    Like many, I believe that we should have a 1 off qualifying event in Australia. The riders are representing THIS country and to force Australian based riders to take time off their lives and spend upwards of $100,000 – just to try to qualify is wrong and discriminatory.

    I am saddened to think that again these issues will potentially divide the fans and spoil the Olympic Games Dressage events for many.

    Good luck to all Australian riders who are working hard to be included, we are proud of you and just that administration issues do not work against your efforts.

    The riders who are based overseas should have the option to come back ‘home’ and try for selection and an Australian based event would mean that more home based riders could try for the Olympics and WEG.

    Think what an Australian qualifying event would do for the sport!!!! Fans would love it and even those who cannot get to the Olympic Games or WEG will feel a part of the action and very keen to see how the riders they watched just months earlier will perform at the ‘big one’.

    This complete mismanagement (yet again) is very unfortunate but so predictable as to have warranted a think tank approach to ensure a solution before the riders were to be so personally and financially inconvenienced.

    I wish the Australian riders well and thank them for their incredible contribution to Australian dressage.

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