Christopher Hector reports
I can promise you that this report will bear no resemblance to the FEI blah that will litter the digi world in the next few hours, gushing about another ‘magic’ performance from Everdale, but unlike the person who writes for the FEI, I actually sat, saw and suffered, all the way through the performance.
In the first half of the World Cup Grand Prix at Amsterdam there were some mediocre performances but none that were offensive, and indeed there was one very fine test from Don Olymbrio and Nanna Skodberg Merrald. The Danish pair were engaged, forward and the horse looks like an athlete. Okay he could be a bit longer in the neck but he is not jammed, the contact is sweet, and his hind legs are doing as much as his front legs in the big trot. The passage was a little like advancing piaffe, and the piaffe was a little unsettled, but the rest was fine, lovely expressive changes, and Nanna has that quality of really good riders, she is invisible. The score of 73.782 was way mean. I wonder how many little rich girls will be eagerly awaiting the Blue Hors clearance sale, buy that one for me, Daddy…
Don Olymbio would finish in fifth, while the other Danish pair, Carina Cassøe Kruth and Heiline’s Danciera demonstrated the widely held view that the Fürstenball progeny are like their sire, pretty, sweet to ride, but without the talent for real collection, and we saw that every time the mare attempted the piaffe / passage tour. They finished fourth on 73.782.
Third went to Patrick Kittel and Touchdown. The gelding is a beautiful horse and he looked happy and comfortable with the work, but again, with problems in the piaffe and passage. 75.848.
Isabell Werth took the lead in the first half on Quantaz, with a test that was tidy, forward and correct. The changes were big and straight, huge extended canter and super pirouettes, and they finished with a line that was so complete and assured. 76.869 for second.
Everdale explodes on to the arena, backs out of the halt, and he is off with that hideous hollow back, the hind legs trailing out behind, complemented by Lottie Fry’s death grip and the stallion’s protesting mouth, and his jaw can’t get any further back because the neck is in its way. Advancing piaffe, if that’s what you call it as the horse swung from side to side. Okay, he’s got a magnificent canter but does that cancel out all the trash? But no, the FEI has decreed that this is magic, first with three of the judges, second with one and third with another, nice try Mariette Sanders-van Ganswinkel but 3rd was still way too generous.
So Lottie Fry takes the lead on the road to the World Cup final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where was that? Aside from the danger the climate presents to the horses, we have sent our finals (dressage and showjumping) to a country with the most appalling human rights record of them all, a country where the gay population is subject to vicious repression. Think for a second about the crucial role gay riders and trainers have played in the development of equestrian sport in all three disciplines. I guess we are the only sport that has sent an Olympic team that contained an openly gay couple.
The Saudis have engaged in a massive sportswashing exercise, and after buying golf for billions, out of the petty cash bought the FEI, cheap, that’s what it is, cheap and very nasty.
Thank you for saying it like it is, Chris. I’m not looking forward to the day when your commentary stops.
I learnt how to recognise good riding and bad riding by reading your magazine and articles.
Saying the truth always puts peoples backs up, but it needs to be said.
Thank you.
Just THANK YOU. Finally some critical eyes on Lottie Fry and Everdale.
For many in other parts of the world you are our eyes. I trust yours.JF
Totally agree, Chris! Everdale was hollow and short in the neck throughout. And the canter that everybody raves about – was I the only one to notice the loss of rhythm through the corners and in the canter zigzag? And as to competing in Riyadh – I’m beyond disgusted. I’ve lived on the Arabian peninsula and I have to say that where human rights are in abeyance, animals suffer mightily too. Yes, this is sportswashing, and as with endurance sport abuses in the UAE, this has the potential to harm the sport. What the hell is the FEI thinking?!!
Good man, Chris. The sport needs many more with your integrity and guts! 👌
Standing, clapping and cheering – keep going, you have support.
Straight talking to be applauded!
Keep doing what you’re doing Chris – for the love of the horse ❤️
Need saying .
In 1921 the FEI was created IN ORDER to move away from picture we see in the ring today , where the tricks had the over riding influence ” above the way of going “.
In the 1960s to 1980s when the sport started reverting back to this ugly pictures (During the Russian dominance of international dressage ) The” SCALE OF TRAINING” was brought back as the blue print to follow for correct dressage .
Today we are back where it started, videos and pictures of horses that resemble the past. Any display of the elements of the “scale of training” is missing or coincidental.
In their defence judges claim to have added EXPRATION to the equation, in reality they the guided the sport and the breeding , back to the past, only with better looking moving horses.
Thanks Chris for saying this. This trend is so sad especially for the horses and the sport. It is sad to see sports being ‘bought’ out which seems to be a trend. As always thanks for saying what needs to be said
Totally agree about SA. It’s an appalling country, with probably the worst human rights record in the world.
Since the crown Prince took power, executions have doubled and this is happening to people who aren’t even criminals. The FEI should hang its head in shame. Not that it will.
A thorough house-cleaning is long overdue at the FEI. I nominate C. Hector to head the broom squad.
THANK YOU!! More honest journalism about our modern dressage judging issues please
Spot on! Thank you so much for pointing out the poor riding and judging in the top of our beloved sport as well as the double standards of FEI.
Well done Chris! Judging education is sorely needed, as is FEI education. I’d place an embargo on KSA until MBS mends his ways. HRH is almost an angel by comparison and he’s taken many Measures to mend his ways, especially in cleaning up all horse sports.
Gender and many other biases aren’t relevant in some sports, but a leader who so openly flaunts global human rights and/or animal welfare laws must be made to take corrective actions. Hefty fines might help. This is already the case with doping, via gear checks and veterinary exams pre and post competition.
As for dressage judging, I’m sure Andrew McLean would have many good ideas to improve horse welfare. He really should be on the board of FEI
Well done Chris! Judging education is sorely needed. Same goes for FEI.
Countries whose leaders have proven to deliberately and openly flaunt animal and human rights laws must be eliminated from participation, at least until they can prove change.
It’s difficult to administer but I think we need global laws in human rights and sport that ignore breed, race, gender, religion.
The equestrian world needs to take seriously that we are on notice that the social licence to ride and enjoy horses the way we do is under scrutiny. Banning horse sport would hardly result in a better life for most horses owned, loved and trained by responsible people who devote much time and money to ensure the welfare of their beloved friend/s is the first priority. It is the small minority, often motivated by financial gain that stand to Jeopardise the our right to do what we love. Banning horse sport is not the answer, but we need to work to improve in the areas where criticism is valid.
There would be no competition if no riders entered. If everyone had the …..to make a stand and not enter then maybe the FEI would realise how serious the situation really is
Thank you for your honest comments which I agree with unfortunately. Perhaps it’s time for spectator judging to be counted as to 50 percent of the marks it would engage the audience and bring more honest scoring rather than just high scores for names with serious deficiencies being overlooked. Perhaps dressage at the Olympics may be having its last hurrah just look in January of Olympic year it becomes a horse bazaar to whoever has the most money to buy horses to compete in the olympics can I ask honestly how is that in line with the Olympic principles?. I love dressage but to me it’s just a money sport now not for the love of the horse.
They look like badly animated stick creatures. Never liked the pair. Yes,
they have some flamboyance but it would be like watching spastic puppets trying to emulate the poetic ease of Baryshnikov.
Yes yes yes and yes. I watched that performance with shock and horror. Everdale seems to suffer from chronic back pain. In his extensions he lifts his head on that gigantic vertical neck like the titanic about to go down, his back sinking in a tight contorted U, hinds already lost to the deep, head slightly tilted in last gasp before drowning, wildly thrashing front legs all but useless.
Personaly I feel this horse exemplifies what is wrong with breeding for extremes for the sport of dressage. Unless Friesians with their magnificent vertical necks and sunken backs strapped into a carriage harness are what we want in dressage I would be very uneasy about following this lead with my own mares. The rein almost takes a downward slant to the riders hand. I wonder if this horse can truly stretch down and round at all, never mind in the ring just at all.
We are acustomed to judges finding their sweethearts and gushing them with their scoring. Unfortunately it’s usualy the wrong horse, like they did with Totilas even continuing when he was visualy and completely lame. The ensuing outcry brings change, it does. It did we thought till we saw Everdale’s performance at the World Cup Dressage Amsterdam.
So lets hope the ghasly ghostly spectre of Everdale thrashing across the diagnol will generate sufficient outcry to once again make a correction in where judges place their bets. Let’s hope and lets hope it sticks this time.
Thanks for telling the truth! The judges must start to reward riding according to classical principles again. For the sake of the horses. What we see today in dressage arenas all over the world is horse abuse.
Really good and interesting to read!
Well spoken, Chris. Finally someone who questions the WC final in Saudi Arabia. I had hoped at least some riders would have boycot it, but not. Its all about money.
Sadly there is still celebrity scores among the judges. No one seems to see the blue tung that Everdale was showing last time they where out.
As a Danish Girl I am glad you liked Nanna and Don O.