2023 Maclay Finals Discussion Thread

[This_Weird_Quirk]

Smart kids leaving their feet out on exit.

[Amy3996]

Was just thinking the same thing. They were never instructed to pick them back up, clever to make sure they don’t sabotage themselves on something goofy like that.

[horsdoeuvres]

Someone in group 1 really went for it when they called for lengthening the trot (while sitting without stirrups). I couldn’t tell who it was, but she was on a dark bay and really stood out from the crowd.

[JenEM]

It is quite difficult to tell who’s who in the flat phase, the shots are all from quite far away.

[Renn_aissance]

My eyesight is not good enough for this. I can see Maddie Tosh is in the ring because Daktari is so stinking cute and he has a rider on him, but I’ll be damned if I know what’s going on.

[Amy3996]

Maddie’s the only one I can distinguish because Daktari’s steely gray is such a standout.

ETA: Jinx, @Renn_aissance

[MHM]

@Amy3996

Maybe I’m misunderstanding, but the judges have always kept score cards. This is just the first time those numeric scores have been available to us as spectators.

This is correct.

However, when the scores are not announced, there is less pressure on the judges to split the hairs down to the nth degree for the non-contenders. The judges can just say to themselves 75 or below the cutoff or whatever and move along to concentrate on the next round to see if it’s going to be the winner.

In this case, not so much. Because obviously those other 200 riders are going to be checking their scores just as carefully as the top 24.

The finals that always have the scores announced, the Washington finals and the USET, have a much, much, much smaller number of entries, so it’s not as much of a bookkeeping challenge for the judges. It’s one thing to keep track of and announce 40 scores instead of 240 scores, or whatever the exact number works out to be.

I also wonder if it is going to be harder to find judges who will agree to take on this task, knowing that they will have to announce the scores for every single rider. It’s a long enough day already without making the job even tougher.

[LSBC]

I hope it was #69! Rooting for her!!

[This_Weird_Quirk]

Looks like Tessa and Carlee flatting near each other.

[23Bascule]

I think Maddie’s stirrups are behind her feet.

[hrlo_1722]

Yes, someone picked up the wrong (correct) lead when they asked for the counter canter without stirrups in the second group and I’m curious who it was

[JenEM]

I guess the judges are still on two sides of the ring for this, since they’ve had both groups line up, then turn around?

[MHM]

OK, the judges must still be sitting an opposite sides, since they are making the kids show their numbers to both sides of the ring.

[MHM]

Jinx!!

[MHM]

That was interesting that they built that one jump along the rail during the flat phase as a little bit of an obstacle.

Has anyone seen the course posted online yet for the second round?

[ww3467]

[hrlo_1722]

@thebobbymurphy posted it on his insta stories

[MHM]

Thanks!!

[supershorty628]

I have 2 cases to prep for tonight. Wonder what the odds are of my getting through both of them before the second round starts.

[JenEM]

Do we know how many they bring back for Round 2? And when is it supposed to start? Trying to time out starting dinner