[QUOTE=Blugal;8787093]
Well, speaking of which… how is it that Kyle Carter’s Madison Park didn’t even make the list of potential entries?[/QUOTE]
Parker’s age and medical history give Team Canada a good excuse to punish Kyle for being outspoken about the nonsense. Just my guess.
[QUOTE=NCRider;8787181]
Parker’s age and medical history give Team Canada a good excuse to punish Kyle for being outspoken about the nonsense. Just my guess.[/QUOTE]
Yes I think that is accurate. It goes to show our teams priorities, with no depth, choosing to ignore capable pairs. They would prefer to snub a rider than to build a program.
[QUOTE=Blugal;8787463]
Yes I think that is accurate. It goes to show our teams priorities, with no depth, choosing to ignore capable pairs. They would prefer to snub a rider than to build a program.[/QUOTE]
And that sums up the biggest problem with our national program quite nicely. It actually makes me glad I’ll never play at this level.
Bumping this back up because Selena O’Hanlon has finally issued a statement about her removal from the Olympic team at the last minute:
http://www.horse-canada.com/horse-news/selena-speaks-out/
Looks like there truly was nothing wrong with Foxwood High and she would like EC to release their documents to explain why she was removed.
[QUOTE=SolarFlare;8824859]
Bumping this back up because Selena O’Hanlon has finally issued a statement about her removal from the Olympic team at the last minute:
http://www.horse-canada.com/horse-news/selena-speaks-out/
Looks like there truly was nothing wrong with Foxwood High and she would like EC to release their documents to explain why she was removed.[/QUOTE]
Well I think there could be more to the story than we’ll ever fully know. Realistically, a horse/rider who were snubbed and want to prove they were fighting fit would likely aim for a tough 3* or even overseas 3* or 4* this fall - not necessarily give the horse a vacation and then aim for a 2017 4*. He is not getting any younger.
Having said that, I think Selena and her team were wronged and fully deserve the transparency she is demanding. Even if I were to be correct about my speculations above, I think she has done the right thing here which is to shine the light on EC and its abominable selection process.
And one more thing. Although Foxwood High had a stop at WEG I believe Selena with her team experience would have produced a finishing score for our team. So it really was our loss to leave her off the team.
[QUOTE=Blugal;8825045]
Well I think there could be more to the story than we’ll ever fully know. Realistically, a horse/rider who were snubbed and want to prove they were fighting fit would likely aim for a tough 3* or even overseas 3* or 4* this fall - not necessarily give the horse a vacation and then aim for a 2017 4*. He is not getting any younger.
Having said that, I think Selena and her team were wronged and fully deserve the transparency she is demanding. Even if I were to be correct about my speculations above, I think she has done the right thing here which is to shine the light on EC and its abominable selection process.
And one more thing. Although Foxwood High had a stop at WEG I believe Selena with her team experience would have produced a finishing score for our team. So it really was our loss to leave her off the team.[/QUOTE]
Except Equine Canada has sworn to the IOC that he has an injury that made him unfit to compete at the Olympics but have not told her what it is. You can’t take a risk of competing that horse until you find out what they found.
Good to hear Selena finally speaking out- I am very interested in what kind of report will be delivered regarding Woody.
[QUOTE=Encourage;8825270]
Good to hear Selena finally speaking out- I am very interested in what kind of report will be delivered regarding Woody.[/QUOTE]
Same here. I am in no way connected to any of the riders, but when I heard she had been removed my first thought was that something seemed fishy. The whole thing just stinks.
I still can’t understand EC’s reluctance (refusal) to say who the selection board is and who actually signs their names to the decisions. I’ve asked quite high up the chain and even they didn’t know…or why the lack of transparency?
[QUOTE=NCRider;8825269]
Except Equine Canada has sworn to the IOC that he has an injury that made him unfit to compete at the Olympics but have not told her what it is. You can’t take a risk of competing that horse until you find out what they found.[/QUOTE]
The rider would be present for the vetting and would see flexions, ultrasound etc. And could do their own vet check the day after being left off the team, if they were not told the ultrasound results and were concerned.
The thing is that many upper level horses fit and ready for a big show could have a little soreness that can be managed; or alternatively exacerbated by a strong flexion test meant to leave them off the team…
Huh? A horse being pulled out of competition because he is injured? Okay, happens all the time. But owner and rider have absolutely no clue what said injury is and and said organization that made the decision refuses to disclose it? That’s a new one…
[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;8825412]
I still can’t understand EC’s reluctance (refusal) to say who the selection board is and who actually signs their names to the decisions. I’ve asked quite high up the chain and even they didn’t know…or why the lack of transparency?[/QUOTE]
Oh, c’mon, Foxtrot’s. Didn’t you hear? On her lunch hour one sunny day earlier this summer a devoted EC minion, sweet flower that she surely is, tottered out to Shirleys Bay in Ottawa with little bits of paper, on each of which was penned the name of one of Canada’s top 24 horses (fondly known in local hostelries as “the long list”). She tucked each slip of paper into a wine bottle, then cast them out into our mighty Ottawa River, and whichever four washed up on the rocky shores below the Parliament Buildings first got picked to represent us at the Olympics! Easy peasy, fair, democratic to a T, and I can’t believe you didn’t already know this. :rolleyes:
[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;8825412]
I still can’t understand EC’s reluctance (refusal) to say who the selection board is and who actually signs their names to the decisions. I’ve asked quite high up the chain and even they didn’t know…or why the lack of transparency?[/QUOTE]
Eventing Connect wrote a piece on this, and I’d recommend reading it because it has some valuable insight: Who are the team selectors and how are they chosen?
Here is the list of selectors as of summer of 2015, with the addition of Clayton Fredericks in fall of 2015:
Jen Holling – Eventing professional, business owner, three-star rider
Grit High – Three-star rider, tireless volunteer and highly respected member of the Canadian Eventing community in many capacities for over 50 years
Kelly McMullen Temple – Canadian Olympian – The only Canadian rider to qualify two horses for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, Kelli placed fifth in the team competition with Kilkenny and 18th in the individual with Amsterdam.
Juliet Graham – Canadian Olympian and member of the 1978 World Championship Gold Medal Team riding Sumatra
Thank you - could not find what I was looking for by myself.
Horse Canada is reporting that EC has been ordered to pay $35,000 of Jessica Phoenix’s legal fees from this summer’s CAS hearing. EC contested the costs application too.
I am SOOOO happy that this is what my membership fees are paying for :mad:
Quote from independent arbitrator
“In my view, the evidence in this case clearly establishes that this is an exceptional case,” he stated in the document. “Ms. Phoenix and the Claimants were subject to a process, which could not withstand scrutiny. Persons in the position of Ms. Phoenix and the other Claimants must be subject to a process that has the objective appearance of fairness. This case manifestly did not have the appearance of fairness. Indeed events turned out exactly as they were predicted by the coach. Minutes of the meeting of the Selection Panel are deficient in respect of the failure to mention Pavarotti and simply wrong in respect of A Little Romance. I conclude that there should be an award of costs in favor of the Claimants.”
Who, by name, did what, exactly, that gave the appearance of unfairness? There is a curtain across the specifics of who is favoring one rider over another. Is it every selector, in collusion? Is one or a few exercising influence over the others? Whoever it is, they just cost their team $35k. And a lot of strife and heartache.
I wonder if Selena O’Hanlon will be next up to claim unfairness? Sounds as if she is challenging the decision to drop her from the team on the basis of soundness.
Just curious, from an outsider standpoint.
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