Very thoughtful article.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/keeping-the-team-at-the-forefront/
5 Likes
Very interesting read.
Thanks for posting it.
1 Like
“Maybe there are better alternatives to this rule, like changing the rules to say that, at a high level, one stop and you’re out, or once you reach a certain number of faults, you’re automatically eliminated.”
Could not agree more
17 Likes
Still love the tag line - John Madden is Beezie Madden’s husband. 
24 Likes
Still accurate. Lol.
2 Likes
I agree with most of what they said, but sheesh. As a former English teacher, I would hand this essay back to the writer telling them to focus one one topic.
3 Likes
I thought that they completed their thoughts on different topics quite well.
Of course the Maddens are not English students, and COTH is lucky that they took the time to share their intelligent opinions and agree to write an article for the magazine.
13 Likes
Really? It is an op-ed piece as much in their own words as possible, not conceptualized, outlined, written and proofread by a professional or submitted for a grade.
Particularly liked their take on putting stopping a bad trip on the judges. Heavy burden on judges but we have to step up and stop doing more harm then good for the horse by chasing bright shiny things when its time to stop.
5 Likes
COTH’s editors failed her. She’s an icon who deserves better.
3 Likes
If there were more “horseman” like Beezie, the horses would be so much better off.
6 Likes
I don’t. Beezie has done her dues with the current rules. I bet when she was younger, she wouldn’t have mention these changes.
Horses with knock downs can still be schooled. There are lots of riders who end up retiring the round if the horse is struggling.
As much as it is a huge loss for the US team that Beezie has semi-retired and taken a step back from international competition, I think the fact that she isn’t vying for a team spot lends her even more gravitas when she speaks on these issues. She is both speaking as someone extremely experienced with the issues, and as someone more impartial than if the same issues were being discussed by a person actively gunning for an Olympic spot.
Great read, and I hope we get more.
9 Likes
My read is that they were asked to write an editorial for topic “state of the sport.”
I’d have liked to hear more about why the team is paramount. As a lower level smurf, why is it so critical to me that horse sport remains in the Olympics? Why should I care? It might be intuitive to her intended audience, which is probably not me, an amateur with a retired horse and no ambitions (or money) to show at the upper levels, but I had trouble understanding the heart of her argument because of that context. I don’t know that that’s Beezie’s job to explain in an opinion piece, but maybe the COTH editors could have added some editorial context in support of her point.
8 Likes
I agree! I didn’t see any argument as to WHY up and coming riders should want to ride in a team, just that it’s important to her. I’ve said it before that I don’t think up and comers really want to ride in the team setting anymore. What does riding on a team actually do for you? Is it just the experience? Is that enough these days?
1 Like
I almost think that maybe the Team and the Olympics are more icing on the cake rather than the main focus of riders. It reminds me of Olympic hockey. Back in the day (remember the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympics?) the Olympian hockey players were all pretty much kids. They were not professional – could not be. For them, this was a major dream, I think. But when they made the Olympics, had their glory, they wanted to play for the NHL. Our non-pros played a professional Soviet Union team and won – very cool! But now, we have professional hockey players whose main goal is playing in the NHL, then every four years they throw together a team and play a tournament (the Olympics). This is an honor, I’m sure, but I’m pretty sure most players would be perfectly happy just playing for their NHL teams. Things change. Money helps the change.
3 Likes
Just coming in here as a big hockey fan - the NHL players haven’t been in the Olympics in the last two cycles and are finally getting to go again for 2026 and 2030. It wasn’t that the players didn’t want to go, it was that the league wouldn’t let them (refused to accommodate the time required in the league schedule). The league finally had enough pressure put on it that they announced last month that the players will be able to attend the Olympics again.
I am with those upper-level riders on the eventing side of the fence who (correctly) argue that the Olympics aren’t the pinnacle of the sport for us because they aren’t run at the 5* level. I think that’s the thing that makes it hard to compare equestrian disciplines to other sports. Hockey players are playing hockey regardless of which league or tournament they’re in, so I can understand why it matters more to them that they be able to participate in the Olympics. For us I think it’s a little trickier to feel the same way.
(Not disagreeing with you, for the record, because I definitely do think equestrians do tend to view the Olympics as icing on the cake as you said.)
5 Likes
You would think they would have added an intro and a little structure without changing her actual message?!
2 Likes
Most of those same riders also realize that even if it’s not the pinnacle of the sport it’s absolutely imperative to keep it in the Olympics, whatever rules need to apply to do that. It’s the most mainstream coverage horse sport gets, and the only way regular people can relate to it as a real sport. And for many sponsors who own horses, it’s about having that animal who went to the most recognized mainstream sporting event.
4 Likes
Thank you!
2 Likes
Just a little framing intro would have helped SO MUCH…
“We asked Beezie and John Madden to weigh in on the current state of the hunter/jumper industry. They highlighted the different focus now between riders whose goal is to qualify for the olympics and riders whose goal is just to compete. They identified 3 ways this has a trickle down effect on the quality of the industry and identified some breakdowns in the competition process that might be turning off dedicated riders…”
6 Likes
