COTH Pony Finals Article

[skydy]

I am stunned by (what I believe is) Bill Moroney’s incredibly bad judgement.

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/usef-pony-finals-should-it-go-forward-this-year

[fourfillies]

“Who gathered 600 kids together in the middle of a pandemic?” That sums it up. NVM 600 kids from all over the country to take the virus back to their grandparents and other vulnerable people at home.

[Belmont]

USEF cares about nothing more than making money at this point.

[MissMilly]

So true. I don’t understand why they don’t just host two weekends next summer. If you qualified for 2020 you can show the first weekend, and if you qualify for 2021 you can show that weekend (or both). Yes, some kids will have their lease end, age out etc, but none of that justifies having the show given the current conditions. For the first weekend you can even let kids show as their 2020 age.
Kids are going to be disappointed no matter what- either they have a stripped down pony finals experience or they have to wait a year. There are lots of disappointments this year, kids are learning to deal with all of it. Pony finals getting postponed would just be one in a long list of adjustments kids have to make this year. Hold off and do the right thing for the greater good. It’s really shocking (or not, really) how selfish horse people are about a hobby we are all so lucky to do.

[NaturallyHappy]

I’m pretty sure there is more than one disappointed Olympic athlete out there. Just sayin’…

[TheMoo]

The Big EQ got the ball rolling on this.

[skydy]

I wonder if Bill Moroney has considered the terrible publicity that this event will bring to USEF, assuming they actually pull it off.

[skydy]

Re-reading the article, it’s notable that there is no mention of the Kentucky community where pony finals are held. Lots of talk about protecting the horsey community but nothing about the local people that will be affected by this influx when the horsey people leave the show grounds. Nothing mentioned either about quarantine requirements for people coming from severely affected states.

It’s not sufficient to go by whatever state guidelines are in place at the moment, not if you are using your brain. That is why Texas, Florida, South Carolina, Arizona etc are in serious trouble with the virus.Their politicians were careless and didn’t listen to their own health professionals. This is a scientific matter, not a political one and depending on politicians to know what is best has been an abysmal failure.

It is nice to see that the USHJA is being responsible and is opposing.

Come on USEF, please don’t become part of the problem and make horse people look like a group of entitled idiots.

[MHM]

@skydy

Re-reading the article, it’s notable that there is no mention of the Kentucky community where pony finals are held. Lots of talk about protecting the horsey community but nothing about the local people that will be affected by this influx when the horsey people leave the show grounds. Nothing mentioned either about quarantine requirements for people coming from severely affected states.

There are huge shows at that location the week before and the week after pony finals. So I don’t know how much of a difference it will make it to the local community if they just cancel that one event.

[skydy]

@MHM

There are huge shows at that location the week before and the week after pony finals. So I don’t know how much of a difference it will make it to the local community if they just cancel that one event.

That’s too bad. Kentucky is doing fairly well right now virus-wise. An influx of people from out of state may change that, especially hundreds of little people that really can’t be expected to remember not to touch their hands to their faces etc…

With so much still unknown about this Covid virus, I think it’s the height of irresponsibility to gather this many children together in one place.

[Atlas_Shrugged]

@MHM

There are huge shows at that location the week before and the week after pony finals. So I don’t know how much of a difference it will make it to the local community if they just cancel that one event.

And they really should not be holding national shows then, such as green hunter finals etc, IMHO

[fair_judy]

Clearly there is an irony to the first five letters in Moroney’s moniker.

[MorganSercu]

@Belmont

USEF cares about nothing more than making money at this point.

Short-term gain in exchange for long-term losses if anyone gets ill as a direct consequence (person on site) or indirect (bring it to their family/community) and it is traced back to the show.

[Quinn]

Thank you Robin Greenwood. The voice of reason. How can anyone even consider this?

[AffirmedHope]

The horse park should make the decision for them and cancel all shows for the rest of the year (Yes,
including the national). It would be one thing if this country had been smart with its containment and reopening, but now it would be irresponsible to put on shows that pull hundreds of people from hot bed states to the area. That’s how you go from a manageable amount of cases to overflowing hospitals.

[dags]

Lexingtonian here! And yes, the absence of any discussion about bringing those 600 children & their parents together in our community is very frustrating. Only through expansion onto sidewalks have our local restaurants been able to accommodate the local population while adhering to distancing requirements, and I have no idea where they are going to seat local population + mass tourism. We have some of the best Covid numbers in the country, thanks to great sacrifice from all residents & businesses, and now a bunch of non-locals could potentially undo all that work, and then peace out.

KY Summer & Bluegrass: Far more regional participation. Pony Finals will literally have kids flying in from every state in the Union. PF is a much more immature demographic, thereby putting Lexington at the mercy of hundreds of adolescents that probably do not grasp the scope of this. Green Hunter Finals could easily be held, if it must, with strict limitations on who can be at the ring - it’s a straight professional class. No Mom, Dad & Sissy on the sidelines. Derby Finals… I truly believe it would be No Big Deal to skip it this year. There’s no aging out and honestly, without shows, no one’s really been jumping enough legit derby courses to have a horse that’s preparing to peak and might miss its window. But if it must be held it also could be held with minimal fanfare & mostly professional attendance… and I still would not expect it to be representative of the best of the best at their best.

Finally, that USEF doesn’t seem to acknowledge that Gov. Andy Beshear will not hesitate to Shut this Ship Down at a moment’s notice is so short-sighted and, frankly, grossly unfair to those that will soon start placing deposits and booking hotels/flights thinking that if USEF Says It’s A Go = It Must Be A Go. No no no no no. Beshear has not messed around with this virus, despite armed protestors storming the capitol and an effigy in his likeness hung near his home. If TN & OH don’t keep numbers under control &/or we start seeing things head the wrong direction he will slam those borders shut faster than a bratty pony can duck out of a two stride.

[Belmont]

@dags

Lexingtonian here! And yes, the absence of any discussion about bringing those 600 children & their parents together in our community is very frustrating. Only through expansion onto sidewalks have our local restaurants been able to accommodate the local population while adhering to distancing requirements, and I have no idea where they are going to seat local population + mass tourism. We have some of the best Covid numbers in the country, thanks to great sacrifice from all residents & businesses, and now a bunch of non-locals could potentially undo all that work, and then peace out.

KY Summer & Bluegrass: Far more regional participation. Pony Finals will literally have kids flying in from every state in the Union. PF is a much more immature demographic, thereby putting Lexington at the mercy of hundreds of adolescents that probably do not grasp the scope of this. Green Hunter Finals could easily be held, if it must, with strict limitations on who can be at the ring - it’s a straight professional class. No Mom, Dad & Sissy on the sidelines. Derby Finals… I truly believe it would be No Big Deal to skip it this year. There’s no aging out and honestly, without shows, no one’s really been jumping enough legit derby courses to have a horse that’s preparing to peak and might miss its window. But if it must be held it also could be held with minimal fanfare & mostly professional attendance… and I still would not expect it to be representative of the best of the best at their best.

Finally, that USEF doesn’t seem to acknowledge that Gov. Andy Beshear will not hesitate to Shut this Ship Down at a moment’s notice is so short-sighted and, frankly, grossly unfair to those that will soon start placing deposits and booking hotels/flights thinking that if USEF Says It’s A Go = It Must Be A Go. No no no no no. Beshear has not messed around with this virus, despite armed protestors storming the capitol and an effigy in his likeness hung near his home. If TN & OH don’t keep numbers under control &/or we start seeing things head the wrong direction he will slam those borders shut faster than a bratty pony can duck out of a two stride.

Thank you for your local insight. A lot of my friends feel the same way that live there. I just bolded the part I didn’t exactly agree with. KY is THE summer horse show, especially with all the added JHF. People come from all over for this horse show. A lot of TX barns come, NC & SC, TN, GA, FL, and more hot spot states. A lot of them do layovers outside of the horse park during PF - but most are there before or right after. This year, we’re talking about all the usual major finals (Pony Derby, Intl Derby, Green Hunter, etc) and then the added final of Jr Hunter Finals after the KHJA week… Talk about bringing people from everywhere to the city!

I know the horse park has been vigilant about the COVID protocol (temps taken at the gates coming in and out, check points inside the horse park, people really paying attention) during the shows happening now. However, I don’t think it will be enough for KY Summer and the weeks after as participation is heavier. Horse shows sold out and has had a waiting list for at least a month. Camper spots are already sold out for the KY Summer Weeks, just primitive is left. These are going to be huge horse shows. I just don’t see how its going to work or how the governing bodies are even allowing it.

[NaturallyHappy]

@dags

Lexingtonian here! And yes, the absence of any discussion about bringing those 600 children & their parents together in our community is very frustrating. Only through expansion onto sidewalks have our local restaurants been able to accommodate the local population while adhering to distancing requirements, and I have no idea where they are going to seat local population + mass tourism. We have some of the best Covid numbers in the country, thanks to great sacrifice from all residents & businesses, and now a bunch of non-locals could potentially undo all that work, and then peace out.

KY Summer & Bluegrass: Far more regional participation. Pony Finals will literally have kids flying in from every state in the Union. PF is a much more immature demographic, thereby putting Lexington at the mercy of hundreds of adolescents that probably do not grasp the scope of this. Green Hunter Finals could easily be held, if it must, with strict limitations on who can be at the ring - it’s a straight professional class. No Mom, Dad & Sissy on the sidelines. Derby Finals… I truly believe it would be No Big Deal to skip it this year. There’s no aging out and honestly, without shows, no one’s really been jumping enough legit derby courses to have a horse that’s preparing to peak and might miss its window. But if it must be held it also could be held with minimal fanfare & mostly professional attendance… and I still would not expect it to be representative of the best of the best at their best.

Finally, that USEF doesn’t seem to acknowledge that Gov. Andy Beshear will not hesitate to Shut this Ship Down at a moment’s notice is so short-sighted and, frankly, grossly unfair to those that will soon start placing deposits and booking hotels/flights thinking that if USEF Says It’s A Go = It Must Be A Go. No no no no no. Beshear has not messed around with this virus, despite armed protestors storming the capitol and an effigy in his likeness hung near his home. If TN & OH don’t keep numbers under control &/or we start seeing things head the wrong direction he will slam those borders shut faster than a bratty pony can duck out of a two stride.

I think I want to move to Kentucky!!!

[dags]

@Belmont

Thank you for your local insight. A lot of my friends feel the same way that live there. I just bolded the part I didn’t exactly agree with. KY is THE summer horse show, especially with all the added JHF. People come from all over for this horse show. A lot of TX barns come, NC & SC, TN, GA, FL, and more hot spot states. A lot of them do layovers outside of the horse park during PF - but most are there before or right after. This year, we’re talking about all the usual major finals (Pony Derby, Intl Derby, Green Hunter, etc) and then the added final of Jr Hunter Finals after the KHJA week… Talk about bringing people from everywhere to the city!

I know the horse park has been vigilant about the COVID protocol (temps taken at the gates coming in and out, check points inside the horse park, people really paying attention) during the shows happening now. However, I don’t think it will be enough for KY Summer and the weeks after as participation is heavier. Horse shows sold out and has had a waiting list for at least a month. Camper spots are already sold out for the KY Summer Weeks, just primitive is left. These are going to be huge horse shows. I just don’t see how its going to work or how the governing bodies are even allowing it.

Yeah, I know KY Summer & Bluegrass are HUGE (admittedly forgot they added JHF, le sigh) but still, the majority of states you listed - NC, SC, TN, GA, FL - that is regional. And if PF wasn’t luring everyone here a week early to prep at KY Summer 2, then I don’t think we would have the usual influx of the far west & northeastern states we usually see that week. The Big Names from TX & Cali might still make the trip for Derby Finals if it is still in the mix, but I think in far fewer numbers then they would if they had a trailerful of ponies helping to subsidize that bill.

[NewYork_Marx]

I doubt many people would actually go, it’s getting late to try to prep for such a large event. If it’s water down people may not feel its worth it, plus the health risk.