There is no way that a horse only needs 2-3 days to recover from a 12 hour flight, which is what was stated in the article.
It is a real shame how political all of this is.
rest assured - the powers that be WANT TO WIN MEDALS - it is how $$ is allocated by the USOC
could you remind me how Lisa Wilcox qualified the last time out?
Seems like he addressed all of her concerns, as did all the members of the committee.
It’s really making Haddad’s comments look like sour grapes, at this point. Especially since she was heard and all her concerns were carefully addressed, and a review was taken to ensure the horses safety and the fielding of the best team riders we can find at this point and time. It seems that the only issue left that she could possilby still have is her issue with not wanting to take time away from her business for her own fiscal reasons. I guess she needs a better sponsor to take care of that problem for her, or maybe she needs to become a German citizen and try for their team. That would work, too…or not. She’d be given the same opportunity to go through their qualifying process as she is through ours.
the procedures written for Athens allowed for a rider based in Europe to qualify without participation in the trials if their percentage was two points higher than the 4th ranked rider at the end of trials. or something along those lines. these procedures only allow prior medal-contributing team members to have this option.
which, as of this day, would not put CH on the Team
see http://www.usef.org/documents/highPerformance/dressage/GPRankinglist2008.pdf
(though we all realize that the rankings will change)
… and if the special committee would consist of non-competing riders then somebody here would say that they couldn’t possibly know what they’re talking about since they’re not competing.
In my opinion there has been plenty of due diligence in both, answering CH’s concerns and addressing quarantine and travel arrangements for Olympic competitors. So, let the qualifications begin… !
[QUOTE=Velvet;3002377]
Seems like he addressed all of her concerns, as did all the members of the committee.
It’s really making Haddad’s comments look like sour grapes, at this point. Especially since she was heard and all her concerns were carefully addressed, and a review was taken to ensure the horses safety and the fielding of the best team riders we can find at this point and time. It seems that the only issue left that she could possilby still have is her issue with not wanting to take time away from her business for her own fiscal reasons. I guess she needs a better sponsor to take care of that problem for her, or maybe she needs to become a German citizen and try for their team. That would work, too…or not. She’d be given the same opportunity to go through their qualifying process as she is through ours.[/QUOTE]
LOL…were carefully addressed…ROTFLMAO…
The only thing I can comment on is even it Haddad has sour grapes as some of you note, it is a shame. Seriously, do you want the best to ride for your country? Has she been getting the scores in Europe? Is she the one of the top four without even having a Selection Trial? If she is (I do not have stats here one way or the other), then she might in deed deserve a bit of special treatment.
Playing by the rules makes some people feel so superior, when in reality, the rules suck.
JMHO
[QUOTE=petitefilly;3002613]
The only thing I can comment on is even it Haddad has sour grapes as some of you note, it is a shame. Seriously, do you want the best to ride for your country? Has she been getting the scores in Europe? Is she the one of the top four without even having a Selection Trial? If she is (I do not have stats here one way or the other), then she might in deed deserve a bit of special treatment.
Playing by the rules makes some people feel so superior, when in reality, the rules suck.
JMHO[/QUOTE]
Well I guess we have till June to see if she has the scores…But I don’t believe competing in Europe can be compared to showing in the U.S.
Well, according to “a power that be”, there have been two qualification exceptions for people training in Europe… Lisa and Michelle Gibson on Peron. Both exceptions had to do with the fact that they rode stallions (lengthier quarantines) and that they were top 5 riders in the world at the time. Apparently, CH did not submit drop scores that she could have submitted from Europe and she currently would not be named to the team under the qualifying criteria of LW and MG. THat said, why not let her try and either accept her or deny her on the basis of her scores? Not totally sure about that rationale because it could have “officially” closed, or opened, the door. We want the best team, right?
[QUOTE=J-Lu;3003317]
Well, according to “a power that be”, there have been two qualification exceptions for people training in Europe… Lisa and Michelle Gibson on Peron. Both exceptions had to do with the fact that they rode stallions (lengthier quarantines) and that they were top 5 riders in the world at the time. Apparently, CH did not submit drop scores that she could have submitted from Europe and she currently would not be named to the team under the qualifying criteria of LW and MG. THat said, why not let her try and either accept her or deny her on the basis of her scores? Not totally sure about that rationale because it could have “officially” closed, or opened, the door. We want the best team, right?[/QUOTE]
:yes:
I think David’s response is careful and good. The one thing it doesn’t address, is why they couldn’t have moved the trials to the East Coast.
I’m not suggesting that we should put them there just for CH’s benefit… but it seems that in a country as large as ours, where you have competitors spread basically between West Coast, East Coast, and Europe… that the East Coast is the “central” location. If we’re then planning on flying the team horses to Europe, doesn’t this just make sense?
Flying from Europe to NY is not so bad. From Europe to LA is a whole different ball game.
But this is the way I see this controversy
When I was reading the article of Cheryl Meissner, I found the same statements as in the article of Catherine Haddad. IMHO this all has to do with the European based riders against the home-based riders.
I don’t want to go into a very deep discussion about the selection procedure in the USA. But I am really wondering if the USA really wants to win a medal at the next Olympics.
It’s much easier to fly over some judges from the USA to Europe, and i am
100% sure that every big competition in Europe gladly adds an few extra hours for these judges to score the USA-riders which are based in Europe.
Simultanously the judges which are selected for the Olympics can give their scores 
I am so happy that we only have one guy who decides about who is going for the Dutch team to Hongkong. So maybe we will see Edward and Next One in Hongkong, while he isn’t even on the long-list.
Furthermore I don’t think that these things should be discussed in public. It’s a shame Catherine and David didn’t speak privately about this subject.
@RileyT. The response of David O’Connor is a political response not a good one
Theo
I think it is safe to say that USEF only responded in public because of the public article/public debate created by Catherine Haddad.
These kinds of discussions are usually not public.
Please–I am not saying this is better or worse, just stating the fairly obvious.
Most of the US dressage riders based in the US have given up business, income, etc., in order to go to Europe for competition and training.
Catherine Haddad’s argument seems to be that she has paid her dues, been placed in CDIs in Europe, and should be exempted from having to give up business, income, etc., in order to go to the U.S. for selection trials.
Peter Wylde had to make this decision with Fein Cera–whether to return to the U.S. for the show jumping selection trials or stay in his home base in Europe.
He made the decision to return, was brilliant in the trials, and was on the team for that WEG where he won individual bronze.
Again–I am not saying better or worse.
This country used to have the luxury enjoyed by Germany/Netherlands whereby a few coaches and a select number of advisers picked the teams.
That is no longer the case, and selection trials seem to be the only satisfactory solution.
I do not think the dressage trials being on the East Coast would have changed Haddad’s position.
“Furthermore I don’t think that these things should be discussed in public. It’s a shame Catherine and David didn’t speak privately about this subject.”
it looks like there was private discussion after which CH wrote a public article to which DO’C responded
But I really don’t understand
The selection commission can also take advantage (if they want) of the possibilities of internet, video’s etc. If you want to put the horse’s welfare on top of everything, this is the most honest way to go.
Could it be that the rider with the best lawyer will be on the team ;)
And to answer the last two questions: I am not in favour of Haddad or O’Connor, but this shouldn’t be a public discussion, but to me it seems that “going public” is saddly the only answer when you don’t get a response. “The pen is always mightier than the sword”
Because I know that it’s much tougher to ride between the topriders of the world, I know that 68% in Europe means a lot more than 72% in America (Yes Flamesuit on)
Since the show jumping team has been a disaster since THAT happened, wouldn’t you hope that someone has learned a lesson from that?
there were responses, actions, discussions,…she just didn’t like the outcome
Theo, now you’re just being silly.
Those pesky rules are there for a reason. David O’Connor was one of those who went above the FEI decision in Olympics Eventing where Germany did not follow the stadium jumping rules and expected to still keep the Eventing Gold Medal. He did, along with others, get that ruling overturned because the judgement was not inaccordance with the existing rulebook.
So the answer to your earlier question is: Yes, the USEF wants the Dressage Team to do well—but not at any cost and certianly by following all the rules.
If we don’t like the rules in the US we change them after due course. So, if there are unfair rules on the books, now would be the time to start the lengthy and laborious process for the 2012 Olympics.
