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David O'Connor responds to Catherine Haddad's Article

Dressage
#41

[QUOTE=rileyt;3003413]
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.[/QUOTE]

Good point, riley, I did wonder about that, too. Especially since they are traveling to Europe after being selected. It would seem to make more sense, especially if you’re coming from the west coast. Your horse could at least get to the east coast, have a bit of rest, go to the selections and then on to Europe. It would take at least a few hours off the travel time by plane, for the trip to Europe.

#42

Theo you nailed it on the head…Enough said!!!

#43

I know I am silly, because… Silly is my middle name.

But silly to me is also to make so many rules, that everybody can use these rules to force qualification for the OG in court. Why do you have a National Coach ? Klaus Balkenholl is not a personal friend of mine (far from that), but he is very capable to choose his dreamteam, and he doesn’t need all these rules to make his descissions.

Theo

Here is the article of Cheryl Meisner, mentioned before : (courtesy DressageDirect.com)

There is only one thing that makes Meisner very unhappy and angry at the moment. That’s the decision of Dressage Canada to change the rules for the Olympic team selection while the season is on. “My sponsor and me have made a detailed plan how to move forward to the Olympic selection process. Therefore I moved to Bert’s place in The Netherlands last September. I personally do feel that Canadian and American riders need to show here in Europe to improve. But now while the process has started, Dressage Canada extended the deadlines to get the desired scores! I want to express my feelings very carefully and I don’t mean to disrespect any of the Canadian riders that try to qualify. But I do not agree with changing the criteria while the process has started yet. And they changed the criteria without even consulting our German team trainer Norbert van Laak!”
“Of course Canada has to send the best possible team”, Meisner continues. “And of course I do understand the position of Ashley Holzer and her horse. When Dressage Canada decides to exclude her from all the qualification rules and reward her with a team place I surely would understand. But I don’t understand the extended deadlines. For me Florida can be a place to qualify, but smaller shows in Cincinnati and Ottawa definitely are not. They cannot be compared with the shows in Europe. And that’s making me very angry, in spite of the wonderful title that we have won now.”
Cheryl Meisner and Paganini will now travel to the Sunshine tour to compete there.

Claartje van Andel dressagedirect©

#44

Theo, I agree that it is a “political” response… but that doesn’t mean its not a good one.

As for all the silly rules,… for better or worse this country just functions differently than in Europe. Based on past experiences here, people (such as David O’Connor) try to be very very careful about implementing a fair selection process. To be sure its not perfect, but I think there is a good reason for having most of the pieces it has.

#45

They make it as fair as possible, to avoid litigation. Also, David wants it fair because he knows what it takes to make it to the team and be successful, and he wants that to be available to all who truly qualify (or have a chance). :yes:

#46

I am assuming that the two parties did talk in private; she did not arrive at the same conclusion as David did so they went public. More for support of differing views I will assume.

David wrote “The Party Line”. Here I thought this was a democracy not communism.

We shall see, if her scores are better in Europe than anyone’s here then I suspect opinions might change in her favor. I am suspect that the WHOLE story is being totally shoved under a big rug; the dirty secrets are not out for public viewing so far. As another person noted, too bad her horse is not a stallion.

#47

I can’t imagine

For some reason I think that this is a response written by a lawyer and not from somebody who wants the best for American dressage.

#48

My flamesuit now also on: does anyone honestly expect the US to medal at all in dressage anyhow?

#49

Not this year, honestly, and that is why it might be a good idea to let some newer up and coming riders get the experience and the exposure.

#50

Seems you can’t win either way. I can only say this with certainty. I am reallly really glad I am not on the Canadian or American selection committee :smiley:

#51

Regardless of CH’s personal status, I do think it’s appropriate for dressage in particular to have a method for any American rider to qualify by some means while staying in Europe. Maybe you’d need an extra high score, maybe you’d need an extra high score and have to pay for selectors to come see you ride in person, I don’t know. But given that the current state of the art is in Europe, and that the selected horses are flying to Europe anyway, I think it’s common sense that that be a potential option when setting up selection criteria.

#52

Some keeping saying her scores need to be the same or better then the U.S. scores…Look I’ve sat and watched a hunter classic judged under George Morris in MI and watched him give a score of 80% now would that ride get the same score from him in Wellington…NO so lets stop trying to pretend a score of 70+ in the U.S. would be a 70+ score in Germany or Amsterdam…Below are scores from a CDI in Franfort lets compare them to some recent shows in the U.S. Do you think if you took the same U.S. based riders and they rode the exact same test the scores would be the same?

  1. Whisper - Theodorescu, Monica - 72.792 % (Germany)
  2. Salieri CH - Ikle, Silvia - 71.417 % (Switzerland)
  3. Elvis VA - Capellmann, Nadine - 69.542 % (Germany)
  4. Warum nicht FRH - Werth, Isabell - 69.250 % (Germany)
  5. Hexagon’s Ollright - Lieren, Laurens van - 68.917 % (Holland)
  6. Cockney - Bolz, Sonja - 67.167 % (Germany)
  7. Mythilus - King, Courtney - 66.958 % (USA)
  8. Rioletto - Sayn-Wittgenstein, Nathalie - 66.250 % (Denmark)
  9. Exquis Clearwater - Olst, Anne van - 65.417 % (Denmark)
  10. Le Bo - Koppelmann, Carola - 65.208 % (Germany)
  11. Fuego XII - Munoz Diaz, Juan Manuel - 64.000 % (Spain)
  12. Le Primeur - Wettstein, Marie-Line - 62.292 (Switzerland)
  13. Joy - Callaghan, Patricia - 61.042 % (Holland)
  14. Salieri OLD - Max-Theurer, Victoria - 60.375 % (Austria)
#53

I think David gave well thought out, reasoned answer to the original complaint.

That will not stop the complainer from complaining.

#54

[QUOTE=merrygoround;3004293]
I think David gave well thought out, reasoned answer to the original complaint.

That will not stop the complainer from complaining.[/QUOTE]

You nailed that one on the head. :winkgrin:

#55

[QUOTE=merrygoround;3004293]
I think David gave well thought out, reasoned answer to the original complaint.

That will not stop the complainer from complaining.[/QUOTE]

LOL yes a well thought out letter written by a lawyer… Not complaining at all but for some of you that don’t understand the politics we are just trying to enlighten you on some reality. Or maybe you understand the politics better then all of us…The bottom line is not everyone has the same ethics.

#56

I agree it appears to be written by a lawyer. Have you guys ever read those commentaries that he writes for COTH? The man can barely write a complete sentence with a complete thought, much less compile a series of logical arguments.

#57

yes, dressage is extremely political. But to ignore existing rules makes it MORE political, especially when someone decides on their own to follow Rule ABC but ignore Rule XYZ. Everyone makes sacrifices to join the team: if one team member on their own makes exceptions to rules then so can the others.

O’Connor needs to committ to an overall sense of fairplay to all, especially to the sponsors footing the bill for these riders ---- sponsors require assurances the event is run legally.

I also noticed he spoke out and not Balkenhol, which is a nice way to not have Balkenhol take sides on the matter and possibly offend Catherine directly, leaving a path clear for them in the future.

#58

being Pres. of USEF - the NGB for Equestrian under USOC rules - it is his place

and if he had an attorney write/edit his reply - that shows good sense in situations such as these

#59

Oh geez. Do we really even CARE whether it was actually penned by David himself, or by David/the lawyer/the PR person? I don’t.

I think it was a good response. Period.

Coreene, I’ll gladly concede that the U.S. isn’t as strong this year as it has been in the past few Olympics, but do you think we’re THAT far out of the bronze medal slot? Who do you think it would go to?

Obviously the Germans and Dutch are tops… but that third spot is anything but certain. I think the Spaniards have a good shot at it this year… but who else? You don’t think we’re even in the conversation?

#60

[QUOTE=sm;3004532]
yes, dressage is extremely political. But to ignore existing rules makes it MORE political, especially when someone decides on their own to follow Rule ABC but ignore Rule XYZ. Everyone makes sacrifices to join the team: if one team member can break rules then so can the others.

O’Connor needs to committ to an overall sense of fairplay to all concerned, especially to the sponsors footing the bill for these riders ---- sponsors want assurances the event is run legally.

I also noticed he spoke out and not Balkenhol, which is a nice way to not have Balkenhol take sides on the matter and possibly offend Catherine directly, leaving a path clear for the future.[/QUOTE]

Breaking rules who is breaking rules:confused::confused: By the way they change the rules all the time…

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