Carolin, slight correction, it’s Nadine and Hans Peter Minderhoud. Edward Gal is not competing.
[QUOTE=SGray;3440886]
keep in mind that the second half is tomorrow and Teams generally put their strongest competitors at end[/QUOTE]
This is not the case here as the starting order was determined by draw. The draw just didn’t help the dutch team very much.
I do agree with Oakie’s math- however only if the top riders of the Dutch/Germany/US are not more than 3 full points ahead of the field. If they are or if one of them is- this will mathematically clean up the lower scores…should be very interesting tomorrow…
Courtney’s ride with Myth was so nice and fluid- with a little more seasoning they are going to be amazing. Bonaparte was excellent today-very fluid and electric. Sunrise just looked tense, she had a great fluid test last year at the World Cup in Vegas and this was not of the same quality. Lancet looked great, nice test.
Where is it!!
I thought dressage was on Oxygen channel now, but it’s tennis! Where are you guys watching the dressage?
Thanks!
Thanks for the link!
Has the FEI looked at how figure skating addressed its judging scandals? 
Because the mindset of the judges (per Theo) certainly seems to be the old figure skating disgrace.
I have no comments, just want to say a big thank you for this thread!
I live in Australia. We have one channel broadcasting. Swimming is apparently the only sport being contested at the Olympics this year. I have seen EVERY heat of EVERY event. I have seen the Australians win medals over and over, in slow motion. In super slow motion. LOL
If an Aussie looks like they might win something, there is a quick cut to the performance and then . . . back to the pool!!!
Can’t access the NBC site and while the Danish are also streaming, my so called broadband can’t keep up. But, never mind, there will be DVDs, right?
Oh, we do have an ex-jockey who is doing the equestrian commentary. (We got to see some of the eventing as the Aussies were in medal contention.) The guy is totally clueless. It’s so bad it’s hysterical. The funniest bit is reading the Australian reaction to this guy. VERY, very funny stuff on some of the forums!
Will be checking in here to see how things are going!
I agree with DreamTime completely on Bonaparte, Mythilus, Lancet and Surprise.
Mythilus’ piaffe was very active but I’d like to see him with a slightly slower tempo.
Not only was Surprise’s tongue ugly in the zig-zag, the horse was horribly unbalanced. Zoom to the left, screech (ie huge half-halt), change, lean and zoom to the right, repeat. Yuck. I think she got a considerable number of “exposure” points for having had some high placings in Europe the last couple of years. Was the mare better then?
I just shake my head at those “poll highest” fanatics who preferred the eventing dressage. You have to look at the rest of the horse! Except for the top 15-20 horses, there were major problems in relaxation and harmony and the horse’s muscular development showed these were long-term issues, not just that night. The reason their poll is high is because they are braced and hollow in the topline while the rider is pulling on them!
Am I missing something here? Why is everyone jumping to the conclusion that the German judge is marking unfairly? He did place the German rider first, but so did 3 of the 4 other judges, including the Dutch judge. His scores for Minderhoud were well in line with the other judges. Yes, he did score Sunrise a bit lower than the other judges, but I think you could make a very good argument that a GP test when the horse’s tongue is flapping around on several occasions is probably not deserving of a 70%. Even so, he was only about 2% lower than the average score.
[QUOTE=Kwill;3438858]
Clearly my plain straight-across browband is passe! Will need to go buy a droopy one. :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]
LOL
[QUOTE=hansiska;3439341]
Speaking of expressions, I have to say that I LOVE it when riders show a bit of emotion. Hindle’s ride was fantastic; it’s so nice to see that she was very pleased with it herself. I find it very moving.
Can’t stand these stoics. I mean, these riders have made it to the OLYMPICS and finished their tests. Granted, there are mistakes, but how is it they can’t even smile the tiniest bit when they finish their tests?[/QUOTE]
I agree. Some people are reticent and shy about expressing emotion. Doubtless, every one of these riders cares a great deal about what they’re doing. I think it’s safe to argue that expressing emotion is a bit taboo in some cultures and that those cultures/ countries are represented in the dressage ring in Hong Kong.
But, as I said earlier in this thread:
The more I think about this, the more I think that Anky may have managed to add this factor to her tests and is able to use it to her advantage. Think about it. Just as horse and rider are completing the test – and the judges’ eyes are still upon them – the rider shows complete exuberance and enthusiasm. The crowd reacts. Can we be sure the judges do not?
I liken it to the smile on the face of the gymnast or figure skater at the end of the routine. Did anyone else notice that Hindle actually threw BOTH arms up, like a gymnast? Or that Schellekins-Bartels – Anky’s teammate – also looked jubilant at the end of her test? When a sport has marks for overall impression, why wouldn’t the expression on the face of the athlete/performer at the end of the test matter?
I honestly don’t mean to be “unfair”; I’m really, really happy for every rider who’s made it this far. I want to see them be pleased with themselves. When a rider doesn’t show me this, I wonder if they’re unhappy with their performance or suffering (understandably) from nerves. I wonder too if the judges may be left with the same impression.
[QUOTE=Jazzy Lady;3439147]
Nice to hear that Courtney trained that horse from nothing to GP. 
It was a beautiful ride. [/QUOTE]
Hunh? CKD just got the ride on Mythilus in 2005…
"King has been riding Mythilus for Malloch, an amateur dressage rider, for two years. “Richard Malloch had originally found and purchased ‘Myth’ as his own mount, but fully supported me riding him exclusively when it appeared that we had a good chance to make the Pan Am team last year,” King explained. “Then in Europe this fall, when it was clear that ‘Myth’ is a candidate for the 2008 Olympics, Rich decided that he is actually a professional’s international horse rather than an amateur’s mount, so he decided to sell him, with the caveat that the new owners would allow me to remain the rider.”
With support from Malloch, King and Mythilus made their show ring debut in Florida at the 2007 Winter Equestrian Festival, competing in small tour classes."
Sunrise
forte, I’m with you.
sunrise lacked harmony and was clearly being scored on previous rides rather than present performance. I don’t think the german judge was out of line at all. in fact, I would argue that the judges who placed her so high are damaging the credibility of dressage.
naughty judges.
[QUOTE=hsheffield;3441410]
forte, I’m with you.
sunrise lacked harmony and was clearly being scored on previous rides rather than present performance. I don’t think the german judge was out of line at all. in fact, I would argue that the judges who placed her so high are damaging the credibility of dressage.
naughty judges.[/QUOTE]
I think everyone has opinions but to conclude the judges are damaging the credibility of dressage because they liked sunrise is a bit of a stretch. I know some upper level riders that would disagree with you…
The draw was by teams, and the teams each determined the order of their riders. As was said above, the teams put their strongest riders on the second day.
[QUOTE=dutchfan;3441272]
Hunh? CKD just got the ride on Mythilus in 2005…
"King has been riding Mythilus for Malloch, an amateur dressage rider, for two years. “Richard Malloch had originally found and purchased ‘Myth’ as his own mount, but fully supported me riding him exclusively when it appeared that we had a good chance to make the Pan Am team last year,” King explained. “Then in Europe this fall, when it was clear that ‘Myth’ is a candidate for the 2008 Olympics, Rich decided that he is actually a professional’s international horse rather than an amateur’s mount, so he decided to sell him, with the caveat that the new owners would allow me to remain the rider.”
With support from Malloch, King and Mythilus made their show ring debut in Florida at the 2007 Winter Equestrian Festival, competing in small tour classes."[/QUOTE]
You are correct. Myth was already a
GP horse in Holland when he was purchased.
[QUOTE=Schiffon;3441167]
I just shake my head at those “poll highest” fanatics who preferred the eventing dressage. You have to look at the rest of the horse! Except for the top 15-20 horses, there were major problems in relaxation and harmony and the horse’s muscular development showed these were long-term issues, not just that night. The reason their poll is high is because they are braced and hollow in the topline while the rider is pulling on them![/QUOTE]
I suppose it’s because I am a mostly wannabe eventer that I preferred eventing dressage. The horses have to be versatile, and the muscular development is very different as is the conditioning. (To me, a lot of the dressage-dressage horses look way too fat!) I watched eventing dressage looking for clues as to the horses’ ridability in other phases – are they balanced, quick on their feet, ready to move?
There’s also a tradition of event horses needing to be able to “think for themselves.” It is less now, with the loss of the long format event and more WBs coming into the sport. Many believe that the very precise control over the horse required in today’s harder dressage tests is detrimental to the development of the horse’s ability to get itself and its rider out of a tough spot over fences.
I watched this morning’s tests with a friend who is a very experienced eventer, and here’s an interesting tidbit: she liked the way Sunrise did her lead changes during the canter zig-zag. Said the horse looked like she would be very “catty” over fences, which is a compliment! Others on this BB say Sunrise was leaning too much. As much as anything, this says the two disciplines have very different goals.
Dressage-dressage is still interesting, but I dis see some horses that just look so wound up and unhappy during their tests. And some of them looked downright lame during the piaffe or some of the other more difficult moves.
That said, I have my low-level, little event mare in pure dressage training right now with a woman who was short-listed for the Olympics some years ago. It’s largely to help her relax and use herself better, with the hope and expectation that she will be more relaxed over fences if she’s working off her hindquarters and doesn’t feel like she’s going to fall on her face. The transition she’s going through is really great to see.
Love Nadine and Hans. Love Emma Hindle!
OK… Just love the partnership with Hans and Nadine and Emma Hindle and her mount. Nadine seemed happy in her work. Emma was joyous and appreciative, plus put in a beautiful test!
Courtney’s ride was so harmonious - not brilliant, but harmonious.
Did no one notice the extreme tail swishing on Sunrise? I’m no judge so I won’t comment on the quality of the movements… but the whole thing lacked harmony… I thought… 
