Eventing Nation booted from covering Event in Unionville, PA

[sing]

I know! But there it is!

[MorganSercu]

@sing

The problem with assuming the name originally had no malign intent is that it very well could have. The “Lost Cause” had little tentacles that stretched far and wide.

Follow that up with the Southern Strategy, Dog Whistles, Gaslighting , and Weasel Words. Maybe some people got a little too tricky with this nonsense and it is too late for them to be asking for our good faith this far down the road.

Starting with a presumption of guilt isn’t a good negotiating strategy. It may or may not be correct, but it won’t advance your point, particularly if someone doesn’t need you and you aren’t even their business partner. USEA should have been the lead, not EN.

[sing]

MorganSercu, What I am trying to get at is the frustration some people are having with “The Thickies” that are hung up on the word plantation, and cannot seem to grasp the idea that in this iteration it is not racist.

We (oh noooo, I have just self-identified as a Thickie) understand the explanation about pine trees and the totally not racist climate of 1930’s PA. We are just not buying it. Or we are not completely convinced. We are open to entertaining the possibility that might have had malign intent at the time.

[pluvinel]

@sing

MorganSercu, What I am trying to get at is the frustration some people are having with “The Thickies” that are hung up on the word plantation, and cannot seem to grasp the idea that in this iteration it is not racist.

We (oh noooo, I have just self-identified as a Thickie) understand the explanation about pine trees and the totally not racist climate of 1930’s PA. We are just not buying it. Or we are not completely convinced. We are open to entertaining the possibility that might have had malign intent at the time.

I have stayed out of this discussion for a while. But if you look back about…oh, 70 pages or so, I was a broken record on this thread with the little ditty called the “Landowner’s Mantra”… It goes like this, My Barn - My Rules.

Racism… or the charges of racism…or whatever label… are irrelevant as applied to this “plantation” issue.

The issue here (as I see it) is all what do guests on private land think they can demand of the landowner…and how to proceed to make such “demands.”

As I see this case:

• I am a landowner.
• I allow you(g) on my property to conduct an athletic activity
• You are therefore my guest on..... MY PROPERTY
• Now if/when a guest(s) starts to get rude and starts demanding I make changes on MY PROPERTY, I have every right to throw him/her out....along with the rest of the crowd if they were annoying enough.
• IMHO - you had some rude guests ruin the party for the rest of the guests

A landowner allows an organization to use his land for an activity. Some outsiders start to agitate that they don't like the name of his property or the event held on his property based on some current political controversy.

Landowner decides he did not sign up for political debate.

So…after 79 pages, what do you think outsiders can demand a private landowner do with his property?

[sing]

The property is his to do with as he wishes. The USEA sanctioned event has to meet the standards of the members of that organization.

[ladyj79]

^^^:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

You can’t argue with this sort of reasoning. It defies reason.

[pluvinel]

@sing

The property is his to do with as he wishes. The USEA sanctioned event has to meet the standards of the members of that organization.

I agree. Very true. So where was the due process started for engaging the USEA membership regarding any proposed changes?

[Ghazzu]

@sing

The property is his to do with as he wishes. The USEA sanctioned event has to meet the standards of the members of that organization.

But the “sanctioned event” didn’t say “We don’t like this name, so we’re leaving if you don’t change it.”
The USEA didn’t say, “We’re pulling the sanctioning if the name isn’t changed.”
A third party came in and demanded a change, and the landowner said to go pound sand.

[sing]

I am wondering if there is anyone (including Leslie) at this point who doesn’t think this was a matter for the USEA to address.

[MorganSercu]

@sing

I am wondering if there is anyone (including Leslie) at this point who doesn’t think this was a matter for the USEA to address.

Right. Which is why I also pointed out that USEA could have gone to the trouble of changing their own by-laws (or whatever) and referring to events solely by the name of the town or city. That is what USEF does, right?

Burden themselves with the change rather than try to foist it off on the landowner.

[Gardenhorse]

@sing

I am wondering if there is anyone (including Leslie) at this point who doesn’t think this was a matter for the USEA to address.

She took it to USEA.

Look at Glaccum’s email announcing the cancellation of the lease. He specifically says that EN took it to USEA (and the equestrian media). He also states that USEA/USEF said they would not use the name in their media coverage. We don’t know what discussions USEA might have been having with them about the status of future events.

[MorganSercu]

@Gardenhorse

She took it to USEA.

Look at Glaccum’s email announcing the cancellation of the lease. He specifically says that EN took it to USEA (and the equestrian media). He also states that USEA/USEF said they would not use the name in their media coverage. We don’t know what discussions USEA might have been having with them about the status of future events.

She took it to USEA after she had poisoned the well.

The representative was totally unaware of what she had done.

[Gardenhorse]

@MorganSercu

She took it to USEA after she had poisoned the well.

The representative was totally unaware of what she had done.

What is the source of that information? The COTH article about it says she went to USEA in June and to Glaccum in August. Perhaps the confusion is USEA vs USEF?

[Gardenhorse]

@Gardenhorse

What is the source of that information? The COTH article about it says she went to USEA in June and to Glaccum in August. Perhaps the confusion is USEA vs USEF?

On my phone earlier, so couldn’t link the COTH article:

https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/name-controversy-ends-plantation-field-events

I will note that the article also says that USEF is “examining our existing licensing policies with respect to events and names which could be offensive.” It’s certainly possible that if EN had waited for the slow gears of USEA/USEF to move that those bodies would have officially not allowed the name in the future. It is unclear whether the reaction of the organizer/owner would have been the same if USEA/USEF had updated their official policy to say that the name was offensive and not allowed in a licensed event.

[pluvinel]

@Gardenhorse …repeat after me: “My Barn - My Rules.”

Regardless of the who - what - when - where - how…they just irrelevant details.

The point is this was an activity held on PRIVATE PROPERTY. This was not some public park like Fair Hill, or The Va Horse Center, etc. It is a private farm.

Guests needed to be mindful of the landowner and to respect the fact that they are able to use/access private land due to the good will of the LANDOWNER.

[MorganSercu]

One of the board members remarked on a different site that Leslie had been sending emails for months to the board. I can’t recall if it was stated or implied she was doing so on behalf of EN or not.

Then she wrote that legally she could not share any of the emails received by the BOD sent by Leslie.

That sounds as though there was more direct involvement on Leslie’s part and it led to USEA losing access.

I see I got mixed up over the venue names. Well, it would have been smart to refer to them by their town/city names. If more than one, then refer to them numerically.

[MorganSercu]

Leslie posted the emails on this thread she sent but later removed them. Pity, as the dates and contents could be read. We would never have known if they were all the emails she sent but it was a start.

[pluvinel]

@MorganSercu

Leslie posted the emails on this thread she sent but later removed them. Pity, as the dates and contents could be read. We would never have known if they were all the emails she sent but it was a start.

This again is irrelevant. According to the COTH article, Boyd cautioned that if EN proceeded, they could precipitate loss of the venue. The reply from the owner of EN is interesting.
https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/name-controversy-ends-plantation-field-events

As they proceeded, Wylie and EN owner John Thier knew the loss of the event might be the outcome. In an email shared with the Chronicle, dated Aug. 28, Olympic rider and PFEE board member Boyd Martin wrote, “The worst case outcome for us in the Eventing world is that if the landowner gets so offended with this issue that he decides to kick the event off his land and we lose the venue for the sport we love and need.” Thier responded, “There are many worse outcomes for Eventing in the US than losing the PFI venue, such as the sport not standing up for what is right.”

PFEE board members also said EN invoked the threat of mainstream media coverage if the event did not change its name.

Thus why I say that every rider who uses or has access to ride or use facilities on private property needs to be mindful they are there by the good graces of some landowner.

[MorganSercu]

Well, from the sound of it all the one person who benefited was the landowner. No more placating neighbors when the narrow less-used roads were suddenly heavily used, no more moving targets to keep eventers happy, no more large liability policies to be carried and no more trying to raise revenue. Now the land is entirely for their private use and enjoyment.

[pluvinel]

@MorganSercu

Well, from the sound of it all the one person from benefited was the landowner. No more placating neighbors when the narrow less-used roads were suddenly heavily used, no more moving targets to keep eventers happy, no more large liability policies to be carried and no more trying to raise revenue. Now the land is entirely for their private use and enjoyment.

Bingo!!!