Because of the cloverleaf nature of the course it does require multiple camera points. I can tell you that those points MUST be arranged and set up at the time the course is being planned, and that requires some forethought and decision making LONG before the event. This is an all-portable venue. There are galloping lanes, grandstands, tents, access for jump judges, vets, tailgaters, roads to parking in and out, tents, and emergency medical personnel that all must be planned for and arranged around the course and only two or three people manage all of that, and one of the most important people in planning that passed away suddenly this past summer leaving many vital holes in the organizational arrangements, unfortunately. It’s my guess that to have someone come in and add to the “to-do” list yet provide no income for the event, probably isn’t going to be high on the priority list, so I get that from the “boots-on-the-ground” side.
I have no inside knowledge on the lack of, or arrangement for, such a service. But I sure wouldn’t let someone do it for free, given the needs I’d have to provide a videographer at such an event if I were in charge, and then remember the videographer makes the money.
When we have had it in the past we have also had to “safety decorate” the camera spots requiring extra flowers (someone to remember to order, pickup, place at venue, put where they belong and then water and check on during the event and remove after the event). And there have been other headaches like wiring running across gallop lanes, noisy generators powering equipment, complaints about blocking views, etc. in the past. One can certainly see how difficult it can be with an outdoor event like this to manage the video and get it done right and the expense the video operator would have to go to to do it right, too. They have to work together is my take. It probably just didn’t happen in time to get it done in a manageable fashion this year. As I say I have no inside info but I do know it requires both planning and expense.
At Rolex TV costs upwards of a quarter million dollars and if the tv trucks weren’t already in town for the Derby it would be higher. Video/tv is not cheap.
