I posted this in the comments section, gave the FEI feedback, and am posting an edited version here as well:
I agree with some of these and disagree with others. I agree fully that it is NOT ACCEPTABLE to have rider deaths. This MUST change and we need to pursue this goal aggressively.
I agree we need to have conversation if only to pursue the above goal aggressively, and I agree we need to think outside the box.
I agree that we need to have faith in our governing bodies (and officials) and that we need to find ways to attract more sponsors and spectators. I agree that riders need to use their personalities and GET OUT THERE. Dom is one of the better ones at this. People need to feel the desire to cheer for particular riders rather than watch a bunch of anonymous blurs on “brown” horses run by.
I also agree that we need more sponsorship dollars, both for particular riders and for events, but I disagree that these come from TV. If 6 local businesses support an event, that can add up. These can be the local diner, a coffee shop, a grocery store, a quickie-mart, a hotel, the hardware store, and the tack store. These businesses benefit from the appearance of hundreds of riders and benefit even more if there are spectators who patronize their businesses. They can also supply the spectators. When the diner waitress mentions to locals that there is an event worth watching going on, people might attend. If Jimmy Smith cheers for Dom once a year at his local event and talks with him in the stabling area each time, he might kick down a small sponsorship–the entry to that particular event, for example, so he can cheer on “his” rider. Then Jimmy Smith brings his friends to watch “his” rider, and the next thing you know, they have a syndicate or are buying him things at the trade fair. Those things can add up as well.
We are actually pretty spectator friendly when we do it right. See my earlier posts.
I dislike the idea of rider fitness not because I am not fit (I run–or rather, I try), but because it is a barrier to participation. How many of our BN riders are older or less fit? How many of us are fit in terms of strength and doing cardio, but not fast or able to do certain types of activities? If I had wanted to be a runner, I would have taken up running sports. I can be a plenty fit enough rider, but I am no runner, and it seems unfair to have scores affected by those who are natural runners. Now, making it like a vet jog–some vague baseline of “soundness”–is different. However, if our goal is including people, this is not the way to do it.
I also disagree with the need for prize money. Funny, tons of people did the sport before the prize money and continue to do so. A few prizes are great, but prize money gears the sport ever more toward pros and might make riders make decisions differently–it’s easier to give up on a $0.50 ribbon than a 10K prize. Furthermore, where is that money coming from? Could it be used elsewhere or to make the event cheaper to enter in the first place?
Entry fees have gotten more expensive as we have demanded fancier events. The $95 entry fee went the way of the dodo because we became too good to jump tires and demanded carved squirrels and flowers. (That’s fine for Rolex, but the BN-T HT should be simple and cheap to put on). We became a sport of pros and are moving ever more into hunter land. This isn’t necessary. A full time dentist won individual gold the '08 Games. Don’t misunderstand–our sport needs pros, too. However, building a sport AROUND the needs of the pros is counterproductive.
I also agree that we need to keep an eye on what our sport is, was, and could be. To that end, here’s a crazy idea: Give up on the Olympics. Seriously. Heck, maybe even ditch the FEI and start our own group, either nationally or domestically.
