http://www.eurodressage.com/2018/08/23/french-federation-drops-bomb-deciding-not-send-team-weg
It seems like this is just for dressage and because they donāt have any competitive teams, not a reflection on WEG itself. They will still send a showjumping team, wonāt they?
Not sure. It makes sense I guess if they feel they arent competitive.
The article says, only the dressage team is affected.
Sounds like money is very tight for dressage in France - otherwise theyād send their combinations just for the experience.
Theyāve already named show jumping and eventing teams. They had not named dressage. Sounds like they donāt have good enough dressage rider / horse combinations at the moment:
"We had our team chances calculated and with Pierre we were expected to finish 12th and without 13th. The president of the federation doesnāt want that.
Bemelmans explained that France has no chance for Olympic qualification in Tryon, while all other French teams in the other discplines have. The federation decided not to send any individual riders, either, as none of them are expected to reach the freestyle finals."
Their other teams:
Show Jumping:
Nicolas Delmotte & Ilex VP
Alexis Deroubaix & Timon dāAure
Alexandra Francart & Volnay du Boisdeville
Thierry Rozier & Venezia DāEcaussines
Kevin Staut & RĆŖveur de Hurtebise HDC
http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/ā¦mping-team-weg
Eventing:
Sidney Dufresne and TrƩsor Mail
Maxime Livio and Opium de Verrieres
Astier Nicolas and Vinci de la Vigne
Donatien Schauly and Pivoine des Touches
Thibaut Vallette and Qing du Briot ENE-HN
1 Like
Yes, not a ābombshellā. They are being realistic.
5 Likes
All I can think of every time I read this is what would happen if all the countries only sent teams if they thought they could be competitiveā¦ maybe only 5 or 6 countries per event?
i get that it is expensive and disruptive to ship a horse/rider/team across the pond but stillā¦
2 Likes
I understand that as well. However, given the last minute scrambling to get the venue ready for the WEG, and considering the general weirdness of the political situation in the U.S. (especially since crossing our borders has become such an issue) I donāt blame any nation, nor individual, for deciding to stay home. 
Since the French team is looking toward the Olympics, they feel they would be wasting their time and horses. That is their call. :yes:
2 Likes
skydy, yes, their call.
I guess my issue was with the āwhyā. If their concern was weirdness of the political situation or chaos at the venue, Iād have been much less annoyed than āwe didnāt think we could be competitiveā. Imagine sporting events where players or teams didnāt show up because they didnāt think they could be competitive. Sometimes itās the completion, regardless of the outcome. At least IMO 
The article says they would like to qualify for the Olympics and donāt believe they can do it at WEG.
I bet Poltroon is correct in guessing that finances are a factor.
From H&H.
French riders have expressed their disappointment after the French Equestrian Federation (FFE) announced it would be sending no dressage competitors to Septemberās World Equestrian Games in Tryon, USA.
Earlier this month the FFE submitted eight nominated dressage athletes to the FEI:
- Alexandre Ayache (Zo What)
- Morgan BarbanƧon Mestre (Sir Donnerhall II OLD)
- Marie Emilie Bretenoux (Quartz Of Jazz)
- Barbara Clement Klinger (Dirbini)
- Bertrand Liegard (Star Wars)
- Arnaud Serre (Ultrablue De Massa)
- Anne Sophie Serre (Vistoso De Massa)
- Pierre Volla (Badinda Altena)
The FFE revealed that at the start of the year, French riders in contention for selection were set a minimum target score of 70% at WEG, in order to ārank honourably in the nations standings and attempt to win the qualification of France for the next Tokyo 2020 Olympic Gamesā.
āFollowing the withdrawal of the only couple having already obtained this 70% and no other couple having reached this score in the grand prix event in the past three months, the necessary conditions are not met to constitute a group capable of reaching the average required,ā read a statement. āGiven this, and despite the unprecedented efforts made by all in favour of dressage, the French Equestrian Federation will not engage dressage riders at the Tryon World Equestrian Games.ā
Pierre, who led the French team to Nations Cup victory at Hickstead CDI3* in July, revealed that financial reasons are behind his decision to withdraw from selection, and that his chestnut mare ā whom he bought as a youngster destined for slaughter ā is up for sale.
āBadinda is in her best form and she proved it at the Nations Cup at Hickstead. So itās not a reason for health or sport that made me make this hard choice. The dream of the Games is great and present for everyone, but the harsh economic reality of high-level sportā¦ is pushing us to take some paths,ā said Pierre, who scored 72.67% for his grand prix victory at Hickstead, and also topped the freestyle with 76.33%.
"For several months, Iāve been looking for financial support to keep this sublime mare. But in France, no one is willing to invest in a dressage horse like Bomba [Badinda Altena]. Without support, without patrons, without sponsors, the high level is very complicated. In France, we are mostly owners of our horses and also professionals in the horse world, which is more rare in other nations. āBadinda is proposed for saleā¦ if I wish to stay at high level and continue in this beautiful profession, the only patron I found is myself.ā
Other members of the French squad have spoken out about their disappointment in the FFEās decision.
āI am very disappointed after all the work and commitment my team and myself did, but sadly due to certain circumstances and one of the horses of the team being sold, the FFE came to the decision of not sending a team to the WEG. We have to accept their decision,ā said Morgan BarbanƧon Mestre.
Morgan switched sporting nationalities to ride for France in April this year, having previously represented Spain. She and the 12-year-old Sandro Hit stallion Sir Donnerhall II OLD have scored plus-70% in grand prix tests, but since switching to ride for France their grand prix best has been 69.7%. Without France, 32 nations are expected to be represented in dressage at WEG, with 15 teams competing for the first six qualification spots for Tokyo 2020.
Read more at https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/newsā¦WppLSgEjJzm.99
Also, the French like to select Selle Francais horses. Thereās only one on that list.
1 Like
Reading this, I was wondering how much of it was that Volla didnāt want to use any personal funds to attend given that he was saving money to keep the mare, and how much was a desire not to make her any more valuable and thus more likely to be sold to someone else. But in either case, it appears heās having trouble finding a sponsor to keep the ride with him, another symptom of money being tight for dressage in France.
