I saw the announcement for the High Performance lists, and noticed Tamie Smith wasn’t named. Is location a big factor in the decisions?
I don’t know her at all (nor anyone else personally, really), but she often seems to have great results and a string of super nice horses. I’m simply curious why she wouldn’t be included. I’m not suggesting anyone be kicked off the list, either.
Is she at a big disadvantage being on the West Coast?
Tamie didn’t have a good weekend in Tryon & Mai Baum hasn’t had an FEI run since Boekelo in 2019 so she doesn’t really have a horse that meets the minimum criteria to be on the list right now. That being said, I’m sure she’s still very much on the team radar & will still get plenty of attention this winter. If Kentucky happens in the spring & she has a good weekend, she’ll be in the mix for Tokyo. Mai Baum still hasn’t done a 5* though & the Pan Ams didn’t help him much. I always thought Fleeceworks Royal was one of her best shots, but its seems like she’s had some soundness issues?
I don’t think her being on the west coast factors into the selectors’ decision, but Tryon did put a few question marks on how her squad will cope with deeper going. I know both of her rides at Tryon are on the greener side & I really think Danito is going to develop into a real team prospect, but a lot of the training list criteria is based on recent form.
Selection criteria linked here https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/eventing/pathway-program/elite-program
I’m pretty sure all coasts are considered.
I was surprised to not see Frankie Thieriot Stutes on the list either.
Thanks for the link regarding criteria. Assuming she didn’t meet the criteria for the Elite list given the latest outing and lack of a current 5* horse, why not include her in PreElite?
Or, if once you’ve made the Elite list, does that disqualify you for PreElite, Developing, etc? Again, I’m just genuinely curious based on results, I’m not disparaging those who are named, or feel they aren’t deserved.
That’s why I was wondering if location comes into play.
It shouldn’t, I believe Eric D has been travelling out to the west coast regularly to see the riders out there.
I was just reading an interview with her on eventing nation, and apparently Chatwin had a very severe hip injury-- the prognosis for coming back sounds pretty uncertain unfortunately. I don’t think she has anything else at that level.
I’m just reading this now…heartbreaking. https://eventingnation.com/thankful-for-him-no-matter-what-frankie-thieriot-stutes-shares-an-update-on-chatwin/
Selection criteria linked here https://www.usef.org/compete/disciplines/eventing/pathway-program/elite-program
I must say, I think it’s stingy not to put Ariel Grald on the Elite list. Technically she hasn’t put up a 70%+ at a 5* yet, but she’s put up two tests under that marker this year (okay fine, one was at 3*, but that one was 75%+) and she literally hasn’t had an opportunity to do it at a 5* this year. In all other respects she meets every criteria for the Elite lists, and she’s done it on her first 5* horse, who is only 11 (and was only 10 when she met most of the criteria).
IMO the pair has faced harder tests than several of the others on the Elite list, and have succeeded when some on the Elite list have failed (not meaning to imply that any of the Elite listed riders don’t deserve to be there, because I think they all do, she should just be there too). In terms of potential for future results, I think they may be the best in the US right now. I would take them to Tokyo over several pairs on the Elite list just based on their consistency alone. They have made ONE mistake xc since 2016 at FEI levels (and it was still a completion), which is more than I can say for all the other pairs on the Elite list. All of them. No exceptions.
I’m not the type to be out here getting upset about the same names getting listed over and over again, and I think every pair that was put on the Elite list deserves to be there, but I think it’s missing a name.
Side note: I’m not usually technologically inept but let me tell you I am STRUGGLING with this new forum format. I can’t even figure out how to quote people, much less a multi…
What seems to have worked for me (at least on mobile) was to highlight the text you want to quote as if you were going copy it. Then a quote button pops up and when you click it it opens a new response with the quoted text.
Highlight the text you want to quote and it will automatically pop up and ask if you want to quote, then pastes it into your reply box.
I think they’re close, but Tokyo’s probably not that horse’s event & they’re still pretty inexperienced outside of the U.S. ex Burghley last year. Don’t get me wrong, I think they’re both exceptional & will be representing the U.S. soon, but 2021 Olympics still feels like a stretch at this moment in time. This entire list could get turned on its head in the spring, & it usually does.
Rider experience is going to be a bigger factor for Tokyo than in past Olympics with it being the first cycle with no drop score & only three pairs per team. It’s a shorter course, the jumping probably won’t be huge, it’ll be twisty- I think to be competitive as a team you’ll need tests that are reliably in the 20’s & one rail or fewer across the three pairs on the final day. I see them making a real run for a spot on the World Championship team for 2022.
“Tokyo will be run in the Olympic format of three combinations with no drop score over an eight minute cross country course. In contrast, the World Championships in Pratoni (ITA) will have four combinations with one drop score, as well as one individual. I believe the World Championship cross country course will be at maximum distance and number of jumping efforts with challenging terrain that will demand a different type of expectation from Tokyo.
“The selection of our training list has considered the different demands of both Tokyo and Pratoni; however, some combinations have the capability to suit both."- Duvander
I mean to be honest, there’s hardly a difference between the elite & pre-elite list from what I can tell. I’ve been so impressed by how committed Erik Duvander has been to all the riders, not just the elite listed crew. I’ve shown up at schooling shows & there he is warming up the riders for CT’s & tests of choice, then the next weekend he’s across the country at a FEI competition. The guy is omnipresent & he’s incredibly approachable & always enthusiastic about what we’re building in the U.S. I just feel like we actually are finally building a deep bench of real partnerships here & that’s something I haven’t ever thought we’ve had in the past.
I can see this argument too - as always, you make good points.
The lack of the drop score is why I see them being such a strong option for Tokyo. No, I don’t think they have the upside on the flat that some of the other combinations do, but they are the most consistent across country and generally one-or-none jumpers on the last day. Equiratings has pointed out that even if you bring three horses with 90% clear jumping rates on xc (a BIG ask for the US to pull together), you are only looking at a 73% chance of bringing the whole team home clear. Drop that to 85%, which IMO is still a generous assessment of what the US could average in xc jumping clear rates across three riders, and you barely clear 60%.
For Tokyo, I don’t mind that they put in a test in and around the low thirties (and I think they’ll consistently be clearing that by 2021). We need riders that will bring home an xc clear. Though I do take your point about rider experience.
Totally agree.
I was surprised too, not to see her name anywhere on the list. It also seems like she’s got a great team personality. I get she had a terrible weekend at Tryon, but really? Not even on the list?
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