Yes there seems to be many many issues at work here.
It’s a shame really.
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So why are you starting a whole thread about “whiny rich bitches?” If you are tired of reading about dressage complaints, skip it.
WEG was in the works and people were making plans to attend well before Florence was a raindrop off the coast of Africa. IDK - I spend my time and money carefully, and taking a trip to watch an international competition would have expectations of world class. Contingency plans for something as simple as bad weather should be in place.
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I don’t think a storm that has left record amounts of rainfall and flooding should be classified “as simple as bad weather.”
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Seems people are never satisfied. everything has to be so over the top anymore.
Nothing is good enough. I get so tired of reading the same old crap.
Sure there are always things that are not just right. The World Equestrian Games is a big deal, And I would have thought that we being the host country would have really had our game face on.
I read almost everything these days with a grain of salt. Something is always more, worse, bigger drama that it really is.
Just an observation.
The Hurricane, the media hypes just like it over hypes everything. if it is not a total disaster they are not happy. Must whip the public up into a frenzy. See where I am going?
We have always had hurricanes, this is not the worst. Bad yes. Life will go on.
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From what I have heard, they probably could have gotten it changed out after the reining championships but it has to be done in time for the dressage riders to test before they decide if they are going to compete on it. That probably would have meant dressage riders would be doing their test rides Saturday night. An added complication is the lack of air circulation in the covered. Another complication is the issue of getting the dressage horses from the barns to the covered in torrential downpours - and the fact that they would have to warm up outside in those torrential downpours.Top riders started talking about withdrawing rather than risk their horses. Good on them. And good on WEG officials to decide to cancel the competition. Tough decisions for all, but Florence doesn’t care who she inconveniences.
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Two words: Trip Insurance.
“As simple as bad weather”. Florence is a HURRICANE. And one that is moving very, very slowly, which means she is dumping enormous amounts of rain. Many regions will see record and catastrophic rainfall and flooding. The storm center is predicted to go over western NC today - thankfully now downgraded to a tropical depression, so not packing winds over 39 mph, but still with tons of rain. TIEC has contingency plans for “simple bad weather” but this is not by any stretch of the imagination “simple bad weather”.
The primary concern for TIEC and WEG officials at this point is safety and welfare of the horses and their teams, as well as safety of officials and visiting dignitaries, esp. any who are stuck at the site. Entertaining spectators during a weather disaster is not nearly as high up on their priority list.
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Y’all are forgetting about the wind that comes along with the rain in a tropical storm/depression. (Florence is no longer a hurricane.) I am west of Tryon, so in the “lighter” part of the storm, and it is windy as hell out. Like hard to stand up windy, much less try to walk or ride windy. And wind-driven rain hurts! Makes it hard to see, too, especially if it picks up bits of footing sand.
I don’t want to even be outside in this, much less try to compete in an international world championship. So give everyone some slack for not holding the competition. This is more than “simple bad weather.”
Remember the “Russians don’t give up” video? https://youtu.be/eYcICu_vOmA
That was just part of a seven-minute test. Now picture it like that for HOURS, and tell me you would compete in that, warm up in that, or even walk from the barns to an indoor, forcing your horse to take it as well.
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Good point, yaya, about the wind. Even though thankfully no longer a hurricane, Florence is still bringing serious wind. As we all know, riding horses in big time wind gusts can be very, very risky and even downright dangerous. And yes, wind-driven rain can hurt!
I would love to know if there are ANY of the WEG dressage riders who are willing to risk their horses’ and their own safety trying to ride in those conditions.
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Well, I am such a whiny, rich horse bitch: 73 years old, still working full time to support my horse, saved for WEG, and nowwhat? Manure happens. I think there’s a lot going on that we’re not being told. But it’s the NO REFUNDS that upsets me. I don’t have hundreds of dollars to toss away. Flight (I got trip ins.), Okay. But accommodations, local travel, etc. I’m screwed, but they/he keep the ticket money and I get nada.
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At this point the ticket money is probably already spent, though. Typically that’s the deal for a football game or any sports event that gets cancelled partway through too. It absolutely sucks, but it isn’t really fixable.
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It’s disappointing about the bad, bad, weather and I can understand people wanting to lash out but these things could
not have been planned for, IMO. A little rain, sure, no problem, but as yaya said the conditions are not something
to be riding in for a world competition
If you haven’t experience a tropical storm and the gusty raining sideways conditions, you can’t fathom the discomfort
or the mindset of the horses either. It’s a shame but the dressage riders are right to cancel.
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I still don’t understand why anyone thought it was a good idea to host WEG in NC in September. On record, NC has been hit by 413 hurricanes, 12 considered major since the late 1800’s (aka at least cat 3) and of those 12, 7 were in September. It’s not like a hurricane is a surprise. Not to mention the whole, it’s too hot and humid thing in Endurance (really, hot and humid in NC in summer, dude, here’s your sign). As if the US doesn’t already look like a giant boob to the rest of the world, I guess we needed a good hold my beer moment.
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^^^^^ BINGO Tabulah. This was obviously the first mistake made by those in charge. Betcha they won’t make this mistake again. Some ‘old timer’ shoulda straightened the ‘planners’ out about the heat and storm potential way before
they set the date.
Every single year, since I’ve been in Florida for forty plus years, we plan things around the storm season and have
contingency plans for such. Again, such a shame.
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Ding, ding. When it’s expensive and the general rule is, “non-refundable,” protect yourself.
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Except my understanding is that the actual tropical storm (the prospect of attempting to compete in it) had little to do with the reason for the dressage cancellation. The facility and organizers were willing to delay until conditions improve and footing in the indoor could be changed, but riders and horses already had return travel plans and many either couldn’t or didn’t wish to rearrange them. I imagine it’s a huge disappointment for all concerned (riders, their connections, organizers, and spectators), and I do think that spectators have a right to feel let down-- whether or not the situation can be helped. It’s natural to feel disappointed, whether or not a spectator can get his money back. Travel insurance might be a reach for someone who’s already financially stretching just to attend. Knowing that I couldn’t or didn’t do something that might have gotten me my money back wouldn’t necessarily erase my disappointment. I think TIEC might be bearing the brunt of this understandable disappointment a bit unfairly; they weren’t the only player in the decision to cancel, and it seems they were more than willing to work on a solution.
Note: My understanding of spectators’ disappointment is markedly different, though, from validating those who blame the facility for something they can’t control. They can’t reasonably ensure that a suitable indoor alternative is concurrently available for every scheduled outdoor event when there are many different disciplines needs and schedules to consider; it seems here that, groom and endurance issues to one side, TIEC was willing to make an effort save dressage. They just weren’t the only players in the mix. Unfortunately, I think they’re shouldering most of the ire about dressage a bit unfairly because of their earlier bungles.
OP, your lumping all disappointed spectators as “whiny, rich b!tches” seems not only unfair, but also reflects a pretty serious misunderstanding of the diverse audience attending an event like WEG. It really undercuts your point when you attack a person not for their position, but for who you believe they are right out of the gate. If you think people are being unreasonable in their criticisms and voicing of disappointment, maybe don’t join the party by calling people names.
ETA: Maybe we need to revisit the conversation of whether or not WEG should just fade away. It’s a lovely idea, but a logistical and cost nightmare that few venues and locales seem willing to take on. Unless we’re going to award it permanently to KHP (should they want it), maybe we should just acknowledge that WEG is a concept that has run its course?
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Tryon is over 300 miles inland - they are not usually impacted much by hurricanes. Of those 7 major hurricanes, how many actually brought high winds/rain to the Tryon area? I think the hurricane was a very low probability chance. The heat and humidity are another issue - they did move it later by several weeks than the original dates planned for Bromont, but late Sept/early Oct may have been a better choice.
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I attended the Eventing World Championships in 1978, at the KHP, in September. No hurricanes, but the heat and humidity - yikes! There’s a reason Rolex/Land was moved to late April. When the WE G was announced for Tryon, my thoughts went immediately to my 1978 experience and I thought “September?In South Carolina? Rea!ly?”
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Except insurance is most needed when something is a financial stretch or a bigger than normal expense for you and you can’t just blow off the cost if something goes wrong. I don’t normally get trip insurance, but I did for the vacation my husband and I took in Australia, which is the most expensive trip we have ever done, and included a non-refundable 7-day tour. Having to eat the cost of that trip if something had gone wrong would have been pretty painful.
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Lexington is more humid than Tryon. At least in my experience of living in both places. I thought summer was lovely in upstate SC. I lived south of Tryon.
But really let’s not ever suggest St. Louis.
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Excellent point!!:yes::eek:
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