Interesting Story on Chinese Rider

[FMulder]

Aimed only at those who so unjustly criticise Alex H T.

Alex is a friend of mine, and some of you here are talking absolute BS. What kind of people are you, that you can make such prejudiced and unecessary comments?

He trained his ass off, and I’m confident that there’s not one person on this entire board can ride anything like his standard. When was the last time any of you got selected for Olympics? (or went further than a 3’ fence for that matter) He QUALIFIED four horses for the Games, that means HE qualified them, not anyone else. Yes they were good horses, well sourced and appropriate for the job. Would you prefer he find crappola horses? What would you do? Find crap and try to make it good, and turn down any good horses because you want to “do it the right way”?

Yes, there was a big sponsor, and the number came out at around £1.8M. Of course, you’d all turn it down, as you’d rather all qualify on your outstanding natural talent (we’re still waiting). Yes, he has been trained for a number of years by the Fredericks, if you want to qualify go train with the best.

Fontainebleau and Saumur are not exactly easy 3* events, but he did the job and qualified.

Trust me, if any of you have 10% of the talent he has, you’d cut your right arms off to have had his opportunities.

Believe me when I tell you, that he’ll be gutted that he came off and will personally feel he let his country, horse, sponsors and trainers down.

He is THE most polite, kind and considerate boy i’ve met, and if any of you are lucky enough to meet him, you’ll find the same.

[Eventer13]

Watching him ride online, he looked like the real deal. Unlucky fall at the Olympics (it actually reminded me of a certain American who rode earlier that day). He may have a truckload of cash to help him along, but there is no reason to criticise his riding.

[Equibrit]

He had the best dressage seat of the lot of 'em.

[Anne_FS]

@Zangersheide;3437331

Believe me when I tell you, that he’ll be gutted that he came off and will personally feel he let his country, horse, sponsors and trainers down.

Well, since you’re a friend of his PLEASE convince him that he did no such thing!!
As others have said, an unlucky fall, and look at all the support he got even after the difficulty of his dressage ride. Good grief, Karen O’Connor had refusals! Amy Tryon fell off, and who was the Aussie rider that had a STUNNING ride and his horse came down at the next to last fence?

It was WONDERFUL to represent his country for the very first time in Eventing, and I think his country and his trainers and his horse and almost everybody here is very proud of him! At 18 he’s got another 40 years of making the Chinese team! Good luck to him, say I.

[Mozart]

I think only Dixon criticized him. The guy can clearly ride. And he is all of EIGHTEEN. Quite a lot of composure in one so young, I say. Most of the eighteen year olds I know can barely find their way to the mall, let alone to the Olympics.

He may have had his pick of some very nice horses, he still has to ride them.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Eventer13;3437393]
He may have a truckload of cash to help him along, but there is no reason to criticise his riding.[/QUOTE]

Actually the article suggested other(s) have the money to fund him not unlike the polo patrons or even Team O’Connor which is largely backed by Jacqueline Mars, etc. So where the money comes from or how much is paid is unrelated and irrelevant

[paohatch]

agggh… give me a break

Originally Posted by Dixon
Bottom line is, the kid couldn’t stay on when his horse clipped a jump. That’s not an Olympic-caliber rider, just a well-financed and promoted rider who bought his way into the Olympics.

So does that mean that once you’ve got yourself to the Olympics, you can’t fall off anymore? And that if you do fall off, you shouldn’t have been there in the first place?

Quick, someone go tell Karen and David and Philip, etc… they shouldn’t fall off anymore.

OMG… yeah… like one of the best riders on the easternshore of MD who is a brave quadrapelegic now … I guess good riders don’t fall off.

Oh… an home country’s do get a team entry into every sport… that’s how the Chinese are in things like Whitewater Kayaking, :lol: