Jon Holling linked to this on his FB page. I found it thoughtful and insightful. Many of us have likened the state of eventing today to the Formula One situation back in the 1960’s. I was pleased to see Jon Holling do the same in a very public forum and ask his fellow event riders to take a stand. IMHO very brave. Hope linking it here is OK: http://read.uberflip.com/i/894988-november-6-2017/36
If a rider gets up the courage to bring up concerns about safety at a particular fence, it’s not uncommon for them to be dismissed by officials or for other competitors to have a quiet chuckle at their expense. The tone around the conversation is unbelievable, and the instant feeling is that obviously that rider is a complainer, has lost his edge or is just plain scared.
Thank you, Jon, for coming right out and saying this.
We’ve talked on the WTF thread about the ‘culture of indifference’ and how it applies to eventing. Specifically, that lip service is made to safety - ‘oh we care so much…’ - but the actual practice tells a very different story.
So if it takes more courage to speak up than it does to have a go at an obstacle that you feel is unsafe, there’s something deeply wrong with our sport.
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Over the past several weeks this is the conclusion I have come to: The time for sitting back and lying to ourselves has passed. Convincing yourself that it won’t happen to you is not bravery; it’s ignorance. Not being honest with ourselves or each other is not being kind; it’s not helping us to keep our edge.It’s simply being consciously ignorant.
LISTEN UP ULRS.
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Mr. Holling is correct. Thank you IFG & JER for supporting that position.
I am lucky to count as friends a couple of chaps who raced in Formula One in the deadly years of the 1970’s. One told me years ago how hard it was to have to carry the casket of a fellow racer at a funeral about once a month, or sometimes more frequently, then return to racing on Sunday. On the grid, before the green flag to start a race, he always wondered who would die today.
The cars had increased in power and downforce (allowing faster cornering), yet the circuits were still the old tracks. Perhaps, not unlike equestrian XC courses becoming more and more twisty and technical while the speed remains the same? And, maybe the machine (horse?) became more and more optimized for dressage, while the XC speed remains the same? But, those issues are well known and widely discussed already.
What made safety changes in F1 and international sports car racing was that a few top drivers stood up, took a stand and put their jobs / income on the line to make changes. It was a few particular big names who did that. They did not do this by posting a blog (those didn’t exist then), or “talking”, or writing an article. They did this by refusing to race, and making specific changes happen.
When top riders (drivers?) have had enough and are willing not to ride (drive?) because of safety, then there will be big changes. Not before.
Good luck and have a safe ride.
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I’m surprised there hasn’t been more discussion of JH’s excellent and provocative column, especially given the recent long threads about safety and the state of the sport.
I do hope everyone reads the piece that IFG linked to in the first post.
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Well, it is about time that an ULR spoke the truths, about which we have been talking for years! Thank you, Jon Holling!!
I have gone to the Rider Reps and TD’s about things that were not correct with a cross country course and been told that the jumps stand as is. One time it was a BN Championship. We had to go through the water, up an incline and over a brush fence that was set 9 feet away from the water. Standing at the take off point, the jump was over 3 ft. I was told it “is a Championship course.” So, I paid a $45 fee and dropped back to plain BN.
Another time, the BN ditch was not as written in the Rule book. I took my copy of the Rule Book to the TD. He told me, “We are not changing it. The TD’s want to change this rule anyway, so the jump stands.”
I truly wish that other ULR’s get on board with Jon.
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What pressures do course designers operate under?
Does the organizer dictate what is expected from them in regards to safety, competitive influence and completion rates? Or is the CD chosen on the merits of previous work and given total independence? BOss/employee vs patron/artist relationship.
I have always assumed that the CD would get the most direct feedback from elite riders themselves in a pretty small echo chamber. This would mean that the courses we see are what the elite riders want. Why else would it take a mandate from the FEI to get all rail fences pinned when the CD is already free to do so?
I’m starting to better understand where the people are coming from who say “no risk, no sport”, “complete safety is undesirable”, “riders must respect the fences” etc etc. An elite rider who subscribes to these views is fiercely competitive rather than indifferent in my estimation. A cd or organizer with this mindset is more of a concern to me.
I found Jon’s article compelling and a great platform for discussion and action. More please!
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Thanks JER for bumping this back up. I agree that this is a really important statement from a brave ULR. I was rather shocked that more people did not comment on this thread.
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Wow, I’m totally impressed by what Jon wrote! What extreme courage to write that down and publish it.
What he says about lying to yourself on the day is so very true. I realized it about myself a few years ago and took up straight dressage, thinking it was just me and I didn’t “have it” to play at the very top. I have lost friends and seen many friends injured. More horses broken down and even had one die under me on course. The sport, for me, had just started to ask to much. The lying to myself was the last straw and I haven’t jumped a fence since…
Just reading what I wrote is sad and depressing to me…
I really hope that eventing can sort this out because it truly is a wonderful sport and I loved the people and the atmosphere so very much. I miss those days and struggle to create something similar in dressage with my group of friends and fellow competitors.
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I suspect it’s because we don’t like to admit that we’ve been collectively lying to ourselves about the fundamentals of our sport.
If you look on the other threads, you’ll find hero worship that excuses poor horsemanship, emphatic claims that the safety committees are doing all sorts of things, blaming ordinary recreational eventers that they are ‘part of the problem’ if they don’t donate to ‘safety’, etc.
Yeah, it hurts to look inward and admit what Jon Holling is saying. And perhaps when you do, it leaves you just a little speechless.
(Waiting for the backlash and apologists, they will show up eventually. )
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I’m not…that was pretty much the point of his whole article. Just a bunch of birds with their heads in the sand right now. Much easier to scream at Denny and gaslight that situation then face the music.
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I was impressed. It does take a strong individual to stand up, away from the crowd or even IN the crowd, and say something contrary. The crickets are disappointing. With the ML situation, so many people were saying, why don’t UL riders stand up and say something?
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Jon is saying what a lot of his colleagues are thinking. I am glad that he is opening to door to speaking out about safe design. If a jump is not safe and is not using the latest technology, then it is not the safest it can be. It is heartening that he is leading the way and encouraging others who have similar concerns/worries. While UL riders are putting in time/effort to developing safety measures, they still not do have the confidence (?) to stand up and speak out.
I am also glad that after so many decades of loss of life and serious injury, we are finally waking up and working to make this sport safer. Or at least those who contribute to research through time, effort, and $$ are making a difference.
The FEI needs to make venues accountable for safety. Period.
Let’s play a role. Donate to the research, talk to Reps, have a voice. I for one donate to the research (even though it may not be perfect, it is helping), and I applaud those who spend hours on safety committees solving difficult and ongoing problems.
Shame on those who call names and point fingers to blame, whilst sitting on petards, fingers pounding the keyboard.
Do something. Support those who speak out in constructive ways.
Thank you Jon.
Jon is saying what a lot of his colleagues are probably thinking. I am glad that he is opening the door to speaking out about safe design. If a jump is not safe and is not using the latest technology, then it is not the safest it can be. It is heartening that he is leading the way and encouraging others who have similar concerns/worries. While UL riders are putting in time/effort to developing safety measures, they still not do have the confidence (?) to stand up and speak out.
I am also glad that after so many decades of loss of life and serious injury, we are finally waking up and working to make this sport safer. Or at least those who contribute to research through time, effort, and $$ are making a difference.
The FEI needs to make venues accountable for safety. Period.
Let’s play a role. Donate to the research, talk to Reps, have a voice. I for one donate to the research (even though it may not be perfect, it is helping), and I applaud those who spend hours on safety committees solving difficult and ongoing problems.
Shame on those who call names and point fingers to blame, whilst sitting on petards, fingers pounding the keyboard.
Do something. Write the check. Thank those working to make it happen. And support those who dare to speak out in constructive ways.
Thank you Jon!
Fox-Pitt is teaching tomorrow about 5 miles from the COTH. Maybe somebody could share Holling’s article with him and get a comment. Fox-Pitt is the functional equivalent of Jackie Stewart in so many ways.
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I audited today and will be auditing tomorrow. He is awesome.
The question answer portions are really spin offs from what he is teaching in the clinic. Asking him if he read an article may be a bit awkward. But I welcome those who wish to ask.
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Oh my oh my. Here is backlash.
We are part of the problem if we do not take action. Period.
Yea, it hurts to look inward.
Speechless? I doubt it.
Make a difference or be a bystander.
Oh Bib Latane!
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I also think that Jon is standing up IN the crowd and saying something that so many of them are thinking. Why is the sport not providing maximum safety that current technology provides, and why is the sport asking people to risk their lives and those of their horses, when the technology is there? It is often not utilized and/or enforced. And I know what it is like to question a fence at an event. It is not easy, and in my experience, it had no impact.
All of the UL riders I know were horrified by ML and many did speak up on social media. There were quite a few threads on FB.
I think WE owe it to our riders and our horses in the sport to promote safety.
Yes, a different spin, one that requires that we just try, a little bit, to look inward.
I am quite sure that I am not alone in my belief that we should always try to promote the well-being of others and it is our social/moral duty to do so.
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Eventing is not ever going to be “safe”…yes, it can be made safer, but you get on a horse, gallop at speed at HUGE, very solid fences, you have to know somewhere in your brain you may not make it.
Here’s my one problem with Jon’s piece (and keep in mind, I think he is spot on and I have nothing but the most respect for the man)…make eventing safe as possible for humans, there will always be this bottom line: there can be no eventing without horses. It’s horses we need to protect. It’s horses we must protect.
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