Boyd just seems like such a great guy. Down to earth and friendly.
7 Likes
You don’t see the text, boyd reads it off. It’s also on Instagram
6 Likes
Can confirm.
4 Likes
Thank you for sharing! I don’t know how I wasn’t following him.
You can see they’ve had some prior conversations with a LOT of text in them. They seem like good friends, and Boyd’s smile over the text is so genuine. I will now refer to him as “THE Boyd Martin.”
11 Likes
Oh that lucky cat! 
4 Likes
Yep… Oh, to be a cat in Boyd’s barn.
8 Likes
I’m wondering if there has been some informal coaching**. Boyd mentions having an issue with something and MB gives some ideas. Even some of that would probably be good for MB mentally.
**nothing that gets anyone in trouble with SS, more of it coming up in conversation.
4 Likes
If any took MB to court for offering his opinion about riding, I don’t think it would survive a test of freedom of speech. See the story below of Mats Järlström who won 1st amendment case when he was sued for “practicing engineering without a license” when he calculated traffic cam timing.
The US News article
https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2017-04-26/man-fined-500-for-criticizing-traffic-cameras-with-math
An Oregon resident whose wife received a red-light ticket near Portland is suing state officials after they fined him $500 in connection with his proposal for a new mathematical formula for intersection traffic cameras.
snip
Järlström pitched his idea to “60 Minutes,” a local TV station, a sheriff and a leading authority on traffic-light technology. He was invited to address the Institute of Transportation Engineers.
But the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying contends that except in limited circumstances, only state-licensed engineers can call themselves engineers or “practice” engineering. It found that Järlström, who claims a Swedish degree in electrical engineering, violated state law.
He fought the State of Oregon Board of Professional Regulation and eventually won under freedom of speech. This decision has affected rulings for engineering licensure boards throughout the US.
“The problem is if you have a system in place and they have done something for a long time, and you say that’s wrong, it’s pretty hard for someone within that system then to admit they have done something wrong for such a long time.”
1 Like
The difference is that with the Safesport suspension MB can’t be getting paid or be officially teaching any USEF or FEI members, it could get both parties in trouble and might impact MB’s appeal of his suspension. Hence the point of it being informal.
3 Likes
Who said anything about getting paid? I would expect MB would be glad to provide coaching (unpaid) to someone who was a witness on his behalf at his trial and who seems to be a personal friend.
9 Likes
Wasn’t it Boyd MB flew to the Olympics on his own dime to help out?
5 Likes
No one.
I volunteered at a local event. Boyd was the only professional that did not thank me for volunteering. He tried to bully me in allowing one of his clients to ride out of order by like 20 minutes. I checked with an official and was told NO he could not move up in the order. He eventually went to the organizer to get it done. He was the only one that had his grooms switch horses in the alleyway to the stadium jumping and in the way of other competitors. All the other pros with multiple horses switched above the alleyway out of the way of other competitors. It was early spring, cold and raining. I am not sure that I would call him down to earth and friendly. Focused, yes.
7 Likes
If I recall from the trial, MB flew to Rio on his own dime to coach Boyd.
3 Likes
That is weird to me, it is pretty common to let people with conflicts go out of order, at least at the events I volunteer at. We work hard to accommodate trainers and riders with multiple rides. No bullying required, no having to run to the office required.
Maybe that is what Boyd’s issue was, he is used to events being accommodating and not used to one that will not accommodate.
Disclaimer, I have never met Boyd. I am not excusing anyone being rude.
9 Likes
I have met Boyd. I have audited a couple of his clinics, and I found him to be unfailingly friendly and helpful and positive and pleasant and kind to everyone over the course of several long days.
That included the people riding in the clinic, even when their horses were not cooperating or when the riders were not doing everything exactly right.
I will say there is no way he has gotten as far as he has without being super competitive, so maybe that is an aspect on competition days.
12 Likes
The jump judge specifically told me at the beginning of they day that I was not allowed to let them go out of order. I called and checked to see if he could go out of order and was originally told no
It was not my call
3 Likes
That absolutely makes sense.
If someone is going to bend a rule, it’s not going to be a lil volunteer.
3 Likes
I have been gate person at some hunter shows in the past where the show office dictated that the order of go was NOT to be changed - as it just created chaos in the hitching rings and barns when it was abused. They were right. That did not stop a certain BNT from berating me that his darling client must go next as she was warmed up - even though she was at least 10 entries further down the go.
I said no. The order of go is set.
He lost his s*** and had a tantrum.
Still a no from me.
He stormed to the show office - and came back with the same answer.
When it was finally close to gate time for his client’s round… I called her number as the Stand By on the hitching ring PA system. One more round completed - and I called her as the On Deck - she was still trotting circles down at the far end of the ring and chatting with people on the rail including the BNT.
Time for her to go in the gate - and one last call. No change. The On Deck rider then went in for their round as did the rider after them. The BNT finally noticed and was mad - saying that we had not announced anything. Yes, we had. He said the PA was not loud enough or was broken. No and no. Everyone else had no trouble hearing it and being ready. Hs client was able to go in at the very end - which I was not happy about but that was not my call. IMO at that show - if you missed your time, you missed your class. It was not rocket science. Especially if your BNT was being a complete twuntwaffle.
14 Likes
I was not blaming you, sorry if you took it that way.
I was saying that it seems like an unusual stance.
I can see it at something like AECs where there are so many riders that a person with multiple horses/riders can easily be accommodated in the order of go.
2 Likes
