Just got the email. Not surprising but sad none the less.
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Time for the angry comments about how “redicilous” this is. Allow me to pull my eyebrows down from my hairline.
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I’m disappointed, but not surprised. I am curious though why they’re thinking about holding a CCI4*-S instead. It would be a shorter course, but perhaps more rides, and more work, holding the event at a lower level even without spectators. Am I incorrect in thinking that?
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By the time I get back to going they are going to have to run the shuttle bus fence to fence…
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Oh, there’s already a thread full of rants on my community FB board.
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I was wondering that, too, but since there’s no guarantee overseas judges, officials, riders, etc would be able to get to a 5*, maybe a 4* can be done with domestic staff? No idea, that’s just what popped into my head.
I’m in no way an official, but perhaps there’s something in the rule book that states that a 5* has to include foreign officials and riders, and that doesn’t apply to 4*? Again, just spitballing. I don’t know.
I was looking forward to watching the live stream. I’m disappointed, but I think they made the right decision, and I applaud them for making a difficult, possibly unpopular, choice.
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Evidently, they were already prepared to answer the question of 4* vs 5*: https://www.chronofhorse.com/article/after-kentucky-cci5-l-cancellation-what-happens-next
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Spectators are the biggest need for the 5* and I guess the lower levels are not dependent on that need to cover costs.
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Donate just $500 to the organizers and you’ll be able to pre purchase your tickets for 2022, assuming they have it.
I copy pasted this from a FB page
FEI events across the country have to use foreign officials still. I run an April FEI where I had to hunt down foreign officials. There is a USEF waiver sitting in my email inbox specially for the FEI event that I run (and will be running unless forced to shut down by FEI/USEF). This waiver is for competitors, officials, grooms, etc.
I know we’re in the middle of a pandemic. But I’m an experienced organizer who truly believes that if Kentucky 5* wanted to run, they could. Perhaps charging more than $100/entry would help? Charging for live-streaming, only people on-site are volunteers, etc
I also expect the Olympics will be cancelled.
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I’ve already rolled my 2020 tailgating pass over once, what’s one more year? That credit card statement was paid off ages ago, haha. They have been nothing but communicative with those of us whose money they’re holding, I feel good about “loaning” them $500 for another year.
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I think if they increased the entry fee to possibly $4000, got the prize money donated they could do it. Issue is, everything is still
Incredibly uncertain and 10 weeks out is just not enough time with the unknown.
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How times flies…
It is only 10 weeks out. Wow. It sounded so far away…
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At the moment CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) is lining up their arbitrators from 2020, making hotel and plane reservations for them and expecting it to take place. Lots of restrictions though, athletes cannot arrive more than 5 days in advance of their event, must depart within 48 hours of their last event, etc. etc. I’m hoping it can go on as scheduled but I wouldn’t bet on it.
I just got the refund/roll over email. I rolled over…again…for 2022. Fingers crossed it will actually happen.
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I don’t pretend to know what the cost is for something like this but I would be curious to know exactly how much of a difference is it between the 4* and 5*, the eventing world came together and secured Art for Jonty, I would like to think we could have done something to help.
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Exactly. If they were cancelling for safety concerns, you wouldn’t hear a second peep out of me. That makes perfect sense. But since they do seem to think they have the ability to run a high-level eventing competition safely that weekend, I’m frustrated that they didn’t reach out to the community before cancelling.
I understand the costs are higher - prize money is a big part of it, and obviously just about every part of a 5* is more expensive than a 4S. But I wish they’d given us a chance. Given us a financial requirement and a deadline and seen what we could do. Bracket out the price levels and sell advance passes for the live stream at a higher price point, sell 2021-specific merch, I’ve seen people suggest they could have included exclusive content like course walks, etc for certain buy-ins, etc. If we don’t raise the stated amount of money by the deadline, well then, I guess that’s it. I just wish we could have tried.
I did go ahead and donate to them even after they announced, and I encourage everyone else to do so as well. I can’t imagine what it’s like trying to run any spectator-based business model right now. Almost a year into this thing, the stress must be awful. I want them to want to do this again, when possible.
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They have now said the event will run if they can raise $750K in 72hrs.
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I wish there was a way to track and see how much of the goal has been reached. 750k in 72 hours seems impossible, even for the eventing community! That said, I did just donate!
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