@Blugal I am curious too about the price money part. Strange times call for some creativity and compromise. I wonder why the FEI can’t waive the prize money requirement, if that has been explored, and it if has what the response was from the FEI. Also wondering about the entry fee for the event. I seem to remember it being like $100. Are riders/owners willing to pay a higher entry fee to help cover costs?
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That’s soooooo much more than Badminton/Burghley, etc. — I’d be worried it would make it even harder to attract heavy hitters from overseas.
I foresee zero percent chance of that happening 
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it seems that many of the FEI and USEF rules are taken as immutable laws of physics, not to be questioned, modified, changed or eliminated. I would hope that everyone would work together, including the sanctioning bodies, who’s top management make a lot of money, so that a way could be found. For example, CCTV required for the ground jury for an FEI 5*, but they’re running a 4* with basically the same or similar track and some differences in jumps and it doesn’t need it? FEI could waive that requirement. FEI 5* financial prize requirement? That could be waived by the FEI as well. No spectators allowed? But, but the USEF sanctions large jumper shows with a 1000 horses on the property in a week? That’s a lot of grooms, trainers, workers, riders, etc. in one place. And, the area around the in-gate can be packed with people. They wear masks, use sanitizer and act responsibly. They could forbid spectators for dressage and jumping but allow for outdoors, spread out cross country. Perhaps the sanctioning bodies should shift gears and say – what do we need to do differently to make things happen? The recent FEI move to exclude riders from the World Cup dressage, turning it into a European-only affair (Carl Hester called them to task in his editorial), shows how tone deaf the sanctioning bodies can be sometimes. Finally, with respect to the immutable rules of sanctioning bodies, notice how WEC in Ocala decided to dump USEF and get sanctioned by the Snaffle Bit Association, whatever that is.
good luck everyone. stay safe!
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I still think it’s strange that there’s been no real mention of any private donations. If several hundred thousand in private donations had already been raised before the weekend, why has this not been communicated in any way? Maybe I’ve missed it somewhere, but in all the comments on the Landrover FB fundraising updates, I’ve seen exactly one comment calling for transparency about the private donations. Multiple people have liked the post, but that’s it. I’m just really surprised nothing more has been said on the subject.
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Interesting. Watching the Superbowl, 25k spectators in the stadium.
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The sanctioning body (NFL) said what can we do to make this game happen. Did USEF and FEI do all they could to make Kentucky happen? We do know sanctioning body management still gets paid, a lot, regardless of whether the event runs.
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"The EEI Executive Committee will be meeting late today to review the efforts of the Save 2021 campaign.
We will share that information when it becomes available!
But for now, THANK YOU for your support during this time! We are humbled by and grateful for this community."
$132265 raised as of 7:30am Feb 8
I’ve seen “put your money where your mouth is” comment too many times about this.
Why is the public the one who should “put our money where our mouth is”
As far as I saw, it was all professionals, grooms and owners crying about it being cancelled, NOT the general public. Perhaps they can put their money forward? Seeing as these riders do like 30 FEIS a year at $1500 an event maybe they could do half this year and donate the rest to Landrover…
Why is it on the grassroots? The ammies? To hold up our sport time and time again? When we get the short end of the stick when it comes to considerations for everything.
Put your money where your mouth is? The irony and audacity of these UL riders and owners and organizers shouting that at the fanbase of their sport.
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@Jealoushe I saw way more of the public crying out about the event being canceled (filled with your standard “move it to FL” or “if you don’t want COVID don’t come” “XC is socially distanced”) and not being asked how they can help. But that’s a sheer numbers game-there are way more spectators than UL riders who compete. But so many felt the need to nail EEI to the wall over this and quite frankly, that’s not fair.
I agree that the competitors were also to blame for a lack of contribution to the cause-I didn’t see a single one say they would pay more to enter, reaching out to their sponsors, petitioning the FEI to reduce the prize money requirements etc. I was actually really disappointed with most of the big name riders’ response to this effort. It seemed like the younger up and coming competitors were making more effort than them.
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Yeah I guess. I just think it’s unfair to dump it on fans and be like raise this money in three days then if you care so much…like what.
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I think there’s two segments of the population
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I’ll do anything to get Rolex to run, I’ll donate money.
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Where is this money going, exactly?
I don’t think it’s fair to assume both segments are the same person both saying they’ll donate then being suspicious. But that’s how I feel based on the “unless you want your sport to DIE you’ll cough up your bourbon chicken money” posts on FB challenging eventers as not generous enough and yes, blaming the little people if the show doesn’t go on.
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I think if, well in advance, the organizers had come up with a plan of how to run the event within a budget without spectators, and come to the public within a reasonable timeframe (and ideally, with some option to watch via livestream for a fee), people would be more apt to donate. Even the hysterical nature of the appeal–making it look like medical life support–doesn’t sit well with me, coupled with the vagueness about how much money has already been raised via private donation, and why this specific figure is required. I’m not even sure about the specifics of the event, regarding quarantines and such.
As someone who runs her own small business largely using social media, I’ve learned time and time again that people will often say “shut up and take my money” when an idea is floated, without these people having any intention of actually buying that item if it’s offered. It appears the organizers have taken the comments of people posting in their pjs late at night, “I’m willing to donate to keep Rolex going, no matter what it takes,” 100% seriously.
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I ended up in a FB spat yesterday morning with the wife of an UL rider who had put out a post saying that people had to stop asking questions & that those that didn’t donate were “selfish”. When I pointed out that many of the questions were legitimate & that her post was rather outrageous, I got flamed! There was an assumption that I had not donated, which I had & quite generously. I mentioned that I had been involved with eventing since the 70’s, going to KY regularly since the 80’s, had a daughter that evented thru Prelim & generously donated to a UL rider, in the recent past, to get said rider to Europe twice. I was further flamed. The sport does not need a “troll” like me, apparently.
I have ZERO skin in the game! I’m just a non-competing (non-riding, right now) “fan”, paying for 2 kids in college, in the middle of a pandemic, who generously donated only be bitched out. As usual, back to the “grassroots” for support while slapping them in the face…
(She’s deleted the whole thing & blocked me. 
)
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I don’t just think she’s deleted the the whole thing… I think she might have deactivated her FB account. She only hurt herself and the sport by the very public tantrum she threw yesterday.
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who?
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I’m not saying & I hope others don’t either. It was a bad moment. I’m not holding a grudge but it was a shocker!
This is what I’ve been seeing online, all the fans being berated for not donating enough yet so that UL riders can go ride their elite event.
I love Landrover and have gone every other year since I was like 13 but I would rather donate to the frangible pin fund or the inner city horseback programs than pay for KY to run with no spectators. Nearly a million dollars being spent so a few dozen riders can go to a horse show? It’s nuts.
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Lauren Nicholson should get kudos for an incredibly well done “soft” ask with a complete understanding of the big picture. She nailed it!
I don’t like how any of this as gone down, on a ton of different levels, but I gave it a “refundable” go because I fear that it won’t ever come back if it doesn’t run again. The KHP isn’t in good shape either. It would be a damn shame to lose them both forever. It really is one of my favorite weekends of the year!
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I’m not really understanding why this ONE event is going to make or break our sport. I haven’t seen as much posted by our elite riders as they could be doing. Give them an entry fee, so that it brings it up more if they want it so bad.
Am I terrible for not really being concerned if it runs or not, it didn’t run last year either, and the events still continued.
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