Mark Philips needs to retire as a CD

[cyriz_s_mom]

I tend to agree as well, but even if he’s not willing to retire, why the heck are organizers (and especially ones in the US) continuing to use him?

He was a bit part of the carnage here in 2008 or 2009…CD for Red Hills, The Fork, and at least one other where a death occurred.

In fact, Cyriz was on the east coast eventing that year and the horse and rider deaths are a big reason why he did dressage for 4 years!! I just couldn’t justify the risk of losing him when we lost so many that year.

Yes, he’s back eventing (currently at OI) and he may attempt an A next year…we’ll have to see, but as much as I believe he could have been a 4* horse, I love that horse so much that I don’t regret the decision I made.

I would really love for the USEA to have someone else look at the AECs courses that CMP designed last year…before the AECs this year.

[SolarFlare]

[QUOTE=lockedoutalter;7624020]
I am beyond devastated for the riders, their families, and the people who loved them.

That said, I have to agree that CMP needs to go away. 5 years ago he was the CD at Luhmuhlen and the first 10 riders out if the gate either retired or were eliminated. He does not have the rider’s or horse’s best interest in mind. He thinks crashes bring exitement to the sport and he has taken too many lives.
[/QUOTE=lockedoutalter;7624020]

I don’t know enough about international-level course design to give an opinion, but the article you linked above does not say that he thinks crashes bring excitement to eventing. It says:

‘When you watch motor racing or skiing, you don’t want anyone to be hurt, but a crash is all part of the excitement,’ explains Mark Phillips, who has designed the course for Burghley next month. ‘For us, a horse hitting the deck is the last thing you want.’

(bolding mine)

[lockedoutalter]

Remember this from LAST YEAR? Luhmuhlen, a horse’s death and nother rotational fall was caused at a fence he designed.

http://eventingnation.com/home/capt-mark-phillips-responds-to-luhmuhlen-editorial/

He has a canned answer but, as always, actions speak louder than words.

http://eventingnation.com/home/german-eventing-website-slams-capt-mark-phillips/

[Maren]

I posted the specs of the jump and the fall of Ben as I saw it (subjectively) over on the other topic here on the Board, for those that are interested.

[PeteyPie]

[QUOTE=DoubleTwistedWire;7623561]
This is Fence 20, per the EN photo course walk posted earlier in the week. It doesn’t look like a particularly tricky fence IMVHO. Can anyone provide some insight into why it’s historically been the cause of falls?[/QUOTE]

If it has “historically been the cause of falls,” does there need to be a scientific study and conclusion before the fence can be removed from the competition? It seems like that would be the prudent course: remove the fence and then continue the investigation in order to identify the problem so as to prevent its recurrence in course designs.

[McGurk]

I was disheartened to see that CMP explicitly blamed the rider for the accident in his statements to the press.

“It’s a fence that riders need to take back and give the horse time to jump it. I spoke to Chris Bartle (coach of the German eventing team) earlier today, and he said exactly that to Ben Winter when he walked the course with him. Unfortunately, Ben didn’t do that, and he’s paid an unacceptable price.”

Really? That’s part of your initial statement? Blame the rider? Even if true, unnecessary and unkind, and the timing was awful.

Way to be classy, CMP.

[McGurk]

I was disheartened to see that CMP explicitly blamed the rider for the accident in his statements to the press.

“It’s a fence that riders need to take back and give the horse time to jump it. I spoke to Chris Bartle (coach of the German eventing team) earlier today, and he said exactly that to Ben Winter when he walked the course with him. Unfortunately, Ben didn’t do that, and he’s paid an unacceptable price.”

Really? That’s part of your initial statement? Blame the rider? Even if true, unnecessary and unkind, and the timing was awful.

Way to be classy, CMP.

[JFCeventer]

[QUOTE=McGurk;7624900]
I was disheartened to see that CMP explicitly blamed the rider for the accident in his statements to the press.

“It’s a fence that riders need to take back and give the horse time to jump it. I spoke to Chris Bartle (coach of the German eventing team) earlier today, and he said exactly that to Ben Winter when he walked the course with him. Unfortunately, Ben didn’t do that, and he’s paid an unacceptable price.”

Really? That’s part of your initial statement? Blame the rider? Even if true, unnecessary and unkind, and the timing was awful.

Way to be classy, CMP.[/QUOTE]

Not to mention that Benjamin Winter had already jumped around the course clear on a previous horse, so I think its safe to say he “knew how to ride the fence.”

[SevenDogs]

He ALWAYS finds someone else to blame. I have never heard him take responsibility for anything, anywhere, anytime.

[SnicklefritzG]

^^ Of course not, he designed the course, so he wants to point his finger at everybody else. Unfortunately for him, as the saying goes, he just pointed all the others back at himself.

[Alternative1]

The man is such an old longstanding douche bag. Has been for years, wish he would go away somewhere and retire for good.

[SnicklefritzG]

Is he still dating that American show jumping rider?

[LisaB]

Wondering if someone was going to be brazen enough to create a post such as this. I don’t ride his courses, even though they are lower level because he sucks.
I would love to see his stats but he may have the FEI in his pocket like he did the USEF.

[SevenDogs]

[QUOTE=LisaB;7626641]
Wondering if someone was going to be brazen enough to create a post such as this. [/QUOTE]

Yep… that would be me.