Modern Pentathlon

[Flashy_Gray_VA]

^^^ Yes, Weatherford, the bald-faced black horse started out the competition with an Australian rider and is the very definition of KIND. Would make a nice eq horse.

Hope all the horses are right now back at the barn and rugged up and wrapped or getting a good round with an EMT blanket, or standing in whirlpool boots getting a massage. All while being stuffed full of carrots and peppermints and being told what marvelous creatures they are. ALL OF THEM!

2 hours later and I’m still :mad: about the American.

I actually know an internationally competitive pentathlete, who has previously represented the U.S. When I first met this person, I was all excited to talk about their riding with them. Who they trained with, how long they’d ridden, etc.

They just gave me a blank stare, didn’t respond, and started talking about practicing their shooting and running a lot.

[War_Admiral]

I’m not actually watching 'cause I can’t face it, but Flashy, you just KNOW they’re all the kind of swaggering macho idiots who think horseback riding isn’t a sport.

I just wish I could turn the whole lot of them loose w/ the ex-cavalry drill sergeant I rode with as a child. They’d be folding at the knees after ONE lesson, and run crying home to Mommy wailing “I don’t think I can doooooooooo this sport!”

[Flashy_Gray_VA]

^^^ Yep.

Makes it (almost) better when the horses have the last laugh after dumping their sorry as*ses. Sad to see the grand military cavalry tradition has vanished for the most part.

[Weatherford]

@War Admiral;6492880

I’m not actually watching 'cause I can’t face it, but Flashy, you just KNOW they’re all the kind of swaggering macho idiots who think horseback riding isn’t a sport.

I just wish I could turn the whole lot of them loose w/ the ex-cavalry drill sergeant I rode with as a child. They’d be folding at the knees after ONE lesson, and run crying home to Mommy wailing “I don’t think I can doooooooooo this sport!”

WONDERFUL IDEA!!!

The Irish, however, can ride. The Irish woman, whose name escapes me right now, is a former Pony Clubber, etc. Oh, right Natalie Coyle. I think she is related to Trever Coyle who rode the incredible Cruising (sire or grandsire of MANY of the horses competing in SH and Eventing!!)

[Weatherford]

Just saw the roan you’ve been talking about - I think we might have a bidding war for that horse!!!

[SwampYankee]

It is absolutely beyond comprehension to me that athletes representing their countries at the Olympic Games would so far below basic competency in a major part of their discipline.

Our Pony Club does a lot better than this . . . ! WTF?

[FrittSkritt]

IMO, now is the time to write to the USOC and IOC and demand higher standards for riding. Exposing the downright inhumane treatment of these horses (meaning the craptastic riding) might help reform the sport. Either they need to replace the riding portion with something else, or eliminate it entirely.

It’s sad that they made such a big deal about the horses being better suited this time, but the riders easily proved that it’s more about the lack of THEIR skill than the type of horses used.

[shadytrake]

[QUOTE=BabyGreen;6492590]
That horse the US rider was on is a saint. I’d even be confident on him. That guy needs some intensive training before he competes again.[/QUOTE]

I’m ashamed of his ride and the fit of his coat.

I believe the announcer said the fences are 1.02 meters

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

[QUOTE=FrittSkritt;6492931]
It’s sad that they made such a big deal about the horses being better suited this time, but the riders easily proved that it’s more about the lack of THEIR skill than the type of horses used.[/QUOTE]

Yes, but I am so glad the Brits were running this, as they definitely know what they are doing choosing horses, so it clearly was shown where the problem was.

The spectators are also more horse knowledgeable, unlike in Atlanta. The spectators there blamed every stop and rail on the “bad, bad, horrible horses”, no matter how awful the riding.

I have seen both kids and adults that take just weekly lessons for a couple of years, jump WAY better this this. If you are not going to require minimum skills, at LEAST lower the fences to 2’6"?

It is sad that people keep sending their horses to be abused like this. I guess anything to be able to say, “my horse was in the Olympics” ? :no:

[RLastInstallment]

Or contact the Union Internationale De Pentathlon Moderne (that’s a mouthful)

http://www.pentathlon.org/

I didn’t get to watch, but did look at pictures on their website, and watched video from other competitions, and yikes :eek:

[shadytrake]

The czech rider ondre polivka (sp?) riding the grey was ok. The grey was super. The rider had an error but not a horrible rider.

Oscar Soto had a nice ride and his horse was honest.

[shadytrake]

I heard Ricardo deluca saying whoa instead of yanking on his horse’s mouth.

Best rider so far. Quietest hands so far.

[JER]

I haven’t watched this yet as I’ve been in transit. Sorry to hear it looked so sorry. The men have, in general, improved in the ride but still, there’s no excuse for it.

The Mexican athlete that was singled out as a decent rider is Oscar Soto, who I interviewed and videoed at a UIPM riding camp in February of this year. He’s a good rider and a thoroughly lovely guy.

The American entrant was a no-show at that same riding camp. The camp was set up by the UIPM for the North Americans who’d qualified for the Olympics via the Pan Ams but of those qualifiers, only Oscar and Canadian Melanie McCann showed up. The US federation sent notice at the last minute that the two American athletes, one of whom you saw competing today, would not be attending. It was quite rude as a lot of planning had gone into the camp and the two athletes had previously indicated that they’d be there. Fortunately, two Canadian girls rearranged their schedules to fill the spaces.

The UIPM riding camps were an attempt to raise the riding standard and, to me, they seemed like a good deal, as they were all-expenses-paid and an opportunity to train with a good instructor and with fellow elite pentathletes.

Perhaps the American would have benefited from a week of concentrating on his riding skills, but it’s hard to help people who don’t want help or whose NGBs have decided for them that they don’t need help, even when the international federation is paying for it.

[shadytrake]

Magic Man is a 20 yo gelding! Wow! Decent round for Austria.

[shadytrake]

Darcland told the Kazak rider that he needed to actually ride. good horsie

[shadytrake]

Wilcox and Ireland had a good round. I saw two free releases.

[shadytrake]

Lithuania sucked. Hello…count your stride. He jumped a couple 2 strides out and one right into the jump. I was clinching.

[shadytrake]

France…not good.

[shadytrake]

Korean rider…holy crap. Idiot.

[Fairview_Horse_Cente]

The MP as it exists does not belong in the Olympics. Easy to fix though. Just make similar rules that all other horse sports follow. Three refusals, and you are totally eliminated from competition. Fall of horse or rider, and they are TOTALLY eliminated from the competition. As it is now, not something the riders take seriously, and just plan to get thru it with a chunk of points.

As much as I am against PETA, where in the heck are they? Get off the Eventing CC and park your b*tts at the Pentathalon.