[QUOTE=OverandOnward;7165412]
What I see - it is easier to present this competition format to the public. An organizer can make a better entertainment show for those who come who are not already there as a competitor connection.
The Saturday viewing package of dressage and show jumping offers more to see of your favorite competitors. A reason to come and make a full day of it, wandering the vendor stalls in between watching horses.
The cost savings is significant. The savings on expenses for officials alone is tremendous - fewer nights in the hotel, fewer meals. As has been mentioned, the volunteers and coordination of vols, the office help, the grounds maintenance, the stewards … everything is easier, less costly and more do-able.
A better spectator show at lower cost - friends, this is the future.
Here’s what’s good about it -
- Preserving horses and riding, and especially eventing, is about moving this sport into the population centers and attracting their attention.
- The traditional 1950’s format doesn’t fit the way society lives now. A LOT of potential horse owners, eventers and supporters are in the higher-end 'burbs … but the sport has to go to them.
- The more accessible the sport is to the public, the more future it has.
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It IS about the horse. The future interest, care and purpose for horses.
If this sport does not become more accessible and easier to enter … folks, it’s going away. Eventually. That means fewer horses as well, less interest in horsemanship. Everyone in eventing can be part of a sustainable future, or part of a dying past. It’s a choice.
The level of horsemanship required by eventing is demanding in the new format, just as it was in the old format. This is a very good thing for encouraging and sustaining horse-centered principals and skills that spread to other horses as well. It is good for horses for eventing to survive.
Eventing is in a fight for its life, even if many participants are so fixated on bellybuttons that they don’t get that. If this sport is going to become a public-viewing, advertiser-attracting sport, as it must to survive … these decisions have to be made. There is no time machine back to the 1950’s. Life doesn’t stay in one place.
Is it the end of the world? NO. It’s the beginning of a great new future. For horses. And riding and eventing. This is truth. :)[/QUOTE]
I see a few major problems with destination FEI events in the US after this change
1-If you’re running a CCI and a CIC at the same event, it’s a lot harder now to run xc on the same day. Even if you do, now you need your SJ volunteers for multiple days.
2-There are longstanding CIC destination events in the US that have significant local non-eventing support. You cannot have xc on Sunday and expect the same level of spectator participation that you would have on Saturday unless you wait until 2pm to start, and even then, you’re going to get people who want to spend Sundays at home with their families. We have a church issue that just doesn’t exist in Europe.
3-Given the dearth of CCI’s in the US, our selectors only have so many chances to see how a horse is going to show jump after cross country. Both the Olympics and the WEG’s are CCIs with SJ after XC.
4-I want a jog after xc at the upper levels. I want the soundness of your horse the day after xc to continue to count. Just because they’re doing it in Europe doesn’t make it better. Haya isn’t concerned about making eventing more popular, she’d rather get rid of it entirely so this isn’t about horse welfare.
5-Owners like victory laps and awards ceremonies. It’s not fair to the horses to keep them around for that after xc.
6-There was no reason to make this mandatory. I see it as the first step toward eliminating CCI’s entirely.
