In my personal case, I was as rule-perfect as could have been for a move up, and we still choked out hard. I had remained at PT for a couple of years, never had faults, always finished on our dressage score… I think that there is a good place for rules surrounding move-ups, but I don’t think that will be the “final fix” based on my own personal experience.
I agree that course design could use a revisit, not only at the upper levels but even down “here”.
Just to be clear, I did not say that, I do not feel that way and I didn’t mean to imply it.
I used that example because I know a lot of us have watched that Rebecca video recently and because that video shows a ride that is clearly dangerous and out of control.
The rider wasn’t pulled off course or yellow-carded or given any kind of warning. This despite a laundry list of things you see listed as reasons for warning cards: out of control, jumped several fences badly, galloped outside the course, and so on. All of these things are reasons why riders are supposed to get yellow cards so that it’s on their record.
And to add to that, it’s Rebecca Farm, where Cindy Burge was killed when she tried to circle in the canola field. There is precedent for death in that situation and AFAIK, the officials have always warned riders not to do that.
The officials weren’t living up to their licenses if they let someone go around Rebecca like this. Whether it would have prevented her fatal accident, I have no idea and I think it’s irrelevant. What I think is relevant is that the officials should be taken to account for this.
Please understand that I’d be using this video as an example of officials failing to enforce the rules even if the rider was still alive. I’m referencing this as a ride that shows the officials aren’t doing their jobs when it comes to dangerous riding on XC.
Maybe they’ve done their jobs at other events. That’s fine. But rides like this should be stopped and when they’re not, the officials should be asked to justify their decisions and held accountable.
That’s what having licensed officials is about.
and the licensed officials need balls to stand up to these riders.
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