Exactly!
And since more and more weight is being put onto the freestyle portion of the competition…why don’t they make it an exhibition (like Cirque du Soleil)
Probably would generate a lot more interest and $$$.
Well, between the questionable judging and the doping charges, I guess they should just take equestrian sports out of the Olympics, hmm?
I think a few of these solely subjective events may find their way out of the Olympics if scoring/judging continues to be a sore spot.
I haven’t watched ice skating for a while. Have the changes in their judging procedures cleaned up their act?
I guess we’ll see in 2010 at the Winter Games, if there is a 2010. Aren’t they scheduled for Russia?
Well that’s it then. Guess they just decided to get together to have a beer.
The 2010 Winter Games will be in Vancouver. And as to whether or not judges in skating have cleaned up their act–depends on whom you ask. There is less screaming of “wuzrobbed” than there used to be, but there have also been some bizarre results (like Weir and Lysacek’s near-mathematically-impossible tie at US Nationals last year–Lysacek was given the win because he won the long program. Weir’s fans are still pissed off about it. Personally, I hope Stephen Carriere or Ryan Bradley beats the pants off both of them next time. Bradley won’t, Carriere might if he gets his quad in there.) Ice dance, the most obscure of the four, is probably the most political still.
The 2014 Winter Games will be in Sochi, Russia.
[QUOTE=BAC;3462974]
Anybody notice that gymnastics seems to have the same judging problems as dressage? :([/QUOTE]
It did seem to me as though Chinese gymnastics scores were inflated. In fact at first I was afraid that Nastia Luikin was going to be robbed of the all-around when her first two events were scored too low. What I really like about Tim Daggett and Elfie Schlegel is that they express their opinions and show their expertise – they really commentate. Melanie Smith-Taylor did that only in the GP Special, although I liked her show jumping commentary better this year than in years past.
[QUOTE=slc2;3463324]
too bad the detailed reports i have to do for work have to actually have something in them[/QUOTE]
Do you still have time for work 
thankfully not for a very long time.
It was really only one of the Chinese girls scores that were inflated, the one that fell on vault but still medaled–had too high a score on the beam as well in the event finals. Possibly the one that ended up winning the tie on the uneven bars, but at least she still put in a solid routine. What I like about Tim and Elfie is that they explain why there are issues with the scoring and why the Americans weren’t winning what they should have, without it sounding like sour grapes. Like with the vault, they thought the US’s Sacromone should have gotten a bronze, not because they thought she wasn’t scored too low, but because the Chinese girl was scored too high. With gymnastics, because of the event finals not having a judge from a country that has a gymnast in the event, there were judges from countries that have never fielded an Olympic medalist so were inexperienced and weren’t scoring according to the code of points.
[QUOTE=Moderator49;3464995]
Do you still have time for work [/QUOTE]
ha ha ha
Well, the riders know which parts of the tests are scored with the highest coefficients, and they bust their asses to nail those. They also know which parts will least effect their final score, so if they figure their horse is going to have a blowup I am thinking they let them do it there.
I believe part of what infuriates people is that very clever approach to dressage showing, in which one focuses on the movements that will most affect the score and maybe blows off those that will not. To some people (I won’t pretend I’m not a bit like this) dressage is not a sport, it’s a religion, and it’s not about the final score but about how well you’ve worshiped the old masters. Blowing off the halt is like blasphemy.
But you can’t argue that it’s good business thinking on Anky’s part. Her job is to win shows, and she does it well.
Early hours Olympic dressage meeting was ‘inappropriate’ says FEI
Kate Green, in Hong Kong
22 August, 2008
A controversial meeting called by dressage technical delegate Mariette Withages with only four of the Olympic teams to discuss judging during the dressage competition has been deemed inappropriate, according to an International Equestrian Federation (FEI) enquiry.
Representatives of the German, Dutch, Danish and American dressage teams met the ground jury, appeal committee and two FEI officials at 1.30am last Monday morning, more than 36 hours before the whole competition had ended.
Other teams complained, so a second meeting was held the next day with everyone present, at which the issues were repeated.
Mrs Withages said she had received a number of communications about judging and, while she did not pass them on to the judges, she thought it important to investigate.
The president of the ground jury, Gotthilf Reixhinger, also said he had received a call from someone who wanted to discuss the principles of judging, but he did not regard it as appropriate and ended the call.
He said he had reviewed his marking against that of other members of the jury to satisfy himself that there could be no valid criticism.
A paper by Chris Hodson, FEI vice-president, concludes: "The judges agreed that the best course is transparency, meaning a willingness to discuss markings and principles with athletes and the media; this is already being done, but as always can be improved.
"I am clear that the judging was not affected and that the two meetings produced common understanding. The first meeting should have been notified to all.
“The procedure will be tightened so that this will not happen again.”
Claire, I kind of agree with you, but I’m also struggling with dressage even being in the Olympics. I sat and watched as an interested equestrian, and I have never seen as less interesting event, and I did watch the syncro swimming so I know what irrelevant is.
I just don’t know that opinion based activity, can really call itself a sport.
Smacks Forehead!
You’re right. I don’t know WHAT I was thinking! :winkgrin:
Can’t think of another equestrian sport (besides H/J) that might be less interesting to watch (especially to JQ Public!)
I guess, maybe I was thinking along the lines of the SRS exhibitions. But then, they are having $$$ problems also…
Rumour has it that SP test was so good he has been appointed Dressage coach to an up and coming nation… Confirmation of this will be VERY interesting. I know nothing of who he is…Has he produced many gp horses himself?
Will he be the next one to be eaten by Australia?
Morning Inspector Eggy… Hows things ??? 
[QUOTE=belambi;3465771]
Rumour has it that SP test was so good he has been appointed Dressage coach to an up and coming nation… Confirmation of this will be VERY interesting. I know nothing of who he is…Has he produced many gp horses himself?[/QUOTE]
I didn’t know Steffen was a breeding stallion. Goodmorning Australia.
Stallions don’t produce.
