Does anyone know if the equestrian portion of the pentathlon will be televised at any point?
Hope you have high speed internet since none of the men’s MP will be telvised but I think some of the women’s will be. I get so confused on days with the time difference but I think it starts today(eastern time)
[QUOTE=copper1;3458211]
Hope you have high speed internet since none of the men’s MP will be telvised but I think some of the women’s will be. I get so confused on days with the time difference but I think it starts today(eastern time)[/QUOTE]
It should be online early tomorrow morning (thursday) starting 5 am Eastern.
if you catch it, look for Sam Sacksen! He’s one of two US men competing in MP, and he’s a Pony Clubber from Somerset Pa. We rode together in PC and he’s a great competitor, did the USPC’s Tetrathlon rallies for years! GO SAM! 
I would be interested to see if the riding has improved from what I saw in Atlanta. I was horrified to say the least watching it then.
Is it only available online? It’s a shame they don’t show more of this event, all aspects of Pentathalon… I think it’s so cool.
The pentathalon riding is usually terrible. And makes me wish my mare were so forgiving.
So they must have a venue in Beijing for it?
Riding is horrible for a Olympic competition. I’ve seen better riding in the Long Stirrups. Half the riders are terrified.
[QUOTE=poltroon;3459692]
So they must have a venue in Beijing for it?[/QUOTE]
I was wondering about this too…
According to the CBC website, it’s scheduled for the OSC Stadium. The OSC Stadium is the at Olympic Sports Center and some preliminary football matches were held there.
Some photos and info here.
The MP riding phase tends to be a hoot. If only I didn’t feel so bad for the horses.
MP is held in Bejing though the Americans trained in Singapore untill just a few days ago.
Thanks! How do you watch stuff online? Is there a site?
In Atlanta, the horses were used again and again. Riders warming up on them, jumping the course, handing off to the next rider that pulled that horse - like a bucking rodeo horse, only each rider got to have time getting used to them. In the heat, it was terrible. I was so angry. Most of those horses had 3 or 4 (BAD) riders. PETA spends time trying to get the Eventers, but where in the heck were they on Pentathalon day?!?!?
20 minutes warm-up, five practice jumps, and used twice on each day over a 4’ course with a triple and a combination. The same height as the 3-day eventers negotiated in Hong Kong. That’s normal.
In Atlanta, one horse was used 4 times, and quite a few others were used 3 in the middle of a 95 degree day (I believe it started around 3PM). The riding part of the Pentathalon took less than 2 hours, so basically those horses were being ridden and jumped for 1 1/2 to 2 hours straight in that heat.
It was really sad to watch. Almost all of the rounds had 4, 5, 6+ refusals, falls, and poles EVERYWHERE. Even sadder was that the spectators were not horse people at all. “He got the bad horse” was the general statement every time a horse stopped, or pulled a pole. The crowd believed every fault was due to the horse, not the rider at all. Riders flopping on their backs, jerking them in the mouth over each jump, using the reins for balance, etc.
I walked out of there never wanting to hear the word Pentathalon again, and I am still angry when I think about it.
In Atlanta, the horse part and the running was at the horse park in Conyers. Swimming was in Atlanta.
You would think when you have someone competing in a sport that they actually know how to do it. Those people are NOT olympians because they cannot do the sport they are there to do. Watching them makes me sick. Worse part is one of them will get a medal and for what? Definately not horse back riding.
[QUOTE=Fairview Horse Center;3460632]
In Atlanta, one horse was used 4 times, and quite a few others were used 3 in the middle of a 95 degree day (I believe it started around 3PM). The riding part of the Pentathalon took less than 2 hours, so basically those horses were being ridden and jumped for 1 1/2 to 2 hours straight in that heat.
It was really sad to watch. Almost all of the rounds had 4, 5, 6+ refusals, falls, and poles EVERYWHERE. Even sadder was that the spectators were not horse people at all. “He got the bad horse” was the general statement every time a horse stopped, or pulled a pole. The crowd believed every fault was due to the horse, not the rider at all. Riders flopping on their backs, jerking them in the mouth over each jump, using the reins for balance, etc.
I walked out of there never wanting to hear the word Pentathalon again, and I am still angry when I think about it.
In Atlanta, the horse part and the running was at the horse park in Conyers. Swimming was in Atlanta.[/QUOTE]
I remember that. It looked like the people had never sat on a horse before.
Dreadfull riding…
I’m watching it now on the Beeb.
Utterly appalling riding.
I can only say, that if one rode like that in an SJ comp here in the UK, you would be stopped.
The USA and British riders were ok.
Some of the others just horrific.
I thought at first that some of the horses were just being naughty, but having seen the endless mouth yanking and spur stabbing.
Well.
Speechless really.
Paddy
Sam Sacksen had a clear round and I JUST missed it!!!
Reading this was enough for me:
1020: Little by little, information is dribbling through. Apparently, modern pentathlon competitors have to pick their horses at random, hence lots of fallers, some fences being completely destroyed - and audible gasps of horror from the crowd. It’s brutal, but weirdly gripping.
1016: Is this normal? There’s another faller in the modern pentathlon show-jumping. The course is like a mud-bath and some of these riders look like they’ve never seen a horse before, let alone ridden one. I’m looking for a modern pentathlon expert in the office… I may be some time.
1009: “Watch the modern pentathlon. The first competitor has not managed to jump a single fence! The second one has fallen off!”
Beth in London, via text on 81111
Just turned over to see a replay of the faller. Brutal.
[QUOTE=mjedge808;3458642]
It should be online early tomorrow morning (thursday) starting 5 am Eastern.
if you catch it, look for Sam Sacksen! He’s one of two US men competing in MP, and he’s a Pony Clubber from Somerset Pa. We rode together in PC and he’s a great competitor, did the USPC’s Tetrathlon rallies for years! GO SAM! :)[/QUOTE]
He came down here to train with a trainer friend of mine before he left - Henrietta (Borst) Eppenauer (orig. from the Netherlands). So now she is listed as an Olympic trainer 
on his profile
