Report Back from 2018 USDF Convention???

[pluvinel]

Any news? Did the Qualifying Rule ever get discussed? Seems like there were a few sessions where the topic should have come up…Did it?

Wednesday, Nov. 28

• Registration opens
• Executive Sessions (Closed)
• Closed Committee Meetings
• USDF Apprentice Technical Delegate Clinic [I](Ticketed event) [/I]

[B]Thursday, Nov. 29[/B]

• Committee Chairs & Delegates Orientation
• Open Region Meetings
• USEF/USDF [B]Open Forum[/B] - [I]Trending Topics in Sport & [B]USEF Rule Changes[/B][/I]
• Membership Committee & Communications Open Forum
• Open Committee Meetings
• US Dressage Finals Open Forum
• Featured Education Presentation
• Welcome Reception

[B]Friday, Nov. 30[/B]

• Open Region Meetings
• [I][B]Competition Open Forum with Q&A[/B][/I]
• [I][B]GMO Roundtable Discussions[/B][/I]
• Board of Governors (BOG) General Assembly (Part 1)
• Featured Education Presentations

[B]Saturday, Dec. 1[/B]

• Board of Governors (BOG) General Assembly (Part 2)
• Youth Education
• USEF Dressage Technical Delegate Clinic [I](Separate USEF registration required)[/I]
• USDF Competition Management Education Session [I](Ticketed event)[/I]
• USEF Athlete Open Forum
• Featured Education Presentations
• Salute Gala & Annual Awards Banquet ([I]Ticketed event.[/I])

[js]

@Aleuronx

Jennifer Bryant is blogging from the convention.

@Aleuronx

An excerpt from yesterday…

“As for the freestyle controversy, it was pointed out that similar outcries occurred the last time the minimum qualifying score was raised, from 58 percent to the current 60. The result? People learned to ride better. Since horse welfare and a desire to reinforce the importance of correct training were behind the decision to raise the bar again, said FEI 5* dressage judge Gary Rockwell, the respective USDF committees behind the rule-change proposal, the USDF Executive Board, and the US Equestrian Dressage Sport Committee stand behind the decision as in the best interests of the horse and the sport.”

As suspected it sounds like they don’t care. Not one bit.

This was posted on the other thread

[pluvinel]

@js

This was posted on the other thread

Where…what other thread?

[soloudinhere]

@pluvinel

Where…what other thread?

The one about raising the freestyle score, presumably.

[pluvinel]

@js

This was posted on the other thread

@soloudinhere

The one about raising the freestyle score, presumably.

Perhaps you helpful posters could actually link to where these responses are located.

[soloudinhere]

@pluvinel

Perhaps you helpful posters could actually link to where these responses are located.

Considering you posted on the very same thread this week, I guess I didn’t assume I needed to show you with a map.

[js]

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/f…say-you/page13

post #251

[pluvinel]

@js

https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/f…say-you/page13

post #251

So helpful…NOT.

All post #251 has is a link to some USDF article by Jennifer Bryant…the official mouthpiece of USDF. Not what I am interested in.

I was hoping to hear from the smurfs who are actually attending the convention.

Anyone out there?

[js]

Well excuse me, just trying to help, was not familiar with the blogger.

[atr]

Didn’t make it to the convention due to assorted vet issues, but I’m told that there will be a motion to rescind the rule change at the BOG meeting. However, even if it does pass, it won’t go into effect for 2 years per the rules.

[Silverbridge]

@pluvinel

I was hoping to hear from the smurfs who are actually attending the convention.

Anyone out there?

I have never really watched anything to do with smurfs, neither the TV show (a saturday morning cartoon, I think?) nor smurf movies (CGI animated?). I’m an adult and have no children. I only know they are blue, small, and I believe something like elves or gnomes.

You use this pejorative repeatedly and I’m confused by the intention of your definition. It seems to have multiple implications. Can you explain? What is a smurf in the world of dressage or USDF?

I am not at the convention this year, but there are a few people in my barn who are. I can ask them, I just don’t know whether they are smurfs.

[soloudinhere]

It seems sort of disingenuous to call the people attending ‘smurfs’ then want information from them.

[pluvinel]

@soloudinhere

It seems sort of disingenuous to call the people attending ‘smurfs’ then want information from them.

Jeez louise…seems you dressage people sure get your hairs bent out of shape easily.

The term “smurf” has for a long time been used by the eventing community to describe themselves and the every day rider…“regular joe/jane”…and they wear the title proudly.

Apparently it came out when Capt. Mark Phillips used the term pejoratively to describe amateurs and so the eventing community…who seem to have a sense of humor… embraced the term proudly to describe themselves.

I include myself as a smurf…and I wear the title proudly.

Pluvinel
…a simple plebeian and member of the unwashed masses of dressage…a smurf.

[pluvinel]

@atr

Didn’t make it to the convention due to assorted vet issues, but I’m told that there will be a motion to rescind the rule change at the BOG meeting. However, even if it does pass, it won’t go into effect for 2 years per the rules.

Thank you …

[lorilu]

The motion to have the Exec Board ask USEF to make an extraordinary rule change to rescind the freestyle rule passed. Discussion was about methodology of rule change not the rule itself. Remember it now is in USEF hands. They may or may not do it. Rule IS in effect as of today.

Budget passed including $4 dues increase beginning Dec 1 2019.

Even number regions elected Directors.

Lisa Gorretta elected President.

[soloudinhere]

@pluvinel

Jeez louise…seems you dressage people sure get your hairs bent out of shape easily.

The term “smurf” has for a long time been used by the eventing community to describe themselves and the every day rider…“regular joe/jane”…and they wear the title proudly.

Apparently it came out when Capt. Mark Phillips used the term pejoratively to describe amateurs and so the eventing community…who seem to have a sense of humor… embraced the term proudly to describe themselves.

I include myself as a smurf…and I wear the title proudly.

Pluvinel
…a simple plebeian and member of the unwashed masses of dressage…a smurf.

I’ve been eventing for over 20 years and I have not ever heard anyone in the eventing community, professional ornotherwise, refer to someone else as a “smurf.”

[Denali6298]

@soloudinhere

I’ve been eventing for over 20 years and I have not ever heard anyone in the eventing community, professional ornotherwise, refer to someone else as a “smurf.”

If you type Smurf in the search function on this forum you will see many many threads where people use the term in the eventing forum.

You do like your sheltered New England life don’t you?

@lorilu thank you for the post for those of us reading along.

[Sturmunddrang]

Pluvinel, thank you very much for the Smurf definition. I am also a “Dressage” person and never had heard of it referring to the “regular” people. Thoroughly enjoyed it!!

[pluvinel]

@Denali6298

If you type Smurf in the search function on this forum you will see many many threads where people use the term in the eventing forum.

You do like your sheltered New England life don’t you?

@lorilu thank you for the post for those of us reading along.

Thanks Denali…the Search function yields the following series of threads …including on offering a definition for “smurf”…for those who don’t frequent the Eventing Forum
https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/s…%7D&btnSubmit=

Thanks @lorilu…I am still interested if any other of the attendees could share any “back stories” of how the discussions (formal and informal) went down…and if there were any insights on who/why the rule change was introduced. The USDF is not an anonymous body…people drive these actions…so WHO was behind the rule change and WHY?

[soloudinhere]

@Denali6298

If you type Smurf in the search function on this forum you will see many many threads where people use the term in the eventing forum.

You do like your sheltered New England life don’t you?

@lorilu thank you for the post for those of us reading along.

What people say in real life and what they say on the internet are obviously quite different. Some of us do spend time doing other things where people speak to and about each other face to face.

What some Internet forum members use as a derogatory term doesn’t necessarily translate to real life - like most people who try to repeat a phrase where “you had to be there.”