And Flower’s rider Buck’s helmet. I thought the same thing - first glance, looks like German colors.
I think it is actually the yellow that has been the signature stable color for both Bruce & Buck Davidson. It is dressed up with red trim in Buck’s colors.
Avery Klunick, youngest rider entered, had a super ride! She is so well prepared and giving it her best. How cool is it to be at Rolex for the first time, but actually have ridden in this venue before at Young Riders? 
Wow. Demeter had an AWESOME test. So, so well done.
I kind of wish KOC wasn’t commentary for ML… she doesn’t talk that positively about anyone else. It was a lovely test though.
I was thinking the same thing, LadyB. It made me laugh because I felt like she was like “STFU Gina! Marilyn is riding!” She commented on every single movement with ML - I wish she would do that with every rider but oh well. Bummer for Bunnie Sexton!
I felt terrible for Bunnie Sexton, but it also made me feel a bit better about my own struggles to see something like that happen to someone much more accomplished than I. She did an admirable job of keeping the horse from completely melting down.
I really commiserated with Bunnie. I’ve so been there (at a much much lower level) where you just felt like you were lucky the powder keg didn’t explode.
[QUOTE=Montanas_Girl;8641235]
I felt terrible for Bunnie Sexton, but it also made me feel a bit better about my own struggles to see something like that happen to someone much more accomplished than I. She did an admirable job of keeping the horse from completely melting down.[/QUOTE]
She did really well, I thought. I actually get so much more out of watching a test like that vs one going according to plan. Seeing as meltdown-in-dressage-ring is a situation I’m more likely to deal with in my life than “great mover having a good day” LOL
Viney, WFP had another fall with a horse, a couple of weeks ago, which is why he withdrew from Badminton. They said that he, nor the horse were hurt, but you have to wonder how much damage there was from the previous rotational fall?
I believe that Marilyn Little would have been in the 30 penalty point range, if she had not had such a poor rein back. Did anyone catch the scores given for that movement? The rest of her test was quite nice.
Tomorrow, we are predicted to get an inch of rain. It is not supposed to be as cold as last year, but just as wet. I wonder if some of the riders, who did not do well in dressage, will just not run? My DH and I will be crossing guards, again. There was not a dry stitch on us last year, by the end of the day. Praying for safe rides for everyone!
The new series is a 3* CIC. So now the new format is killing off the 4s? There are several riders who plan on going to the Olympics without running a 4, following the Swedes’ lead. Clark Montgomery happens to be one of those. If you don’t need a 4* to do the Olympics, why put you and your horse through one?
I’m not blaming either WFP or AN for not wanting to do Rolex–or any other European for that matter–but Rolex doesn’t present the same level of difficulty without them and their top horses or other Europeans with the horses that have done so well in the past. There is no Rolex Grand Slam at play this year which might have made a huge difference.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8640857]
Yes, but WFP isn’t here; AN isn’t here; Wesko isn’t here; Ollie Townend isn’t here. I’m thrilled that Mark Todd and Blythe Tait are here, and that we still have Halpin, Severson, and Springer and Veronica and Demeter to go yet, but you have to admit that the foreign contingent is somewhat lacking in firepower this year.
I wonder why the BNR Brits have almost quit coming.
Maybe they’ll show up next year.[/QUOTE]
We do have Jung, Alliston, Todd, Price, Paget, Meyer, and Tait.
Jung and Price accounted for 3 of the top 5 placements last year and both are here this year. Of the ones you mention above as being absent, only one was in the top 15 last year, WFP was 4th, I believe. So, I do not think that the rider field is any weaker this year.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8641262]
The new series is a 3* CIC. So now the new format is killing off the 4s? There are several riders who plan on going to the Olympics without running a 4, following the Swedes’ lead. Clark Montgomery happens to be one of those. If you don’t need a 4* to do the Olympics, why put you and your horse through one?[/QUOTE]
A more appropriate question, if the premiere event in your sport is a 4*, and it is run every year, and any qualified person from any country can participate in such an event, why is our sport so interested in being in the Olympics to begin with?
Red Jacket?
I’m sure some attire can be arranged to honor something in Eventing at the 4* level. A purple coat if you’ve completed all 4* events with the same horse.
Rolex Live Stream/Results/Comments thread
[QUOTE=JP60;8641280]
A more appropriate question, if the premiere event in your sport is a 4*, and it is run every year, and any qualified person from any country can participate in such an event, why is our sport so interested in being in the Olympics to begin with?
Red Jacket?
I’m sure some attire can be arranged to honor something in Eventing at the 4* level. A purple coat if you’ve completed all 4* events with the same horse.[/QUOTE]
There are several sports that are “easier” for the Olympics than the top levels of those sports. This has been addressed at length on other threads, so perhaps revisiting those threads, is a better venue. :winkgrin:
Live Feed is excellent today. Sydney Elliot, first time at Rolex, just had a great ride!
Santino is a lovely horse and Holly rides him well. I had not really seen him before, but he definitely show a lot of potential!
The judge at E overall has much higher percentages than the other judges - can he judge my next dressage test?!
What happened with Bunnie? I’m on the west coast and just woke up, missed her test by 1 rider! I’m bummed, she’s one of my faves…
As far as the announcers are concerned, there is definitely a rider hierarchy. KOC doesn’t comment on the test if she doesn’t think the rider is going to be that competitive in the final rankings. She steers the others into a different conversation. It is not this way so much when KOC is not in the booth. Maybe they think they are being kind? thinks it is boring to comment on a test that is no better than expected? It is so clear which riders are respected by KOC, and which are not.
Gina is far more consistent in her commentary. Good remarks, respectful of all riders.
KOC is, as usual, promoting her friends. Always, always, always. If she’s in the booth, that’s the KOC package.
KOC gave a big promo for the distributors of the Fernhill horses over someone’s test. Taking advantage of a rider she obviously does not think is important.
KOC does have some good remarks on the tests when she bothers. But I really prefer not having her because I don’t care for all the favoritism. A few personal remarks is good color, but it is just too relentless. Just a personal thing.
She’s educational, when she’s talking about the movements, the other mumbo-jumbo out of her mouth, I could pass on. I agree O&O
[QUOTE=katenreno;8641325]
What happened with Bunnie? I’m on the west coast and just woke up, missed her test by 1 rider! I’m bummed, she’s one of my faves…[/QUOTE]
I think her horse mistook the arena entrance for the start box. 
Actually, considering that the horse was lit, Bunnie rode very, very well, I thought. He did everything he was supposed to do. He just didn’t do it in a dressage style.
Hats off to Bunnie, I thought she handled it as well as she could.
[QUOTE=katenreno;8641325]
What happened with Bunnie? I’m on the west coast and just woke up, missed her test by 1 rider! I’m bummed, she’s one of my faves…[/QUOTE]
Managing to contain a dragon is probably the best description. She rode what she had very tactfully.
To be clear, I actually do like hearing personal info about the rider & horse before they enter the ring and on the canter up to the first halt. That’s all good.
It’s the other blather I could do without - and the ignoring of the tests of some riders. Boo.
I get they are taking advantage of the opportunity to educate the audience on the sport generally. But could it be done more fairly to the riders?
Even the Rolex first-timers - work all your life to get to ride at Rolex, family & friends watching the live feed, and the talk is all about something that has nothing to do with your test. 
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