Lexington Herald-Leader reports the SABOTAGE of the leading driver’s carriage prior to start of Driving marathon.
WTF, Kentucky. :no:
what a shame…
I’m watching the FEI-TV coverage and the announcers are wondering why Chardon didn’t appear in his scheduled spot. I’m surprised they haven’t been told of the sabotage and his being given permission to drive in the last slot.
Wow, that’s terrible.
Somebody on the security detail has some explaining to do.
I don’t know anything about that discipline. Is it likely he can fix that carriage in time to compete? Or borrow somebody else’s rig?
The Lexington news story is somewhat misleading. The barns are open to anyone with credentials from about 5 am to about 10:30 pm. People have been known to lend their credentials out. It’s only after 10:30 that the sign in/sign out protocol is in effect that I’m aware of. I really don’t believe there is a sign in at the main gate after 5 am, but I could be wrong. I do know that the nights I worked security was tight and people were turned away.
Last time the carriage was seen was at 7 pm, so there was plenty of time for anyone who could get credentials to do the dirty work before lockdown.
IJsbrand had been in equal first after day one’s dressage, until Boyd passed him, and the Dutch team were lying in first after the dressage. IJsbrand is such a kind man, and how devastating for this to happen. As an aside, in Dutch IJ is also used as a single letter, so IJsbrand is not a typo.
Carriage fixed. He’s on course now. What a driver!!! Really breathtaking to watch him fly through those obstacles!!! He is pulling in the fastest time of any competitor. Beautiful, clever, well matched/trained team of horses, bar none!
Just…wow!!
He is indeed an awesome driver, and I’m pulling for him to WIN this now b/c for damn sure he deserves it!! :yes:
I’m so embarrassed for my country I could just plain puke.
You can’t blame it on our country - as vineyridge explained it could be anyone from any country who happened to have been in the area. Someone with (probably) an axe to grind…or who is just malicious.
Outside the brake lines being cut, having the pole and the cushions on the back of the carriage being slashed (as the announcer has been trying to point out (to the viewing audience) the damage as the vehicle flies past the cameras) I would hazard a guess that it was malicious.
Either way - he is one HAPPY guy at the end! What fun to watch him celebrate - fist pumping with glee! An excellent job and fabulous score!!!
Well done, IJsbrand!!! 
[QUOTE=gothedistance;5147828]
You can’t blame it on our country - as vineyridge explained it could be anyone from any country who happened to have been in the area. Someone with (probably) an axe to grind…or who is just malicious.[/QUOTE]
Oh, I think you can, and I bet the FEI will. I’m not saying it was anyone from the USA that DID it - but we ARE ultimately responsible as the host country and the people in charge of security for horses, riders, and equipment. :no: This isn’t the first security f*ckup of these Games. The horses were left unattended for several hours the first night when a security detail failed to show up.
I wonder if the insurance the FEI required us to post will cover the carriage repair?
I’m a little offended that you think someone local to Lexington/Kentucky is responsible. I would tend to think it would have been a rival rather than some Kentucky volunteer or security person.
Read my last post, Adamsmom.
[QUOTE=War Admiral;5147851]
Oh, I think you can, and I bet the FEI will. I’m not saying it was anyone from the USA that DID it - but we ARE ultimately responsible as the host country and the people in charge of security for horses, riders, and equipment. :no: This isn’t the first security f*ckup of these Games. The horses were left unattended for several hours the first night when a security detail failed to show up.
I wonder if the insurance the FEI required us to post will cover the carriage repair?[/QUOTE]
Then say shame on the WEG Foundation, or shame on USEF. Not shame on Lexington. It’s ultimately up to the OC to make sure all necessary security is in place, and if they fell down on the job, it’s not Kentucky or Lexington’s fault. It’s WEG, as the OC or it’s USEF, as the governing body.
Wow, really?!? :eek:
I would be pretty upset about that if I owned one of those horses.
(Not that I’m likely to own one at that level unless I win the lottery, but still.)
Same here, MHM. I mean, this time, they “ONLY” slashed somebody’s brakes, putting horses and humans alike at great risk, but next time it could be some horse’s tendon!
Not sure the horses were unattended the first night. If the vet student detail was there, they were constantly doing rounds in the barns.
There might not have been gate guards, but if the vet students were there, the horses were constantly being checked.
In fact, there have been incidents of deliberate sabotage in the past, not in the USA. People climbed fences, etc. That’s why they had motion activated cameras in the Show Jumping barns at night. Or so I have been told. The fact that there were cameras there is verified on the British team manager’s blog.
They didn’t have cameras in all the barns, though. This was the first time, and it was sort of experimental–and very, very expensive.
VineyRidge you beat me to it. That was my understanding as well.
There was no gate security the first night for a few hours. Can’t remember but I think it was like 2 a.m. to 4 or 5 a.m. So, 2 or 3 hours, but that’s still WAY too much.
The security firm that WEG forced exhibitors to use was absolute shit. I know of one instance where they not only did not show up, they were also unreachable on their emergency line.
I am sorry to hear about the carriage, hope their run goes well!
[QUOTE=ddashaq;5147899]
I am sorry to hear about the carriage, hope their run goes well![/QUOTE]
It did. They stand in individual silver position right now, with cones yet to come tomorrow! :yes:
I don’t understand how or why the one security shift would leave until the next shift was there to take over. But that’s just me.
I’m no security expert, but I’ve had to deal with horses in FEI stabling a few times. An empty security station would make me very nervous about all the horses, and especially my own!
