Ya that’s pretty gross 
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If you go and look at the stats for rider and horse it’s interesting. There’s definitely a case to be made for putting Karl on the team. It would be interesting if there was a filter you could put on that only included the last 6-9 months of results
Karl and Caracole 1.60m 58% clear average 2.4 faults, 1.50m 86% clear average 1.5 faults
Jessica and Don- 1.65m 43% clear round average 1.8 faults. 1.60m 34% clear average 2.2 faults
Mclain and Illex 1.60m 33% clear average 2 faults and the same basically for 1.50m but an average of 3 faults
Mclain and Callas 1.60m 45% clear 2.2 average faults. 1.55m 33% clear average 5.2
Kent and Greya- 1.60m 41% clear 1.9 average faults. 1.50m 73% clear 1.6 average faults
Laura and Balloutine- 1.65m 50% clear average 2 faults, 1.60m 49% clear average 1.6 faults
ETA can anyone remember if there are more selection events? If I were the selector I’d want my top contenders to jump at Aachen and then decide
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It seems like we’re getting pretty close to the wire, so I hope they decide soon.
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Whereabouts?
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From Rider Stats, at the bottom go to Circuit. The Date menu expands and you can customize dates.
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The Pomponio Ranch Instagram’s most recent post (the press release). I do remember reading somewhere that team selection would be released by early July (maybe the 7th?). Someone else please correct me if they saw that too and recall the date.
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Thanks. That was… something.
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I agree - that was seriously over the top, although I’m not sure why anyone would think a tongue bath like that is an attempt to help someone get named to an Olympic team.
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In the age of social media, self-promotion and marketing have become essential tools for professionals across various industries, including equestrian sports. Riders and trainers leverage platforms like blogs, podcasts, Instagram, and Facebook to build their personal brands, share their journeys, and attract sponsors or syndicate members.
He isn’t the only pro doing it. Lauren S’s blog on the Chronicle of the Horse main page and her podcasts exemplify this trend. By regularly sharing content about her experiences, insights, and aspirations, she not only keeps her audience engaged but also opens up opportunities for support, including syndicate membership- which she rarely fails to mention.
While some may view this self-promotion as excessive or “gross,” it’s important to recognize that it is often a necessary aspect of maintaining and advancing a professional career (or in this case- their sales and breeding). The digital age has transformed how athletes and professionals connect with their audience and sponsors, making self-promotion a critical component of success. This strategy helps athletes build a community, secure funding (not that he needs it), and sustain their careers (not in his case), allowing them to focus on their passion and continue achieving their goals.
It’s also worth noting that different approaches resonate with different audiences. What might seem overly self-promotional to one person could be seen as a smart business move by another.
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I have worked in PR at a very high level for many years now. That was a really odd combo of a statement/press release/article/advertorial, and I say that as a Karl fan.
I think a statement of facts/congratulations was entirely warranted and substantiated. The rest of it was just strange.
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Lauren S has NEVER copied/pasted a paid article as a “press release” talking about her “unprecedented consistency.” Her blog posts also don’t talk about how good she is and how much success she has. She shares her successes on her IG stories that last 24 hours, and sometimes on posts. Comparing these two is laughable.
Karl has not once promoted his breeding business, and I can promise you that none of his self promotion is intended to drive sales to his breeding farm.
Lastly, he’s not a pro. So why the self promotion other than he’s trying to get on the team and just wants to get more popular?
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Karl does have a shop where he sells things, hats, shirts, saddle cleaning, hoof oil so some of it can be attributed to that. Frankly, I don’t understand all the Karl hate. He’s an outsider, from California, etc. If you believe that McLain, Laura, Kent, et al aren’t engaging in self promotion, you are deluded. They just are part of the old boys network so they can do it over drinks or dinner. This is like any group, there are insiders and outsiders. Let’s stop pretending that the old guard are saints and the new self promoters are sinners. They are all just people trying to do something they are passionate about, with all that entails. If we were sending a 4 person team (all showing), I’d take Kent, Laura, Karl and Jessica, with McLain as the 5th traveling reserve. I know that’s probably an unpopular choice but that’s mine. I doubt the Ridland will be spending any time considering my view however. :).
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I don’t hate Karl. I do remember reading something where he stated the sport needed to become more affordable, which I felt was pretty ironic, considering.
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You keep stating things that are inaccurate. Karl is absolutely a pro. His USEF status is a professional (see photo) and he has sponsors, therefore he’s a pro. I cannot say for certainty that he teaches, but I would imagine he probably does.
It’s starting to sound like real sour grapes towards someone you don’t actually know anything about.
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Karl has said before that he does not teach, or does so very rarely, and does not have students or clients. I’ll join the “why the hate?” bandwagon. He does things a bit (a lot) differently, for sure, but he very clearly loves his horses and has worked VERY hard to establish a partnership with Cara. I’m glad he’s shaking things up. Every third day I read on this board how the sport needs to change and get with the times, yet someone with some money and influence comes along who is trying to do just that and the haters descend.
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I still don’t understand how that post is going to get him on the Olympic team. Can you explain who is going to see it and think to themselves, “You know, now that I’ve read on instagram how awesome Karl and his horse are, I’m sending them to Paris to represent the US.” I honestly don’t understand who on Karl’s team could think that would be the outcome after posting that, but I’m not in PR so maybe I’m missing something?
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I suppose at this late date it’s a nice way to capture what they’ve accomplished in the time since the Pan Ams. I’m sure he’d like the opportunity to put in a better set of rounds than they did there…so why not pull out all the stops?
He is an accomplished professional, whether he makes it on the team or not. He’s done a good deal more than many other professionals in this sport.
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Can the Karl hate stay on Diva?
I doubt Robert Ridland is making choices for the team because of a press release by a candidate for the team.
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No one making choices should be swayed by Instagram 
we all know it’s the sanitized, filtered, tweaked version of reality. It hurts nothing to put out a feel good press release. If it gets him new sponsors or renewed contracts, or even chatter online, that drives clicks and income.
I mean, he’s sitting on a pile of money he didn’t earn, riding horses as a job and calling himself a professional. He’s not alone in that endeavor.
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As for the bolded above… Your other statement doesn’t align with readily available, accurate information from credible organizations. Other than geographical proximity of being in the same state, as per your own social media presence, I’m skeptical that you can offer any insights into the rationale behind the social media team’s posting strategy.
You don’t like KC. We get it.
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