Steeplechasing 101?

[Glimmerglass]

… and the events will also be featured on the network’s Internet site, thanks to an agreement between NTRA Productions and the National Steeplechase Association.

Having the races on-line reminds me of the old Saddletude.com - six years they were at the VA Gold Cup. It was in terms of a web-site and business well ahead of their time.

Joe Gillet Davis one of the founders was keenly part of the steeplechase scene so you would’ve thought the sport could’ve benefited from being some of the early high-quality content on the web. But alas it wasn’t meant to be.

Good to see that steeplechasing is returning to the on-line world.

[DLee]

We had a mare booked to Alumni Hall, it will be fun to see how he does.

[Glimmerglass]

The Little Everglades Steeplechase folks put together this 5 min video on youtube.com for promotion of the event as good time, community gathering

The attendence numbers are excellent for that race which was held March 11th with a great deal of success

The racing card has a 1 p.m. first post and the program includes four hurdle events and two flat races - all over Little Everglades’s spacious turf course. During the morning and afternoon hours, there are all sorts of family events and exhibitions.

Admission is $15 per person, $60 for a carload. The proceeds this year have been earmarked for Diabetic Charitable Services, Quantum Leap Farm Inc., and the Pioneer Florida Museum.

Late arrivals should be aware that an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 may be on hand, depending upon the weather.

[vineyridge]

Last year, or the year before, broadcast TV featured the International Gold Cup on Kentucky Derby Day, during one of the breaks from Churchill Downs. It was a segment of less than two minutes and showed one fence. Very disappointing.

I certainly hope TV will figure out how to show more of the race and do a better job of giving a feel for what chasing is about. But if a chase lasts 8 or 9 minutes, it isn’t very TV friendly. Still, six two minute segments are better than none.

[Hunter_s_Rest]

Virginia Gold Cup. That ones in May. IGC is in October.
But, yes, you’re right. A little is better than none, Vridge. A lot would be better than a little. How on earth did Nascar do it??!! And pro level golf?? Of all the boooorrinnggg sports to be ‘popular’ on tv. ???!

[Glimmerglass]

I recall the Gold Cup being aired on ESPN, too, during their full day of “horse” programing on Derby day in the last couple of years and it was indeed brief and confusing.

There are production values and then there are high quality production values. I think we all expect to get at a minimum the quality level we see with say the Rolex Three-Day with Carr-Hughes/NBC. Sweeping wide camera shots at crucial fences, audio which is “in there” capturing the brushing of the fences and the pounding of the hooves, and also transmitting the enthusiasm of the crowds.

The common single shot of a camera at a fixed location with almost no zoom - or if it does zoom it captures only one horse - lousy audio mixed with rushing wind sounds, and the feeling we are watching this race from about three hillsides away via some cheap binoculars isn’t going to cut if

A lot of chases are filmed with smaller production teams, bless those folks, for sale later assumably for riders/owners/some fans. However they lack the equipment required to communicate the sport as expected on a network. I suspect the video we saw was really just a rebroadcast of that local team’s video.

This isn’t rocket science and unlike say cycling - the producers know where the action is going from step to step. Accordingly laying out the camera shots and doing the prep work should be easier. Rather then reinvent the wheel the production folks should really be lifting ideas that work - and respond well to audiences - from the European race coverage.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

@vineyridge;2302053

I certainly hope TV will figure out how to show more of the race and do a better job of giving a feel for what chasing is about. But if a chase lasts 8 or 9 minutes, it isn’t very TV friendly. Still, six two minute segments are better than none.

You must have missed those Youtube videos in the Cheltenham thread, all those were taped off of live broadcast TV (i.e free to air national channels). There’s nothing TV-unfriendly about chasing, unless one has the attention span off a gnat. If anything it’s more TV friendly that most flat racing, at least the short distance stuff you see on dirt, where a 5f race is over in 1 min, and 10f lasts a whole 2min, then you twiddle your thumbs for 25 minutes.

[vineyridge]

Alas, I live in the country–America’s Ethiopia–and don’t have access to broadband. Unless I hit oil and can afford satellite broadband, I’m stuck with dial-up. Or Bell South takes pity on us.

Streaming video on dial-up is not watchable. Used to be, the clip would load, no matter how long it took, then play. Now I get two seconds of video, then it buffers, plays another two seconds, etc. When it’s all over, if I hit play, it just streams again.

So I haven’t watched any racing on the internet, and until I figure out how to put the whole download in my buffer, I probably won’t.

Dial Up sucks.

[Glimmerglass]

Pleaseeeeee tell me I’m reading this wrong …

The Carolina First Carolina Cup, Royal Chase, Iroquois, Mellon Financial National Hunt Cup and A.P. Smithwick Memorial will be featured on ESPN in 2007. Each steeplechase will get a one-minute segment on a show centered around a major flat race: the Wood Memorial, Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes and Travers.
Fauquier Times Democrat 3-20-07

Come on, toss a dog a bone and don’t just tease! A whole minute! Wow. Who brokered that “killer deal” with the network. Golly that might be all of 1/8th of the race.

I reinstate my criticism accordingly!

[Hunter_s_Rest]

That’s what it said. One minute. That’s one minute x however many races they’re showing (10?) than we had previously. Take what we can get. Now work on figuring out the tv draw of bull riding-golf-nascar and make it happen in steeplechasing.
Piedmont races are on Saturday. 19 horses entered in the Rokeby Bowl (3 1/2 mile open timber feature.) Even if half defect (due to cross entering etc., that will still be a rockin’ race. Miles Ahead (2006 Gold Cup winner) is entered, as is Askim (06 NSA timber champ) and a few other notables, including some point to point standouts. Should be a fantastic day. Anyone coming?

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=Hunter’s Rest;2306419]
That’s what it said. One minute. That’s one minute x however many races they’re showing (10?) than we had previously. Take what we can get. Now work on figuring out the tv draw of bull riding-golf-nascar and make it happen in steeplechasing.[/QUOTE]

It’s very hard to get enthusiastic over such a minor concession. The typical personal interest “heart warming” fluff piece ESPN does as fillers (e.g., last weekend’s Santa Anita jockey’s playing basketball against 10-yr olds) lasts a minimum of 3 - 4 minutes!

With other sports network outlets like Vs (nee OLN) out there which covers PBR (Professional Bull Riding) with ratings success why not shop this high action, thrilling race content around? Heck even Spike TV might take a bite at airing it as its not like this is dressage we’re talking about!

What has to happen is the NSA and partners need to take a risk - they need to spend the money to film the races with a high level of quality and if they want to jazz it up with music, exciting commentary, and fast action cuts, etc then all the better. Then once it is packaged then offer that to the other networks. Essentially USA Network, Bravo, VS, Spike, F/X, Fox Sports, you name it - they don’t have to do anything more then air it. Heck why not make a go at it with PBS stations

Jiminy Cricket they can air it at Sunday morning at 11 am for all I care, although you’d think they would position it in a better slot. Consumers have DVRs, TiVO and VCRs to capture the stuff so the audience can find it - if its aired.

If tv producers can make a ratings hit out of 1-hours worth of programing largely filled with “waiting around” time filled with a bunch of souther drawl good ol boys chatter, then seeing some guy likely get tossed off in less then 7 seconds … well NSA steeplechase can do the same! What is amazing is that back in the day steeplechase jocks were some of the most admired athletes because what they were doing was dangerous as hell and wildly thrilling. Last I checked no one was making this sport dull.

I only hope that ESPN.com will when they provide the on-line coverage won’t do it on an abridged basis. That would just be insult to injury.

Regarding the VA races when will Straight Gin be back in action?

[SteeleRdr]

Straight Gin is entered at Piedmont.

As for more broadcasting, there was a TV special that was broadcasted locoally on MASN that featured the whole race card from Shawan Downs Fall Races. It was quite a good segment, I believe it was an hour long. A little primative in the video production, but very well put together and even included trainer/rider/owner/sponsor interviews.

[fooler]

LOL - I wonder if that minute will increase once those TV boys take a look at the ‘ladies’ at the Colonial Cup race. That race seems to open the season for many - It is rather humorous to watch the ladies in their sleeve-less dresses and high-heels turn pink to bright-red (they never understand the sunburn thing) and lose the heels in the sand. However it is grand viewing for the male of the species. Don’t know about the other races, but this one is great for people watching.

One of my favs are the ol’ grand dames in their classic Channel suits and muck type footwear in the saddling area. I figure if they can do it, so can I

[Hunter_s_Rest]

Fooler
I think you mean the Carolina Cup (in the spring), not the Colonial Cup (same place, but in November.) A huge turnout both times, but the spring one is the scantily clad crowd.

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=DLee;2301912]
We had a mare booked to Alumni Hall, it will be fun to see how he does.[/QUOTE]

DLee did you get Alumni Hall to cover your mare or was he removed from stud duty before the contract could get fulfilled?

[awm]

Spring Pt. to Pts.

I’m coming down from the mudhole of western New York to the Cheshire
Races in Pa. My friend has a mare in training, & will run in the Novice Timber
there. There are 20 entries for that race, we’ll see how it pares down after
all the cross entries sort themselves out! We should have a good cheering
section going, complete with tailgate----anyone else going to Unionville on
Sunday? Please come find us!

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=awm;2311308]
I’m coming down from the mudhole of western New York …[/QUOTE]

AWM how is the steeplechase scene doing there in Geneseo? I’ve read some accounts that the last few years have been sparce with attendees and not like it used to be. Maybe its been the October weather? Late fall timber races in Western NY just always seemed odd and I’m originally from Cooperstown where the weather is no better.

With beloved Wegman’s being a sponsor for the GVH Races it’s not for a lack of corporate support.

[DLee]

[QUOTE=Glimmerglass;2308900]
DLee did you get Alumni Hall to cover your mare or was he removed from stud duty before the contract could get fulfilled?[/QUOTE]

He was removed before we got there.

[awm]

GVH Racing

Glimmer, the horses, owners & trainers still come! We had 6 run in the
GVH Cup, with a purse of $25k, 5 ran in the Novice Race for $10k last year.
Irv Naylor is a huge supporter for years, Jack Fisher, Paddy Neilson,
Billy Meister, Todd McKenna, Augustin Stables, Bill Lickle are regulars
making the trip up.
We had Askim, Ghost Valley, Mr. Bombastic, Ivorgorian finish in that order
last year. We’ve had Young Dubliner, Salmo, Dr. Ramsey, Rosbrian,
Bubble Economy, Sky & Sea, Hall of Angel, Albert’s Crossing, Lil Starvin Marvin, to name-drop a few in the last 4 years. So, I would say that we
are still going strong, despite the iffy weather (we’re due for a nice day!)
Attendance is still good, better with a good forecast for the people coming
from Rochester for a day-in-the-country. Our big wish is for local jockeys—
Thanks for the nice advertising using Bill Gamble’s collection of photos!
Come on up, one & all, we’ll promise a fun weekend!
Ann

[Glimmerglass]

[QUOTE=awm;2313615]
Glimmer, the horses, owners & trainers still come! We had 6 run in the GVH Cup, with a purse of $25k, 5 ran in the Novice Race for $10k last year. [/QUOTE]

Thats great to hear! It would be a terrible shame to ever see the Geneseo Hunt Valley Races die for lack of community support. Its good to know there are hearty folks willing to brave the elements in October for a day of fun.

Regarding the sport in the rest of NY one has to wonder at what point will steeplechasing be nixed at Saratoga - it appears to be kept only as a tip to tradition - by the new folks who will be running the big three tracks. Belmont did away with it years ago. Long Island has no more chases. So it would be besides Rochester/Geneseo just the Hudson Valley which continues the legacy in the State of NY.

That aside, does anyon know how Straight Gin did at Piedmont this past Saturday?