Might as well have had a tractor pull. Thanks.
[This message has been edited by jumpcrew (edited 11-07-2000).]
Washington had a dismal turnout on Friday, a great audience on Saturday (as has been their twenty year pattern), and NO audience on Sunday for the Nations Cup. At either show, SAT NIGHT is when the fans come, and the National gave it to a NON-HORSE event. You can expect a dismal turnout at the National for the Sunday Grand Prix. It should have been scheduled for Saturday Night. What a missed opportunity.
Pepper, you said it all, and beautifully. I’d invite everyone who read this thread to look at the other thread on the bull riding event, too.
AHC - hmmmm… could you be thinking about the rare and sought after Native American Warmblood?
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by devildog20:
But, (here’s the evil part) aren’t Hunter rounds, with the same, slow meandering pace without any expression whatsover all jumping over the same fences as everyone else just as boring? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Borrowing your flame-retardent suit…
Agreed… hunter rounds can be BORING, especially at 3’0… And this from a person who loves 'em to death. I think the only way you will ever make this a spectator sport is to have big money 3’6 - 4’0 classics with a limited number of qualified horses, perhaps before the jumpers (who would also be limited because they are ALSO qualified…)
I saw the 5 Freestyle rides on Saturday (chose to SHOP during the GP test on Friday night). My reaction to the 5 rounds was that they were a little tedious, and didn’t seem to be that good. Now I am a little spoiled. Last time I saw GP dressage in person was in 1996 in Atlanta. I understand some good horses competed there 
And even there it was a little tedious during the GP class. 30+ horses doing EXACTLY the same thing? Wake me up for the Americans, Dutch and Germans please…
However, my appreciation for the freestyle was a little dulled by the positively orgasmic throes of the DQs sitting behind Duffy, Hattie and I. You guys? Promise to smack me if I EVER gush like that about the jumpers… or hunters… or terrier races… or Mounties…
It ought to be a great show
It breaks my heart that history and glorious tradition is being pushed aside for a bunch of mini-marlboro men in boot cut jeans.
Maybe the show organisers are taking the “success” of NYC’s “Hogs and Heiffers” a little too seriously.
Let’s not forget that was another “successful” NYC watering hole called “Denim & Diamonds”
According to the schedule on the National’s website, bullriding IS the only event (all-star shootout) beginning at 8 pm. If there is to be reining, they don’t list it.
I am in agreement that the bulls can come to draw the crowds, but an ENTIRE evening of a show that already has too little time (and a SAT. night at that) shouldn’t have been sacrificed. Other big classes (the GP) should have been scheduled with the bulls as the entertainment factor only. And the National IS traditionally an english show - it used to have some of the best saddlebred competition in the country. EVERY night had a large crowd - it was part of the NY social season!
The National needs to get its former glory, and dates, back, and we, the fancy need to figure out how to proceed in applying the necessary pressure to do that. The horse show and the dog show are the two longest running sports events in the Garden’s history, and that fact alone should guarantee the HS some preference in getting dates, if the right ear can be found to listen.
DMK, I’m always thinking about the rare, sought after Native American Warmblood, particularly because my mare is #1 in the registry. LOLOLOL. Of course if I’m thinking about her, technically I’d have to say everything is brown and white, except of course the mane and tail, which are black. You see, it is never simple.
Here’s a suggestion to avoid flame suits:
Sell tickets according to sections (DQs, cowboy lovers, cowboy haters, jumpers, hunters, yadda yadda yadda). The most ticket sales, get the most time on the floor.
Bring on the pony jumpers and their rich parents / grand parents. Lower my entry fees and raise my prize money. I’ll cheer till I’m blue in the face. Same thing to the bull riders…if its in my pocket so I can afford to continue this wallet draining, time consuming, impossible to meet boyfriend, habit then yippee ki ya MF.
I hope they have a great show–the horse part anyway
Might as well have had a tractor pull. Thanks.
[This message has been edited by jumpcrew (edited 11-07-2000).]
But didn’t any of you go to Las Vegas for the World Cup? It was kind of the same thing: international show jumping interspersed with bull riding, a trick horse that jumped through a burning hoop, a guy riding a buffalo, etc. Not that it wasn’t “fun” to watch, but we were sort of aghast! But that is what brought the general public to their feet. This all reflects on the same notions of the other thread about bullriding: the average person can understand/comprehend: 1. person climbs on huge, beastly bull 2. person straps self aboard said bull 3. person attempts,against great odds, to remain on upper side of bull for 8 seconds. There’s little to analyze. Such acts of derring-do gets the crowd into a hoopla, which is what keeps their attention for the more esoteric show jumping and/or hunters.
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jumpcrew:
How about the Hunter folk being bumped by the bulls? They gotta feel like a million, particularly when the Hunter Classic was such a success last year, and everyone thought they were going to build on last year.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
In what universe did this occur in? I could have sworn I read numerous dispatches, press releases, and various threads/opinions regarding the fact that hunters were out of the Garden LONG before bullriding was part of the venue.
Hey, bullriding isn’t my favorite sport - would rather watch cutting horses anyday, but things were different this year. Besides, maybe Todd Minikus can ride Saturday AND Sunday…
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Cactuskate:
Since I assume the dressage rides were exhibitions could we not have had some “star” i.e. a Robert Dover or such narrate w/color?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Nope. World Cup Qualifier.
P.S. I should add I wrote that last message after signing large check for Board, blacksmith, trainer and credit card bill from Bevals (ok, that’s my fault).
What if…
Instead of switching horses for the final, they do a bull riding test! They could wear their fancy duds. Oh, it would be sooooooooo fun. 
I totally agree with you! Just a few years ago I never would have guessed that at the National I would be watching bullriding as the main event and not a Rox Dene winning a trip with a 99 or something. What is the world comming to when this sports most prestiges show features bullridding?
Well Guys, it was our esteemed and revered NHJC that said they couldn’t qualify as a Local Member. If they are not a local Member they cannot run anything.
To save the dates for next year at the Garden which is more difficult than the AHSA they had to run something didn’t they!
Why not let the NHJC know how you feel! I happen to think that the NHJC behaved in an outrageous way without any considereation for us as the members, the National Horse Show and what it means to us.
Mr. Struzzeri said there was a solution if they hired him to run the show, is that not blackmail and extortion? If not what would you call it?
Although checking out cowboys and cowboy-types can be quite enriching, I happen to know from a friend that hangs around those folks don’t like our type at all. So, I kind of take exception to sharing an arena, which we have come to for years, with people that might consider us ‘snooty english people’.
