I think it is a travesty that Hayley is having to fight to get a spot on the Australian team. She was the top Australian at Aachen today, and I think has only been beaten once by one of the 3 who were nominated to the Australian Olympic team.
What gives?
Agree with you completely. She earned her spot on the Olympic team fair and square. I wonder if there are some “politics” involved with the team selection? I really hope she wins her appeal. My “Baby Tuna” aka Fortuna (Belissimo M/Freestyle/Wolkenstein II) wants to see her daddy compete at the Olympics!
http://www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/2012/07/06/hayley-beresford-loses-appeal-cas-australian-olympic-selection
This is ridiculous.
Scandalous! I am aghast.
I don’t know why riders tolerate these selections processes…is it not the same in Canada? You need approval from a committee before being named to the team. This just leaves way too much room for political BS for me. It should be based on scores and scores alone because this is what happens when it is not.
What a shame for her.:no:
I had earlier commented that I thought it may have been because the other riders had two horses each on the nomination list, while Hayley only had the one, and perhaps the selectors wanted to ensure they would have a full team to start. But then someone pointed out that one of the back-up horses, Ronan, had not met the qualifications, so couldn’t go to London anyway,
After giving it some more thought, I now wonder if it was because Hayley’s horse is owned by a German stud farm, while the other horses are owned by Australians. Like most (all?) national selectors, the selectors probably want to reward Australian owners and therefore encourage them to stay in the sport so they would buy more fancy horses and continue to sponsor good riders – for Australia.
It’s a money and national pride issue when it comes to the big international team competitions. Even the U.S. selectors have a tendency to want to help grease the skids for top horses owned by deep-pocketed American owners.
I thought the Olympics is supposed to be a competition of the world’s best athletes? Not a competition of which owners have the most political pull. It’s appalling. If I was Hayley I would be shopping around for another country to ride for. Maybe she should move to Canada and ride for us!
Donella, I don’t think this would happen in Canada. Our rider’s are way too litigious. If I recall correctly, there was a fairly lengthy lawsuit not that long ago when a particular rider didn’t make the WEG team and felt that she should.
This is total crap. She must be absolutely devastated. Why have selection trials at all if they’re just going to change the rules at the last minute and send whoever they want? Might as well just pick on a whim from the get go.
I hopefully have a 2013 Belissimo baby on the way (14 day check is Tues, fingers crossed!) and I was SO wanting to see baby daddy at the Olympics. I am super SUPER bummed 
Highest Aussie again in the GPS.
Awesome canterwork…Its a known fact that his piaffe is not yet there…But he is now averaging 5.5 to 6 per piaffe… Great improvement…and the rider does not yet appear to be pushing him, but riding with fatastic tact and empathy…
The whole situation is very sad…and not the fault of other team members.
Last Update: 2012-07-07T09:48:34.077< Result Judge E : Evi Eisenhardt (GER)
Judge H : Jean-Michel Roudier (FRA)
Judge C : Stephen Clarke (GBR)
Judge M : Maribel Alonso (MEX)
Judge B : Wim Ernes (NED)
Loading Results…
[303] Hayley Beresford (AUS) - Belissimo NRW No. Letter Description COS E H C M B
1 X Halt-immobilty-salute 6.50 8.00 7.50 7.00 6.50
2 MXK Extended trot 7.00 8.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
3 KAF Collected trot 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.50 7.00
4 FE Half-pass to the left 2 7.00 7.50 7.50 7.50 7.00
5 SHGMR Passage 7.00 6.50 7.00 6.50 6.50
6 BK Half-pass to the right 2 6.50 7.50 8.00 7.00 7.00
7 AFP Passage 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
8 PM Extended trot 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
9 Transitions passage-extended trot 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
10 MCH Passage 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
11 HB Extended walk 2 8.00 7.00 8.00 7.50 7.50
12 BPL Collected walk 2 7.00 7.00 7.50 7.00 6.50
13 L Piaffe 12 to 15 steps 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.00
14 L Transitions 6.50 5.50 6.00 6.50 6.00
15 LVEX Passage 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
16 X Piaffe 12 to 15 steps 6.00 6.00 5.50 5.00 5.00
17 X Transitions passage-piaffe 6.00 6.00 6.00 6.50 6.00
18 XBRI Passage 7.00 7.00 6.50 7.00 7.00
19 ISHCM Collected canter 7.00 6.00 7.00 7.00 7.50
20 MXK 9 flying changes every 2nd stride 5.50 5.00 6.00 6.00 5.00
21 FE Half-pass to the left 6.50 7.00 7.50 7.50 7.00
22 EM Half-pass to the right 7.00 7.50 8.00 7.50 7.50
23 HXF 15 flying changes every stride 7.00 7.50 7.50 7.00 7.00
24 D Pirouette to the right 2 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
25 D&G 9 flying changes every stride 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.50
26 G Pirouette to the left 2 6.50 6.00 7.50 6.00 6.50
27 HXF Extended canter 8.00 7.50 7.50 7.50 7.00
28 DL Collected trot 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.50
29 LX Passage 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00
30 X Piaffe 12 to 15 steps 6.00 5.50 6.00 5.00 6.00
31 Transitions passage-piaffe 7.00 6.00 6.00 6.50 7.00
32 XG Passage 7.00 7.00 6.50 7.00 7.00
33 G Halt-immobility-salute 7.00 7.00 7.00 7.00 8.00
1 Paces 7.00 7.50 7.50 7.00 7.00
2 Impulsion 7.00 6.00 7.00 7.50 7.00
3 Submission 2 6.50 7.00 6.50 6.50 7.00
4 Rider’s position and seat 2 8.00 7.50 7.50 7.50
Sub total 310.00 308.50 317.00 309.50 309.00
To be deducted
Finale score 310.00 308.50 317.00 294.50 309.00
Rank 3 5 3 5
Percentage 68.889% 68.556% 70.444% 68.778% 68.667%
Total %
SCG Visual, the Netherlands www.scgvisual.com
It’s almost like they are trying to go out of their way to snub her. The highest scoring Australian rider at Aachen and now she’s not even good enough to be the reserve rider?
SO freakin ridiculous. If I were her I’d start shopping for a new country to ride for.
One would think they would nominate the strongest couples they have available? Is there a public statement anywhere explaining why exactly Mrs. Beresford and Belissimo are left out? This seems highly unfair and a bad service to the Australian team’s prospectives. Very odd…
Only upside I can see to it (from egocentric pov) is we have a young SPS who might need breeding to Belissimo Weak consolation but I can’t think of anything more positive.
Kudos H.Beresford for your true achievements. Being robbed off a chance to compete at the Olympics is devastating but bear in mind it’s the true performance that counts and people are seeing you and what you’ve done with the boy!
They are even worse than equine Canada and that’s saying something.
I feel so bad for Haley, losing her Relampago do Retiro in that tragic accident not long ago , fighting breast cancer in her early 30’s. Now this.
Looking in as an outsider, it appears there is obvious favoritism toward the Oatley’s, who are very wealthy patrons of Australian dressage (and all that title implies). It also appears that either Hayley or Belissimo’s owners did something to royally tick off the Oatley family.
Very sorry for Hayley. She has been through a lot the past few years.
So embarrassed to be a member of the EA today. They haven’t addressed the criticism of hundreds of members, the equestrian community and the mainstream media and then they expect it to all go away by doing THIS. I am a huge fan of Rozzie, but this is a horrible position for her to be in as well.
You can’t blame all those Australian riders who change nationality considering this is the way our governing body treats people
I love this statement from EA Dressage Selection Panel:
“…in the interest of team harmony the Dressage Selectors have chosen to appoint Rozzie.”
I guess having Hayley and Belissimo present on the Olympic grounds would be too embarrassing for the Australian contingent. :rolleyes:
And now this statement from EA regarding the selection controversy -
