Perhaps they were hoping that WFP was representing the US…
Yes, in fact he must win this coming Burghley in August. Great thing about eventing, so many X factors no one has a lock on winning.
Olympic Eventing is July 28-31.
Burghley is just a few weeks later starting Aug. 30.
I wonder how that will affect WFP’s strategic horse selection for both…
… although his Olympic horse will have to be one qualified for the Olympics, dunno which of his are qualified for what.
Could also be a matter of what went to the dry cleaners when, as it usually is for me! :lol:
He has just one leg left, Badminton, next weekend.
Is Badminton not the next four star?
I thought that it was. He can win the Grand Slam on another horse. It does not have to be this one.
It was really too bad that the booth could not find “God Save The Queen”.
I thought that WFP handled the goof with good humor.
Donning flame suit, now. Did anybody else think that Beth Perkins’ horse was not sound when she trotted in to do her SJ round? I just wonder why she did not excuse herself after he crashed through the oxer, then stopped in the triple? 
Just because you made it to show jumping does not mean that you cannot retire when you are having a bad day. JMHO.
[QUOTE=FLeventer;6284031]
He has never won a grand slam. Pippa is the only one who has. Just needs one more if he wins rolex.[/QUOTE]
Oh oops. I misunderstood something the announcer said then… was wondering how I missed him winning the 1st one, lol
Boy I’m surprised Arthur didn’t have more rails down jumping by feel like he did.
[QUOTE=tlw;6284018]
For those of you there, what is the big white tent between the ring and the lake? Is is for sponsors, patrons or super patrons (or whatever they call them this year)?[/QUOTE]
The Patron tent was the one between the ring and the lake. Patron Plus and KHP Foundation were next to each other at ring level on the East side and the Sponsor tent was on a small hill on the West side.
[QUOTE=Auburn;6284077]
Donning flame suit, now. Did anybody else think that Beth Perkins’ horse was not sound when she trotted in to do her SJ round? I just wonder why she did not excuse herself after he crashed through the oxer, then stopped in the triple? [/QUOTE]
No, he passed the jog (they were not afraid to spin them), and looked like a distracted, hot, but tired, horse. Unfortunately, if you watch the dressage you will see glimpses of the same (minus the tired!) 
Seemed to pay a bit more attention to the task at hand post-crash…
As someone who rides a TB who can pull the same tricks out of the bag, perhaps I have a bit more sympathy.
Additionally, I am not a fan of ending with a ‘crash.’ Nothing like ending on a bad note to ruin a horses confidence. Wasn’t the only crash to continue. I’d love to hear an experts opinion on this, as these event horses can sort of, eh, climb their way through an XC obstacle, do you want them thinking it’s time to go home after they do this?
[QUOTE=goodmorning;6284069]
He has just one leg left, Badminton, next weekend.[/QUOTE]
He has three horses entered there right? Fingers crossed for WFP and his horses!!
[QUOTE=enjoytheride;6284108]
Boy I’m surprised Arthur didn’t have more rails down jumping by feel like he did.[/QUOTE]
Yes, you could almost hear him make the rounds by the tapping noise! Still a great round for them and as nice as first would have been, she has to be very happy with Arthur.
I thought the same thing at first, but I think it was just head tossing and jigging that made him look a little NQR.
[QUOTE=Xctrygirl;6284008]Melanie Smith Taylor is commentating.
[/QUOTE]
Awesome, thanks. I thought it was her! I’ve met her and her voice is very distinctive. I was just surprised since it was eventing but she certainly knows show jumping.
So… Arthur for the Olympic Team?
I know he’s had a problem with consistency (spooking, etc.) but he looked super on the X-country this weekend, and only pulled one rail in Show Jumping.
Could he help anchor a team this year? Could he deal with the venue in London and the type of course they’ll need to design to fit there?
Not in a million years. He is not a team horse. He is stunning…and incredibly athletic…but watching show jumping just confirmed it for me…again. He barely got over all those jump and was on the edge of stopping. Allison rode him very well and I was thrilled for her. But look at the difference in the course between him…and WFP’s round, or Boyd’s round…even Karen’s. There was no doubt in those rounds that those horses were going to keep jumping.
Lovely horse, but I wouldn’t ever put him on a team. I think Allison should keep riding at the top events as an individual (and get the experience for her next horse)…she has a very good chance of winning some of them. When he keeps it together…he is more than capable. But he is just too unreliable for a team horse IMO. We have too many others capable and reliable in all three phases.
He isn’t very old…so my opinion could change in the future…but I do hope she keeps going with him. I love watching him go and she does an incredible job with him.
Thanks for the answer, BFNE. I’d always thought of him as too…quirky…for the team, but wondered if maybe that was changing.
Congratulations to Allison and Arthur. IMHO, she has brought this horse a long ways and I’m proud of her and him. They were the high-scoring Americans at Rolex and I think he is American bred?
Team horse? Not for me to decide. Wish them both continued success.
Yes! I posted very incorrectly about that. Over-excited about the show jumping. :winkgrin:
[quote=evenstar;6284318]So… Arthur for the Olympic Team?
I know he’s had a problem with consistency (spooking, etc.) but he looked super on the X-country this weekend, and only pulled one rail in Show Jumping.
Could he help anchor a team this year? Could he deal with the venue in London and the type of course they’ll need to design to fit there?
[/quote]
Absolutely not. His disintegration last July at Rebecca Farm, along with numerous other incidents, killed all chance of Arthur ever being on a team. It doesn’t matter how much work Allison has done with him. A horse with this particular screw loose in his brain is never truly reliable.
Allison also knows this, I have no doubt. I think she is one of the best riders in the U.S. Whatever her reasons, she has chosen to put this horse over her riding career. She has been told (for quite some time) that her choice to stick with Arthur means sacrificing team ambitions.
Allison & Arthur can shine on their own at any event Allison cares to enter. For Allison to ride for the team, it will have to be on a different horse. I think she has at least one she is developing, can’t remember the name.
One good thing about horses like Arthur is that their riders truly learn to ride! 
Would have loved to see Allison & Arthur win Rolex, just for the record books. It’s a tribute to Allison. But it doesn’t put them on the team, imo.
Just as a counterpoint…
Everyone here is suggesting leaving the American Spring 4* champion in the barn instead of sending them to compete for London’s medals.
I may be wrong, but we do still have a situation where we have the ability to drop one score. The opens the door for maybe Arthur is ok and maybe he’s not. And on his game Arthur has already proven he can beat the best out there. And if he’s not on his game we at least have had the benefit of his dressage prowess to get us up the charts before xc.
Just saying.
We all hoot and hollar about the illogical selection procedures and now we’re saying it’s best to leave the best US 4* horse this spring at home.
~Emily
[QUOTE=Xctrygirl;6284597]
We all hoot and hollar about the illogical selection procedures and now we’re saying it’s best to leave the best US 4* horse this spring at home. [/QUOTE]
But Arthur’s career has fully demonstrated the logic of this thinking. His FEI record is here.
Allison did a great job this weekend. She worked hard for it. But the fact is, this horse is predictably unpredictable. London will be a big atmosphere, with lots of opportunities for this horse to lose it over something or even nothing.
Arthur has competed overseas four times. Twice, at Burghley and Luhmuhlen, he did not complete (an E at Burghley, some weirdness at Luhmuhlen where he spooked and got tangled in the ropes resulted in a WD). The other two times, at *** level, he had 20 XC jumping faults.
In order to compete this horse successfully, I think Allison really needs to be the one in charge, with no external pressures (like team orders) affecting the choices she makes. Hats off to her if she can do that – as tough as this horse is, she’s stuck with it, and I really do hope she finds a lot of satisfaction in what she accomplished this weekend. I also hope, for the same reasons, that she doesn’t get herself into a team situation with this horse. It’s not a good fit.
I love Arthur, and for an Irish horse, he is still young.
Look at Flexible (another Irish horse) - he is 16, just won Rolex World Cup Finals, and Rich Fellers says he is getting better and better every day.
I think that is true of Arthur, too.
But, I am a fan of Irish horses… 
