If Bellissimo has his way, eventing is going to cost everyone, including us peons, more $$. I forget which HT it was, but my understanding is that for one of the ones he was planning to have at his facility (I think the one in the Carolinas), he wanted to impose a competition fee on top of entry fees just for the pleasure of being on his property (and it was not a paltry sum). Those fees won’t be imposed for that particular HT, but you can bet your a**, it will come up again. Keep in mind, the AECs are going to his venues at some point in the next few years so it won’t just affect those who want to play at the WEF showcase and the other high level stuff being held at his venues.
Will he be successful in his attempts to impose additional costs on the competitor and, even if so, will they affect other competitions? I don’t know but I think it is indicative of his mindset and where we could be heading if we are not careful.
I Don’t care about TV, I just want to enjoy my sport. If it can be live streamed like Burghley or Rolex then I’m totally game. Its not something I rely on, and its more of a treat in the winter, but I wouldn’t be sad if we didn’t get it streamed. I enjoy my sport because I have the passion for it.
I think most forget why we do this sport.
Prize money would be wonderful, but I think people forget who really keep the sport going, the lower levels. The large amounts at the low levels who pay just to get out once a month for fun. They fund most events. If we want better prizes, our entries will be more, they are already costly for eventing. I just want a good venue to run my horse at.
He just lined the pockets of some really great riders. I don’t begrudge how he did it in the least. It’s WEF for goodness sakes folks. That weird Trump-land is never going to appeal to the masses. So why not give them some entertainment and a glimpse into our world and give us their pocket change?
[QUOTE=LisaB;8521038]
He just lined the pockets of some really great riders. I don’t begrudge how he did it in the least. It’s WEF for goodness sakes folks. That weird Trump-land is never going to appeal to the masses. So why not give them some entertainment and a glimpse into our world and give us their pocket change?[/QUOTE]
Are you really this naïve or do you just not care? Bellissimo isn’t handing out candy to the ULRs out of the good of his heart.
Nothing in life is free. He’s bribing the ULR’s to look the other way when he and his ilk end the sport for people like me so don’t expect me to be quiet and grateful about it. A lot of eventers are refugees from the $$ pit that h/j became.
[QUOTE=LisaB;8521038]
He just lined the pockets of some really great riders. I don’t begrudge how he did it in the least. It’s WEF for goodness sakes folks. That weird Trump-land is never going to appeal to the masses. So why not give them some entertainment and a glimpse into our world and give us their pocket change?[/QUOTE]
But it is not a glimpse into “our world”. It is a completely different show then our world and as NCRider points out, he who has the gold makes the rules. The more professionals he puts into his pocket, the more he can change and influence the sport, and it would seem one very real change is to gut the heart out.
I don’t mind what he is doing if he was attempting to create a new “sport”, but he is building this on the foundation (or whats left after losing LF) of Eventing. Watching 4* riders and 4* horses run and jump for 4 minutes is just sad. calling it Eventing even more so. My suggestion, name it Triple Derby and apply for recognition with the FEI. Create a new federation called USTDF, new rules, new everything, but please, leave Eventing (Combined horse trials) alone.
[QUOTE=JP60;8521084]
But it is not a glimpse into “our world”. It is a completely different show then our world and as NCRider points out, he who has the gold makes the rules. The more professionals he puts into his pocket, the more he can change and influence the sport, and it would seem one very real change is to gut the heart out.
I don’t mind what he is doing if he was attempting to create a new “sport”, but he is building this on the foundation (or whats left after losing LF) of Eventing. Watching 4* riders and 4* horses run and jump for 4 minutes is just sad. calling it Eventing even more so. My suggestion, name it Triple Derby and apply for recognition with the FEI. Create a new federation called USTDF, new rules, new everything, but please, leave Eventing (Combined horse trials) alone.[/QUOTE]
:yes:
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Eventually Eventing will become one dressage test with some show jumping in it with a few jumps in a field to make it look like x-country. One phase and done. (A little lateral work after that oxer, jump that big table and halt and reverse 6 steps.)
Not very appreciative of Area IX, which concentrates in Colorado.
Very close to COHP, boarding/training facilities: Mile High, Windancer, Platinum, Windy Acres (I think it is) and, going a bit further, the one on top of the tall hill to the south whose name I’ll think of at midnight, probably. I’ve ridden at all. Mile High especially hosts at least a couple of unrecognized events every year, the others all have enough for trailer-ins, and some do unrecognized.
Area IX USEA event schedule linked here. Abbe Ranch, Round Top, Aspen Ridge are an easy drive from COHP. Further but easy access are Moqui Meadows and Windy Wyoming.
I doubt Mark B. is the death knell for eventing in Colorado, or Area IX. With luck the ‘new’ COHP will add entries to Area IX, but we’ll see over time.
Without horse-friendly developers, the horses are going further and further from the population centers. The statistical trend for younger adults is living in town in denser housing centers. That’s the world all horse sport must survive over the coming decades if it is to grow.
Again, it shows how little you know about this area. All that you mention have almost no real XC course (that are even capable of being considered a good step up to anything at Prelim and above, except, maybe Mile High). And NONE are willing to run a recognized event for all its trouble. We have gone from over 10 in a year to less than 5 in Colorado, hence why I compete out of state.
Bellissimo may not be the death nell of eventing but he is hurting the CHJA h/j as well as the dressage shows. He now has 100 empty stalls and 2 indoors that are not in use. How is that good financial planning? The developments he is targeting are for his own growth. There is already threats of giving the XC course back to the county as open space. What does that ell you about his commitment?
I’m sneaking over from jumper land to put in my 2 cents about MB and his venues… First of all, I don’t think we should begrudge him for wanting to have profitable venues. Venues that make money will stick around way longer than those that don’t. Yes, he’s a business man and business men want to make money. Who cares?? Second, I don’t think he’s trying to hurt the lower levels of sport. His venues simply aren’t aimed at the lower levels. They provide top notch facilities, competition, footing, and courses for upper level competitors. Is it expensive to show at WEF or Tryon? Yes, but ANY shows at the upper levels are expensive. I personally LIKE the fact that WEF and Tryon are so spectator friendly. It’s great to have people actually enjoy coming to watch a horse show. Also, why the hate for VIP tents? I think it’s fine to have a nice place for owners, sponsors, etc., to sit, enjoy themselves, and be out of the way of busy riders and horses.
Spoken like a true h/j person. Eventing has this phase called cross country that is supposed to be across the country. His showcases bastardize the sport to the point of being disingenuous to any uneducated spectator.
I’m well aware of the cross country phase and what it entails 
however, where in Wellington are you going to find room for a full cross country course? At the moment, nowhere. I don’t think anyone was trying to pretend that the eventing showcase was like a real cross country course. I think one of the big reasons for the showcase was probably (just speculation here) a good way to advertise for TIEC since they will be building a full cross country course there for AECs and future competitions (using some of the jumps in the showcase).
Wellington put in a bid for the WEGs at one point. Where were they planning to put the XC course then? That’s a 4* course that averages about 11 minutes.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8521200]
Wellington put in a bid for the WEGs at one point. Where were they planning to put the XC course then? That’s a 4* course that averages about 11 minutes.[/QUOTE]
Even worse, where would they run the Endurance? Multiple laps around the property?
Finally a thread worth reading on here! Rich people tend to drift in and out of equestrian sports.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;8521200]
Wellington put in a bid for the WEGs at one point. Where were they planning to put the XC course then? That’s a 4* course that averages about 11 minutes.[/QUOTE]
There are lots of trails and horse country an hour south of Wellington. I’m sure they would have done endurance and XC off sight. There is also some decent space around Wellington as well although it’s private property. It would have been built from scratch, though.
The whole point of x-c is the changes in terrain and having to deal with all the questions that become of that. Riding over solid fences on a gigantic lawn is just show jumping by another name.
This whole “future of eventing” thing is only going to shrink the sport. There are a lot more h/j shows in my area, but they’re much more costly than a HT and a lot less welcoming. Eventing is (or used to be) something that a newbie can try without a lot of fuss and do ok with a willing Econo-Nag. I don’t see that happening a lot in the h/j or even dressage world. The up-front cost of any horse sport is a lot, but having to buy a purpose-bred and trained horse just to have a fighting chance at an 8th place ribbon will knock 80+% of the potential participants out.
The course, except that it was outside a ring and the gallops were longer, reminded me a lot of show jumping derby courses. The water obstacle looked just like the one at Aachen in their derby.
Maybe someone could pass a law that turns Florida into a Commonwealth …
And the warm up ring could incorporate the parking lots so people could jump over an in and out of Mercedes Benz’ and Porches.
Has anyone thought about the fact that there are many eventing riders who winter at WEF, and the showcase might just be a good break for their horses from the showjumping? Also, South Florida is very flat, the only hills are the hills from the trash dumps, so true eventing is impossible. Does everything have to be a terrible, horrible scheme?
