I was surprised to see two divisions at Tryon (I believe the 4 short and 3 long) were won by combinations who had 11 penalties. It’s interesting that you can now win an event with an error that 10-15 years ago could have resulted in a horse fall. I get that some pins don’t save a fall (example - horse leaving it’s stifles into a coffin), but all the evidence regarding the force taken to deploy a frangible really indicates these weren’t light rubs.
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Hmmm. But objectively, the winner had the least penalties, however acquired. I would be more concerned that a winner had any penalties, not just frangibles. When you look at the recent Badminton results, see just how many finished on their dressage score, clear on jumping and time. The USA is currently well off the pace.
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Objectively true. I am just not sure I have seen that before at any FEI in any country.
Chris Burton won Burghley in 2016 with 4 rails and he was only .2 away from being able to have another rail and still win so strange things happen sometimes.
I mean, we changed the rules (removed the dressage multiplier) after he did that, because eventing fans collectively agreed that shouldn’t be possible. I think that was the right call.
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In all fairness most people did jump clear it’s just that almost no-one made the time in any division except the 2* which really changed the results. Still it doesn’t look great that only 2 people in the 4* S and L and no-one at all in the 3*L finished under 40.
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Badminton top 6 riders were all under 40 penalties. The two American riders were in the bottom half.
ETA Both American riders are UK based. I’m really pleased that Tiana Coudray has a horse back at this level: she left home and started from scratch to build up her business and career.
