PrintOur columnist ponders how technology is changing dressage from the top levels to the grassroots.
Our sport is changing in many ways. As is always the case with changes, some are for the better, some raise new questions and challenges, and some I’m not really quite sure about.
At the pinnacle of our sport, an enormous change and, in a number of people’s minds, a change long overdue, involves how the team medal will be determined at the Olympic Games. The Fédération Equestre Internationale recently announced a new format for the team medal—it will be determined not only by the Grand Prix test but also by the Grand Prix Special.
According to the FEI, the Grand Prix test will be the “first team qualifying competition and the first individual qualifying competition.” The Special will be the “final team competition and second individual qualifying competition.”
Under the new system at least 32 riders will move forward to the Special. For London, the entire team of three riders from the top seven teams, and the 11 highest-placed riders in the Grand Prix who are not otherwise participating as qualified team members, will go to the Special. There could be even more riders in the Special if there are ties for seventh place amongst the teams or for 11th place in the individuals. This is an increase from the past when the Special was limited to the top 25.
This is without a doubt an improvement, and in my opinion, a huge im-provement. First, with two required rounds determining the team placing, luck will play less of a role. Skill and training should play a greater role because riders will have two opportunities to perform in the arena. However, we’re talking about horses, so don’t worry, lady luck will still be a factor.
Second, more riders will get a little more bang for their buck. While London may not be so far away, think about last time in Hong Kong. You and your horse could easily have traveled halfway around the world for one eight-minute ride.
The Grand Prix freestyle will be open to the 18 top-placed riders from the Grand Prix Special and will determine the individual gold medalist.
Teams from 11 countries will be invited to participate in the Olympic Games using the qualifying process already in place. Due to our placing at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, the United States is one of only four nations currently qualified. This means countries are duking it out for the seven remaining slots. Once again, I want to say a big thank you to our WEG team riders, horses, their owners and to technical advisor Anne Gribbons for getting that job done!
As in the past, there will be a total of 50 slots for athletes in the dressage competition at the 2012 Olympic Games, 33 of which are allocated to team members. How the other 17 are chosen is a little complicated, and I won’t bore you with the details. What is important though, and completely new for dressage, is the possibility for a country sending a team of three to send a fourth rider as an individual. The individual rider will qualify through the “FEI Olympic Athlete Ranking – Dressage” system. I believe these changes are for the good, and I take my hat off to the FEI for moving in this direction.
Online Opportunities
