An Open Letter To High Performance Jumper Riders

Our columnist, the chef d’equipe of the U.S. show jumping team, takes a moment to address the country’s show jumpers about the upcoming challenges.

I like to write memos and directives. It is hard to see and talk to each and every one of you often. We are all spread out, although I think I know a good percent of you—more than you realize.

What we must not do, at this point, is rest on our laurels. The next quadrennium is most challenging and very, very important.

The FEI World Cup Finals is what is next. As we all know, it is not so easy to go from large, outdoor winter venues back into indoor rings. The Europeans have the advantage of “bouncing off the walls” for seven months at the top indoor horse shows against each other. However, it is doable, and Rich Fellers and Peter Wylde (2008) as well as McLain Ward (2007) proved that point.

Now that they have (apparently) upped the ante, the top level Nations Cup series (Super League) will become more competitive than ever. The Europeans will send their “A” riders to all of these eight shows. We must also field our very strongest horse/rider combinations. I’m anticipating three top-level Nations Cup tours with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 15 riders.

The 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky is now less than two years away. Being in our own country there will be a lot of pressure to do well. The two summers of top level Nations Cup experience, along with Spruce Meadows (Alta.), Florida and California should provide an excellent preparation.

We will have trials again for the WEG and for the Olympic Games but not for the Pan American Games. People, places and times have not been discussed yet with the various committees, so it is premature to speculate at this early time. I’m sure by the spring of 2009 the WEG trials will be decided upon. Last time worked so well; let’s not “fix” something that’s not broken.

The High Performance Committee is already in discussion as to the needs and wants of Developing Riders and Young Riders. This is a two-way street, and we have to get feedback from all levels of riders as to what they’ll support when it comes time to play. Developing and Young Rider tours are also difficult and competitive in Europe. We must put forward competitive groups and people for the future of our sport.

The first talent of any rider is his or her ability to attract and keep owners. As a rule, they buy the horses and pay the bills. Owners need not exclusively call the shots, but it is their right to be happy and to be included. The owners, in a sense, are our heroes!

Study, Read And Exercise

Horses, horses, horses. Equestrian sport is a different sport than any other in that there are two athletes working as one. This partnership during competition is just as good as its weakest link.

We, like every other country, desperately need top international Nations Cup, grand prix horses. We’ve got to breed them, produce them, buy them and, what’s most important, keep them. Yes, we have the riders, but this is the horse-depth we must be building, and quickly.