Swiss response

[snoopy]

http://www.eurodressage.com/news/dressage/europe/2008/sui_openletter.html



Thoughts?

[Dalfan]

Excerpt from the letter;

It is know that Silvia Ikle announced after the Olympics in Athens that she would not transport her horse to China.

If they knew she would NOT travel to China way back in 2004, why the surprise when she announced to around the new year? I think their statement is very contradictory. They say they knew, but then were caught off guard with no chance to replace her/get another horse. I'm confused.

[Foxtrot's]

But to leave her formal announcement until after the date where other horses could be acquired to be considered...?

Her connections would have known, people in the dressage community wuld have known - why such a surprize...?

[RonaldGroen]

But to leave her formal announcement until after the date where other horses could be acquired to be considered...?

Her connections would have known, people in the dressage community wuld have known - why such a surprize...?

Because Frau Ikle is genau so as my wife, she also change her mind every day:D

[Sabine]

http://www.eurodressage.com/news/dressage/europe/2008/sui_openletter.html



Thoughts?

Good one Snoopy- me thinks that Silvia has the right to do what she wants with her horses. Remember HER HORSES. She owns them...she is not sponsored..she bought them, paid for them, pays for the showing etc and LOVES them. It's her right- we live in a free world.
The letter you quote is to the Swiss Olympic committee which is obviously in awe of Silvia and I tend to agree - they acted overly hurried and worried and without thinking-now they have no coach and the members of the team that wanted to go are probably highly discouraged.

I trained for a while with an ex-Swiss team member...no comment....;)
But anyhow- I think it is apparent that there are some shortcomings in the Olympic dressage committes of various countries- not just Switzerland to manage these games in China.

very poor planning, very poor preparation and awareness of the size of the distance and travel etc....

[snoopy]

Sabine:

Could not agree with you more!!!! :D:D:D

[Dune]

I agree with: HER horses, HER decision. However, why in the world did she try to qualify if she clearly has no intent on following through? I mean, there is a definite pattern here, or am I missing something? Stay home and train those gorgeous horses or only go to the shows that aren't qualifiers? What would be so bad/restrictive about that?:confused:

[petitefilly]

Wow! I have no idea why an article would be written like this. It seems rather strange to me, the politics of this must be so complicated and confusing even the powers that be are not sure what to do. MHO, make a new ruling about qualifying if a member bows out and quits. It seems simple to me! Some one leaves, an opening becomes available, and the next qualified person ponies up and goes with the team. What is so funking complicated? HUH???

Must be a Swiss thing! :)

[slc2]

It's a pretty small country to have a lot of alternates. I think Otto Hofer wound up taking a really young inexperienced horse one year just to flesh out a team. I think most likely there is more to it, too.

[canyonoak]

First of all, SIlvia Ikle may at one point have said she would not go to Hong Kong, BUT she also gave interview in the last 12 months or so saying, no she was not aiming for World Cup, she was aiming for Hong Kong.

Second of all, I am sure her national federation sponsored her in the same way that NFs sponsor star athletes, no matter the sport, with whatever kind of stuff the Swiss believe in-- physiotherapists, travel expenses, trraveling stipends, etc etc.

Third--if an athlete who is presumed to be heading for a n important TEAM competition decided to make an individual decision--then it is only right and fair that the athlete bow out with enough time for the team to find replacements.

Silvia Ikle did NOT do this. There is no time now for the Swiss to be looking for replacements, no time left for elite training, let alone elite spending.

And Ikle has decided not only to remove Salieri, her own partner, but also Romario-- her second horse and the horse she gave as a competition partner to one of her own students.

Ikle has, therefore removed TWO-THIRDS of the team, as this year the team will be made up of three rider/horse combinations.

Interesting that there have been no comments from her student, Veronika Marthaler.

[RonaldGroen]

Frau Ikle wants to rule the world :yes::yes:

[atr]

It's all a bit moot now, though, isn't it?

I gather the poor woman tripped and broke her leg in three places last week.