Wall St Journal article: JPN dressage rider

[Glimmerglass]

I didn't see this cited otherwise on the Forum, so I thought I'd pass it along. There is a video that went with the article

Worth citing - folks rip it appart - is that it was clearly written for a larger audience of non-dressage folks. This is the most widely read newspaper in the US so to have it cited is good ;)

The Wall Street Journal page A1: WSJ 3/31 "Comeback Kid: '64 Olympian Is Back in Saddle" (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120693030391776147.html?mod=todays_us_nonsub_pag e_one)

[linquest]

Very cool- thanks for posting!

[canyonoak]

Sigh.
"the obscure sport of horse ballet."

so near and yet so far...I sit here, wondering if ANYthing in the article would make a young, reasonably athletic young person want to try dressage.

hahahahahah.

But hats off to Hiroshi Hoketsu--because he certainly reached a whole new level this year at Sunshine Tour!

[poltroon]

I read the first paragraph and burst out laughing:

In 1964, Hiroshi Hoketsu, then a 23-year-old equestrian show jumper, placed a disappointing 40th at the Tokyo Olympic Games. He went on to a career at a drug company.

Hopes dashed by the fickle sport of equestrian, he turned to prescription drugs... :lol: :lol:

[poltroon]

Worth citing - folks rip it appart - is that it was clearly written for a larger audience of non-dressage folks. This is the most widely read newspaper in the US so to have it cited is good ;)


The whole article reads just a little awkwardly, but when you realize that one author is Japanese and the other is in Spain, it's not surprising that it doesn't capture American Horsey idiom. 'Hoofwork' :D I thought it was fairly nice. Maybe more Old Retired Executives will decide to seek their Olympic Dreams through equestrian sport. ;)

And I think it's quite cool that the FEI has generated more slots. The more countries take part, IMHO, the better. That's why it's the Olympics.

[dsgshowmom]

I think this is pretty awesome!!!!! Good for him!!!!!!! Nice horse, too!

[bird4416]

I hope the guy does great in the Olympics. I'll be rooting for him.

[subk]

My hubby just walked in with the WSJ and shared it with me. I love it! He is non-horsey and thought the descriptions were great. If you don't know anything about I don't think they are half bad myself--correct, just a different perspective.

The FEI: "The global riding federation"

The half-pass: "in which the horse moves diagonally across the field, feet crossing and uncrossing in a sort of four-legged Electric Slide."

The flying change: "where the horse switches the order in which its legs touch the ground."

Dressage is judged by: "how well they make their steeds twirl, skip and walk sideways."

[linquest]

"he has devised an hourlong stretching routine to keep his back supple"

Who else wants to know what his routine is?

[Trixie's mom]

I wish him luck...what i'd give to be in his shoes...imagine an olympian in two divisions. Fantastic!

[siegi b.]

"Whisper, crossed and uncrossed her legs in quick succession, then traipsed rhythmically on the spot."

The best description of a piaffe yet! :-) :-) Traipsing in place!! I thought it was a great article.

[luckyducky1983]

"he has devised an hourlong stretching routine to keep his back supple"

Who else wants to know what his routine is?


Haha, I read that, put down the coffee and laid on the floor to stretch! Instant Inspiration!!

[slc2]

wow he rides very well!

we'll all be eating sushi if he does well :lol:

[linquest]

Only video I found of him is here-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otjoX5yxg4w

His mare looks fun

[merrygoround]

Nothing to rip apart "Glimmerglass", consider the source. Most likely a sportswriter writing for the general public. :)

More power to the gentleman. I doubt those clips did him justice. :no:

[Coreene]

I think that this is absolutely spectacular on so many levels. Good for him, good for Japan, good for more slots in HK. His scores in Spain were nothing to sneeze at. :cool:

[monstrpony]

I think that this is absolutely spectacular on so many levels. Good for him, good for Japan, good for more slots in HK. His scores in Spain were nothing to sneeze at. :cool:

Not to mention, an inspiration to those of us no longer young!

[Mozart]

I think that this is absolutely spectacular on so many levels. Good for him, good for Japan, good for more slots in HK. His scores in Spain were nothing to sneeze at. :cool:

Agree. Go get'em Mr. Hoketsu

[Carol O]

No ripping from here! Very cool! Thanks for this story. I am always glad to hear storys of mature dressage riders who are competitive. Thanks for this great story!

[BluewindFarm]

Way to go Hiroshi Hoketsu! We'll be cheering for you!

Dear Mr. Forelle of the WSJ,

I wish you were more informed about dressage. I believe, you have done a “disservice” to those of us who LOVE this “obscure” sport; those of us who strive for a perfection which we will never attain. In addition to telling a wonderful story about Hiroshi Hoketsu, you had an opportunity to enlighten the public about dressage, to describe its beauty and history as well as the hard work to attain the upper levels of the sport. It could be you are taking your que from the person in 2000 who wrote a whole book about the various sports competing in the Summer Olympics and all they could say about dressage was “until knitting is admitted as an Olympic sport, there will never be anything more boring than Dressage”.:mad:

The descriptions of the dressage movements in your article ended up sounding like something out of “dressage for dummies – kindergarten edition”. :eek:

I guess poor coverage is better than no coverage.

[Eclectic Horseman]

Way to go Hiroshi Hoketsu! We'll be cheering for you!

Dear Mr. Forelle of the WSJ,

I wish you were more informed about dressage. I believe, you have done a “disservice” to those of us who LOVE this “obscure” sport; those of us who strive for a perfection which we will never attain. In addition to telling a wonderful story about Hiroshi Hoketsu, you had an opportunity to enlighten the public about dressage, to describe its beauty and history as well as the hard work to attain the upper levels of the sport. It could be you are taking your que from the person in 2000 who wrote a whole book about the various sports competing in the Summer Olympics and all they could say about dressage was “until knitting is admitted as an Olympic sport, there will never be anything more boring than Dressage”.:mad:

The descriptions of the dressage movements in your article ended up sounding like something out of “dressage for dummies – kindergarten edition”. :eek:

I guess poor coverage is better than no coverage.

Oh, I guess you don't remember the "poor" NPR coverage of the last Olympics which seriously questioned whether the "elitist" equestrian sport of dressage should be dropped. :no:

By comparison, this WSJ article was just fabulous! :yes: