Badminton: Why only one USA rider?

[yventer]

Any thoughts as to why we only have one USA rider at Badminton? And why she had to pay her own way to get over there?

I know the WEG are in our backyard next year, but with all the talk about us needing to be more competitive with the Euros, etc, and especially considering the results of Rolex....

Did I miss something? (Quite possible ;->)

[Ajierene]

Every US competitor pretty much pays their own way, especially when getting qualified. Not all that many have the money to get over the ocean.

[Eventer55]

And besides if we start funding athletes it might bring a sense of patriotism and unity to America. Imagine families sitting around the TV, computer or whatever to listen in and see one of us actually representing this country in a position of strength and pride. And we wouldn't even be at war!

We might have to take money away from studies that tell us the effects of Gamma Rays on Bull ants and all the other ridiculous studies.

[retreadeventer]

Any thoughts as to why we only have one USA rider at Badminton? And why she had to pay her own way to get over there?

I know the WEG are in our backyard next year, but with all the talk about us needing to be more competitive with the Euros, etc, and especially considering the results of Rolex....

Did I miss something? (Quite possible ;->)

My sentiments exactly. I keep screaming this. We must be competitive in Europe to be competitive world wide. How on earth do we get riders to Badminton and Burghley and other places? Why aren't they given stipends to get there? Especially a PROVEN rider who is rarely out of the top 20 after stadium! I get so irritated with the USET. They could raise so much money and they do those stupid exclusive cocktail things and alienate all the fans and kids who want those autographs (how many tens of thousands at Rolex?) Grrrr. Let me at'em.

[purplnurpl]

I read somewhere--maybe Bonnie's blog? That they chose Badminton because all costs were paid for except for hotels.

Wish I knew where the quote was so that I could post it. : (

[Lori B]

What retread said. With sprinkles.

[JER]

The Kentucky CCI**** is at the same point on the calendar and much more affordable for the US-based riders.

Badminton gets over 100 entries and accepts a maximum of 85. There's always a wait list, even for qualified entries.

Rolex had how many starters? Just under 50, IIRC. There were lots of looong breaks in the action on XC day, something that doesn't happen at Badminton with 30 more horses running.

As much as I love Badminton, US riders and owners need to support Rolex first, if we want the event to be a world-class CCI****.

The Euro and UK riders who come to Rolex are funded by their owners. Many of these riders do receive government funding (UK lottery, Euro gov'ts) but UK and Euro eventing have a culture of ownership that doesn't really exist here.

[snoopy]

The Kentucky CCI**** is at the same point on the calendar and much more affordable for the US-based riders.

Badminton gets over 100 entries and accepts a maximum of 85. There's always a wait list, even for qualified entries.

Rolex had how many starters? Just under 50, IIRC. There were lots of looong breaks in the action on XC day, something that doesn't happen at Badminton with 30 more horses running.

As much as I love Badminton, US riders and owners need to support Rolex first, if we want the event to be a world-class CCI****.

The Euro and UK riders who come to Rolex are funded by their owners. Many of these riders do receive government funding (UK lottery, Euro gov'ts) but UK and Euro eventing have a culture of ownership that doesn't really exist here.




....a culture of very supportive owners.

[denny]

Our country has never had a great deal of depth at the higher levels, which isn`t all that surprising when you consider that only a small fraction of one percent of riders get to the 4-star level, and not that many more get to the 3 star level.

Add in the enormous expense, and I think 1 or 2 riders competing in England isn`t an unusual number.

I do think our shallow pool of top riders and horses doesn`t bode too well for next year`s World Games, though.

[Carol Ames]

I have always thought the Germans and Austrians had a good idea:yes: with the Olympic pfennig, not actually a penny, but, a very small amount taken from each ticket to a professional sporting event which, is then used to assist amateur athletes aspiring to the Olympics;). Just think, if we could take 10 cents from each admission to the Rolex, Devon, and DaD, the fall indoor shows, Triple Crown races, Virginia Gold Cup and put that into a fund to assist amateurs wishing to compete, etc. Each ticket could contain the message, "a portion of this admission fee will be used to assist an amateur rider who, wishes to represent the USA at the highest level in international competition; for further information contact the USET.;)

[retreadeventer]

Our country has never had a great deal of depth at the higher levels, which isn`t all that surprising when you consider that only a small fraction of one percent of riders get to the 4-star level, and not that many more get to the 3 star level.

Add in the enormous expense, and I think 1 or 2 riders competing in England isn`t an unusual number.

I do think our shallow pool of top riders and horses doesn`t bode too well for next year`s World Games, though.

The percentage is actually larger than that, Denny.
About 35 riders (using current Rolex entry list)
out of ALL riders everywhere or out of all us eventers?
14,000 members of usea - 40 riders at four star level (not all four star riders entered rolex this year). what is that percentage math whizzes?

[Janet]

40 / 14000 =0.002857
= 0.2857%
or between 1/4 of 1% and 1/3 of 1%

[Badger]

And if you look at eventers including those competing unrecognized, IIRC, Denny summarized it in a column a couple years ago:

25,000 eventers, including both USEA members and those non-members who compete in unrecognized events.

Less than 1% at advanced (and fewer than that at 3-star, and fewer still at 4-star)
About 3% intermediate
About 7% prelim
15% training
75% at novice and below

[tuppysmom]

That is not very many 4 star horses, for sure. But you know, it costs a lot of money just to compete a 4 star horse in the US.

If one goes to the UK with their own horse it can take a while to pay the debt so that you can go again.

How it works is that the UK event has a certain amount of money to credit towards foreign horses competing. If only one goes, it gets all the $$. If 6 go, the pot gets split 6 ways.

Yea for Bonnie, I hope she has her best ride tomorrow. She is a favorite of mine.