[War Admiral]

The USEF Jumping Open Forum is now online at the USEF Network. I'm watching it now and am enthralled. It's worth the watch just for GM, but stay on after that and you'll see so many of the issues we talk about on here being discussed. Really - watch it!!!!

And thanks so much to the USEF folks for all the hard work and effort that went into making it available to us smurfs and trailer-trash ammies in our rubber boots and plastic helmets.

[Brydelle Farm]

LIKE

[War Admiral]

Anyone have any comments about what was said?

I think I was struck by the fact that so many of the "elite" riders/owners/trainers are seeing the same problems that we see.

They talked about doing away w/ the mileage rule.

They talked about an "optimum time" for the puddle jumpers to encourage better riding.

They talked (well, GM did) about bringing back the American TB.

They talked about it being too expensive to develop a young horse over here.

They talked a LOT about the fact that the shows are too expensive. Lauren Hough's statement was a real eye-opener: I had NO idea that she could campaign 3 horses for 5 weeks in Europe for what it cost here to bring 1 horse and do 3 classes at the NHS.

So I guess the question I'm left with is this: if we ALL see what the problems are and everyone - from trailer trash ammies to Olympians - is identifying the same issues... how do we get them fixed?

I think it's great that USEF is providing a forum for discussion.

[Dewey]

I am listening to GM now and what has struck me most so far is his emphasis on the teaching of false values in the hunter-jumper world.

I also noted his complaints about the way hunters are shown.

[Dewey]

They talked (well, GM did) about bringing back the American TB.

Murray Kessler stressed this as well.

[Brydelle Farm]

They talked a LOT about the fact that the shows are too expensive. Lauren Hough's statement was a real eye-opener: I had NO idea that she could campaign 3 horses for 5 weeks in Europe for what it cost here to bring 1 horse and do 3 classes at the NHS.

It was also pointed out that this ONLY applies to elite riders/horses, as the organizers want the them to participate, so they get a discount. But for someone that isn't a Lauren Hough, one of those shows could be as much as 200k to participate in.

[Lord Helpus]

Link please! I have been over to USEF.org and I cannot find anything that resembles a Jumping Open Forum.

[Dewey]

http://www.usefnetwork.com/

Open forum is on the right.

[Ruby G. Weber]

My feed says Jumper Forum Part 1. There is no comment from LH nor anything beyond Peter Leone??? Is there a Part 2?

[Dewey]

Yes. Above the links on the right you'll see some horizontal links. Click on "Open Forum." Parts 1, 2, and 3 will pop up. It took me awhile to find parts 2 and 3 as well. I am listening to part 3 now.

[Dewey]

Was intrigued by Katie Prudent's comment near the end that jumpers need to split off from the hunters and stop trying to change them. She said the hunters have gone too far in their own direction--they have their own way of doing things and no longer are part of the pipeline for jumper riders. She said what they do is "not a sport" while show jumping is a sport.

[War Admiral]

Yeah, McClain said that as well - "hunters is not a sport, it's a service industry" - I can *kind of* see his point.

[Plumcreek]

They talked (well, GM did) about bringing back the American TB.

In general, the racing 'American TB' is no longer bred for soundness or disposition, just speed. Few are breeding sport TBs. Where is he going to get these athletic, sound, trainable modern American TBs?

I really enjoyed the forum, caught the last hour live. Other disciplines have had similar, NOT webcast. Thanks USEFNetwork!

[Tha Ridge]

In general, the racing 'American TB' is no longer bred for soundness or disposition, just speed. Few are breeding sport TBs. Where is he going to get these athletic, sound, trainable modern American TBs?

Tell that to the Maddens, who have been purchasing yearlings from Thoroughbred auctions from the past several years to bring along as jumpers.

[MHM]

Tell that to the Maddens, who have been purchasing yearlings from Thoroughbred auctions from the past several years to bring along as jumpers.

I didn't know that.

How's that been working out for them? Are any of the Thoroughbreds showing yet?

[Tha Ridge]

I didn't know that.

How's that been working out for them? Are any of the Thoroughbreds showing yet?

I saw it on the John Madden Sales Facebook page, which is updated pretty regularly. Lots of fun photos from around the farm of their babies, dogs, etc.

I think their oldest Thoroughbred is just 4 and just starting over fences, but they have a couple of 2-year-olds that they've begun free jumping. Here's the photo album: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...28259900521436

If you scroll down a bit on their wall, they talk about buying the babies at auction. Keeneland, I think.

[MHM]

^ Interesting- thanks!

[War Admiral]

Where is he going to get these athletic, sound, trainable modern American TBs?

He addressed that issue, too. You need to go back and watch the first hour at some point.

[PineTreeFarm]

In general, the racing 'American TB' is no longer bred for soundness or disposition, just speed. Few are breeding sport TBs. Where is he going to get these athletic, sound, trainable modern American TBs?

The same place all the TB's that are winning in Childrens Hunters and Adult Hunters come from. LOL
Because of the way the USEF Hunter points are structured in the Professional divisions ( 1 point per dollar won and the Hunter Derbies count toward points) the TB's who continue to sire winning horses at the zone level are far towards the bottom of the sires list. Zone winners contribute maybe 1000 points toward a stallions credit for offspring, a winning derby horse can contribute 20X as many points to a sire's total points.

The problem TB's have is they don't come 'ready to go' like the European Imports. And many 'trainers' don't train starting from teaching the horse to jump. Instead they focus on getting failed European Jumpers to do Hunters. It produces a 'ready to show' horse quicker and yields a higher return because many of imports can start their careers in the 3'6" divisions due to the training they already have.

There are also Hunter Trainers who buy from the auctions. It isn't that uncommon. IHF Champion at Regional and Finals is a TB.

And many more opportunities for TB's coming next year.
TB Celebration classes continue
New JC showing program for TB's
HITS Ocala has a TB Hunter Division

Besides being discussed at the USEF jumping Forum USHJA has a featured Seminar at their convention about TB's in sport.

Perhaps USHJA will have a TB Stirrup Cup award?

An American TB stallion was just approved by GOV and by the ATA.

[Tha Ridge]

An American TB stallion was just approved by GOV and by the ATA.

That's exciting; who was it?