spirithorse21: (Ribbons)
Looking at the medal count, Team USA is doing very well by all standards, but we didn't do so hot in any of the equestrian events. I've been trolling around the forums looking to see what others think about our non-medal performance, and it seems that those who think our performance was pretty poor are in the minority. Most folks seem to be saying that we gave it our best and that should be good enough.

I don't agree. I'm going to be a bit of a nationalist here because I think that is largely what the games are about--national pride. Yes, I am proud of those who *did* perform well in the equestrian events. Team Great Britain has been amazing and their dressage performance was inspirational to watch. I really couldn't be happier for them. Michael Jung's performance in eventing was also nothing short of phenomenal and he has really set a high bar for up-and-coming riders. What a role model to have in eventing! I didn't see very much of the showjumping, but I also think it's pretty awesome that Sweden turned out an individual silver medal and that Saudi Arabia earned a team bronze...who cares that they bought their horses? The powers that be in that country decided they wanted to bolster their show jumping program, and they went out there and did it. I'd say that's national pride working hard right there!

Back to Team USA. Did we give it our best? Did our athletes try their very hardest? I believe they did. Boyd's performance on XC was quite an opener, and KOC was a shining star for Team USA. We had some bad luck in eventing. Our dressage team had two not-so-experienced horses and one horse ready to retire. I think Ravel and Peters gave as good as a performance as the horse had left in him. I thought the freestyle was ridden very sympathetically and it was touching. I didn't see any of Team USA show jumping, so I cannot comment on how they performed.

However, our best was no where near good enough to medal. No, we can't medal in every event every time. But, we should be striving to be eligible for a medal. And I'm not entirely sure that was the case here. Or maybe we were, but everyone knew it wasn't a reality. After all, no one seems surprised that we didn't medal, Sports Illustrated didn't pick us to medal in any equestrian events, everyone seems to be saying that Europe has a far superior riding and breeding program...it all adds up to Team USA kicking the dirt from the sidelines.

This pervasive attitude that we gave it our best and we should be happy with that is not the mind set of a winner. I would be willing to bet money that every one of our Olympic athletes is *not* happy with the Team USA outcome in equestrian. They may publicly say we did our best, but I would bet that quietly, they thought they could do better.

And that's exactly how they need to think. Our eventing coach is about to change, and it sounds like that will be a very good thing. Certainly our international performance hasn't been all that great under Coach Phillips. I don't know what to think about our coaches for SJ or dressage, I don't follow those sports closely enough. But it seems that we need an overhaul in our approach and attitude in order to be competitive on the international level. We need more funds, better breeding programs, and more ways to challenge and shape our upcoming stars. Some people have said it's disappointing that we can't do more given the very large pool of competitors we have to choose from, but that's just it--America is so large, it makes it hard to fund all the people. And it's not cheap making a star! So what can we do? How do we up our game to compete with GB and the Germans? What is different now from the days when we were internationally competitive? How do we get it back, or better yet, usher in a new era that is sustainable in our current world? I'm not sure. But I think more people should be wondering this rather than just saying we were good enough. Clearly, we weren't.
spirithorse21: (Dressage)
I just finished watching Steffen Peters and Ravel...wow. I've never really watched them go before. And of course, Ravel is reaching the end of his career, so he's not as incredible as he once was, I'm sure. But I was so impressed--so touched--by the sympathetic ride Peters gave the old boy. Especially in the canter pirouettes, you could really see what a struggle those were for Ravel and Peters just very lightly balanced and helped him through those movements with the greatest amount of grace you could expect. Just beautiful. Peters rode so lightly and just really lended his balance and rhythm to the horse. I got a little misty eyed in the end!

Anky was the first one I watched today. I remember watching her 94? ride on Olympic Bonfire at the Pan Am? games and just being mesmerized. I loved her back then. It was an inspiring ride to me as a young teenager. But now in my 30s, I just don't care for her very much. And it's not just all the LDR crap either. I watch her ride and she looks so *heavy* and *rigid* on Salinero's back. I just want to tell her to breath. Especially in the passage and piaffe. I don't know crap about riding those movements, but I can't help but think that Salinero would lift his back more and have more lift in his legs if she would give him room to lift instead of being so *glued* to his back. I thought the same thing of the German girl, Sprehe on Desperados, too.

Laura Bechtolsheimer on Mistral Hojris were amazing! And they earned a score to go with it! How cool would it be if GB took all three individual medals? I am rooting for them and a new era in dressage!

Ok, wow! Go Charlotte! What a beautiful test and a score to go with it! Can you imagine it without the bobble at the end? Probably would have been a 92% or 93%! I think Adelinde Cornelissen scored better than she deserved. It's too bad, because I think she's a much more fluid rider than Anky and could be quite something if she weren't jamming her horse up all over the place. At one point I thought to myself, "her shoulders are as tight and jammed as his!" Let the horse out a little and imagine the possibilities!

But anyway, what a thing for GB and dressage. LOVED Charlotte's test, loved her riding. Glad I got to watch it!

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May 2016

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