This morning everything ran exactly as planned with one exception - I pulled my hamstring in my left leg while running Belinda’s horse, Anton, for the vet check.  But beside that, all our horses passed with flying colours and they went on to all school great directly after.  As I said yesterday, it is super to have Gina here as Chef d’Equipe and Geoff Vernon as vet. They and all the friends and family members of our riders are making everything so lovely and positive around the stables and I thank them all very much!

Gina and I just attended the first Chefs’ meeting where Farnk Kemperrman, Aachen’s amazing organizer, welcomed us all and mentioned that tonight is threatening to have major thunder storms which could force classes  to be stopped if lightning is too severe until they let up.  Trond Asmyr, Director of Dressage for the FEI, also spoke to everyone about the various trials which would be run here as they were in Rotterdam, such as the Olympic format of 3 person teams plus the 4th, should there be one from the country, starting as an individual. Other trials which will take place are: 7 judges, the use of 1/2 marks, and the splitting up of tasks in the Freestyle so that some judges mark the technical while others score the artistic. But probably the most interesting trial which was very controversial but I believe crucial to the future of the sport is the use of the Supervisory Panel.  It is made up of 3 or 4 top people who are mostly retired O Judges with one top trainer. In the case of Aachen, the Supervisory Panel consists of Uwe Mechlem, Eric Lette, and David Hunt.  They will sit up by the press and watch live as well as have super-modern computer and video technology to be able to see every score from all 7 judges as well as, when necessary, to rewind and look again at specific movements.  At this point, they are only allowed to change the scores given by judges if there is a simple error of counting; for example, in the sequence flying changes or the number of piaffe steps.  Then and only then may they take a score which was clearly out of line and scratch it out and put in its place the average of their 3 scores.  I have said before and I truly believe that they should be allowed to alter any score which does not hold up to the light of day as representing what is written in the FEI handbook as being correct.  Some judges feel they are being intruded upon by such a group of “Uber-Judges”, but I say that if more judges were both well enough educated and showed the true COURAGE of their convictions, the S.P. would not be necessary.  Sadly, as in many other subjective sports, that just is not the case and until it is, I am more than grateful to have the S.P. in place. 

Fianlly, we had the draw today for the CDI Grand Prix in which Canada has no entries, and the CDIO where we have our team as well as Wendy Christoff with Pfalstaff going as our individual. Wendy was drawn into 11th place and Canada was drawn as 2nd nation in the  order of go for the 9 countries competing.  So Bonny Bonnello and Pikardi will lead us off going in 2nd at 9:10am tomorrow morning.  Belinda Trussell will follow a few after Wendy, in 15th position at 11:20am while Ashley Holzer will ride as anchor in 25th position at 2:00pm.  (FYI to my American friends, Todd Flettrich goes in right before Wendy in 10th position and Tina Konyot got the very best draw one can - last to go in 38th position).  I will also report on Ashley Holzer and Jewel Court Sonnenstern as they contest the small tour. And I want to wish Canada’s, Eric Lamaze and the U.S. Jumping Team a very successful Aachen!

Early to bed tonight for us all as the fun all begins first thing in the morning and I need to rest my leg. I’ll fill you in tomorrow after the class.  You will surely get all the results on one of those other websites but mine will give you my opinions on the tests as well as behind the scenes fun stuff.

Cheers!

RD

Posted: Wednesday, July 14th, 2010 at 9:20 am
Filed under: Uncategorized