Freestyle Motion Passes, but Don't Expect Immediate Change

The USDF Board of Governors today approved the motion directing the USDF to recommend that US Equestrian, the national governing body of equestrian sport in the US and the rule-maker for US dressage national-level competition, rescind the rule change that increased the prerequisite qualifying score to compete in freestyle from 60 percent to 63 percent, earned at the highest test of the level.

The Board of Governors assembly wrapped up this morning at the 2018 Adequan/USDF Annual Convention in Salt Lake City.

Passed as what US Equestrian refers to as an extraordinary rule change--meaning at a time other than during the usual December-January USDF/US Equestrian convention and rule-change-approval time frame--the score-prerequisite rule (DR 129.9) takes effect today, December 1, 2018.

Even with the motion passed, USDF president George Williams emphasized after reading the results of the vote, dressage competitors should not expect change to be immediate, or in fact expect that the rule will actually be rescinded.

The ultimate decision, Williams said, is in the hands of US Equestrian's dressage-rule-making body, the USEF Dressage Sport Committee (DSC). The USDF's recommendation must go through the channels and be discussed at a future DSC meeting, and any actions would then require approval per US Equestrian's own procedures. The bottom line, Williams said, is that the score increase indeed has taken effect and will be the rule for some time to come. And the DSC could well vote to uphold the freestyle rule as it stands now.

Although some of the BOG delegates who spoke out in favor of rescinding the rule will undoubtedly be disappointed if that does not come to pass, many expressed a measure of satisfaction just knowing that the motion may "send a message" to US Equestrian, as some put it.

"I think it's important to us to send a message [to US Equestrian] that this is inappropriate," said delegate Barbara Cadwell, referring to the fact that the mid-year "extraordinary" nature of the rule change meant that it failed to register on some dressage enthusiasts' radar until after the rule change was passed. "I don't object if it's done right. I want to publicly smack their hand."

Many delegates who spoke out, both for and against the motion, said that they actually support the score increase as a way to help ensure that horses being shown in freestyle classes have the basics and the training to be able to execute their routines capably and without struggling or confusion. Higher standards, many said, help to protect equine welfare and guard against unintentionally abusive riding. I came away from the BOG vote with the sense that many delegates viewed a "yes" vote on the motion as a rebuke, not of the standards but of US Equestrian's decision to fast-track the rule change with what USDF delegates perceived as inadequate transparency or requests for comment prior to the rule's passage.

Long Live the Queen

Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro on their way to their second consecutive Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final title. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Her new logo – just released within the past couple of weeks – incorporates an image of a crown, so it’s only fitting that Charlotte Dujardin, the Queen of Everything, retains her title.

With the almost too-good-to-be-real Valegro, the British woman is now the back-to-back Reem Acra FEI World Cup Dressage Final champion as well as the reigning Olympic, European, and World Equestrian Games champion. With the same How to Train Your Dragon freestyle that won gold in Normandy last August, Dujardin squashed the competition with a score of 94.196 percent in today’s Grand Prix Freestyle, coming just tenths of a point short of the world-record score of 94.300 percent she and “Blueberry” set at Olympia in London last December. The nearly foot-perfect freestyle brought the crowd of nearly 11,000 in the Thomas & Mack Center to its feet for a thunderous ovation.

“Valegro just loves it,” Dujardin said afterward when asked how she keeps the 13-year-old Dutch gelding (Negro x Gerschwin) going. “It’s not like I have to force him, because he loves the work.”

Dujardin frequently comments on how lucky she is to have the ride on this reliable horse. “I just sit and steer him ’round. There’s no sweat involved,” she quipped.

 

Edward Gal and Glock's Undercover N.O.P. of the Netherlands passage to second place in the World Cup Dressage Final freestyle. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Nearly 10 percentage points behind the untouchable Dujardin was second-placed Edward Gal of the Netherlands, who piloted the 14-year-old Dutch gelding Glock’s Undercover N.O.P. (Ferro x Donnerhall) to a score of 84.696 percent. Undercover was more relaxed than he’d been in Thursday’s Grand Prix, with a longer neck and a nose in front of the vertical. He could have stretched out more in the extended trots, and the walk rhythm varied a bit at times on account of tension. His pirouettes drew audience applause. It was a solid program to mildly interesting but not compelling orchestral instrumentals; bottom line, it wasn’t Dujardin’s freestyle.

Gal showed a quick wit and good humor when he was asked how it felt to be the oldest rider at the press conference for the top four finishers. “Normally I’m not the oldest one because Isabell [Werth of Germany] is here,” he said with a grin.

 

World Cup Dressage Final newcomers Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and Unee BB of Germany finished third. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

A new face ascended the medal podium in Las Vegas to claim third place: Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl on the 14-year-old Dutch stallion Unee BB (Gribaldi x Dageraad). Von Bredow-Werndl’s unusual freestyle began with the voice of Martin Luther King Jr. and his iconic “I have a dream” line. Later in the program, we heard the rider’s own voice as she uttered over the music, “I have a dream that all living creatures can respect each other.” Unee BB missed a two-tempi change and swapped leads as von Bredow-Werndl brought him back from an extended canter down the long side, but the freestyle was strong enough to earn a score of 80.464 percent.

For the US, Delight…and Crushing Disappointment

Our new young stars, Laura Graves and Verdades, gave a super performance in Las Vegas. This competition is “Diddy’s” very first indoor show – and it happens to be an incredibly close, loud, and electric venue. After an initial spook at the floodlit World Cup Dressage Final trophy in the corner near H, the 13-year-old Dutch gelding (Florett As x Goya) got a little backed off for a short time. He got afraid during a piaffe at A, and later he scooted forward during a canter half-pass when the crowd applauded. But these were honest rookie-horse reactions, and Diddy’s overall excellent quality and a sensitive and sympathetic ride from Graves resulted in a score of 79.125, which put them in fifth place…except that it didn’t.

 

The USA's Laura Graves and Verdades finished fourth. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

In the official standings, Graves was fourth. The reason didn’t become clear right away, but the first sign of a problem was the buzzing in the audience when the fourth-placed scorers, Steffen Peters and Legolas 92, didn’t appear at the awards ceremony. They weren’t mentioned. Where were they?

Where they were, I’m sorry to report, was eliminated. As World Cup Finals press chief Marty Bauman announced at the press conference afterward, Peters was eliminated because evidence of blood was found on Legolas’s side after his freestyle. The FEI has a zero-tolerance rule regarding blood on horses – you may recall Adelinde Cornelissen and Parzival’s elimination during their Grand Prix test at the 2010 World Equestrian Games when the horse showed blood in his mouth from biting his tongue – and so the FEI stewards had no choice. According to Bauman, Peters “accepted their decision gracefully.”

I feel terrible for Peters, who is an outstanding horseman and whose training methods are beyond reproach. He doesn’t need for me to defend his reputation, but I’ll put in my $.02 anyway.

 

A strong performance by the USA's Steffen Peters and Legolas put them in fourth place, but the pair was eliminated after blood was found on the horse's side after their Grand Prix Freestyle. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

The elimination is even sadder considering the fact that Peters had, in fact, placed fourth on a score of 80.286 percent. The notoriously spooky Legolas kept it together admirably in front of the exuberant crowd, although the 13-year-old Westfalen gelding (Laomedon x Florestan II) did lose it for a moment at the loud laughter that greeted the voice-over line at the beginning of the freestyle: “Hey, I’m Legolas. Let’s go!” His two-tempis were clean, although he missed a change in the ones; and a double pirouette directly into piaffe showed a high degree of difficulty. Peters got a standing ovation from the largely American crowd at the final halt and salute, which was punctuated by the voice-over words of “Legolas” saying, “Hey, let’s get out of here!”

The Vegas Experience

For Dujardin, Gal, von Bredow-Werndl, and Graves, this was their first trip to Sin City. All were in agreement that Las Vegas was living up to its glitzy image.

 

FEI World Cup Dressage Final title sponsor and haute couture fashion designer Reem Acra (center) poses with top-placed finishers Edward Gal, Charlotte Dujardin, Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, and Laura Graves. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

“It’s everything I thought it would be,” said Dujardin. “Seeing how crazy the Strip is; going to shows in the evening. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it.”

“It’s not real!” exclaimed von Bredow-Werndl. “I go through the casino [hotel] at six in the morning and they’re playing loud music; I come to the arena and the people are going crazy.”

“It is very surreal,” Graves agreed. “I left the hotel very early this morning, before six o’clock, to come ride, and there was still a party in the bar.”

Although the Vegas lights and boisterous fans may have bolstered the energy level at the World Cup Dressage Final, at least one attendee said the thrill was entirely the result of the rush from seeing the best dressage in the world.

Said US FEI 5* judge Lilo Fore, who was the head of the ground jury for today’s freestyle final: “No matter how many years you sit in those [judges’] boxes, the excitement of seeing those good horses and riders never goes away.”

Thanks, but I Think I'll Stick with Dressage

Adrienne Lyle of the USA rewards Wizard for his strong WEG Grand Prix team performance in a downpour. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

The first half of the 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games has drawn to a close, and I've been surprised at how many of my journalist colleagues have said this WEG will be their last.

On further reflection, I'm not all that surprised. For one, attending is frightfully expensive, and a lot of us (including yours truly) are freelancers, meaning that we pay our own way.

But there's more to it than financial considerations. Equestrian journalists are, on the whole, horse people, and some are getting fed up with what they see in some of the disciplines.

One common sentiment: "I've had it with endurance." This sport has come under fire in recent years, with numerous allegations of doping, injuries, and shady equine-welfare practices, much of it focusing on Middle Eastern competitors. A widely circulated photo of an apparently emaciated endurance horse at a FEI-sanctioned 160-km event in May provoked outrage.

The mess is political, too, as so many messes seem to be: One of the competitors and horse owners who has undergone scrutiny, Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, is married to Princess Haya, president of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI). Haya herself convened a task force to come up with ways to clean up the sport -- now that's gotta be awkward. Necessary, but awkward.

Classy move: Eventing competitor Nicola Wilson of Great Britain reassures Annie Clover as ring crew reassembles the show-jumping fence she refused. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

Now to eventing. I have an uneasy relationship with this discipline, at least at the top levels. On the one hand, as a former eventer myself, I have a fondness for the sport. A keen event horse loves his job and is a blast to ride, and event riders are the ne plus ultra of horsemen: They are down there in the muck with everybody else, they know every inch of their mounts, and their horse-management skills are superb.

On the other hand, eventing has always been a dangerous sport (ask me about the horses and riders who nearly drowned at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics). Sensibilities have changed in past decades, and the general public no longer tolerates reports of horse injuries or deaths; the advent of social media has a lot to do with that, of course.

Reacting to the outcry, the FEI has changed the makeup of top-level three-day events by removing the roads-and-tracks and the steeplechase portions of the cross-country phase. That's either a good thing or a terrible thing, depending on whose opinion you listen to. And xc fences are now constructed using frangible pins in an effort to reduce the number of catastrophic rotational falls. But course designers have to challenge competitors somehow, and so xc courses have become more and more technical -- almost like stadium-jumping courses set over natural terrain. The obstacles themselves are bearing less resemblance to traditional xc fences -- logs and gates and ditches and so forth -- and instead skew toward the weird, the wacky, and the super-skinny. (Check out Eventing Nation's 2014 WEG virtual course walk and you'll see what I mean.)

Some of these super-tricky courses seem not to have been designed with much tolerance for poor footing -- which we had in abundance at Haras du Pin at the WEG, so much so that wags dubbed the 2014 WEG xc "the Woodstock of eventing." When such veteran competitors as Olympic team gold medalist Phillip Dutton retire or are eliminated, is the course too difficult for the conditions, or are the horses insufficiently prepared, as some allege? I don't know the answer, but for some additional food for thought, read the award-winning British journalist Pippa Cuckson's column about Badminton 2014.

The other equestrian discipline featured during week 1 of the 2014 WEG was reining. I'd watched reining competition at the 2010 WEG in Kentucky, but before Normandy I'd never seen the warm-up. Let me preface this by stating that the top competitors I saw weren't engaging in questionable practices, but those of you who decry "rollkur" in dressage had better keep away from reining. Some horses' chins were on their chests. Post-sliding stop, some riders jerked the reins sideways -- why, I couldn't tell. One horse opened its mouth wide, in obvious pain, every time the rider touched the reins.

In the competition arena, one reining horse's front legs buckled so badly after it stopped that I (and other journalists) feared it might go down. And from the lesser competitors, the lack of a horse-rider connection was almost palpable: There was plenty of machismo and showboating for the audience, but not so much as a pat for the horse.

So although I dislike our sport's "dressage queens" and know that whenever an animal is involved the possibility of abuse exists, on the whole dressage and para-equestrian dressage are two disciplines that appear to be going in the right direction. The judging standard is increasing, meaning not only higher scores but a renewed emphasis on harmony between horse and rider. The brilliant, tense, explosive, non-halting tests of yesteryear no longer cut it.

I can't vouch for every single competitor at the WEG, but the top riders I talked to expressed concern for their horses' well-being and pride in their training. They're critical of themselves, happy with their mounts, and the scores and medals are secondary. OK, I know they weren't here for a fun outing, and these people have a mean competitive streak, but a sense of horsemanship comes through -- of not having lost sight of the reason they started riding in the first place.

WEG individual Grand Prix Special and Freestyle silver medalists Helen Langehanenberg and Damon Hill NRW of Germany. Photo by Jennifer Bryant.

As Grand Prix Special and Freestyle individual silver medalist Helen Langehanenberg said of her mount, Damon Hill NRW: "He has the best character someone can have. He’s absolutely honest and he’s the best.”

Langehanenberg thinks her horse is the best in the world. I happen to think my horse is the best in the world. And that's the way it should be. For if we don't love them and do our best for them, all the medals in the world are just so many pieces of meaningless tin.