Published moments ago on the Globe and Mail’s website is this article by the intrepid and extremely horse sport-friendly reporter Beverley Smith, in which she quotes Akaash (you remember, that well-spoken fellow who used to be the Fearless Leader of EC and who knows Mike Gallagher all too well) weighing in with his reaction to yesterday’s “Thank you FEI” statement from Mikey G that sneaked out of EC’s finely tuned publicity machine like a secret fart.
I’d also like to share something else with those of you who have been following this sorry tale of the Federation That Failed: a COC statement regarding a Canadian boxer who lost a protest yesterday here in London. Click here to see how some sporting bodies in Canada manage to find a way to get behind their athletes at a moment of injustice, instead of throwing them under a double decker bus.
Quick bit of news on Eric and Ian so far today: Eric’s day is over. Derly had three rails, which puts him well out of the top 20. Ian is one of a clump of riders who had a single rail over yet another course that I walked and concluded was unjumpable – only to watch five jump clear inside the time and four more to pick up just a time fualt. I don’t have a photo of number 4 where Star Power had his unlucky rail, but here is one of the next fence, which gave a few horses pause before they left the ground:
And here’s another one of the Medieval Times fence that impressed me not only with its full metal jousters but with the fact that the cups are at the very top of the standard:
And one more of me standing ‘under’ the last fence – one of three 1.60 m fences on the course:
Oh, and here’s a shot of the cover of today’s Daily Express, one of two British tabloids that ran photos of the Dutch dressage team on their front page coverage of yesterday’s British gold medal successes:
And finally, the one you’ve all been waiting for, a pictorial revelation of the flavour of crisps I chose to devour today:
Make sure you get to a TV to watch the live show jumping – CTV? OLN? I don’t know but I imagine you do. If you are at work, get appendicitis, get the flu, just get thee out of there and to a TV. We have been told that Nancy Wetmore is commenting extensively on Tiffany-Gate.
Hi, I have been reading your articles for sometime, and I want to thank you for how you are covering this issue. I am appalled at EC’s “statement” (suck up that it is!) – guess they might issue a new one if they find out that they definitely have WEG at Bromont in 2018??? Sickening.
A bit of an add on – just read the Globe and Mail article and Akaash’s statement. I never understood why he wasn’t still with EC and how the heck Mr. Gallagher got the job – this just proves it more. What kind of fascist dictatorship is the EC?? Do we, as members, have no say in who are representatives and “leaders” are??? Even more disappointed at this thought.
I was embarrassed to receive that punch-in-the-guts statement from EC the other day. Kudos to Akaash and Eric for speaking out!
Perhaps us regular grass-roots riders need to send our own statement to EC, that we are standing with our athletes and won’t be renewing our EC licences in 2013 unless the federation reverses it’s position. Hmmm?
Withholding renewal will only work if all the horse show management stand behind you and don’t require membership to calculate points. That would be a major revolt that could lead to change.
I agree and back up Eric 110%!! Good for him for taking a stand and for what Akaash said via the Globe and Mail.
I would love to take a stand against EC for this, but with the need for memberships for insurance purposes, perhaps we need to be heard in another way?
Equine Canada is totally gutless and they proved it with their statement. What a bunch of arse kissers. How can you not stand behind your top riders wearing our countries colors in a major competition like the Olympics? Instead you assholes just take it laying down and practically agree with the moronic abuse of a rule which cost one of our top riders her dream of competing at the olympics which she worked so hard to get to and practically cost our team any chance we had of medaling with no drop score availiable to the team. The total embarressment and heart break caused to Tiffany Foster at being DQ,ED FOR NOTHING MORE THAN A SCRATCH. This is a complete joke, but you at Equine Canada just take it in the ass and let these lot screw us hard and your statement leans more to you agreeing with the decision than to do the right thing and fight like hell for our team members, which i might add is your job you assholes.I don,t Blame Eric Lamaze for stating that he will not be availiable to the canadian team nor will any of his horses in the future until you dummies stand up for our rider who was kicked out of the olympics because of a scratch. Some team was scared of us and definately did not want us in the medals so the cronies in the corrupt FEI STOLE OUR TEAMS CHANCES , PLAIN AND SIMPLE IN A TOTAL MISUSE OF THE RULES FOR A HORSE WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE HYPERSENSITIVE, GIVING THE HORSE AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE. WHAT A JOKE AND MISUSE OF A RULE. I HAVE MANY TALENTED HORSES HERE WHO ARE EITHER AT OR COMING TO THE TOP LEVEL AND I WILL LET THEM RIDE FOR ANOTHER COUNTRY FIRST, RATHER THAN FOR MY OWN COUNTRY WHO HAS A GOVERNING BODY WHO IS GUTLESS. You should all be ashamed of your selves. THIS IS SICKENING. YOU BEST MAKE THINGS RIGHT. i HAVE SPENT 60 MILLION DOLLARS ON HORSES , BREEDING AND A STATE OF THE ART FACILITY AND AM SPENDING MORE AS TIME GOES BY. I EXPECT A RAPID AND MEANINGFUL RESPONSE TO ALL OF US AS TO WHICH WAY THIS WILL BE HANDLED, equine canadas future is on the line here. OWNERS, BREEDERS, FACILITY OWNERS AND MONEY PEOPLE IN GENERAL WILL NOT STAND BY AND LET YOU PEOPLE RUIN WHAT WE HAVE TAKEN SO LONG TO BUILD. iiEXPECT AN ANSWER WITHIN 72 HOURS OR MY HORSES WILL BE GETTING NEW PASSPORTS. I SUGGEST YOU MOVE QUICKLY AND YOU BEST MAKE MY FRIEND ERIC HAPPY. 72 hours, bye.
I am proud to say that i am an avid Eric supporter. What a wonderful loyalty and support he has shown for Tiffany.
also was estatic to see the article by Akaash which was so very well written.
I follow your blog religiously and was very upset by Akaash leaving EC (i still don’t fully understand what happened there, but probably never will).
I agree with Lyynn that we need to find a way to be heard that will be effective and that people will do (in numbers). EC has such control over all of us in that we are required to be members in order to be a part of the competitive world in our sport.
umm rolkur is ok btu a scratch on horse`s coronet is not peeps go look up rolkur and boycott FEI there were at elast 3 riders at Olympics using rolkur to train between classes