Do you think this is unfair?

[flopsypop]

Yesterday we competed in prelim unaffiliated dressage locally. The person who won both the prelim classes was obviously a more than competent rider and her horse has medium points.

Does anyone else think this is unfair and the rider and horse should be entered into a class that fits their skill level?

[Soot]

They may have had a good reason for competing at a lower level? e.g. injury to horse or rider, time off work/riding, etc ...

If not ... then yes, very unfair!

[mikh]

I can see why it may be seem unfair, but I agree with Soot.

[Soot]

Around here, most unaff local shows explicitly forbid rider/horses with over a certain amount of BD points from competing in lower levels.

[lorna01]

If it was an Open class then there is nothing against them competing although I do think its quite unfair.

I was in a dressage series a few years ago and Penny Naughton was competing at prelim level, she won overall champion which was a tad unfair I thought (although I was only 2nd to her by 2 points lol(big head)

If it was me Id be competing HC to let the horse work but let everyone else have a chance.

[Bobbin]

I am assuming it was an open class? It is annoying when someone who clearly needs to be moving on from Prelim or is above that level is still competing at that level.

It is unfair and maybe they should have been competing HC but unfortunatly thats the way it goes.

At a recent competition there was a set of white chairs practically in the arena that were upsetting pretty much all of the horses but the organiser refused to move them when I asked. However I have since found out that when one of the two elementary entrants went it the seats were removed because the horse didn't like them. Hey ho, I would have done a much better set of tests had those chairs not been there as I am sure many others would have. Thats competing for you.

[Jane.A]

The horse may have been downgraded for a novice rider, in which case it may be eligible to compete at prelim. My friend's horse got to medium and her daughter now rides it at Trailblazers prelims, and doesn't usually win I might add.

[Drummer & Eli]

every prelim i have done i am competing with ones doing novice classes etc and they using the prelim to warm up :rolleyes: :) i compete to beat their scores each time :D lol only another 5 to 9% and i'm there and boy will i grin lol.im getting better was 15 to 20% lol

[newforest]

it could be a new rider/owner combination so competiting lower as new partnership

or lack of confidence, something has happened to horse or rider and not pushing themselves.

the rider doesn't own the horse, so although got points the rider is novice?

sometimes if something bothers you it's just worth asking the person why.

i got hot under collar once over something and it was simply that the rider was back in the saddle after a bad fall and horse was schoolmaster and giving them confidence. the fact they won is not important, i could be in their shoes one day.

[Brychen]

Hi it is a common problem, but as above it can help to tactfully ask the person concerned. if they are geunine they might be a bit embarrased but willing to explain, but if a pot hunter will throw a hissy fit! I had this happen in different circumstances where a pony turned up at MARC champ show which is generally entered/the domain of un reg show animals. This pony was a stallion and had won HOYs! he walked the show. I asked his owner about it and it turned out he had been very ill and nearly died the same year and she was slowly rehabilitating him and gettign him used to the shows again. I wouldnt have known if she hadnt told me.

[3mily]

we have come across this when people should so obviously be doing a highr level. how can they do cxlass 1 prelim then class 2 prelim then novice i think they should only compete hc if they want to use it as a warm up for their horse.

[nicolaj]

every prelim i have done i am competing with ones doing novice classes etc and they using the prelim to warm up

I've no objection to people doing this, but they should compete HC if they are clearly way above the class and give those who really are at prelim level a fair chance.

[coss]

if someone is competing borderline prelim/novice (ie they do the harder prelim if more than one prelim class, then do the easier novice if more than one novice) then i don't see the problem - they are obviously trying to stretch the horse and some horses will be so tense in the first test (ie the prelim) that they won't do it well anyway then they are more settled to do the harder test that the horse maybe struggles with more.
if a horse is medium level (with points) but the rider is not that advanced then the horse can be downgraded (new rider/horse combination) for affiliated. for unaffiliated it is down the venue to specify if appropriate classes should be chosen. there are times when a more advanced horse will be used for a novice rider which is fair. if both were more advanced it would be unfair though.

[Jane.A]

To do well in a prelim test your horse should be training and proficient at the level above, even if not ready to win. For instance my mare is now winning prelim on 70% plus, getting 65% novice but has started elem training at home. I expect her to reach the 70% mark at novice when she is more confident and proficient at the elem work. The idea is you compete a level below to give the horse confidence as when under the stress of competition you are asking them to perform at a level at which they are established. Nothing wrong with that, it's just good training and good competition practice. After all success breeds success.

[oinkmoooink]

There is also that BD is expensive, and the keep the horse ticking over, a lot of people will go to local shows to do the dressage, where they usually only have prelim and novice.
I dont really think its unfair, unless the horse is at advanced or PSG or anything, if most people are at that level, they wont want to do prelims anyway.

[CER1389]

Seeing as it was unaffiliated prelim, they're hardly going to be doing it to win prize money or points etc.

Seem's to me there was other circumstances that we aren't aware of. Either a new partnership, an injury thats meant time off etc.

It' not very curteous of the rider to compete without going H/C but I wouldn't say it's necessarily unfair. Katie Price is a decent rider, and her horse is schooled by a "top rider" and has points at higher levels....and yet no one complained that she entered an unaffiliated prelim test. Admittedly she didn't win, but is there any difference between her and the rider the OP was commenting on?