[ivy62]

I only started watching eventing about 8 or 9 years ago and loved the long format. It made sense why they did it the way they did. If that is the case, why did they change it?
This is a real curiosity question. I have heard rumors but what is the "real" story. Does anyone know?
Thanks

[horsecents]

The FEI did away with it and too many ULR drank the koolaid.

Didn't mean to be abrupt but that's it in a nutshell. Here's a link to past discussions on the subject:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/sh...of+long+format

[RiverBendPol]

Stupidity. Money. Greed.

[vineyridge]

Wayne Roycroft and the FEI sacrificed it to keep eventing in the Olympics.

[Ajierene]

To elaborate on what vineyridge said, it took to much land to hold the long format version and the sacrafice was made to keep Eventing an Olympic sport.

Even as the short format, there is trouble finding room for the event in the Olympics (this last Olympics a great case in point).

[ivy62]

Is that so important to be in the Olympics? Golf isn't and it is very popular...neither is tennis...I just think that to change an entire sport just for the Olympics is silly.. Why not just have a short format for the games?

[goodmorning]

Can they host the eventing competition at a place removed from the Olympics - I know they have done this with other events (skiing, I believe), so it is still an 'Olympic Sport' but can be hosted at a more-accomodating venue.

[beatrix potter]

Is that so important to be in the Olympics? Golf isn't and it is very popular...neither is tennis...I just think that to change an entire sport just for the Olympics is silly.. Why not just have a short format for the games?

@ivy62 - Golf and Tennis are Olympic Sports
Long Format also needed a slew of volunteers and what was never obvious with the long format was how many horses never got to one because they broke down in the preparations....you would be shocked.

@good morning - the Equestrian Disciplines are rarely ever held in the same city as the Olympics, in 2008 they were in Hong Kong when the Olympics were in Bejing.

[goodmorning]

So they couldn't find an appropriate place for the long-format? Forgive me for the questions if they have already been answered, I am just foraying into this scene and trying to familiarize myself with the 'history.'

[vineyridge]

Seems that there was no question of short format until the Chinese were awarded the games. I'm pretty sure Athens got the games before there was any glimmering of change in the format.

The Chinese had no experience at all with horse sports, no venues that had ever held eventing competitions, and even after promising, sent the horse disciplines to Hong Kong, which also had no history of eventing. Then too, the head of the FEI then seemed to be pretty much anti-eventing. There was, IIRC, some smoke about replacing eventing in the Olympics with reining, which is an indoor sport. Endurance requires a huge amount of land, and it wasn't changed for the WEGs.

London is planning to hold eventing in almost downtown London, when they have access to the great old long format sites like Badminton and Burghley and Blenheim.

The riders and PTB wanted eventing in the Olympics, and so the FEI gave in to pressures from many sides.

[horsecents]

What is bad is that the FEI no longer recognizes the long format AT ANY LEVEL.

I understand the Olympic situation, but to do away with it completely?

If you do a P 3 day long format, it only counts as a horse trial for FEI qualifications.

[The Centaurian]

Can they host the eventing competition at a place removed from the Olympics - I know they have done this with other events (skiing, I believe), so it is still an 'Olympic Sport' but can be hosted at a more-accomodating venue.

I think they already do this. For example, the equestrian sports were held in Hong Kong at the Beijing Olympics.

In London, the equestrian sports will be held in the city, and I think the horses were reasonably close to Atlanta, but having the horses that close is pretty unusual.

There are still long-formats, just not at the FEI level. http://www.longformatclub.com/

[ivy62]

I satnd corrected tennis is an Olympic sport but golf is not. I do not understand why the facce of an entire sport would change just because of the Olympics. That still makes no sense to me...The sport has been around for a long time without this...
I am just confused at why..
Thanks for the input
horsesense- I tried to open the old articles, I joined the board a year later, and they are not there any more. I was lucky enough to see the long format at Rolex in 2004 and found it quite exciting....
Do the powers to be care about the other people in the sport.. the up an comers..I mean

[Ajierene]

So they couldn't find an appropriate place for the long-format? Forgive me for the questions if they have already been answered, I am just foraying into this scene and trying to familiarize myself with the 'history.'

With the Olympics hosted by China, they not only had to move the equestrian sports to Hong Kong and convert a golf course into a cross country course, they barely had the room for that!

The fact remains that there was a shove to take eventing out of the Olympics and the people in charge at the time thought that eventing needed to be in the Olympics and felt that the compromise was worth it. It is that simple - to hash out all the 'why's' of it is a pointless task since no one is in the heads of said people in charge.

What is bad is that the FEI no longer recognizes the long format AT ANY LEVEL.

I understand the Olympic situation, but to do away with it completely?

If you do a P 3 day long format, it only counts as a horse trial for FEI qualifications.

Logically, what is the point in recognizing a test that is not relevant to the higher levels. It is kind of like saying American football coaches should look at Rugby players as possible candidates - the two sports are very similar, but different enough that you cannot automatically assume that a great defensive lineman for Rugby would make a great defensive lineman for American football

*Disclaimer: the analogy is not exactly spot on and I don't know enough about the players positions of either sport so don't take it to much to heart*

Long format is great, but many have commented that what makes a great long format horse does not necessarily make a great short format horse, so the FEI sees no reason to recognize it as anything other than a horse trials.

[Ajierene]

I satnd corrected tennis is an Olympic sport but golf is not. I do not understand why the facce of an entire sport would change just because of the Olympics. That still makes no sense to me...The sport has been around for a long time without this...
I am just confused at why..
Thanks for the input

Eventing has been an Olympic sport since 1912. Not sure what you mean by saying the sports been around without 'this' (Olympics?). The first Three Day Event competition was held in 1902...so it was only around for 10 years before entering the Olympic venue.

The sport has also changed since 1902. It was originally 5 days long and started with an Endurance day, followed by a rest day. Then there was the stadium jumping day and the last day was dressage. The cross country portion that everyone loves was not in the original eventing format.

It was changed again in 1924 to take out the initial endurance day, change around the order to what it is today and change the steeplechase day to the new Endurance day with phase A, B, C, (halt) D, E (run on the flat).

In 1967, phase E was taken out.

Finally, the short format was created. It was used in the 2004 Olympics and FEI included their last one in, I believe 2005.

The penalty system has changed, various rules (such as the weight rule) has changed, etc.

The sport has constantly been evolving and this is just another evolution. Personally, I would like to see some people gather and attempt the original test that competitors did in 1902. Now THAT would be doing the real classic format.

[ivy62]

By "this" I meant the short format. I really enjoyed the long format and since it has been around as the long format why change it...I also think it is an easier way to know if a horse and rider are fit enough to do it. That is a whole other thing.
Have competitors given up about the long format ever coming back? I wish I had tried eventing as a junior, I probably would have done it instead of H/J, now I am switching to dressage on a retired eventer that went through Intermediate. He is awesome!

[Ajierene]

Why it has been changed at the international level has already been discussed.

It has not actually 'gone away', however. The long format * (not called the Preliminary Three Day) is still strong. the 1/2 * (not called the Training Level Three Day) was developed in the early 90's (if memory serves correctly) and is going strong. Many venues are also developing a Novice Three Day, which has a lot of support. If these continue to expand, then the Beginner Novice three day is in the future and a Intermediate Three Day may also be in the future as well.

So the long format is not gone and if you and your horse can even jump 3' and are fit enough, you can enjoy competing in a long format event.

[ivy62]

I did not know this, it is wonderful news...Who is supporting it if the FEI is not? Will people desert the FEI for these types of events? Where do they have them, I would love to go and watch. Wish I could help out as a grounds person or something.

[yellowbritches]

The long format * (not called the Preliminary Three Day) is still strong.

Have to disagree with the prelim 3 day still being "strong". While it is still offered at places and being talk about how wonderful it is, the entries do not equate. There were 7 riders in my P3D at Midsouth. There were close to 40 in the CCI* (short format). There were also close to 40 in the T3D. I believe Galway had similar numbers (if I remember correctly, there were 12 in that P3D) and the same with Virginia in May. On top of that, the "press" the P3D gets is almost non-existent. In the COTH article after Midsouth, I don't think the P3D was was even mentioned, and if it was, it was a very brief mention. The CCI division got lots of press. The P3D also barely gets mentioned in any press from the USEA (as in results, interviews with competitors, etc), who is supposed to be a big supporter of the long format.

I am regularly amazed when an organizer holds a P3D, especially when they are not running a T3D (like VA). They have to do so much more to get that to happen...and for so very little support from the riders. So, no. We might talk like the P3D is going strong, but I really don't think it is as strong as we'd like to think. With numbers like that (especially compared to the CCI), we won't see it around for much longer. I know that if I was to continue with Vernon, I was going to do the CCI* instead of P3D this spring. My next horse will do a T3D, but a CCI* when they reach that level.

[Ajierene]

Have to disagree with the prelim 3 day still being "strong".

Aww....I was trying to be positive. The numbers in the T3D seem to be growing, which leads me to believe (hope) the numbers in the P3D will grow also, as some of those in the T3D move up.

As far as where to go for opportunities to watch, New York City is in Area 1, I believe, so going to the Area 1 website would be a great first step.