The Canadian Eventing Short List, Long List and How It Actually Works for The 2012 London Olympics
| January 11, 2012 | Posted by Patricia under 2012 Olympic Games - London |
Bring on the Olympics! photo by Lindsay Kellock
Earlier on Facebook, I saw a few people congratulating Canadian riders because they were “short-listed for the Olympics” Wohooo! Exciting. London, here we come!
I immediately went “Uh? That can’t be right”. Because my company, ECOGOLD, makes the saddle pads for the Canadian Eventing Team, we get the “team” lists for international competitions immediately – even before they are released publicly. Of course, we must keep them confidential. The reason we get the lists early, is to give us enough time to produce special saddle pads for the riders that have custom saddles (Rebecca Howard for example). The saddle pads are delivered at the final training camp – so we don’t know who makes the final cut (our job is done by then) but we know the long list of 8 or 9 riders.
As I suspected, the list that was posted on the Equine Canada site – 2012 National Team List has nothing to do with the Olympics, but is the annual High Performance Short and Long List of riders, which was approved on November 30, 2011. You will see this list every year – it doesn’t matter if it’s an Olympic year or not.
The Short List consists of horse/rider combinations which have proven by their results at 3* and 4* competitions, their potential to successfully represent Canada as an individual and a team member. To become Long Listed, a horse/rider combination must have shown through their performance, the potential to become a short listed team member. Normally, the long list represents combinations at the 2*-3* level. You can find the criteria to become a short and long listed rider here.
Ok, so how does it work for the Olympics? Here’s the Canadian Eventing High Performance criteria for the London Olympics:
Canada plans to send a team of five horse/rider combinations to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games. The top three scores count for a team medal.
Criteria for selection
The rider must have been born during or before 1996 and horses must be a minimum of eight years of age.
All horses/riders who take part in the 2012 Olympic Games must achieve the following minimum eligibility standard:
- one FEI qualifying result at a CCI 4*
- one FEI qualifying result at a CCI 3* plus one FEI qualifying result at a CIC 3*
An FEI Qualifying Result is
- Dressage Test: Not more than 75 penalty points (not less than 50% of good marks) is achieved by completing the above competitions within the minimum parameters of an all round performance as follows:
- Cross-Country Test: A clear round (0 penalties) at CIC events and maximum 20 penalties at obstacles at CCI events
Not more than 90 seconds exceeding the optimum Cross-Country time. At 4 Star events, the maximum time by which the optimum time may be exceeded is 120 seconds
- Jumping Test: not more than 16 jumping penalties
First Step – Riders need to Declare
To be selected, riders had to declare by filling out the Equine Canada – Canadian Eventing Olympic Games Competition Application and send it in by 5 pm on December 1, 2011. Then, they have to pay the application fee of CAD $450 per athlete by 5 PM ET Friday, January 20, 2012. The fee is per person – a rider declaring 3 horses only has to pay $450.
So all riders that want to go to the Olympics have already declared, but they haven’t paid their fee yet.
Both Canadian Eventing and Jumping Canada do not make the Declared Rider Lists public. Dressage Canada does (don’t ask me why DC does and not the other two…).
Team Training Sessions
All North American based riders who have declared their intention to the EC/CEHPC for the 2012 Olympic Games may be invited to participate in team training sessions during the spring of 2012 – which will begin in February in Ocala, Florida.
Who Picks the Team?
Four selectors are chosen by the Equine Canada/Canadian Eventing High Performance Committee and ratified by the Elite Riders Association (basically, the short and long-listed riders). The riders elect two representatives to sit on the Canadian Eventing Committee and two members to sit of the CE High Performance Committee. In reality, the selectors have already been picked – it’s the same 4 that selected the teams for the 2011 Pan Ams and 2010 World Equestrian Games.
In making their decisions for the 2012 Olympics, the Selectors will consult the EC International Technical Advisor (= David O’Connor) and in case of a tie amongst the Selectors, a tie shall be broken by David O’Connor.
Boldness -> Check! photo by Calina
What criteria will the selectors take into account to pick the Canadian Eventing Team for the 2012 Olympic Games?
BOLDNESS – Does the horse/rider combination move forward with confidence, aggression, and vigor demonstrating a positive attitude? When presented with a question (any situation that the horse/rider must answer to successfully negotiate the test. e.g an obstacle, change of terrain, handling crowds, jumping into water etc) does the horse/rider combination answer the question with the same positive attitude?
RIDEABILITY – Does the horse exhibit in all three tests – dressage, endurance and show jumping – that it reacts readily to the aids (directions) of the rider as a result of his training? Does he move forward, slow down, turn, and jump any obstacle with composure, obedience, and confidence in himself and the rider?
SPEED – Is there evidence that in the international record of the horse/rider combination, and in the 2011/2012 Qualification competitions that the horse/rider combination shows the ability to complete the 2012 Olympic Games Eventing competition distances at the speed demanded?
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE – Is there a competitive record over the past 2-3 years that indicates that the horse/rider combination has successfully met the challenges of FEI International events, demonstrating an ability to perform under pressure consistently?
FITNESS – Has the horse competed at a high level more frequently than is consistent with delivering a peak performance at the event for which selection is being made? Has the horse demonstrated in training the modicum of preparation necessary for preparedness for the rigors of the event for which selection is being made?
Selectors may give primary consideration and greater weight to performance in Four Star competitions.
Timeline - When will we know who’s on the team?
The CEHPC Olympic Games 2012 qualification period extends until June 17, 2012. In reality, the last outing for qualification will be the Bromont Three Day Event on June 9-12 2012.
Not later than June 20, 2012 a list of five rider/horse combinations will be selected. This list will be nominated by Equine Canada to the Canadian Olympic Committee by the deadline for final definite entries: July 4, 2012.
Final Training Camp – 1st Week of July
North American based riders named to the 2012 Olympic Games Eventing – Definite Entries and the named alternates will participate in the Final Training Camp prior to departure for the Olympic Games. The final training camp will be at the beginning of July in North America – either in Ocala or Virginia (it hasn’t been determined and will depend on the footing).
What is also up in the air, is whether the short-listed riders + alternates will go to England and run a last event in July or if they will stay in North America until July 16-17.
Voilà. That’s how it’s going to work for London – so we all have to be patient and wait until June for the actual list of riders short-listed for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Oh, and if you want a little scoop – Jessie Phoenix has declared Exponential and Pavarotti, Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch has declared Port Authority and Diana Burnett has declared Shigatzi, Manny and Diamond Cut III for the 2012 London Olympics Games. Let’s keep those ponies sound, Canada!!!
Is it 5 riders selected? Or 4 for the team and an alternate? Just curious.
Thanks for the awesome information!!
Read the full 8 pages and answered my own question – maximum 5. Got it