Yes! Only Indoors for World Cup Qualifiers – read all the details from Chairman of the Board Bernie Traurig

New Committees Forming – see how you can nominate and participate in voting for the new hunter, jumper & equitation committees


May 1, 2007

Yes! Only Indoors for World Cup Qualifiers

West Coast World Cup Riders Meeting
On March 29th of this year the World Cup riders on the west coast had their annual USEF meeting. In this setting they have the opportunity to discuss how to improve equestrian sport via voting on the parameters of the World Cup Qualifying classes. Their recommendations are then presented to the National Jumper Committee who makes a recommendation to the USEF Executive committee who, after discussion, reports their final decision to the FEI.  

In the past these west coast World Cup riders made recommendations to the Jumper Committee to add or delete World Cup classes and have successfully developed an amenable schedule of qualifiers.  HITS, Inc. Thermal holds four World Cup Qualifiers in a large outdoor arena while the other eight qualifiers are held in indoor settings.  For several years riders have expressed concerns that outdoor venues were not the best preparation for finals held in small indoor arenas. They know the importance of indoor preparation for small venues such as Las Vegas and all the riders are very aware that the Europeans compete indoors for months prior to the Finals.  So on March 29th, 2007 the riders voted almost unanimously for the west coast World Cup Qualifiers to be held only “indoors”.
 
The Footing
The footing issue in Thermal was addressed via a phone meeting between Tom Struzzieri and Bernie Traurig, Chairman of WCAR, days prior to the March 29th World Cup Riders meeting.  Tom made a number of personal assurances both verbally and in writing. Bernie read the email with Tom’s response to everyone present at the Rider/Manager meeting at the Oaks on March 28th.  It states “the Grand Prix Ring footing will be addressed to meet the standards of a rider representative, as early as October 2007.”  The World Cup riders were aware of those assurances when they voted for all qualifiers to be held “indoors”.  

Jumper Committee Meeting
The Jumper Committee met and decided to put both HITS, Inc. Thermal and Stadium Jumping Inc. WEF on notice that qualifying classes for next year will be subject to a footing inspection by a USEF Technical Delegate in the fall of 2007.  Although this was a positive decision, the west coast World Cup riders indoor venue request appeared to be misunderstood, creating strong disappointment from the west coast.
 
As advocate for these riders, West Coast Active Riders (WCAR) contacted the National Jumper Committee immediately after their decision to not uphold the indoor venue request and asked them to revisit this specific issue.  WCAR Chairman of the Board Bernie Traurig believed there was some confusion about the focus of the west coast World Cup riders vote. Although footing was discussed, the vote was not about footing.  As stated earlier, the vote at the March 29th meeting was practically unanimous for all qualifiers to be held “indoors”.  
 
Larry Langer, co-chairman of the National Jumper Committee responded favorably to revisiting the “indoors” issue and invited Traurig to be a guest speaker at the next meeting. After representing what the riders actually voted for and their reasons for such, the National Jumper Committee voted unanimously to uphold the requests of the World Cup Riders and forward their recommendations to the Executive committee.  Miscommunication resolved and request upheld!
 
HITS, Inc. President Tom Struzzieri stated that he would respect the vote of the west coast riders for all “indoor venues” if it were in the best interests of their performance in the finals WCAR believes HITS will create an indoor venue in Thermal quite possibly in time for the upcoming World cup qualifiers next year.

West Coast Active Riders
West Coast Active Riders seeks to represent our owners, riders, and trainers to the show jumping industry with a united voice.  We are currently creating equitation, hunter, and jumper committees that under our umbrella will assist in our representation endeavors.
 
As the only organization of its kind that supports, educates and promotes show jumping for riders of all levels competing in the western United States, WCAR feels strongly that it is crucial that management, riders, owners and trainers work together for our sport to improve and flourish.   WCAR thanks the National Jumper Committee for reconvening and respecting the desires of the World Cup Riders.