In a column for American equestrian publication The Chronicle of the Horse" U.S. Dressage Team Technical Advisor Anne Gribbons wrote frankly about her Olympic experience and how the U.S. is lagging behind in the development of the dressage sport.
"I like my job, but since the day I accepted the U.S. Equestrian Federation position as technical advisor to dressage almost three years ago, I wasn’t looking forward to the Olympic Games. Our lack of depth in the big tour loomed large, and short of manufacturing new combinations out of thin air, the prospects weren’t looking good. Things did not improve as time went by, comparing what we had at home to what was happening overseas. If there had been an option to sit this one out, I would have suggested it."
Gribbons believes the root of our problem to be the lack of depth and "how we go about promoting the horse/rider combinations we would like to field on our team. I bet anyone who is well informed about American dressage would have a hard time giving me even four names of combinations they expect will represent us in Normandy (France) two years from now [at the World Equestrian Games]. Ideally, we should be able to name 10 right off the top of our heads. That’s never happened here yet, but we’ve been stronger in the past."
Read the compete column on The Chronicle website.
Photo © Astrid Appels