Our office has had a large number of emails regarding the continuing issues surrounding selection for events such as the World Games and Olympic Games - most have agreed that things have to change and quickly, if we are seriously intending to field a showjumping team at WEG in August 2006 - sadly all have said that they would not be comfortable having their letters published as they suspect it may impact on any future selection dreams they may have and this I find sad!

I do NOT suggest that these people are correct that they would be overlooked but it is significant that they FEEL this way - that feeling must come from somewhere!

But having said that I would have to say that perhaps the showjumping fraternity in Australia need to step back and take a long hard look at themselves - apathy is what kills any sport and it is all well and good to talk of poor administration but I wonder how many Equestrian Federation of Australia members actually bother to vote at either State or National elections - and where is the "new blood" who are prepared to stand for election?

It is time some of the EFA "power brokers" step outside of Australian shores to see how things are done in the Northern Henisphere - but NOT at International level - they need to visit the National Shows and see the standards there in both Senior and Young Rider ranks - it is at the National level we need to improve before we think about stepping up to International level!

It is no longer good enough to send "the best we have" in Australia - we need to send riders who are seriously competitive! We have the quality of riders and we can no longer use the excuse that we don't have the horse power - what we don't have in Australia is a management and system which is working towards improving our standards.

Anyone wishing to state an opinion is welcome to email us by clicking here - if you do not wish your name used that is fine but you must put your full name and address on the email with a note to say that you do not want it used - we will honour those brave enough to state an opinion either way on this discussion.

From Vicki Roycroft.........

Hi Russ,

Firstly many thanks for taking the time to give me such a detailed reply, but I think you've missed a lot of my points!

1. I'm not the only one who was 'aggrieved' by the Armitrano selection. I genuinely feel that the majority of the knowledgeable Australian (and international) showjumping riders, owners and coaches felt the same.

Comments such as those of Leopoldo Palacious "What? That boy? On that pony? And not Andrew? What are your Selectors thinking?", and at the Games themselves, the comments from people who knew of both combinations was downright embarrassing.

2. I'm not suggesting for a moment that anything has been done in an underhand way. I know that everybody who is put in a job is trying to do that job to the best of their ability, it's just that the people there for that selection weren't, frankly, knowledgeable enough, and now we still have three of the same people. Sure, the criteria etc. has been freely available, but I haven't had time to read it (I know, I know, that's my stupid fault!), but that doesn't mean it was right! It wasn't a job I was exactly going to apply for, but I guess I will, sooner or later! But on the current criteria, I will never be eligible... As I said in my last paragraph (did you read it?) apathy abounds.

3. One small side issue. CAS, as I think you'd be familiar with, ONLY decides the legality of whether a decision had followed the correct criteria, and NOT on the merits of the players. Put simply, if the
Selectors had picked you on a D Grader ahead of Andrew and MR BURNS, CAS has no right to change that decision as long as the correct criteria for selection had been followed. To use that as a justification for the Armitrano decision is a tad poor.

4. I am interested to know what coaches I have had 'strong disagreements' with over the years. Mind you, I have 'strong disagreements' with lots of people, so what's new! Over the last 10 years, our National Coaches have been Jamie, Alexa, Rod and Albert Voorn, and the only one I didn't agree
with entirely was Albert, because we had slightly different ways to my own, but I know he was always totally supportive of having me in a team. On the reverse side, there are a few of our Elite riders at this time who I have had 'strong disagreements' with over the years, but as the Chef and the Coach can attest particularly in one case, one of these would be one of the first people I would have in a Team because of his incredible strength in a Team situation.

So I think you, and the Federation, are way over simplifying, this supposed 'conflict of interest' stuff. Like I said in Para 6, if Rod was there, and he continues to go well on BURNS, he steps down, and an elected/appointed alternate takes his place, just like what happened in 2000.

5. This is sort of my representation to National Council to change things. I know it's about 4 months too late, but I really thought that something would have changed. I thought that Gareth, who I believe wrote the criteria, and a guy for whom I have always had a lot of respect, would have done a better thought out job, but he was soon to be out of here, so who thinks things through in that situation?

You speak about the poor standard of jumping here. One of the reasons is the poor standard of administration. I know the people involved are doing the best job they can, and most of them are people I like very much, but the facts are, the sport is in a bad state. Streamlining National Councils to get away from the ghastly state biases, as has happened with the Federal Committee, just might be a first step, but that would make this way too long.

Thanks for reading most of my letter.
All the best,
Vicki Roycroft