# Hickstead Commentary Mistakes



## Over2You (1 August 2010)

As much as I loved watching the four-days of coverage, I couldn't help but notice several big mistakes. James Fisher incorrectly stated on the first day that Pius Schwizer is the world number one. Eric LaMaze currently holds that title. Mike Tucker squeezed in a comment about Oki Doki, saying that he had died just the other day. More like a fortnight ago, Mike. Just before the King George today, the camera cut to a horse (a chestnut I think), and MT said it was Locarno. The horse clearly was NOT Locarno. Then, Fisher made another mistake at the end of today while referring to "Tina Cassan." If she and Graham had just got married a week or two ago, that would be an easy mistake to make. But, they have been married for quite a while now, so commentators should know better. 

For a professional team, mistakes like that shouldn't really be made.

Anymore thoughts?


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## 1life (1 August 2010)

Um, how about 'they are only human', 'live commentating is never easy' or 'let he without fault throw the first stone'.


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## bahumbug (1 August 2010)

Over2You said:



			For a professional team, mistakes like that shouldn't really be made.

QUOTE]

Absolutely agree, oh for the days of Raymond Brooks-Ward!
		
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## lar (1 August 2010)

Wouldn't really expect anything else from MT to be honest...

"interestingly enough"  followed by something totally not relevant is one of his favourites.

ALL Horse commentary seems to be plagued by commentators who want to tell us about the rider's 6th cousin  once removed rather than what is actually going on in the ring and explaining to the wider viewing public just WHY so and so rode a good round and so and so number 2 didn't.  Until we get THAT sort of commentary then we will NEVER get equestrianism back into mainstream coverage


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## badattitude (1 August 2010)

perhaps you should forward your comments to FEI TV and then they might be acted upon. A British girl called Gemma (?) commentated from Chantilly last weekend and she was very good. No mistakes that I noticed. And yes small mistakes can be made by anyone but these days with so much research tools online, perhaps not quite so many. I do not think commentary can be all about the way the course is ridden especially if the commentator is not familiar with the competitors/horses and some background information is good, as long as it pertains to the horse in the ring. I do not really understand why Oki Doki came up in the commentary, there was no need especially if the comments regarding him were not accurate.


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## Doris68 (1 August 2010)

Would someone pleeeeease tell MT that it is PERFORMANCE and not PREFORMANCE.  Likewise, it is PERHAPS and not PREHAPS!!  Drives me mad!!!!


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## Over2You (2 August 2010)

badattitude said:



			perhaps you should forward your comments to FEI TV and then they might be acted upon. A British girl called Gemma (?) commentated from Chantilly last weekend and she was very good. No mistakes that I noticed. And yes small mistakes can be made by anyone but these days with so much research tools online, perhaps not quite so many. I do not think commentary can be all about the way the course is ridden especially if the commentator is not familiar with the competitors/horses and some background information is good, as long as it pertains to the horse in the ring. I do not really understand why Oki Doki came up in the commentary, there was no need especially if the comments regarding him were not accurate.
		
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I wrote to Eurosport months ago regarding Richard Vaughan and Sara Rust, but all I got was the usual type of reply - that my comments would be passed onto the commentary department. Nothing came of it and Vaughan still makes all kinds of mistakes while Rust sits idly by not correcting him. Loved it when he said the Beijing/Hong Kong Olympic champion was Albert LaMaze and that Michel Robert was 51! 

I can't really think of a current outstanding equestrian commentator. I like Ian Stark in eventing - he is often entertaining and gives a knowledgeable insight into the sport. Corrine Bracken is a wealth of information regarding British horses and riders. However, she doesn't have that much to offer about international riders and horses. Also, Richard Davison is pretty solid in dressage. Commentary is usually a heck of a lot better when they have guests. Like during Badminton when riders popped in and out before and after competing. Tina Cook was brilliant! I also thought Peter Churchil had retired until I heard him a few weeks ago commentating from La Baule. Talk about dire!  He might know a lot about horses and the sport, but should NEVER, EVER (under any circumstance) be let near a microphone! Steven Wilde is slowly improving, as is Phil Ghazala. I do wish we'd hear more of Steve Hadley and Nick Brooks-Ward. They are about the best in show jumping these days.

All MT said about Oki Doki was that he'd passed away the "other day." Nothing about his tendon injury, surgery or the septic shock. If he'd said it when a Dutch rider was on, then fair enough to tell the viewers about the country's former equine superstar . But, he said it just as a German (?) rider was about to finish. I would need to watch it again to give you the precise details, but his timing was all wrong and didn't give Oki Doki the full respect he could have given him. 

How I agree with bahumbug - we NEED another Raymond Brooks-Ward! May he R.I.P.


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## BBH (2 August 2010)

Andy Austin commentated at last years Hickstead and it was littered with mistakes but he doesn't get away with it because his delivery is so dull. Same with the Europeans, boring, boring boring. Its the same as on the arena you need some personalities to inject some enthusiasm. Although MT makes mistakes at least he is an institution and has some life about him.

The commentator I liked was the guy actually doing the commentary at the Europeans in the arena. I think SJFAN said it was Nick Brooks Ward. Lively, accurate, authoritative and a good strong delivery.


I do agree that we haven't yet found someone who fits the bill but what about the lady that won the grandstand competition, give her a chance.


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## burtonse (2 August 2010)

andy austin drove me mad during the nations cup continually saying about how stallions cant concentrate every time one had a fence down. make the comment once then move on to something else!

having said that, generally i thought the sky coverage was very good.


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## Clarew22 (2 August 2010)

Firstly have to say I was just grateful Hickstead got such great coverage from Sky so a big thumbs up to them.

But also found the commentators hard work, can't remember what day it was but a rider got unseated and was clearly caught up somehow and was hanging from the saddle and in danager of have a nasty accident being dragged, and I think it was AA who said something along the lines of he didn't know why he was trying to hang on it wasn't doing him any good   I may have muttered something rude at the tv


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## marble (2 August 2010)

I was fence judging at a local event on saturday, as usual help was hard to come by, so I was doing two fences, my usual No 1 and also No 2, this was not a problem as they are close together, and the course is wonderful, well done Tony Mcmahon, Ian Wilson (the owner)  Noel and all the others who presented quite beautifully, buttttttt the commentators were, how can I put it, a little on the dotty side, when you are doing two fences, you have to really concentrate, and about a third of the way through things started to get a bit erratic, I knew no 90 had not jumped my fence, or at least thought she had not,.....panic set in when the commentators had her jumping fences 4, 5, 8 etc etc, rushed out of jeep, ran like mad to start, "did number 90 start" no. This happened at least three times, good for exercise, not good for heart and blood pressure, so no matter what level, the commentating is at, please try and be accurate.......


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## Maesfen (2 August 2010)

Please, just think yourselves very lucky that you had any coverage at all.  We don't have Sky, I would have given my eye teeth to have been able to watch it and if the commentators annoy you so much then grab the mute button or perhaps have a go yourself and see how easy it isn't.
Stop rubbing it in that you were able to watch it please, it hurts.


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## LauraBR (2 August 2010)

Didn't see enough of the SJ to comment but I really enjoyed Tina Cook's commentary during the Eventing Grand Prix, thought she did a brilliant job!


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## bahumbug (2 August 2010)

LauraBR said:



			Didn't see enough of the SJ to comment but I really enjoyed Tina Cook's commentary during the Eventing Grand Prix, thought she did a brilliant job!
		
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I always enjoy Tina's BBC stuff, she does it very well, natural and informed - and fun!


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## badattitude (2 August 2010)

I believe the reason many commentators in showjumping are weak is that it is a sideline for them not a full time job so at some shows they just have to commentate on half a dozen classes and the rest of the time you would like to think they did some preparation for that but i expect they take time to work on their other businesses like horse dealing. 
I think it is preferable for a commentator to say that he is a little ignorant of the facts about a certain horse or rider than to waffle on about nothing, blame the horse when a mistake is made (Steven Hadley  in Aachen must have said a dozen times "well the horse didnt help him/her out there) or make mistakes about the horse, rider, owners, winnings and just about anything else. Someone mentione Peter ?? he is really quite good but most of the others drive me to distraction. Sky are doing a great job but I do not think they really understand commentating on horse sport. There are some excellent ring commentators in France, Holland and Germany for one thing and it seems to me the only reason they are not asked is because they do not have a British accent, which is a great shame. Especially as we are hardly world leaders where showjumping is concerned these days.


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## Over2You (2 August 2010)

Maesfen said:



			Please, just think yourselves very lucky that you had any coverage at all.  We don't have Sky, I would have given my eye teeth to have been able to watch it and if the commentators annoy you so much then grab the mute button or perhaps have a go yourself and see how easy it isn't.
Stop rubbing it in that you were able to watch it please, it hurts.
		
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When you have had many years experience and are being PAID to do it, then I think you should be a lot more polished than what was demonstrated at Hickstead. I am not paying my subscription fee for a below par job. It is the same in many walks of life. If you are paying for a service, then it should be done competently and professionally. If during Wimbledon, the BBC had cut to Rafa Nadal and said it was Roger Federer, do you really think nothing would be said? Or if they incorrectly stated that Andy Murray was the world's number one tennis player? I don't think they would have gotten away with that either.

I am extremely grateful to Sky for as much coverage, but they really need to get the commentary sorted out.


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## bahumbug (2 August 2010)

Over2You said:



			If you are paying for a service, then it should be done competently and professionally. If during Wimbledon, the BBC had cut to Rafa Nadal and said it was Roger Federer, do you really think nothing would be said? QUOTE]

Absolutely agree! I wonder if the broadcasters don't pay very much, or not at all, or what? 

And ref previous post there is a distinction between event and media commentary, they're different jobs, demand the same level of accuracy though....lol
		
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## Tinks81 (9 August 2010)

oh come on but they should know that Ben maher is not having a hip replacement and that the day of the speed derby my horse had not been around that ring that morning - in fact it was the day before there was no class that morning !! 

It really did annoy me also that they knew not a lot about each horse going round i mean they knew who was in it for 2 days !!


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## BBH (9 August 2010)

Yes I agree, lack of information  / preparation can only be laziness really as in the times of the internet, and early start list availability etc there is no excuse not to be a bit better informed. And these are people supposedly in the industry who should know more anyway.

I really think SKY / BBC need to re think the current crop of commentators before the Olympics. There are too many errors with British rider and horse combinations never mind the others on the world stage.  

I can only assume the people doing it think they'll get away with winging and blagging it but in reality the audience can be pretty discerning and glaring mistakes are not so easily forgiven.


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## LynneB (10 August 2010)

it really makes you appreciate the commentators in the World Cup who have so many  new names from new countries etc to learn, yet their commentary is faultless and at such fast speeds. If only the equestrian commentators put as much preparation into their own jobs.  I really hate it when they call a mare "he" all the way around a course and yes Stephen Hadley, I am looking at you lol


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## BBH (10 August 2010)

I really hate it when they call a mare "he" all the way around a course and yes Stephen Hadley, I am looking at you lol Quote


Ha Ha at least he gave the horse a gender. AA this year called Bob Le Cob ' that thing' during the Eventers grand prix.


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## Over2You (14 August 2010)

Grrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just watched the Valkenswaard leg of the Global Champions Tour. When mentioning Oki Doki's death, Mr. Vaughan said "it had to be put down." It? I absolutely hate it when commentators do that, and he does it about 100% of the time! I do wish Eurosport would get rid of that idiot!

Congratulations to Laura Kraut and Cedric - a brilliant and well deserved win.


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## badattitude (15 August 2010)

Yes, I also watched this. And it is on many websites including the FEI, that poor Oki was NOT put down, he died on the way to the clinic. This sort of mistake is not forgivable.


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## tzinga5 (17 August 2010)

The mistakes are a bit annoying but I'm not sure I'd be able to do a better job...tricky business commentating.:-/


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## measles (17 August 2010)

Mike Tucker is absolutely awful and I often turn the sound off if he is commentating as he makes so many mistakes.   He's the same if commentating on eventing which is his bag.

Stephen Hadley was great because he could spot and summarise what was actually going on in the ring.


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## BeckyX (17 August 2010)

This has happened to me before and i am like *cough* Little GIRL Blue *cough* !!!!


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## bahumbug (17 August 2010)

When I was living in Oz Lucinda Green was reporting and she was awesome. .. couldn't believe she was 'too posh' for the BBC. There's a lady who really knows her stuff and does her research - I remember when she had a Brit girl as co-commentator for the Olympic dressage - what a class act and so funny.  Your loss obviously (amd mine now) how bally shortsighted of the Beeb.


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## Seahorse (21 August 2010)

The BBC do have proper event riders commentating at Badminton for the XC


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## Over2You (22 August 2010)

Seahorse said:



			The BBC do have proper event riders commentating at Badminton for the XC
		
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That is true, but Badminton has been the ONE and ONLY equestrian event they have covered this year! When they do SJ (which is a very rare occurrence these days), it is almost always Mike Tucker. We all know how many blunders he's been responsible for. 

I would also like to share with you all, the e-mail I sent to Eurosport regarding Oki Doki: 

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am contacting you regarding your equestrian commentary team. Richard Vaughan makes mistake after mistake. He also has the most annoying habit of calling the horses inanimate objects. The most recent and unforgivable instance of those mistakes was during the Valkenswaard leg of the Global Champions Tour (shown on 14/8). When mentioning the death of Oki Doki (one of show jumping's most famous and much loved horses), he said "it had to be put down." This is completely wrong. Oki Doki was NOT put down. He died on the 21st of July of septic shock in the abdomen on the way to a veterinary clinic. To give more detail: Oki Doki injured a tendon during competition in Cannes in July. He underwent surgery and was recovering well at home. He unfortunately developed complications and had to be rushed to a veterinary hospital in Berne (Switzerland), but he did not make it and died in the trailer. That information is all over the internet and is well know within the sport. Please pass it onto Vaughan and Sarah Rust.

During your coverage of the San Patrignano Horse Show (11/8), when Jose Larocca was competing, neither Vaughan or Rust knew where Larocca was based. If they had just done a little bit of research online, they would have discovered that his stables are just outside Geneva. I already knew that information and was shouting it at the television.  

I could give more examples of Vaughan's errors, but that would be one extremely long list.

It should also be noted that this is not the first time I have contacted you about this most unprofessional and ill-researched commentary team. I did so months ago, but clearly nothing has been done.

Please do something this time and ensure the commentary department gets a copy of this e-mail.

Thank you.


I sent it almost a fortnight ago and am still waiting on a reply.


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