# Zoe Williams Spiteful Piece in Guardian



## combat_claire (1 August 2012)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/lon...ips-olympic-silver-eventing#start-of-comments

If there was a gold medal for spiteful vitriol then Ms Williams would win the gold medal. If she had criticised Louis Smith in the same way then she would have been slaughtered. Seems like equestrianism is an easy target for poor journalism.


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## lottiepony (1 August 2012)

They really do know how to do an amazingly bad job dont they?!? Bit like this one i found earlier:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...he-fabulous-quiet-of-the-eventing-arena.html#


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## Emilieu (1 August 2012)

Good god that was horrible to read. I wonder if she realises what a bitter, nasty individual she sounds! Horsey people don't do emotion? The girl who won silver individual could barely stop sobbing long enough to get her medal poor thing. 
Would have been a bit of an anti climax for the watching fans if the team had stood huffing and crying cos they hadn't won gold! 
Ahhhhh, that's made me so mad!


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## Miss L Toe (1 August 2012)

What a load of twaddle, I can't believe she is a professional journalist, it was more like something written by a fourth former running out of time in an GCE exam, have to admit I could not be bothered to read it all, life's too short.


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## stencilface (1 August 2012)

Christ, she really needs a good seeing to doesn't she - what spite!


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## MerrySherryRider (1 August 2012)

Miss L Toe said:



			What a load of twaddle, I can't believe she is a professional journalist, it was more like something written by a fourth former running out of time in an GCE exam, have to admit I could not be bothered to read it all, life's too short.
		
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This ^^^. 
I tried to read it and my eyes glazed over with boredom. I wonder if other sports are suffering too with the ill informed ramblings of journalists who should stick to crayoning cerebrally challenged articles for Heat magazine.

 This just reminds me why I stopped buying newspapers years ago.


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## Goldenstar (1 August 2012)

I actually liked it ,it is how we look from the outside you know .
You read her confusion in the article she fishing to understand wants going on you know where she coming from ( the guardian you know) so a actually  I thought all things considered if was interesting to read her view.
At least her assessment of the scoring was correct more than could be said for others.
We should not take our selves too seriously.
Dont get started on the plonker  from the BBC who asking TC about her Dad in that interview at that moment .


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## Miss L Toe (1 August 2012)

lottiepony said:



			They really do know how to do an amazingly bad job dont they?!? Bit like this one i found earlier:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...he-fabulous-quiet-of-the-eventing-arena.html#

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Absolute rubbish, who is that piece aimed at, not people who are royalists, not dressage fans, not serious olympic watchers, so who are the average Telegraph "sports" readers, was it in Sports.


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## woodlandswow (1 August 2012)

it just never does the sport any good after reaching the headlines last night, brings it back down to earth - 

Why cant they just be happy for the team, yes gold would have been great but the germans were better at the end of the day and deserved it - the brits are ALWAYS looking to fault and never to praise. - classic 

it is  the 4th medal won for team GB - thats better than all the other finalists who havent made them medals - there are loads of them - i havent seen any articles slaughtering tom daley and his partner for the 4th place they got..


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## Mickyjoe (1 August 2012)

Wow!! She's got some humungous chip on her shoulder, that's for sure.


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## Kat (1 August 2012)

What a mean spirited horrible article. And it isn't even well written! 

Nasty Nasty Nasty.


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## Rowreach (1 August 2012)

Goldenstar said:



			Dont get started on the plonker  from the BBC who asking TC about her Dad in that interview at that moment .
		
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Yup, and did you see the look she gave him at the end of the interview just before the camera came off her?  I hope he shrivelled up 

As for the article, it's the usual thing of someone trying to be funny and making themselves look a bit stupid imo


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## kal40 (1 August 2012)

What a miserable woman.  Loved MrsPyms comments


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## Kat (1 August 2012)

And the one in the telegraph is just lazy. Is it any wonder that our athletes (of all types) are not bringing home golds when they have to put up with such a lack of support from the media. If they do well they are nasty if they do badly they are nasty. If the athletes are emotional they are abused, if they aren't they are abused. Why can't any of the papers publish something celebratory??


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## Pasha (1 August 2012)

Not only spiteful and lacking any knowledge or research, it was one of the worst piece's I have ever read! Just reinforces why I don't buy the Guardian - complete load of rubbish!!!


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## Honey08 (1 August 2012)

I thought they were both very ignorant articles, almost laughable really.  They both obviously did absolutely no research at all, just thought they would scramble an article up out of the royal connection.  The really sad thing is, thats how the general public see dressage too.

Even the news at dinner time last night had to knock her and say that, despite winning the silver medal, it was actually her colleagues that won it really!!!  She had the third highest score of the team...  She came 8th in her first olympics!! 

All week our jounalists have sniped at our athletes - someone came fourth and all they could report was that they "failed" to get a medal, rather than that they battled through various heats to narrowly miss a medal...  Then they wonder why our athletes are not smooth and confident as other nations - its largely down to our press building them up to super heros that can't possibly live up to the hype, then smashing them back down when they don't.


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## NR99 (1 August 2012)

Love the reader's comment suggesting she has been spurned by a boy who opted for a horsey girl instead.

I suspect Miss Williams is one of our HHO trolls in her spare time, she is certainly well qualified in the bitter and twisted department.


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## mtj (1 August 2012)

Just read the piece by Stephen Moss in the Guardian Olympic section.   Hope they allow him to keep providing equestrian coverage after the Olympics.


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## Freddie19 (1 August 2012)

methinks the "lady" is jealous, mean spirited, badly written, and just spiteful.  Guardian now joins list of papers to avoid.......


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## tasel (1 August 2012)

Nasty, nasty woman... that really worked me up now!!!


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## Havannah (1 August 2012)

Dear fellow posters.

If you can spare the time I think we should all be posting our views on the websites of the papers concerned as well as voicing our concerns to BE.

The Eventing coverage was fantastic and I hope that both dressage and SJ benefit from the same number of TV hours and press coverage, even without the Royal interest. The Silver medal for team GB was equally fantastic and to have all our riders finish in the top 19 was truly remarkable.

To have it marred by inaccurate, ill-informed and amateurish reporting undermines all that has been so positive and impressive in our great sport and as knowledgable enthusiasts, riders and horse owners we owe to ourselves and our team riders to make our feelings known.

OK - I'm off my soap box! Apart from agreeing about the insensitivity and irrelevance of asking Tina about the sad death of her father (a racing great)!

Off to watch our rowers - come on team GB!


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## Doris68 (1 August 2012)

Gutter journalism.  Allthough the word "journalism" is hardly apt.


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## Slinkyunicorn (1 August 2012)

I would take the article more seriously if the journo concerned hadn't been to a public school followed by Oxford........


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## Tallante (1 August 2012)

I don't understand what you are all getting worked up about.

I think it was quite funny because of it's perspective.  Clearly written by an outsider, commenting on some of the more curious aspects of equestrian sport as they see it.

As for the royal-bashing; it's never nice, but they're used to it and know how to deal with it.  Compared to some of the vitriol often meted out in their direction I thought it was quite mild.

Lighten up.  You should never believe anything you read in the papers.


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## jessdarcy (1 August 2012)

What a horrible article!

So badly written too!


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## Tallante (1 August 2012)

ps:  loved the MK:IC dialogue.


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## WandaMare (1 August 2012)

Blimey what a horrible article, shocking how twisted and nasty she is. With all the investigations about the nasty tweets about Tom Daly I'm surprised this isn't considered equally menacing.

Some of the remarks are inappropriately personal and extremely unpleasant. Its worrying to think that the editors of these papers think our country are nasty enough to find this style of writing funny. 

I never buy newspapers anyway but will definitely be steering well clear of anything to do with the Guardian after reading this.


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## lagartijamick (1 August 2012)

Probably the most ignorant article i have ever read.


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## Allover (1 August 2012)

Stencilface said:



			Christ, she really needs a good seeing to doesn't she - what spite! 

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My first thought!!!


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## Fransurrey (1 August 2012)

I wonder if anyone has pointed out to these journalists that an Olympic standard road bike, for example, will cost upwards of £10,000, not to mention the training costs. So why is equestrianism singled out every time? Even running at a higher level requires quite a bit of financial outlay. I know a few keen runners (not Olympic athletes) and the money they spend on their shoes, supplements and gadgets would make your eyes water!

The article left a nasty taste in my mouth. Not surprised, though. I think quite a lot of the journalism during this Olympiad has been substandard.


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## Goldenstar (1 August 2012)

Tallante said:



			I don't understand what you are all getting worked up about.

I think it was quite funny because of it's perspective.  Clearly written by an outsider, commenting on some of the more curious aspects of equestrian sport as they see it.

As for the royal-bashing; it's never nice, but they're used to it and know how to deal with it.  Compared to some of the vitriol often meted out in their direction I thought it was quite mild.

Lighten up.  You should never believe anything you read in the papers.
		
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I thought I was the only one !!


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## Mike007 (1 August 2012)

Did I read an entirely different article to the rest of you? I quite liked it.


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## Rollin (1 August 2012)

Horrible article.  All the money in the world cannot turn you into an Olympic Equestrian - as those of us who DO ride know!!  Has anyone ever told this lady that eventing is the most dangerous sport in the world?  Riders get killed.  Being a Royal does not protect you from that.

I too dislike this sort of snobbery - I went to a very rough Sec. Mod. where most people left at aged 15 with no qualifications.  I did manage to obtain an MBA and purchased my first horse when I was in my 40's.

I am now the only breeder of Cleveland Bays in the whole of mainland Europe.  I will never compete as I am quite a nervous rider and take my hat off to people who do.


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## PolarSkye (1 August 2012)

I'm a little bit in love with MissPym (whoever she is) after reading her wonderfully ascerbic comments to this ridiculous article.  

P


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## Mike007 (1 August 2012)

kal40 said:



			What a miserable woman.  Loved MrsPyms comments
		
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Personaly ,I thought "Quarkandyogurt" has a better understanding of the sport.


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## Keen (1 August 2012)

Tallante said:



			ps:  loved the MK:IC dialogue.
		
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Me too!



WandaMare said:



			With all the investigations about the nasty tweets about Tom Daly I'm surprised this isn't considered equally menacing.
		
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Erm, seriously?!


I don't have so much of a problem with it, other than it 's all a bit obvious.  Often when the media happens to light on a topic you actually know something about, it comes across as inadequate, because journalists are generalists not specialists.  William's piece is supposed to be social commentary, not sports reporting.  The Telegraph article is space-filler.  If you want people to feel differently about your sport, tell them what's good about it.  But you can't deny the incredible expense involved, nor how arcane it must seem for the uninitiated!

BTW, the snipes you lot are making about this journalist being romantically snubbed and her own privileged educational background also sound a tad mean spirited!


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## NR99 (1 August 2012)

"But you can't deny the incredible expense involved, nor how arcane it must seem for the uninitiated!"

True, but that is also true of all Olympic sports, those competing don't just up and decide one day they will have a crack at the Olympics.  It takes years of training, expensive equipment, physios, psychologists etc etc for most of the disciplines.  They are elite for a reason.

This article does nothing but work negatively against normalising equestrian activities.  I was lucky enough to be there on test day last year, it was great to open up this fabulous sport to inner city children who know nothing of the process but were fascinated by these beautiful animals in action.

Having sat at Greenwich for the eventing dressage there were plenty of people in the crowds who clearly knew nothing about dressage, but were delighted to watch good sport.  Yes the American family beside me were pleased to be watching a royal compete, but so what. Why does that warrant the useless drivel written by Zoe Williams?

Before anyone jumps on me, this is just my opionion and contrary to some I am happy for others to disagree with me.  Though in the same vein I would not tell them to lighten up as I would respect their right to an opinion


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## Keen (1 August 2012)

NR99 said:



			"But you can't deny the incredible expense involved, nor how arcane it must seem for the uninitiated!"

True, but that is also true of all Olympic sports, those competing don't just up and decide one day they will have a crack at the Olympics.  It takes years of training, expensive equipment, physios, psychologists etc etc for most of the disciplines.  They are elite for a reason.
		
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Yes, no question.  



NR99 said:



			This article does nothing but work negatively against normalising equestrian activities.  I was lucky enough to be there on test day last year, it was great to open up this fabulous sport to inner city children who know nothing of the process but were fascinated by these beautiful animals in action.
		
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Which is great to hear -  our local riding school for being involved with a scheme with our local county council to subsidise lessons in a similar way.  But at £26.50 per 1/2 lesson for the unsubsidised, it is undeniably out of the reach of most.



NR99 said:



			Having sat at Greenwich for the eventing dressage there were plenty of people in the crowds who clearly knew nothing about dressage, but were delighted to watch good sport.  Yes the American family beside me were pleased to be watching a royal compete, but so what. Why does that warrant the useless drivel written by Zoe Williams?
		
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I don't know if it does - I suspect she thinks that we, on some level, have to face up to the fact that "some people are more equal than others", and that that is not really ok.


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## Daffodil (1 August 2012)

I'm surprised at the Telegraph printing such vitriol


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## mle22 (1 August 2012)

'Oh would some power the giftie gie us, to see ourselves as others see us' - Robert Burns


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## brighteyes (1 August 2012)

Oh dear, I think a horse might have bitten her once. How do you work up such obvious dislike for a sport and its fraternity?

Is she restricted to equestrianism or is she to be unleashed on all sports?

Amusing, if miles off the mark!


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## jessdarcy (1 August 2012)

Just read the Telegraph one too-How horrible and ignorant!!!


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## spottybotty (1 August 2012)

I think she is bitter and twisted because daddy didnt buy her a pony when she was a kid


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## TBB (1 August 2012)

Just wondered if the papers thought it was going to rain and sent the office juniors to cover the eventing as the more senior journalists wanted to stay dry? Because i would've thought that if you were a proper journalist, being sent to cover a sport you weren't familiar with, you would've done your homework beforehand or is it that with all the cutbacks the newspapers can't afford extra journalists and make do with the office cleaners? Is it any wonder, with reporting like that, that people not involved in equestrianism in any form think it elitist. Perhaps the governing bodies of the equestrian sports should send biographies of their stars giving details of how they got started and the hours they work to get where they are (2 jobs etc to pay for their horse) to the newspapers , although give the articles at the start of this thread some of them may not be able to fully understand the written word. It amazes me how the papers adore people from poor backrounds who were seen kicking a ball and given a contract worth a million at the age of twelve and refer to those who work their socks off to pay way in equestrian sport as toffs and snobs


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## Kat (1 August 2012)

Yep, I'm sure the likes of Beckham have far more personal wealth than any of our eventers, including Zara.


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## tasel (1 August 2012)

Kat said:



			Yep, I'm sure the likes of Beckham have far more personal wealth than any of our eventers, including Zara.
		
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The moment eventers start sporting WAGs... that's the moment I'll probably stop watching them.


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## Kat (1 August 2012)

Alice Fox-Pitt referred to herself and Mike Tindell and the WAGs on Radio 2 and then said or maybe HAGs...


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## tasel (1 August 2012)

Kat said:



			Alice Fox-Pitt referred to herself and Mike Tindell and the WAGs on Radio 2 and then said or maybe HAGs...
		
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Hags. Mwahahaha!!! Like the humor...


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## LauraWheeler (1 August 2012)

Couldn't read the whole article, My blood was going waaayyyyyyyy above boiling point 

If she thinks only rich people who don't have to work have horses She should come spend a day in my life  Also if she thinks horses are easy to ride she should come and ride horrid He's only a 12.2hh pony she must be able to get him going soooooooooooooo well if it's that easy.

And to attack the eventing team like that. What about Tom Daily or what ever his name is you know the diver. He didn't even win a medle and Rebecca adlington the swimmer only got Bronze in the race I saw her in. Oh and our cyclists didn't get a medle either. Why is no one attacking them.  
(Just to be clear I'm not attacking any of our athletes i'm just making a point. There is no way I could do what any of them do and I wouldn't even pretend I could from the comfort of my armchair)

Why can't people just be happy they won a medle. 

Ok and breath rant over.


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## tasel (1 August 2012)

Our cyclists now did get medals today... gold and bronze ;-)

Unfortunately, there are still people out there who think that riding is "to the manor born".

Those are also people who are completely out of touch with the equestrian world. Some people even think it's a posh sport just because of the more formal attire needed in competitions!!!


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## CatStew (1 August 2012)

Subject aside, what an awfully written piece of journalism.  The woman clearly doesn't know what she's talking about and tries to hide it using 'humour'.

This is one of the comments below the article:




			Zoe Williams (who went to the fee-paying Godolphin and Latimer school, followed by Lincoln College, Oxford), "trots" out the usual guff about "posh" riders, and yet Mary King (who the Graun should love, since she's a woman in her fifties, trouncing any idea of "ageism" or "inequality,") cleaned campsite loos, dug gardens and drove a butcher's delivery van to pay for her early horses. Her Olympic horse, Imperial Cavalier, is owned by Eddie Davies, who also owns Bolton Wanderers FC. But presumably it's acceptable for Mr Davies to pour millions into a "working class" sport, but unacceptable for him to cough up a few grand for a "posh" person's event horse?
		
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Hit the nail on the head.


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## toffeeyummy (1 August 2012)

Such a shame picking up the daily mail and seeing a huge picture of Zara Philips crashing through a fence. Why can't we celebrate the fact they won a silver medal for their country. I can only imagine these reporters are jealous.


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## Munchkin (1 August 2012)

toffeeyummy said:



			I can only imagine these reporters are jealous.
		
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No... they write what sells. And what sells, in this country & culture, is celebrating the failures of people we consider to be more privileged than us.

We do not live in a culture where we are encouraged to take responsibility for our own lack of success. Watching the Olympics, it is glaringly obvious the countries in which this attitude does NOT prevail! I bet they are not writing articles degrading their own medal-winning athletes, either.


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## JingleTingle (1 August 2012)

Really think you should all cop on to yourselves.  I agree both pieces were not the most scintillating bit of journalism I have ever read, but I found it quite amusing to see how the higher echelons of equestrianism are viewed by those who have no personal experience of the horse world.

I find all the anguish and shock horror, toe curlingly embarrassing actually. I think the equestrian world and H&H in particular takes itself FAR to seriously and that self satisfied, smug, do NOT have the temerity to criticise my sport, is what ultimately leads to the sort of viewpoint that you are complaining about (loudly)


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## mle22 (1 August 2012)

grumpyoldmare said:



			Really think you should all cop on to yourselves.  I agree both pieces were not the most scintillating bit of journalism I have ever read, but I found it quite amusing to see how the higher echelons of equestrianism are viewed by those who have no personal experience of the horse world.

I find all the anguish and shock horror, toe curlingly embarrassing actually. I think the equestrian world and H&H in particular takes itself FAR to seriously and that self satisfied, smug, do NOT have the temerity to criticise my sport, is what ultimately leads to the sort of viewpoint that you are complaining about (loudly)
		
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So, so agree with this!


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## WestCoast (1 August 2012)

I like this bit:

MK: Jump over that. Imperial Cavalier: Don't be stupid. It's incredibly high and I don't even know what's on the other side. MK: Go on. Be cavalier. IC: Oh, ok then

Personally I'm happy to live in a country where not everyone bows and scrapes to the royal family. The BBC has been particularly sickening this year. Not one mention of how the rest of us had to apply for our tickets but they just seem to get as many as they want. 

Paula


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## Cinnamontoast (1 August 2012)

Don't think the RDA where I used to volunteer was particularly elite. 

Given we're not exactly dripping with medals, you'd think the 'Gradian' would err more on the congratulatory side. I see she's trying to be amusing but sadly she fails due to her crap sense (lack?) of humour and she ends up just sounding bitter.

Loving the mumsnet reference in the comments!


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## ClobellsandBaubles (1 August 2012)

NR99 said:



			True, but that is also true of all Olympic sports, those competing don't just up and decide one day they will have a crack at the Olympics.  It takes years of training, expensive equipment, physios, psychologists etc etc for most of the disciplines.  They are elite for a reason.

This article does nothing but work negatively against normalising equestrian activities.  I was lucky enough to be there on test day last year, it was great to open up this fabulous sport to inner city children who know nothing of the process but were fascinated by these beautiful animals in action.

Having sat at Greenwich for the eventing dressage there were plenty of people in the crowds who clearly knew nothing about dressage, but were delighted to watch good sport.  Yes the American family beside me were pleased to be watching a royal compete, but so what. Why does that warrant the useless drivel written by Zoe Williams?

Before anyone jumps on me, this is just my opionion and contrary to some I am happy for others to disagree with me.  Though in the same vein I would not tell them to lighten up as I would respect their right to an opinion 

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My thoughts exactly I thought the London olympics was supposed to attract more people to sport not put them off! I have a huge chip on my shoulder when it comes to money but surely all olympic sports are elitist, you have to be an elite athlete to be there and that takes hard work and dedication. I think it's a shame no one focused more on Mary and Tina's inspiring background stories. I wonder if the german eventers have this stereotyping problem  or whether they are getting the celebration they truly deserve. 



tasel said:



			The moment eventers start sporting WAGs... that's the moment I'll probably stop watching them.
		
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hehe tis mad and this countries media hero worships morally corrupt exorbitantly well paid footballers  

I find it unbelievable how unresearched and poorly written newspapers seem today (general comment) every time I read a new article I think 'hang on a minute that didn't sounds right' or 'now I know that can't be true' I know there has always been a certain amount of artistic license but it seems they just make stuff up as they go along. Doesn't matter if it's sport or gossip or science *sigh*


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## Munchkin (1 August 2012)

At least the Telegraph redeemed themselves a little with this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...ing-silver-medal-at-London-2012-Olympics.html

And... no mention of Zara!


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## ClobellsandBaubles (1 August 2012)

Munchkin said:



			At least the Telegraph redeemed themselves a little with this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ol...ing-silver-medal-at-London-2012-Olympics.html

And... no mention of Zara!
		
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 thats more like it


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## Hairy Old Cob (1 August 2012)

Well What else do expect from the guardian all their reporters are well balanced 
"THey Have A Chip on Both Shoulders".


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## DressageDiva1962 (1 August 2012)

combat_claire said:



http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/lon...ips-olympic-silver-eventing#start-of-comments

If there was a gold medal for spiteful vitriol then Ms Williams would win the gold medal. If she had criticised Louis Smith in the same way then she would have been slaughtered. Seems like equestrianism is an easy target for poor journalism.
		
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It was disgraceful and rude, stupid woman clearly dosent know anything about horses and equestrianism and I was very annoyed reading it on the way home from a wonderful weekend at Greenwich.


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## Gingerbear (1 August 2012)

I read this and sent a letter to them, we should all do this so they know a dum bint like her shouldn't even be commenting on horse events. It's like asking me to review snooker. ( not Olympic that's my point.)


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## WoopsiiD (1 August 2012)

The freebie Metro actually wrote a good piece.
http://www.metro.co.uk/olympics/eventing


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## npage123 (1 August 2012)

If she posted her article on this forum, I'm sure she would have been labelled as a troll!

I really don't like her article...


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## Mince Pie (1 August 2012)

WoopsiiD said:



			The freebie Metro actually wrote a good piece.
http://www.metro.co.uk/olympics/eventing

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Is it just me or does WFP look just a little smug about having his arms around 4 blondes?


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## wildoat (2 August 2012)

Broke_But_Happy said:



			Is it just me or does WFP look just a little smug about having his arms around 4 blondes? 

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Wouldn't you, lol.

As much as I admire Zara for her riding ability, I actually really like her but it always amazes me how the press seem to concentrate on her when it thinks of eventing.
She is part of a team of hard working, dedicated athletes who should all in my opinion be respected and recognised for their efforts and dedication.

At the end of the day they all did themselves proud, I for one salute them and I will not allow some small time idiot journalist to detract from their achievements.
Well done team GB and all the support team and coaches.

As for the BBC guy who pressed Tina Cook to respond yet again over the passing of her father, he should have shown some respect. He is a prat and very inconsiderate, I only hope his colleagues gave him some stick for making a cheap shot at someone who was already obviously a bit upset.


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## madmav (2 August 2012)

I feel like a lone voice sometimes, speaking out for all those amazing event riders in the world of mainstream media, or even in the normal real world. People don't 'get it', which is such a shame. The risks those really quite small women take are so much more scary than in any other sport. But hopefully, having those iconic images of Greenwich, along with Zara and her zazzy royal cousins will add some USP to the sport.


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## Honeylight (2 August 2012)

She is writing what she thinks her readers want. I have been following reports in the Guardian & I have posted on some of the comments boards. I have to say I missed this one (thankfully for the sake of my blood pressure) presumably because it was in the Lifestyle Section which I rarely look at. Nearly all the comments by readers have been incredibly ignorant & down right nasty.

Lots of people have suggested it isn't a sport & it is boring; well I find 80% of the sports in the Olympics boring but it doesn't make me write spiteful comments.

The irony is that, like the author of the article, a great proportion of their readership are upper middle class, I doubt if many real working class people go near the paper.

Unfortunately equestrian sport in this country (even horse racing) has developed a low image with the media. A lot of it is sniping by inverted snobs & a lot just based on total ignorance. A lot of people get anything with horses mixed up with fox hunting. At one time Show Jumping was a national obsession, eventing maybe less so; what went wrong? Is it to do with misinformed anti-hunting people? I was hoping a good showing in the Olympics by the equestrian teams would raise the profile of the sport in this country.. It seems, sadly the reverse might be true.

The article is disgusting I hope that the riders complain to the paper.


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## Andalusianlover1 (2 August 2012)

What a sad witch writing utter rubbish.  Pure ignorance!


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## jessdarcy (2 August 2012)

What awful articles with such a bitter tone. 

What we do have to remember is, these articles are already forgotten, whereas what our eventers achieved this week will go down in history with respect and awe. (Hopefully alongside our Dressage riders and maybe even the Show Jumpers...!)

Poxy, lazily written pieces of drivel are forgotten, history is not.


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## wildoat (2 August 2012)

Honeylight said:



			She is writing what she thinks her readers want. 

Unfortunately equestrian sport in this country (even horse racing) has developed a low image with the media. A lot of it is sniping by inverted snobs & a lot just based on total ignorance. A lot of people get anything with horses mixed up with fox hunting. At one time Show Jumping was a national obsession, eventing maybe less so; what went wrong? Is it to do with misinformed anti-hunting people? I was hoping a good showing in the Olympics by the equestrian teams would raise the profile of the sport in this country.. It seems, sadly the reverse might be true.
		
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Hadn't really thought of it in this way, how sad.
The tabloids lets face it are far more concerned with celebrity gossip and football, if the press in general are moving in this direction it's a real shame.

I think it's a fact that the majority of people involved with equestrian sport participate because of their love of horses and their sport, maybe the media are being overtly cynical, perhaps they don't consider equestrian events as a way of creating revenue we only need to look at the sporting events which get the most coverage generally! I personally think Sky TV has a lot to answer for.

regards

Tony


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## perfect11s (2 August 2012)

combat_claire said:



http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/lon...ips-olympic-silver-eventing#start-of-comments

If there was a gold medal for spiteful vitriol then Ms Williams would win the gold medal. If she had criticised Louis Smith in the same way then she would have been slaughtered. Seems like equestrianism is an easy target for poor journalism.
		
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 I would take no notice it's typical guardian fare !!!   the semi educated spitefull lefty readership will no doubt chuckle, but then  they would !!! nasty people who have done this county and decent folk a lot of damage 
over the years  ...


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## hcm88 (2 August 2012)

Both articles are naive, ignorant and terribly spiteful. It's such a shame that our sport gets bad press like this, we win team silver - the best GB result of the day and yet still articles like this happen! What do we have to do to get acceptance?! Win every single medal possible?

Must admit though, the cheering when the Germans knocked a fence was just as spiteful from the crowd. I was there and was quite ashamed at being a part of it, it was quite embarrassing. Very poor sportsmanship.


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## pootleperkin (2 August 2012)

Horrible piece written by a spiteful, hypocritical journalist.

However, I do sometimes think that equestrians don't do themselves any favours when speaking to the media about the percieved elitism - we all know that people from all walks of life ride and have horses, but, for example, I heard Pippa Funnell on 5Live the other day being asked the elitism question. She replied along the lines of yes, it is very expensive, and no, not  everyone might be able to join in or have a horse, but there are some inner city riding schools which are helping etc, etc, but what she should be telling them (as I believe the 5 live journalist then mentioned) is that there are 1 million horses in Britain, and it is quite certain that not all of them are owned by the upper class. Sure, it takes a lot of money to produce an event horse, but not many people compete at that level. 

Instead, tell the press about the happy hackers, those who keep horses because they enjoy kissing their noses so much (you know what I mean!), the unaffiliated competitors who keep their horses at DIY yards, those who have scrimped and saved for a horse and live off pot noodles to do so, or the kids that work at riding schools all weekend so they can have a ride. Tell them about the passion that drives people to be involved with horses at any cost, rather than letting mean spirited people like that Grauniad journalist think that the only people that care about horses are those that were conceived in order to ride one. 

On another point, have been reasonably pleased with the Beeb's coverage of horse sports so far (partic on the radio), but very disappointed that there wasn't even a snifter of the fact we are in gold position, something never achieved before in British dressage, on the telly tonight on any of the review shows.


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## small (3 August 2012)

Isn't it wrong though to say Zara first royal Olympian I could be mistaken but I thought princess Anne won a medal.


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## SusannaF (3 August 2012)

I've pitched a rebuttal of sorts to the paper. Will see what happens...


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## JenHunt (3 August 2012)

that is almost as bad as the piece on yahoo news that said Mary King used the Bronze Lion Statue in the SJ as "an excuse for not winning Gold" ....er what?! I think you'll find she said it was ehr fault for going too close to it and spooking I.C who was then a bit buzzy... not an excuse, merely an explanation of what she felt she did wrong... 

or am I being niaive?


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## Keen (3 August 2012)

perfect11s said:



			the semi educated spitefull lefty readership will no doubt chuckle
		
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And here was me thinking this was an anti-stereotyping thread!


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## perfect11s (3 August 2012)

Keen said:



			And here was me thinking this was an anti-stereotyping thread!
		
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 Sorry !!! coudent help myself


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## SusannaF (3 August 2012)

Ahem.

If you think it's just "spiteful lefties" then have a look at the Daily Mail: 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...g-Sloanes-crammed-south-London-half-Firm.html


Signed,

A leftie who has written for the Guardian


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## pootleperkin (3 August 2012)

Well, they (the DM) are wildly inaccurate and tangential as usual, but at least it doesn't seem to be written by someone with a stomach full of bile!

Will be interesting to see if the Graun let you reply - what did you say in your article Susanna?


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## SusannaF (3 August 2012)

pootleperkin said:



			Well, they (the DM) are wildly inaccurate and tangential as usual, but at least it doesn't seem to be written by someone with a stomach full of bile!

Will be interesting to see if the Graun let you reply - what did you say in your article Susanna?
		
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It's not really a reply but a related piece I've been researching for ages. Given that they're hugely busy with the Olympics it'll probably take a while to get a response.


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## WestCoast (3 August 2012)

Why are we still going on about this? It's newspaper articles - they are supposed to cause discussion. And are you honestly not a little bit irritated that every minor royal can swan in and get a seat to anything they like?


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## perfect11s (3 August 2012)

SusannaF said:



			Ahem.

If you think it's just "spiteful lefties" then have a look at the Daily Mail: 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...g-Sloanes-crammed-south-London-half-Firm.html


Signed,

A leftie who has written for the Guardian
		
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I'm not a fan of the daily mail !! but
 Um not sure it was offensive or spitefull, or intended to be?? just a gentle poke at us horsey folk..... However off topic
it seems like Zara singlehandedly  won the medal !! Mary King and the rest of the team was just making up the numbers...


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