I don’t know about you but I have been watching the Winter Olympics. What is my favorite so far? Snowboarding. Absolutely! Hands down favorite! On Facebook recently I saw someone suggest how much fun it would be if Dressage could have commentary like the snowboarding for live streaming of the Dressage Freestyle events. Dressage commentary is similar to golf; quiet, subdued, and extremely respectful. But commentary in the style of Snowboarding? Well….I felt a blog post coming. So here it is Dear Readers! Anything in capital letters should be read as being spoken in an excited shout.
Ok. Next we have Mary Jane Burton and Capezio. Mary and Peetzie! They got a HUGE score in the qualifying round. In this run they’re gonna put it down. They’re gonna push their limits. This is the Olympics and they’ve worked so hard to get here. Now they’re gonna go out and DO IT! The judges want to see them go BIG, they want to see AMPLITUDE. Jane and Peetzie have got all the tricks. They’re gonna risk it right off the bat and end with a gate closer. Here they come!
Their coach calls to them and says: “Calm and Confident” as they take up their starting position.
WOOOOOWWH! What an opener! Beautiful 720. These two are an absolute powerhouse in the 20×60 arena! They’re working the arena like a pendulum. Technicality! Amplitude! The changes, look at that amplitude! CRAZY! They’re just popping them out higher! They’re doing the BIG method here!
Another GREAT COMBO! That’s the way you do it!
WHOA! Another 720! They are throwin’ down the hammer here! The judges are going to LOVE this. They love it when you risk it for the biscuit! Oh…WOW…that combo was BONKERS! And they can’t fake it! No way! The judges have the cameras and the camera misses NOTHING!
They are PUTTIN’ THIS DOWN! THEY ARE THE KING AND QUEEN OF THE ARENA.
This is a dream Dude! A DREAM! So FAST! Look at them go EX—TEN—DED! WhoooooH!
They are puttin’ this down!
DUDE!!!! THEY JUST DID A 1080! A 1080! They’ve got that gold medal round their necks. They came out and they THREW IT DOWN.
Here comes the score…… YES!!! IT’S A GARGANTUAN SCORE…..98.25!
THAT’S AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL!!!
Well? What do you think? I know this commentary is not likely to happen in Dressage….ever…..but it is fun to imagine!
HorseAddict 
Loving your blog. It is so professional and inviting. Lots of great reads. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
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Thank you! I very much appreciate your support.
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The snowboarding has been truly awe-inspiring! I’ve just conducted a poll to see if my readers prefer the winter or summer Olympics, there’s been a lack of enthusiasm to say the least! I’ve always loved the Olympics and have even ridden on the Olympic Bobsleigh track in Tignes a couple of years ago! I only know one person mad enough to go down on the skeleton bob (the one where you lie face down on a ‘tea tray’). The G-force was so strong he could hardly lift his head and scuffed the skin off the end of his nose! Luckily, the skin grew back.
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The skeleton was on tv last night. I don’t know how they do it! Regarding the lack of enthusiasm i have been wondering of it due to the time difference and difficulty of seeing events live if you live in North or South America . Do you think that’s part of it?
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Highly possible!
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Pleasure to read
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Glad you enjoyed it Subbashini!
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I love this! Maybe they could somehow do commentary in both styles. Give people the option. 🙂 I would love to hear this one for dressage. 🙂 xxx
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I would too! Thanks Dorothy ( and Dizzy too) for commenting.
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Hey Anne,
I know you are an award free blog, but I wanted to pass the recognition on either way. I have nominated you for the Sunshine Blogger Award. You can find the post on my page here: https://diariesofascatterbrain.com/2018/02/14/sunshine-blogger-award-nomination/
Keep on posting the great things you do! 😀
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Thank you. I very much appreciate the recognition from you. I have just found that Ii do not have time to respond properly to the awards. Especially at this time of year with the horse training and also covering the horse events for the blog. But thank you!
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I love this! I was thinking something similar while watching the pairs figure skating last night. Those are more technical, elegant movements that look easy but are really hard – like dressage! And in the broadcast they track each movement with a red, yellow or green dot to show how well it was executed. I thought that could make dressage more watchable for a non-dressage audience. Plus the skating announcers get excited too!
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I like the dots idea! And yes more excitement from the announcers would be good. Sadly some shows in the US are cancelling the live coverage due to online abuse to some of the riders. What a sad world when it comes to that.
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haha this is so great! Whenever I hear an announcer in dressage add in personality or a surprised reaction, I have a good little giggle.
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Love it! It would be fun to watch dressage with TV announcers pumped up like that! You know the “Kitten Bowl” is aired every year before the Super Bowl and they announce it like that…even do individual profiles on kittens, their family, likes and preferences, etc. I sit spell bound like Harry Potter had me in a trance!!
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I love the Puppy Bowl which is on at Super Bowl too. It is great and I was happy to learn this year that all of the puppies get adopted to forever homes.
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Ha! Haven’t seen that one. What a great idea! It’s not dressage, but it’s a good idea!!
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Hilarious!!!
Shame really that dressage does still carry a vague stuffy aspect about it…. x
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Yes it does but i think that, especially at the top levels, but so much detailed focus is needed from both horse and rider that it is hard to jazz it up. I think golf commentary is always whispered as well…until someone gets a hole in one!
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Yes, you’re right!!
It’s a calm sport for good reason xx
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I would love this so much haha!
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Me too! Thanks for commenting!
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OMG! I LOVE 🤗🤗🤗😍 it!!! This is what we need!!
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Haha! I had so much fun writing this. It would be a hoot wouldn’t it?
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Love it! You need to suggest it! 😊😊
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I’m afraid dressage is a bit stuffy about things like the commentary. One of the best commentaries I have heard was done by carl Hester ( Olympic dressage rider for GB) He at least had a terrific sense of humor.
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You go! Just don’t spook the horses.
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OK! I think the commentators could be in a sound proof box so that would be ok. Biasini would not mind as he is not noise sensitive. Tents flapping and other visuals can be a problem but not sounds.
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Soundproof (tick)
Stiff jacket (tick)
medications (tick).
Yup, that should do it!! Only kidding.
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Yah! We could put it down with that!
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What a hoot.
Wonder if we could get a competitive creative writing event going.
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Ha! This is perfect! I could certainly imagine some of the more uptight dressage fanatics having a heart attack if the commentators started talking like that though 😀
Figure skating is actually my favorite winter Olympic sport to watch. I love how it’s choreographed to music, it reminds me of dressage freestyles.
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Yes I like the skating as well. Last year I wrote a blog post about the judging in skating and dressage. I interviewed two skating coaches.There are many similarities. The ice dance is my favorite.
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Absolutely OVER THE TOP, Anne. I must say you NAILED it! I can see you and Biasini
going for the GOLD now!
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haHa! Well that would be fun! I hope you are enjoying some of the Olympics too !
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Yes, the snowboarding has been great. I’m a fan of figure skating as well.
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I like the skating very much too. Thanks for commenting Sandy.
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Sure!
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