All records were broken at the German Elite Foal Auction where A La Dressage (by Ampere x Sandro Hit x Donnerhall) was sold for a staggering 200.000 Euros (£ 177.117). This is for a foal that hasn’t yet been weaned from his Mum.
While the news made headlines in dressage circles it is hardly shocking or even surprising – the selling of A La Dressage merely falls in line with a trend we’ve been seeing for years now; and it confirms the image of dressage as an elitist sport available to a chosen few at higher levels. In the end of the day when some riders can afford the gamble and pay hundreds of thousands of Euros for foals that are merely a few months old what hope do ordinary riders have - in the grand scheme of things – to try to compete against opponents so much better equipped in every sense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fslU6vI_mgs&feature=player_embedded
I’m aware of the argument that it is a great thing for breeders, who have more incentive to breed better and better horses. This must be a good thing without a doubt because this much revenue coming in must be a great thing for the sport after all. However I wonder if every day riders are being slowly but surely pushed out to the side-lines by riders who have massive amounts of money to back up their competitive careers.
In horse riding money could always buy – some form of – success, this is no news; however now it seems the norm rather than the exception. If one looks at the top ten riders in the UK, Germany, Holland, Denmark etc., one will hardly find riders from ‘ordinary backgrounds’ (there are of course exceptions such as Adelinde Cornelissen, or Edward Gal); as they mostly come from exceptionally well off backgrounds (such as Laura Bechtolsheimer, Matthias Rath, Princess Nathalie of Sayn-Wittgenstein, etc.), or are part of well-known horse riding/breeding dynasties, and often both. Even Edward Gal lost his ride - the magnificent Totilas, when money came into play.
Edward Gal pets Totilas in Rotterdam
When I see foals auctioned for hundreds of thousands of Euros I wonder what hope have I got with my two young Thoroughbreds. One is a 5 years old failed racehorse who’s just been lent to me by his owner as a dressage project – only time will tell. The other, also 5 years old, a sweet little mare and a hack / hunter (who is on part loan to me – due to my limited finances).
Obviously my two are no match for the fantastic warmbloods one finds at the performance auctions throughout Europe. Not to mention the fact that I school in the local fields as I have no access to an arena at the moment; and that I can only afford one lesson a week (so each horse gets two lessons a month) - which is not much when trying to compete two young uneducated thoroughbreds.
Sometimes I can’t help but feel disheartened, but when I do, I think about some of the riders, and horses – past and present – who managed to beat the odds; and those inspirational stories help me keep going.
