‘Power is what fashionable game is all about’

Graham Fletcher stocks his ideas at the new-look Countries Cup and coping with drive

I used to be with David Broome lately as we celebrated his 84th birthday. He all the time has a balanced view at the game of yesteryear in comparison with nowadays. Certainly, it wasn’t lengthy earlier than we have been speaking concerning the FEI’s new Longines League of Countries (LLN) as opposed to the Countries Cup structure we’d identified for years.

Particularly, we reminisced about Hickstead and Dublin. I used to be fortunate sufficient to be at the profitable crew at each. It’s clearly nice to win in entrance of your house crowd – however the Aga Khan Trophy in Dublin is this sort of big day when the entire country turns out to come back in combination within the hope of an Irish victory. Regardless of the outcome, it by no means dampens the spirits of the night time’s get-togethers and events. It all the time made me realise why, in the case of promoting, the Irish are in a distinct magnificence than every other creed or nation.

Countries Cups have traditionally been the FEI’s jewel within the crown and so they’ve up to date the machine and prize cash for this season to offer it extra international popularity. The primary of this 12 months’s LLN sequence was once within the UAE, with Ocala to come back adopted through St Gallen, Rotterdam and the general in Barcelona. I will respect how the FEI has made those revisions to stay tempo with the status and prize cash presented through the International Champions League and Rolex Grand Slam.

In with the brand new

My son Olli was once a part of the Monaco Aces, competing within the first of the Globals at Doha in Qatar. He stated that the photographs of the Al Shaqab stadium merely didn’t do it justice; the whole thing from the decor to cleanliness of the entire development was once mind-blowing.

The display was once held over two consecutive weeks with €800,000 (£680,000) to be received throughout two grands prix. With the Cheltenham Competition in this week, it’s attention-grabbing to mirror that the Cheltenham Gold Cup has a prize fund of £625,000 whilst the Champion Hurdle is for £400,000 – statistics that disclose simply how a long way showjumping has come.

The FEI has additionally modified the structure for the brand new LLN. It was once the 3 perfect ratings from 4 riders to rely for each rounds. Now, the primary spherical is similar, however handiest 3 move in the second one spherical with all to rely. Many riders would have most well-liked to stay the previous machine, as would some cooks d’equipe who used it to offer younger riders treasured enjoy. I will perceive their issues.

On the other hand, it was once some 3 years in the past on those very pages that I instructed the theory of three-to-count 2nd rounds since the Countries Cup was once changing into too dull and complicated for contemporary game. Let’s remember the fact that the theory for crew leaping got here from early military competitions after they regularly struggled to get 3 out of 4 to complete!

A metamorphosis for the easier?

In fresh seasons, we’ve heard commentators’ enthusiasm wane when one crew was once thus far in entrance that their closing rider didn’t even wish to soar. Believe how a Method 1 crowd would react if Max Verstappen was once main with 5 laps to head – so that they known as him in announcing, “You’ve clearly received, so save your self for some other day.”

In fact, there will probably be extra drive underneath the brand new structure. However that’s what fashionable game is all about. Take the penalty shoot-out in soccer… if handiest 3 out of 4 counted, the contest would move on all night time.

I bear in mind the England supervisor Gareth Southgate speaking me in the course of the penalty kick he so famously ignored. “Once I began strolling from the midway line, I knew I used to be going to attain,” he advised me. “However the nearer I were given to the function, the smaller it looked as if it would get.”

I’ve by no means heard drive defined higher – and that’s what the 3 riders in a crew will really feel. Some riders will probably be higher suited for it than others, and there will probably be giant disappointments alongside the way in which. However a minimum of no one will probably be leaving their seat till the closing one jumps.

● Do you consider Graham concerning the new-look LLN? Tell us at [email protected], together with your title, nearest the town and nation, for the risk to your letter to seem in a approaching factor of the mag

• This unique column can also be to be had to learn in Horse & Hound mag, on sale Thursday 14 March

You may also be desirous about:

Horse & Hound mag, out each and every Thursday, is filled with all of the newest information and studies, in addition to interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and coaching recommendation. To find how you’ll revel in the mag delivered in your door each and every week, plus choices to improve your subscription to get right of entry to our on-line carrier that brings you breaking information and studies in addition to different advantages.