Comments on: Sports refusenik posts on sport

By: Anodyne

Anodyne — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:50:47 +0000

Not just Rolton, Horsetralia has a long history of injured riders continuing and winning.
Bill Roycroft did it, and also his daughter-in-law.
He, of course, rode and won in FOUR consecutive Olympics – a genuine Champion.

I saw Aust and the German jump their rounds and couldn’t breathe for stress. Am housesitting in November where there is a dressage menage.
Giddy-up!

By: Ozymandias

Ozymandias — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:23:27 +0000

Yup, Laurie Lever’s is a good story. Switched on last night just in time to see him ride. Now horses jumping over stuff -that’s sport. Though I reckon riders and horses should have to switch places for one round and see who survives. Who was 7′s ‘expert’ commentator for the jumping? What a moron, with his constant ‘Oz-traya’ and his horrible off-key musical puns.

By: Fine

Fine — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 00:13:27 +0000

Aww! I just love this quote.

“At the moment I’m just trying to ride him a little bit carefully to make sure that he enjoys the experience,” he said.

That’s a real horseperson for you.

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:25:47 +0000

Read this story! 60 years old! Olympic debut!!!
This is just so interesting.
Boychild does Taekwondo -not much on the news front about that either. Not that I’ve been terribly Olympics-minded in the last few days. My dad, hero, age 88, walked 5 and half K’s around the You Yangs on Saturday. We had to help him with the steeper bits (which were not very steep.) BTW, for those of you who are now picking up the phone for the Elder Abuse hotline: Totally his idea. He should get a medal.

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:34:53 +0000

I think that’s what’s called Murphy’s Law.

By: Ozymandias

Ozymandias — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:27:34 +0000

Don’t know what coverage you’ve been watching Helen. I switch on once every four years hoping to see a bit of fencing, but only ever seem to catch the dressage. Sport? Highly skilled, for sure. But it looks more like dance to me.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 09:08:08 +0000

Foxtel broadcasts the trans Tasman netball comp and I’m sure ABC has played Tests and whatnot. Couldn’t pay me to watch the thing but it does get on the telly.

By: kate

kate — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:40:18 +0000

I suspect the sports that do best on the telecast are what we like to call “5 minute expert sports” at our house. Diving, gymnastics, swimming, running etc, the stuff you can look at and understand the principles of in less than a few minutes. Equestrian is complex, I’ve watched a lifetimes worth of Olympics and I’ve got no idea how it works or what makes the difference between a good performance and a bad one. The diving on the other hand, I can figure out very quickly (bashing your head against the board is bad, no splash is good).

Australia have been the best in the world in netball for decades, it’s among the most played sports in the country, and yet it never gets on the telly. Not even with skimpy outfits.

By: Helen

Helen — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:32:44 +0000

Whatevs!

By: The horse chiropracter

The horse chiropracter — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:24:27 +0000

Who knows ? Maybe the tremendous expense of horse ownership precludes it from being popular- for possible participants and the subsequent possible supporting, viewing public.
I mean why isn’t the Polo shown on TV ? Blatant discrimination against rich people’s sports .
We were travelling in Ireland in 2004 and the only Olympic footage on TV was the horse riding events.
Their team managed a bronze , the only medal won by Ireland and so I suggest that you take the family to Ireland in 2012. Better for all concerned than wittering on about your uncomfortableness witnessing the fabulous diversity supported by the general population here through their wide and varied appreciation of lots of different sports..