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Sports Personality Of The Year - Zara Phillips

oh i see, well you might be right PieEye, doubt it though. i think with me, and some other chip-on-shoulder types, the fact that Zara has won is what sticks in the gut.

and i know - it might not be rational or intelligent...i've just had it up to the eyeballs with priviledged snotty bastards at the moment.
 
PieEye - fancy working on a TV treatment for 'Celebrity Footballer 3 Day Eventing Camp - We take past-their-prime footballers (e.g. David Beckham) and teach them to ride horses for 3 day eventing'
 
Monkeygrinder's Organ said:
That's not even vaguely true in my experience. Maybe where you're from, but you don't get much more 'country' than where I grew up and it's absolutely a posh sport there.
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See my follow up posts and the experiences of everyone else on this thread who rides. Unless you're lumping me, pieface, tanky and haylz all together into a 'posh' bracket ... :p
 
kyser_soze said:
PieEye - fancy working on a TV treatment for 'Celebrity Footballer 3 Day Eventing Camp - We take past-their-prime footballers (e.g. David Beckham) and teach them to ride horses for 3 day eventing'
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couldn't afford it Kyser - the footballers would cost too much :D
 
This one made me laugh:

Zara was born into money and opportunity where everyone else had to train to be good at their sport
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Yeah, cos of course she never had to train AT ALL to become a world champion...
 
trashpony said:
See my follow up posts and the experiences of everyone else on this thread who rides. Unless you're lumping me, pieface, tanky and haylz all together into a 'posh' bracket ... :p
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You can quote your personal experience, I can quote mine. I only knew pretty well off people who could afford it.

I think my other post is more relevant. You might be able to ride, but could you realistically have won championships, even if you had the ability? Not likely, IMO. Getting a go every so often isn't enough is it? You need regular access, transport to competitions, practice facilities that aren't just a few jumps in a field, etc, etc.
 
True, but unlike track and field sports, the government isn't exactly falling over itself to offer training grants to kids from less well-off backgrounds to train for eventing, provide access facilities etc etc

Keeping a horse does cost money, takes a shitload of effort etc
 
the whole award is wank, in fact sport is pretty much wank, but i don't see why someone's background - or even the financial background of their sport - has anything to do with their entitlement to win it or otherwise.

How many working class kids get to have a crack at motor racing?
 
kyser_soze said:
True, but unlike track and field sports, the government isn't exactly falling over itself to offer training grants to kids from less well-off backgrounds to train for eventing, provide access facilities etc etc

Keeping a horse does cost money, takes a shitload of effort etc
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Well exactly. I don't know about anyone else, but I don't really have a problem with eventing as an inherently 'posh' sport. I do think though that she has become world champion, through hard work etc and all credit to her, from a tiny pool of people. If that's the best we can manage (which it's not IMO, surely Beth Tweddle should have beaten her) then that makes British sport desperately poor.
 
Ahh nuts...

On the 'sports personality is a contradiction' comments...well yes, many sports types are pretty dedicated to what they do (kinda comes with the territory really) which can render them seemingly devoid of external interests, but that's not really any different to people in everyday life really...I mean hell, you ever been into P&P during a lefty sectarian row? ;)
 
I'm not arguing that it's an inclusive sport btw - I don't think it is. Just to be clear. I'm disputing the attitude that because it's isn't, her achievements shouldn't be lauded.

It's a difficult one to get anywhere in without sponsorship or massive personal funding, however, most sportsmen need extra funding to go that little bit further in their chosen discipline. It isn't unusual that it costs money - but it does cost more from the outset than most other sports.
 
Monkeygrinder's Organ said:
You can quote your personal experience, I can quote mine. I only knew pretty well off people who could afford it.

I think my other post is more relevant. You might be able to ride, but could you realistically have won championships, even if you had the ability? Not likely, IMO. Getting a go every so often isn't enough is it? You need regular access, transport to competitions, practice facilities that aren't just a few jumps in a field, etc, etc.
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But I'm not just quoting mine - I'm quoting that of everyone else on this thread who rides, none of whom could be described as hugely wealthy.

My niece competes at high levels. She works all weekend to pay for it. She doesn't buy clothes and saves every penny. It's possible if you really, really want it.

But yeah - she's getting to the point now where to make it to the next grade, she's going to need a sponsor. Which is what Ms Phillips has - two of them in fact.

Look I'm not denying it's easier to ride when you have cash, I'm just saying that it isn't always the case.
 
Oh and incidentally she's only the third person ever to have held both European and World Champion at the same time ... :)
 
maybe this helped to maike people vote for her?

"Sherelle Duke, a friend of Phillips, died after a fall at horse trials in Brockenhurst.

The Royal wanted to attend her funeral, but promised her family and Duke's boyfriend that she would win the gold medal as a tribute to the Northern Ireland rider - and kept her word.

In the process, she became only the third eventing rider in history to hold the world and European titles at the same time."
 
Well, I have heard of Zara Phillips, and I haven't heard of any of the other contenders named in this thread.

No idea what that proves, really, just thought I would make the point.... :)
 
Surely Zara Phillips' horse should've won the award seeing as it did all the running and jumping with her on its back.

0603boxb.jpg


The best sporting moment of 2006!:cool:
 
trashpony said:
But I'm not just quoting mine - I'm quoting that of everyone else on this thread who rides, none of whom could be described as hugely wealthy.

My niece competes at high levels. She works all weekend to pay for it. She doesn't buy clothes and saves every penny. It's possible if you really, really want it.

But yeah - she's getting to the point now where to make it to the next grade, she's going to need a sponsor. Which is what Ms Phillips has - two of them in fact.

Look I'm not denying it's easier to ride when you have cash, I'm just saying that it isn't always the case.
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TBH my repsonse was first and foremost to the 'everyone in the country rides' thing, which I'm sure you must know isn't even vaguely true. I know far more people who shoot for what it's worth.

And as for the rest - I guess you'll see, but your niece is plainly going to have to face far more obstacles to getting anywhere than Zara Philips ever has.
 
Monkeygrinder's Organ said:
And as for the rest - I guess you'll see, but your niece is plainly going to have to face far more obstacles to getting anywhere than Zara Philips ever has.
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Last time i checked it wasn't Sports Personality Who'd Overcome The Most Ardous Personal Circumstances To Triumph Against All Odds Of The Year.

maybe we should means test the nominees?
 
Buds said:
Surely Zara Phillips' horse should've won the award seeing as it did all the running and jumping with her on its back.

0603boxb.jpg


The best sporting moment of 2006!:cool:
Click to expand...

totally agree with you.

second was that goal by Stevie G.
 
Twas Calzaghe for me too.

There was no chance he was getting it though, especially with the x-factor style text a winner thing they introduced this year.
 
Monkeygrinder's Organ said:
TBH my repsonse was first and foremost to the 'everyone in the country rides' thing, which I'm sure you must know isn't even vaguely true. I know far more people who shoot for what it's worth.

And as for the rest - I guess you'll see, but your niece is plainly going to have to face far more obstacles to getting anywhere than Zara Philips ever has.
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Okay then - I'll revise that to 'nearly everyone who really wants to'.

I've quoted lots of examples of people who weren't from wealthy backgrounds who ride because they really, really wanted to. It didn't interest you - fair enough. But if you'd spent any time at all hanging around stables you'll find there are ways and means to ride if you live nearby, even if you're cashless.

The rich people are the visible ones, sure. But to dismiss equestrianism out of hand as a toffs sport any more than anything else that needs equipment is a bit sweeping imo.
 
chriswill said:
Twas Calzaghe for me too.

There was no chance he was getting it though, especially with the x-factor style text a winner thing they introduced this year.
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lol it's a difficult name to spell.

:D
 
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