With 2012 now off and running and another Olympics quickly approaching on the horizon, we wanted to create a series for the year that would track America’s best horses and riders in the lead-up to the Olympics and follow their progression over the course of the winter and spring preparatory events, Rolex, and any overseas competitions the riders choose to attend. The purpose of this series is to objectively rank combinations based on individual level of excellence and potential to be competitive on the world stage in this upcoming year.
Additionally, this series will serve as a platform of discussion about the upcoming Olympic Games, and also, I hope, be a way of cultivating and maintaining interest in the elite level of the sport.
The order of the ranking will be determined by two parts: 50% will be based off the votes of our expert panelists and the other 50% will come from votes from the general public, in the form of a poll published on Eventing Nation. Each month, we will publish a list of roughly twenty or so names of US horses and riders in contention for the Olympic Games that has already been voted on by our expert panel. Your job then is to rank the combinations on the list according to those whom you feel show the greatest potential for success and development over the course of this year.
My hope is that this list will develop along with the horses and riders as the season progresses, taking into account recent results at both the preparatory and destination events of the spring and summer season, following right up until the time when the actual team selections are made.
Our panelists are compiling their choices as we speak, and we should have the first EN Power Ranking to you within the next couple of days to be voted on. The voting period will be 48 hours, after which the totaling will commence and a final ranking will be published for the month.
Buckle up, I’ve got a feeling this year is going to be a wild ride!
Go Eventing.
