Centerline Goes to the Olympics:
An Amateur Rider's Journal by Maureen Crump

Day 7: Grand Prix Special: Game Face, Riding for the Kur

Scoreboard and Jumbotron

As the days have gone on we spectators have become more sophisticated. Watching the score during the test was very educational. The name of each movement is flashed as judged and the composite score keeps changing as the movements are ridden. Thus if the first 8 movements are perfect an 88.00 may show on the board. If this is followed by a bobbled movement the score would drop. It was very interesting to watch how the score is affected by what kind of bobble and how the loss may be made up for on future movements. Also, it is clear that the riders had strategy and calculation when a bobble occurred for recovering in score from the bobble. The Jumbotron made it possible to see the entire test. For instance when the movement is in the opposite direction or hidden by a judge's booth a glance at the Jumbotron gave an up close view of the movement. So, by Special day we were all looking at the arena and then looking to the score board and Jumbotron for a very complete view of the test.

The atmosphere was much different than during the team competition. Once on to the individual competition there is more risk taking and less reservation in the rides. It seems that during the team competition the riders consider their team and team building. When the individual competition begins, it is a solitary competition--Just the rider, the horse, and the score. They are really competing against the the unattainable perfect score, trying to attain the perfect 10. In this mind set, personal bests are winning rides.