Basically, the idea behind the modern pentathlon isn’t a bad one at all: Athletes are required to show their skills in a wide variety of disciplines. Endurance, strength, dexterity and concentration are all required. What could be more fitting requirements for an interesting and demanding Olympic sport?
That may have been what its inventor, Pierre de Coubertin, thought when he came up with the modern pentathlon at the beginning of the 20th century and included it as an event at the 1912 Olympic Games.
What the father of the modern Olympic Games is said to have had in mind was the idea of a mounted soldier whose horse was killed in battle, whereupon he had to defend himself with an epee and a pistol before swimming and running in order to get back to his comrades in arms.
Soldiers and policemen
As a result, at first it was just soldiers and policemen who competed in the modern pentathlon. Well-trained fighters and riders took their own horses to the competition. But what was described as “modern” at the time is no longer so more than 100 years later. Hardly any pentathletes today are primarily riders. In other words, they came to modern pentathlon not via equestrian sports, but via one of the other four disciplines.
Accordingly, almost none of them owns a horse that they could take into competition. Instead, the horses are provided by the organizers and the participants are drawn by lot. After only 20 minutes for the rider and the horse to get used to each other, it’s off into competition.
DW Sports editor Andreas Sten-Ziemons
You don’t have to be a show jumper to realize that this cannot go well. The images in Tokyo of numerous drops, refusals, bucking horses, sometimes bad falls and the crying German rider Annika Schleu as the “sad crowning glory” of the whole thing were sadly inevitable.
Blessing in disguise
The scandal in Tokyo was a blessing in disguise, because it exposed the long-existing grievances on the largest possible stage accelerating the impetus for necessary change. Replacing show jumping with a cycling discipline is the right decision, even though it will mean a difficult adjustment for athletes who have grown up with the current format.
Cycling — even specialized disciplines such as BMX and mountain biking — is easier to learn than show jumping, which is very much about the right feeling for the horse and the harmony between animal and rider.
The switch to cycling, therefore, should also make it easier for newcomers or athletes looking to change events to take up modern pentathlon. After all, almost everyone has ridden a bicycle at some point in their lives, but only a few have ridden a horse.
Animal cruelty
Good horse riders are rare — whereby the less-than-sufficient riding skills of a lot of pentathletes is certainly not the most urgent problem.
What is far more important is the treatment of horses at many smaller events, where Olympic gold or a world championship gold medal is not at stake. As it is difficult to find owners who are willing to make their good (and expensive) horses available to average and below-average show jumpers, organizers often have to procure the horses from “elsewhere.” In practice, this means that cheap animals from Eastern Europe are often procured for tournaments in Germany.
As German public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk reported before the Olympic Games, this has been the case over and over again in the recent past. The horses came from Poland, were weakened by the long transport, partly emaciated or sick and in many cases generally not up to the demands of a show-jumping course.
That a “modern” sport accepts such cruelty to animals so that competitions can go ahead is unacceptable. So replacing show jumping with a cycling discipline is also a blessing in this respect.
Unlike horses, bicycles are inanimate objects. They’d have no problem with being trucked in from Eastern Europe whenever needed for a competition. They’d even wait locked in a truck somewhere overnight without complaint. None of them would suffer — or even die as a result.
This commentary was adapted from German.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
CHIO Aachen
Due to its long tradition, the demanding course and the generous prize money, the CHIO in Aachen is regarded as the “Wimbledon of Equestrian Sports.” The Grand Prix of Show Jumping closes the week-long tournament, but The Nations Cup events, held under floodlights, is also among the highlights.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Deutsches Spring and Dressur-Derby
The Deutsches Spring and Dressur-Derby, held in Hamburg-Klein Flottbek, bills itself as the oldest horse show in Germany – and the hardest course in the world. The 1,230-meter (4,035 feet) course, which remains unchanged since 1920, requires a high degree of stamina and strength, while challenging the courage and mutual trust of both horse and rider.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Melbourne Cup
When the Melbourne Cup is run every November, Australia comes to a virtual standstill – except at Flemington Racecourse and the pubs – all of which are packed. With total prize money of 7.3 million Australian dollars (€4.5 million, $5.1 million), the Melbourne Cup is the world’s most expensive endurance canter race.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby, also called “The Run for the Roses,” is the first leg of American horse racing’s Triple Crown. It features three-year-old thoroughbreds and is always held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. “The most exciting two minutes in sports,” is regularly attended by a capacity 150,000 spectators and is often sold out a year in advance.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
The Derby
Whether Kentucky or Hamburg – the word Derby is part of the names of many well – known equestrian events. The original Derby was held in Epsom in 1780. It took its name from the original organizer of the race, the Earl of Derby. To this day it is a canter race for three-year-old horses and is run over 2,423 meters (one English mile, four furlongs and one yard).
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Royal Ascot
Even older than the Derby is the race week in Ascot. It has been under the patronage of the British Royal Family since it was first held in 1768. The most prestigious event is the Ascot Gold Cup for horses four years and older. Even more important than the races themselves is the dress code: From skirt length, to strap width, everything is meticulously regulated. And hats are a must.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Grand National
The Grand National is a handicap steeplechase over a distance of four miles and two-and-a-half furlongs (7.2 kilometers) at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool. Accidents occur often and many horses have died there or sustained such serious injuries that they had to be put down after the race. Animal rights have campaigned to have the race abolished.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Prix d’Amerique
Since the Prix d’Amerique, one of the most famous harness races in the world, is held on the last Sunday in January in Paris, the weather often isn’t great and the drivers get soaked from top to bottom. Still, with prize money of €900,000, it’s worth their while. Only horses that have career winnings of at least €160,000 are allowed to enter – making for a very competitive field ideed.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Badminton Horse Trials
The Badminton Horse Trials are one of the six most important eventing tournaments. The five-day event is held annually in April or May in the part of Badminton House, the residence of the Duke of Beaufort in South Gloucester. With a quarter of a million spectators annually, the Trials are the best-attended paid sporting event in the UK.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Campeonato Argentino Abierto de Polo
The Campeonato Argentino Abierto de Polo is the world’s most prestigious international polo tournament. Since 1893 it has been held at the Campo Argentino de Polo in Buenos Aires, known to the locals and polo fans as La Catedral del Polo (Polo Cathedral). Argentine star Adolfo Cambiaso (photo) has won the tournament 14 times.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Palio di Siena
On July 2 and August 16 of every year, 10 riders race around the Piazza del Campo in the heart of Siena’s old town. Riding bareback and dressed in vintage jockey outfits, each rider represents one of Siena’s city wards and the prize is a colorful silk banner on a shaft. The races, which are often rough affairs, are two of the cultural highlights in the Tuscan city’s calendar.
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The world’s most famous equestrian events
Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo and festival held every July. Apart from the rodeo, one of the highlights of the 10-day event, which attracts more than a million visitors annually, are the chuckwagon races. However, some animal welfare groups have called for them to be banned as it is not uncommon for horses to die during the races – with the latest coming during this year’s Stampede.
Author: Andreas Sten-Ziemons
Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/opinion-modern-pentathlon-moving-to-get-with-the-times/a-59708867?maca=en-rss-en-sports-1027-xml-atom