A Lithuanian eventer has spoken of his disappointment at dropping his particular person place on the Paris Olympics after he didn’t achieve his remaining qualification when he was eradicated at Luhmühlen Horse Trials (13–16 June).
Aistis Vitkauskas was attributable to trip as a person at Paris, having gained a spot as one of many two highest-ranked athletes from FEI group C (central and Japanese Europe, central Asia).
Aistis and 13-year-old gelding Commander Vg had been competing within the Luhmühlen CCI5*, the place they had been attempting to acquire their remaining Olympic minimal eligibility requirement (MER) earlier than the 24 June deadline.
However they had been eradicated throughout nation beneath the damaging using rule; they had been stopped by a fence decide shortly after leaping fence 10abc; an upright to a ditch, then a thin flower field.
Aistis informed H&H their warm-up, in dry circumstances, “went effectively”, then it began raining closely earlier than they left the beginning field.
He stated that at fence 10a Commander Vg lifted effectively together with his entrance legs however as they had been leaping the gelding seemed on the ditch inflicting him to “freeze” momentarily and never raise his again legs totally. Commander Vg made contact with the fence, however the MIM clip was not activated, they usually cleared components b and c.
“After they stopped me I couldn’t perceive why and thought it should have been as a result of somebody had fallen in entrance of me. After I was informed I have to depart the monitor I used to be very confused,” stated Aistis, who went to see the bottom jury.
“The bottom jury president stated, ‘We all know that you just and Commander usually do a lot better, and this isn’t your day.’ I used to be informed I’d been stopped for harmful using at fence 10abc. I argued that for my part the fence was very effectively dealt with by the horse, it was a troublesome second, however it was the other to harmful using.”
Aistis, who believes the bottom jury made the flawed determination, stated he was then informed that his soar at fence 5abc fell beneath the identical harmful using standards.
“That utterly blew me off; I had a foul line however I didn’t have a foul soar. The bottom jury stopped discussing it with me and stated that it was accomplished,” he stated.
Aisitis obtained an official FEI warning for harmful using. He stated the Lithuanian federation requested the FEI if he and Commander Vg may compete in Strzegom, Poland, (20–23 June) the week after Luhmühlen to attempt to achieve their MER for Paris, however had been informed they may not.
FEI guidelines state that no horse and rider mixture could take part at an occasion to acquire an Olympic MER inside 4 weeks after having began the cross-country of a long-format occasion and/or two-weeks after a brief format.
“That is the primary time in my profession I’ve had a harmful using warning. The injury is finished. The choice has affected so many individuals concerned in my course of to Paris, so many individuals really feel upset,” stated Aistis, including that he believes there ought to be extra discussions on cross-country judging choices.
A spokesperson for the Lithuanian federation informed H&H it was “an enormous loss” for the nation, including: “The federation and the rider completely don’t agree with the insufficient determination on this scenario at Luhmühlen and we’ll search and demand explanations.”
An FEI spokesperson informed H&H “all choices made by FEI officers are thought-about field-of-play choices and will not be topic to enchantment”.
As Aistis and Commander Vg didn’t obtain their MER, Lithuania’s particular person place was reallocated to the Czech Republic.
There was later a discrepancy over which fence Aistis was eradicated at because the occasion report confirmed that he had jumped fence 11 and was eradicated at fence 12, however Aistis stated he was stopped after 10c. Aisitis stated “such inaccuracies shouldn’t occur at five-star stage”. An FEI spokesman emphasised that “such choices are remaining and never topic to additional evaluation” and subsequently it will “not be applicable” for the FEI to touch upon the specifics of the case.
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H&H senior information author
Since becoming a member of H&H in 2018, Becky has coated a broad vary of equestrian information together with welfare issues, veterinary research, FEI Tribunal hearings and highway security campaigns. She has additionally interviewed prime riders together with Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to call only a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, in addition to the Royal Highland and Blair Fort Worldwide Horse Trials nearer to house. She was additionally a key a part of the distant reporting staff for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
