Dressage, dressage, dressage..
Freedom of the press gives individuals and organisations the right to express, publish, and share information, ideas, and opinions without fear of censorship or government interference.
But why, was the first question entering my head when reading how well renowned dressage journalist Astrid Appels basically was told you can watch and listen but though shall not speak, write or talk about it.
What we’re talking about is her presence at the joint IDTC- IDRC- IDOC meeting in Ermelo, the Netherlands.
Being gagged she decided to not attend.
Gagged - to prevent people from exercising freedom of speech or expression. As in trying to gag the press.
And here’s the thing, what the heck are the people behind this thinking?
Who are these people? A legit question I might add after heading to the website of the IDTC [the International Dressage Trainer’s Club] and found nothing.
Nothing on who they are, who’s in charge, what they are doing.
Yeah there is some information but some of the dates and things mentioned have not been alive for years. Which is also mentioned in the article of miss. Appels.
Heading down to the IDRC [the International Dressage Riders Club] I find way more information. Especially who’s in charge.
Talk about a low blow to the stomach.
These are big names. Big names both as current riders, former riders, trainers and in general. One of them used to be my very own dressage teacher!
Yes, you read that correctly. One of them used to be my, a non dressage rider, very own dressage teacher.
Talk about loosing all respect for those hours spent trying to conquer sitting down like a pro in extended trot.
Loosing all respect for those hours spent trying to perfect transitions, shoulders in, half pass and flying changes.
If these people cannot handle having miss. Appels from Eurodressage attending their meeting without making sure she doesn’t talk about it afterwards. They for sure must have something to hide.
Cause me personally cannot think of or come up with any other plausible explanation to this weirdness.
Freedom of the press?
Eurodressage, from the beginning more of a “local” site with another name, has been around since myself started my first baby steps in creating an online presence.
The difference is when I gave up my mission along the way miss. Appels continued her quest.
She kept moving and have created something extra ordinary for the dressage world. Yes there are other sites, but none in Europe. In Europe Eurodressage is as heavy weight as it can be, and for many this is the go to site for anything and everything dressage.
Even the big more mainstream horsey magazines snatch up their dressage news via visting this particular site.
So why would the “dressage community” feel it is appropriate to alienate themselves form the one journalist that lives and breathes dressage?
The one journalist they should entrust to have their back for better or for worse.
The one journalist who, unlike the other mainstream sport reporters, knows their sport inside out. Which also make her competent enough to write about while shining the light on both the good, the bad, and the ugly.
That’s what media and good reporters do.
So whatever happened to mutual trust, and freedom of the press in the world of dressage? No one knows.
Freedom of the press gives individuals and organisations the right to express, publish, and share information, ideas, and opinions without fear of censorship or government interference.
But muffling media in general, and this journalist in particular, just sets off the alarm bells that dressage does have something to hide.
Question is what?
