Corrupt Dessage Judging Rewards Bad Riding! How Karen Pavicic Slept Her Way To The Top!
Winning At All Costs
Let’s face it when you suck at riding horses and have a lofty goal in mind, you need to find a better way to make that dream happen. That is exactly what Canadian turned Croatian, dressage rider Karen Pavicic has done.
This weekend at the Wellington CDI she managed to score over 69% with what was a mediocre ride at best, and how that score came to be, has very little with her skill or her horse and everything to do with what is happening behind closed doors at the horse show in Wellington.
Switching Teams
A few years ago, after years of cheating on her husband. Karen Pavicic finally swapped out her good-looking husband for Thomas Baur the show manager in Wellington. Now, before the Karen’s in the crowd get upset and ask what this has to do with anything, the answer is EVERYTHING. Keep reading before you get all triggered.
Before Karen got a divorce, she squeezed one last benefit out of her husband and that was her Croatian citizenship. Since the FEI wants more flags represented and she had failed at several attempts at making the Canadian team this was a strategic decision.
Because winning is everything. She used this opportunity to return to competing as an amateur so she could win. You can check out our take on that here.
Note: You can read about the temper tantrum Karen threw when she didn’t make the Canadian team in 2016 here.
Wellington Today
Karen Pavicic and Thomas Baur were married last year on March 21st at a quiet and private beach wedding in Florida. According to the latest press release, Thomas is co-owner of her horse Totem.
What does all of this have to do with Karen’s ridiculously high scores?
Thomas Baur hires the judges for Wellington and Tryon. Getting blacklisted as a judge can be a costly mistake. That means, if you are a judge it is best to do what Thomas wants.
Happy Wife Happy Life
Let’s talk about the test. While there are plenty of key points to discuss in this test. I put together a short summary of highlights.
- Bolting through 1 tempi’s (Flying changes)
- Halted in the 2 tempi’s (Flying changes)
- Halt not square
- Haunches leading on the canter pirouettes
- The disaster of a right pirouette
- Unbalanced steps in the canter pirouette
- Unbalanced steps in the extended trot
- Uneven Piaffe
- Uneven Passage
- The majority of transitions are early – lack of accuracy
- Uneven steps in transitions
- Flying change at the end of extended canter was before the collection
- And so many more.
In reviewing Karen’s scores. They are 2-5% higher at shows where Thomas Baur is the manager.
Watch the test and let me know what you think? Does this ride deserve a 69.2%?
In my opinion, it does not.
To further complicate this situation, if you are a competitor in this class, and you are outraged by the judging, you have no viable way to complain. When teams are being made one score can make a difference. This conversation matters.
High Scores For Everyone
If this judging is not corrupt, get yourself to a horse show with one of these judges ASAP! Everyone deserves 70%!
Here is the judging panel for the test.
Judges |