There are test pilots, so why not “test riders?” Hong Kong is the site for the 2008 Olympics and as such, the city will be hosting the difficult three-day-event competition. But building a suitable cross country course is not exactly tiddlywinks. The course must be challenging and up to current rule book standards, yet it also must be safe and a fair test of horses and riders tapped to compete. Running a test event before the Olympic Games has become common, especially in places that are unaccustomed to running an international level three-day-event contest. The venue for the equestrian events is being built at the Shatin Racecourse in Hong Kong and multiple countries from around the world have been invited to send horses. The United States Equestrian Federation has announced that Buck Davidson and Kim Severson will be the United State’s guinea pigs. Or test riders. The test event will be this weekend.
Sounds like a good idea…!