LIVESTREAM LET-DOWN
Sir — Sadly I couldn’t go to the gala evening this year at the Hartpury Festival of Dressage, so I followed it from home on the livestream. However, having to endure horrendous sound problems through numerous tests is inexcusable — as is the fact that the livestream did not show the demonstrations, prize-givings or appearance by Valegro (above). He is the most followed dressage horse in the world and the diehard fans missed out, which is not only unfair but ridiculous given that British Dressage is trying to raise the profile of the sport. Olympia, Horse of the Year Show and Bolesworth have shown tremendous sport in great quality via the live feed, so why did Hartpury short-change us?
Jen Smithson
Usk, Monmouth Hartpury College’s Rosie ScottWard replies: “Thanks to the issues of sound quality being raised, the company was able to resolve them, albeit partway through the gala night.
“The cost of free livestreaming is significant. Although we have not been able to secure a sponsor this year, we believed that the cost was worthwhile for a number of reasons, including some expressed in your letter.
“But the risk of livestreaming is a reduction in tickets sales, which did happen this year. We depend upon these sales not only on a financial basis, but also to ensure the tradestands have sufficient business. So we decided not to stream activity outside actual competition tests, giving those who physically attended ‘added value’. We appreciate some viewers will have been disappointed, especially as we were fortunate enough to be joined by Valegro. We hope readers of Horse &
Hound appreciate that running these events is incredibly expensive and without the support of the sponsors and paying public, would be prohibitive for Hartpury and many other organisers.”