The Masters of Eventing [antikvár]

Preface In every sporting activity, tliere are those that are the best. The rest perhaps wonder why they are not so good and seelc to find the magical combination of strength, timing, planning, equipment and training that will produce better results. This book is about the best in eventing - one of the sports that involves another living being as a partner - and in particular about those riders who in international competition have emerged as the current "Masters". The process of selecting the Masters was hard, especially when it came to looking tor expertise on a specific subject.and our selection committee settled for a degree of arbitrariness that may cause debate. Dividing the book into subjects and allocating a subject to the most appropriate Master, we embarked on a detailed and intensive interview with each Master which was later reduced into a readable form. We were expecting to find a similarity of technique - a sort of "approved method" - but this didn't quite happen. The different mental approach and physical make-up of each Master has a vital effect on technique, producing interesting variations and in a few cases an opposite view to the accepted text-book procedure. Although all the Masters involved demonstrated a professional approach to the business of competing successfully at international level, every one of them emerged as being truly amateur in terms of affection and personal enthusiasm for their chosen sport. Acknowledgements I give my personal thanks to: All the Masters for the courteous way in which they made available valuable time for the interviews. Joanna Boswell and her colleagues in the Combined Training Office at Stoneleigh who provided vital research information. The Editorial Team who, although they hadn't worked together before, made it a pleasure to be involved in this project. Ann Mansbridge at Eyre Methuen who thought this book was a good idea in the first place. Jane Pontifex who cheered us on and also created the concluding chapter. Leslie Lane who took the photographs used in Chapter 17. Frank Sanford in Omaha, genius of the brief informative telex. My wife, whose advice helped me greatly and to whom, with affection, I dedicate this book. Geoffi-ey Freeman 1978 First publistied 1978 © 1978 G.W. Freeman Printed in Great Britain for Eyre Methuen Ltd 11 New Fetter Une, London EC4P4EE By Hazell, Watson & Viney Ltd Aylesbury, Bucks ISBN0413 385809