BY LYDIA CHANDLER
You would never turn on the TV to a silent football game, or basketball, baseball, soccer… even tennis. If the video was eerily quiet, you would probably turn it off. It is the commentator’s job to grab your attention and pull you along with the action; their excited voice propels the game. And yet, despite the popularity of commentators in every other sport, I hear this dull silence all the time in the hunter world.
Like most other riders, I am limited in ride time. As an alternative to practicing, I like to watch videos. In this digital age, videos of hunter rounds are everywhere, and every major event is livestreamed. I always get a thrill when I turn on a hunter derby and hear a commentator.
I get to learn about the horse and rider, their styles, what they are doing well, or what is going wrong. I find myself paying closer attention, noticing more details, and following along with the class as a whole. Without the commentator, everything gets lost in a sea of horses and scores. The commentator breaks down not only each round, but also who is leading, who is making the cutoff, and who is left to go. The commentator enriches both the educational and entertainment value of my experience.
Unfortunately, getting to hear a commentator in the hunter ring is the exception, not the norm. People often get drawn to the jumpers, where the divisions have simpler scoring and rules. The fastest time with the fewest faults wins. Spectators complain that the hunters are “boring.” But they lack the knowledge to follow the hunters, and our sport does not make it easy to obtain that knowledge. They give up or move to more straightforward, welcoming disciplines.
We need to bring new life to the hunter rings, and I think this refresh could start with commentating. Like any other sports broadcast, the hunters deserve commentators. The horse shows already have announcers for every ring. The show literally cannot run without them. And the shows already have their broadcasting systems in place for putting rounds on platforms like ClipMyHorse. Adding commentators seems like a natural next step for stimulating the hunter world.
The hunters will never attract a following if people do not know what they are watching. I love the hunters, I show in the hunters, and I have been watching the hunters for years. But imagine how people who are new to the hunters feel when they turn on a livestream, and it’s just one horse, silently jumping around. They may not know what they are watching, but more importantly, they may not know how to learn about what they are watching. I think this sport that I love deserves a bigger following, and commentators can help us grow that.
Encouraging a demand for commentators creates a whole new employment possibility in the equestrian industry. We need people who want to get spectators excited about the hunters. If more people get into the hunters and start expanding and diversifying the sport, it will help all disciplines.
We need excited commentators who are willing and able to really break it down. Imagine we’re watching Lafitte de Muze and Amanda Steege. Yes, that horse is an incredible jumper, but why? What exactly is it about him that makes him such a good example of the highest standard? And different commentators might have different answers to this question. Or even different opinions on who the best is. That is what makes the hunters a subjective art.
The hunters are not boring. They are beautiful, athletic, and discussion-worthy. But they need fans. We need commentators to bring in those fans by forging a connection between the viewers and the athletes.
