Before anyone replies anything can you please watch the replay of race 3 on the 14th of December 2013 at Melton. The race is a Monte. Maree Campbell rides Andy's Favorite. Just in case you can't pick which one she is she is the one that is last away from the mobile. I want you to watch her until the horses go past the post to start the last lap and than explain to me if there is any criteria or checks done on a Monte riders experience or ability or strength and balance to make sure that they don't go in a race and get them selves and the horses and the other riders in a very dangerous situation. Or can anyone just rock up to Melton with a helmet and boots and get a ride in the Monte races. Before anyone replies could you also watch the replay of the Monte race tonight at Melton and keep your eye on Maree Campbell riding Cillas Earl. She is the one back last in the pink colors. My question is why is she bouncing and flopping up and down in the saddle. Why hasn't the stewards or the people who's job it is to present the sport to the public not said you can't ride like that on a metropolitan track or even at a tab meeting. What must Maree be thinking when everyone else is standing up in the irions leaning against their horse and trying to be balanced and look a bit neat and tidy and here she is just bouncing up and down with no control of the horse at all. Someone has to tell her that she has to put the irions up a few holes and stand still. Did she not look at Chantell Sutherland in the warm up and at least try copying her style a little bit. I don't know Maree and i don't want people to think I am bagging her out. I just can't believe that on vic cup night one of the sports biggest nights with 2 or 3 group 1 races being run that at peak hour on a Saturday night that that Monte race would be shown on sky channel. I remember being on the drink at a pub and watching the races and when someone noticed the horses scoring up they realized it was people riding the trotters and not seen very often in Australia and within 2 seconds the whole pub was watching this unusual race with interest and within 1 second of looking at sky channel the whole pub starts laughing and laughing and laughing. Not laughing at the horses or the race but at a few of the riders and also at the organisers who allowed it happen. Everyone knew the rider out the back should not have been there and was in big trouble and had no control of the horse because she was either riding way to long or she didn't have her feet in the irions but it was hard to tell because the rider beside her was riding really long and bouncing up and down as well and than look out here comes the clerke of the course flat out from no where to try and help but is a big chance of causing more trouble if he does not have the skill and horsemanship that he obviously does have. And everyone is waiting for the camera to go back to the clerk and the out of control horse and see a major stack but when the camera went back the clerke had saved the day and any rider who had any experience at all would have known just to sit on the horse with your feet out of the irions and the clerke will pull your horse up for you and you will be rite. But no that didn't happen. Maree couldn't even sit balanced on the horse while the clerke had hold of it and was nearly off one side but somehow managed to pull herself back on only to than nearly go completely off the other side of the horse. After all the laughter everyone was just shaking their head realising how lucky the rider was and wondering why when she lost her irions she would steer the horse in close to the other horses and create more risk. To me it was the actions of someone who is inexperienced and went into panick mode and just froze and thank god the clerke had the skill and brains and ability to do what he did. I thought for sure that administration would have seen how embarrassing that was and strate away made changes to make the Monte races look a bit more professional but after watching tonight's it looks like anyone can just turn up and get a start. I will guarantee that if 50000 people watched that Monte with their mates at a pub on Vic cup night than 49999 would have the same thoughts as me about it. If anyone bothers to respond to this can you not bag me or question my ability or skill or experience at driving or riding trotters. Or any spelling mistakes I made. I have never driven a trotter or worked in the harness industry or know anyone that does. I'm not bagging your participants I am just telling you my thoughts on the Australian Monte races I have seen. Tell me if you think the way the Montes are run are like something from the 60s. Do you think Joe public watches Montes for the horses or to laugh at some of the riders.
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