RE: $$$$$

["Maryanne Stroud Gabbani" <gabbani@starnet.com.eg>]

I've talked about this with FEI people and they point out that their aim is
different. The whole point of an FEI ride is to work towards establishing
who is the "Best". The basic premise is that of a competition of rider
against rider, and the devil take the hindmost. Horseracing. One of the
things that I've wanted our riders to learn from endurance has been to care
for their animals and the other riders also. That it's great to be first,
but during a ride it's also all of us, people and horses, out there against
the trail. A subtle difference but it makes a big difference in attitude.
It's good to be first but it's better to be good.

Maryanne Stroud Gabbani
Cairo, Egypt
gabbani@starnet.com.eg

"I don't know what's going to come of this vast amount of money being thrown
into the sport by the Arabs, nor the FEI rules threatening to close in on
our
American sport.  I swore, 15 years ago, that I would fight having FEI rules
control our "local" aspect of the sport, simply because a vast majority of
our riders just want endurance to be fun and personally challenging.  If FEI
rules start controlling the fun part of our sport, I predict that many, many
of our riders will drop out and AERC will diminish in membership, we among
them.  I felt AERC could operate on two levels, with those interested in the
international scene participating as they wish.  I hope it can continue this
way, without international control.

Barbara"


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