Re: Re: Fw: RC: endurance prospect, etc.

["Sweaney" <sweaney@lightspeed.net>]

In show jumping, for example, it applies very much.  Look at the jump off.
The winner is the rider who is willing to take the chance and cut the
corner, leave out a stride, gallop to the fence, and do some "amazing
maneuver"  to gain that extra .01 of a second.

My horse and I make an excellent team.  We can beat everyone out there at a
walk.  If you were all willing to walk, I would win hands down.  In a
walking race, I would know that I have a "legitimate chance of winning" that
day.  This is not a walking event.  It is a sport where people ride their
horses fast over a long distance.  I do not win (nor do I care to) because I
do not want to ride my horse as fast as it would take.  Clearly, you have
chosen the speed at which you would like to ride and it isn't as fast as it
takes to win.  Should ride managers post a maximum speed so that everyone
goes through the "same maneuvers" and therefore has the same chance at
winning?

Since that isn't going to happen, is it okay to race at the beginning?

Karen
Sweaney@lightspeed.net


----- Original Message -----
From: Whitney Bass <bass@bigsky.net>
To: Alison Farrin <alison@innovativepension.com>; <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2000 5:15 PM
Subject: RC: Re: Fw: RC: endurance prospect, etc.


How is it true of these sports?  This is what I'm talking about -- if I was
running in the front of a ride with another rider, and because I can't beat
him out on the trail, am faced with whether or not I am going to race at
the finish line, I'll probably lose that ride.  Most people that are going
for the win, are also willing to race at the end to get it.  And because I
am not willing to race to finish line, I lose the ride.  Does that mean
that the winning team was better than me and my horse that day?  No.  It
means that we'll never know -- because I didn't race to the finish.  The
win went to the rider who was willing to race.  How does this apply to
sports like dressage or jumping?  They are all performing the same test
(someone isn't going to ask her horse to do some amazing maneuver at the
end to score extra points, in dressage; or going to jump a few more jumps
at the end of a course to show how good her horse is, in jumping).  And be
careful not to glorify BC too much.  While it is an excellent award and
goal to achieve, it is based on the opinions of (educated) people who are
seeing your horse for an incredibly short amount of time (in the scheme of
things).  I'd rather go into a competition knowing that I have a legitimate
chance of winning, not because I'm willing to "race at the end", but
instead, because my horse and I are the best team there on that day.  Am I
putting down endurance riding?  I hope not -- I have a true passion and
love for this sport.  These are just some things I've been thinking about
lately.

----------
> From: Alison Farrin <alison@innovativepension.com>
> To: 'Whitney Bass' <bass@bigsky.net>; ridecamp@endurance.net
> Subject: RE: Fw: RC:  endurance prospect, etc.
> Date: Sunday, February 06, 2000 5:22 PM
>
> But that is true of Three day eventing and dressage and steeplechasing
and
> (god knows) the show ring.  Just where are you planning to compete that
this
> isn't the case?  At least in endurance, you can compete for BC, where
skill
> of the team IS the most importanct part!
>
> Alison Farrin
> Innovative Pension Strategy & Design
> alison@innovativepension.com
> 858-451-9594 x 107
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Whitney Bass [mailto:bass@bigsky.net]
> >
> >
> > ----------
> > My only point in writing that post, Tom, was
> > to say that
> > > because the winner of most rides is determined ultimately by the
> > > competitiveness of the rider, instead of the skill of the team, I am
> > > considering changing disciplines.  I've known all along
> > that endurance
> > > riding was to going to grow and head in the direction it is
> > today -- just
> > > because I don't want to see it, doesn't make me ignorant or
> > superior.
> >


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