RE: RE: Worlds Most Preferred--Really?

["Kathy Mayeda" <kathy_mayeda@atce.com>]

Bob SAYS:
<< The horse is no longer
the important partner in the equation. Albeit, it is an essential item
but now considered as a tool that is expendable. So sad to see.>>

Bob, Debi, wow.  I don't see how you come to this conclusion that the riders
are considering their horses to be "expendable" by competing there.
There are high attrition rates at Tevis, too.  Maybe not as high, but
but the same risks are there.  I think that the only reason that the
Tevis doesn't have higher pull rates is that there is a little "home
field advantage" that is not happening for us at the UAE. Our home
rides have a little more history, therefore more is known about how
to deal with the veterinary factors for each individual rides and
strategy is a little more defined.  We just have a learning curve
to go through with regards to competing in the area.

The fact that three riders pulled their horses themselves indicates
that they feel their horses are NOT expendable.  They would have
continued until they had a dead horse if they thought they were
expendable.

And, of course, the travel stress is a big issue.

<<I am quite sure that the purchase of competitors will will continue,
after all it will be very difficult to turn down an expense paid
vacation in an exotic place.

Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID>>

I guess they didn't invite YOU!  You're probably right about this
point, I wouldn't turn it down either, but I'm not holding my breath
for an invitation.  Maybe part of the strategy is to get their foreign
competition partying so much that they are distracted for the competitiion!

We're just pushing our little envelopes further out into the world.
Probably 10 years from now we'll look back and wonder what all the fuss
is about....

I also think that some of this talk is because we can't stand the
thought of "losing" to the UAE.  Instead of being poor sports and
pointing fingers, I think that we should gather together and learn
together how to strategize to get the USA back into the winners
seat and win WHEREVER we compete!  BUCK UP!


K.








-----Original Message-----
From: DebiG54@aol.com [mailto:DebiG54@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2001 6:00 AM
To: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: Worlds Most Preferred--Really?


Ridecampers:

Something to ponder...after looking at the results of yesterday's Worlds
Most
Preferred Race in Dubai, the outcome does not bode well for the future
of the
sport of endurance racing.  This was an FEI event and promoted as a
gathering
of many of the world's best (most preferred) riders and horses.

Only 37 horse/rider teams finished this race, after 88 made it to the
start
line.  There were 49 pulled teams.  This is a shocking attrition rate,
especially considering the elite nature of the attendees and the hoopla
surrounding this race.

The obvious reason for this race is to showcase the United Arab Emirates

(UAE) and its riders.  Only two riders finishing in the top ten were
from
countries other than the UAE--Australian Terry Wood in fourth and a
Spanish
rider in tenth.  Seven American riders started, and three finished.
Jennifer
Nice (18th), Karen DiCamillo (24th), and Jan Worthington (33rd) made it
to
the finish line.  Darolyn Butler, Steph Teeter, Rita Swift, and Valerie
Kanavy were pulled.  The first three pulled their horses themselves.
Val's
horse Bearcat O'Reilly went out at the last vet gate with lameness.

Since I wasn't there, I don't know everyone's story, drama, or excuse.
But
in my opinion, the results speak for themselves.  Too many of the horses
are
paying a terrible price for the ambition of their riders.  Lameness was
the
reason for most of the pulls (25), with rider option being the next best

reason for retiring from the race.

Because money talks, the UAE has become an incredibly powerful part of
endurance racing worldwide.  For those invited to attend these events,
the
parties are lavish, the build up is extreme, and money is everywhere,
including the pockets of many of the participants.  What are we doing
here
folks?  Like I said, just something to ponder...

Debi Gordon