Re: RC: The Way We Win: Change the "Pay Scale" for Endurance?

[Bette Lamore <woa@stormnet.com>]

Hi Bobby
Looking at it from an "outside" perspective (as I've already confessed I
do not have a 100 mile fanny), that is an excellent proposal! I hope the
powers that be run with it. Perhaps Tom would a good place to start--
does he have any reaction to it? Should increase US business for him
since teams might be able to pool money and hire experts like him and
others (look at what expertise Val brings with her). It would certainly
weed out those in it for personal glory rather than personal excellence.
Bette

Roberta Jo Lieberman wrote:
> 
> Jim Holland wrote:
> << Perhaps it's time to look at the way we "win".  "Win" is defined by the
> rules of the game.  If you change the rules, you get another definition
> of the same thing.  Maybe Endurance should move toward more of a team
> sport?  Something to think about. If you could change the rules, what
> would you do differently? Can we keep it competitive, fun, and avoid the
> inevitable clash over horse abuse?>>
> 
> Jim...
> Wouldn't you know it...Matthew Mackay-Smith has also been pondering this
> very subject recently. He asked me to look over several pages of
> hand-written-on-a-yellow-legal-pad comments that address the "pay scale"
> of endurance and how we might change riders' rewards.
> 
> Before you flame away, please know that this is a work in progress --
> far from a finished product. It's not copyrighted <g>. I know there
> would be logistical challenges in making it work, and much of it goes
> against the our ingrained notions of "winning". It took me a few days to
> warm up to it myself. But...the day might be coming that if we don't
> take action to put our house in order, the "big black train" might run
> us off the tracks. Might be something to think about.
> 
> If anyone sees something here worth exploring, I would volunteer to
> participate in an effort to incorporate your ideas and move it forward.
> 
> Regards,
> Bobbie Lieberman
> Southern Calif.
> ****************************************************************************
> Working Draft
> Changing the Endurance Pay Scale: A Proposal
> Or: “There’s a Big Black Train A’Comin’!”
> (“It’s a comin’ here tonight...you better get your business right!”)
> 
> By Matthew Mackay-Smith, DVM
> Introduction
> Our evolving national moral ethic places ever-increasing disapproval and
> ostracism on people and activities that impose pointless risk--risk seen
> without high and noble purpose. Sanctions against such people and
> activities are receiving increasing public support, especially when
> animals are the unwilling victims. Accepted standards of respect for
> animals are becoming ever more stringent and will continue to do so in
> the years to come.
> 
> For example, according to a recent editorial in _The Animal's Agenda_,
> an animal advocacy publication, "There can be no doubt that public
> opinion is increasingly educated about the plight of animals....we have
> learned how to transform broad sympathetic public support into
> legislative success by targeting indefensible examples of animal abuse."
> 
> People do what they are paid to do, whether the “pay” is in money, in
> publicity, in personal achievement, in admiration from one’s peers, or
> in “bragging rights.” We say we want endurance riders to put their
> horses’ interests first, but we pay the contenders to do the opposite.
> Continuing down the present path is sending us down a slippery slope
> that threatens to lead to outside sanctions on endurance when the public
> perception of its risks becomes intolerable.
> 
> We can redirect participants’ behavior by changing the rewards and who
> gets them.
> 
> Nature of Endurance Riding
> Endurance riding--as sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride
> Conference (AERC)--is two things at once: a recreational activity for
> those who ride to finish; and a competitive sport for those who contend
> for placing. International endurance riding is entirely competitive:
> leisurely completion is discouraged; there is no presumption that it’s
> “fun”. The sport of endurance riding is dangerous, especially to horses.
> It is a survival contest, a Demolition Derby, with risk management left
> largely to veterinarians of various experience and temperament. The
> nature and rewards of endurance competition pit riders, crews,
> organizers and authorities against control veterinarians.
> 
> Let’s review current problems, the threats they impose and the costs of
> continuing the present policies, and then consider some changes that
> would shift the emphasis in a more positive direction, with the benefits
> flowing to all segments of endurance riding.
> 
> Problems:
> -- Over-riding due to individual ambition, political pressure, material
> rewards--too much “pay for speed”, too little for caution, care,
> condition and completion.
> -- Vet check “circus”--over-crewing, both in checks and on trail
> -- Disillusionment and frustration among experienced and expert control
> and treatment vets, little inducement for “new” vets to come into the
> endurance arena
> -- Wariness among organizers stressed out by do-or-die competitors.
> 
> These problems are at the root of threats--
> -- From a growing public perception that we are inhumane, that no horse
> deserves to be used so as to knowingly endanger its life or necessitate
> heroic medical intervention
> -- To our autonomy, and the imposition of controls by outsiders.
> 
> It has been suggested that more stringent vet check procedures could
> solve these problems and deflect these threats. If we only tighten
> veterinary controls, however, we will still lose participation by riders
> and nations repelled by the wastage of horses.
> 
> Consequences of maintaining the status quo:
> ...We will lose vets, perhaps all of them
> ...We will lose public goodwill
> ...We will lose control over our policies
> ...We will lose sanctioned endurance riding altogether.
> 
> Here are some simple, fundamental changes to the “pay scale” for
> endurance riding, changes that could chase away some glory-hounds but
> give substance to AERC’s motto, creating an equestrian sport that
> demands conscientious stewardship for horses:
> 
> -- Abolish individual placings, overall and in weight divisions
> -- Publish no individual times
> -- Remove all mention of “race” in endurance publications and publicity
> -- Establish categorical placings, as in Britain’s Golden Horseshoe
> Series, as follows:
> 
> 1. Gold Medal for all those who average a predetermined overall speed or
> within an overall time (“x”); “x” to be determined by organizers, based
> on their experience and/or judgment of ride conditions
> 2. Silver Medal for the next echelon, between “x” and “y”
> 3. Bronze Medal for all completers below “y”. Specific speeds/times
> could be tailored to weight divisions, for fairness.
> 
> Examples
> In England, a typical Golden Horseshoe ranking might look something like this:
> -- Horses averaging 6.5–7.5 mph or faster = Gold Award
> -- Horses averaging 6–7.5 mph = Silver Award
> -- Horses averaging less than 6 mph but completing = Bronze Award
> (Please see Appendix A, “Golden Horseshoe Series,” at the end of this
> paper, for further information on how these rankings are determined in
> Great Britain.)
> 
> Another approach might be based on finishing time. For example, with the
> Old Dominion 100-mile ride, the scale might be as follows:
> -- Horses who finisher at midnight or earlier = Gold
> -- Horses finishing between midnight and 2 a.m. = Silver
> -- Horses finishing between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. = Bronze
> 
> 4. Offer Team placings for prenamed groups (ala Old Dominion and other
> rides), scored on the basis of three out of four finishing: three team
> points for each “Gold” placing, two for “Silver” and one for “Bronze”,
> none for a voluntary pull, minus two points for any horse disqualified
> and/or requiring treatment. No placing for teams finishing less than
> three members. Ties would stand--equal performance gets equal “pay”.
> 5. All Gold finishers are eligible for BC judging.
> 6. Offer year-end awards to individuals, based on average achievement in
> all rides entered, e.g.:
>                 3.00 = Solid Gold
>         2.50 – 3.00 = Gold-Filled
>         2.00 – 2.50 = Solid Silver
>         1.50 – 2.00 = Sterling Silver
>         1.00 –1.50 = Solid Bronze
>         Less than 1.00 = No year-end mention, but standard mileage credit.
> “Continental,” World and all FEI-sanctioned rides would become Team
> competition only. US (with or without Canada) could lead this effort by
> sending only a team even if FEI continues individual competition.
> 
> What would be the benefits from such a major refocus of endurance rewards?
> Overall benefits:
> -- Horses’ needs come first
> -- Individual glory takes a back seat
> -- Team effort, group/category achievement are recognized
> -- Completion, consistency are #1; racers are renegades
> 
> Organizers, rider managers:
> -- Reduced confrontation with and between participants, staff,
> community, media
> -- Easier to recruit help (vets, volunteers)
> 
> Veterinarians:
> -- Truly partnered with the rider, for the horse
> -- Fewer “pulls”, treatments
> -- More collegial, educational, ethical relationships
> -- Easier recruiting
> 
> Riders:
> -- Mutual effort, shared rewards
> -- Recognition for judgment and horsemanship, not “chutzpah”, luck, risk
> -- Less expense to participate
> -- Less tension and struggle at vet checks
> -- Fewer horses to replace
> 
> Horses:
> -- Less hassle, hurry, anxiety
> -- Less strain/risk of physical harm
> -- More finishers/longer careers
> 
> Nations
> -- Less war-like image
> -- National pride undiluted, just depersonalized (compare with Olympic
> team sports).
> 
> Conclusion
> If endurance riders and organizers do not take action to tip reality and
> perception more in favor of horses, enrolling every participant in a
> campaign of awareness and concern, our sport may be at risk. Reactive,
> incremental and defensive responses to erosion of the public’s approval
> leave the eventual outcome to peremptory action from outside of AERC.
> 
> We cannot keep on “as usual” and expect to control our own destiny.
> There is still time to earn and deserve wide approval for our sport.
> Going straight to the roots of current difficulties is easier now than
> waiting for that “Big black train a’comin’.” Let’s begin the dialogue
> now, and take action to “get our business right.” We’ll be glad we did.
> 
> Matthew Mackay-Smith, DVM, is a long-time endurance rider, equine
> veterinarian and Medical Editor of EQUUS magazine since its inception in
> 1977. He has been elected to the AERC Hall of Fame and has logged over
> 5,500 lifetime miles. In 1995, he was first to finish on the same horse
> in both the Old Dominion 100 and Tevis Cup. Matthew and his wife, Winkie
> Mackay-Smith, who has finished top ten on the Old Dominion 10 times,
> live in White Post, Virginia, where they continue to train and compete.
> 
> Appendix A
> *Sample* Program:
> British Endurance Riding Association
> Golden Horseshoe Series Awards
> 
> Gold Award:
>         Complete the chosen distance at 7.5 mph or over with no penalties
> Silver Award:
>         Complete the chosen distance at 6.5 - 7.5 mph with no penalties
>         Complete the chosen distance at 7.5 mph or over with 1 penalty
> Bronze Award:
>         Complete the chosen distance at 6 mph with no penalties
>         Complete the chosen distance at 6.5 to 7.5 mph with 1 penalty
>         Complete the chosen distance at 7.5 mph with 2 penalties
> Completion:
>         Complete the chosen distance at 6 to 6.5 mph with 1 penalty
>         Complete the chosen distance at 6.5 to 7.5 mph with 2 penalties
>          Complete the chosen distance at over 7.5 mph with 3 penalties
> 
> Penalties are determined using the “Ridgeway Test” during final vetting
> 30 minutes after finishing the event, as follows:
> 
> Second pulse 44 or below -- No penalties
> Second pulse 45-49 -- 1 penalty
> Second pulse 50-54 -- 2 penalties
> Second pulse 55-64, -- 3 penalties
> Over 64 beats is elimination as normal rules.
> 
> To qualify for the Gold Series, horses and riders must have completed a
> sequence of rides of increasing duration and speed, including successful
> completion of a a ride 50 miles or more at a minimum speed of 6.5 mph
> organized by a recognized Endurance Riding Society. Horses must be
> registered and hold a Log Book in order to progress through the levels.
> for more information, see http://www.british-endurance.org.uk/class_description.html
> 
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-- 
Bette Lamore
Whispering Oaks Arabians, Home of 16.2hh TLA Halynov	
(Yes, really 16.2!)
http://www.arabiansporthorse.com