AERC/UAE sponsorship

[ltbeason@att.net]

>> On 3/26/01 12:07:11 PM PST, sshaw@pacbell.net writes:
>> AERC did not accept a donation from UAE to assist in
>> the establishment of a higher class ride.  This is
>> "head in the sand" attitude. And one of the reasons I
>> think of our current National Championships as a joke
>> in terms of competition.

> On 3/26/01 15:14:48 EST, SandyDSA@aol.com writes:
> Really? I am glad they didn't because not everyone in
> AERC apparently had the option of choosing, nor does
> everyone in AERC want to either support that type of
> thing or compete in it. I rather think more of AERC for 
> having patience in the best interests of its
> ownership/constituency -whatever one wants to call it.
> Call me naive, but bigger, more or fancier is not
> necessarily better. I don't care to have part of our
> families'' AERC dues, etc, channeled into an activity
> or venue that, A., none of our family are interested
> in, and B., are not even convinced AERC should be
> delving into. I won't say that as a member or we, as a
> family, will never be supportive of such a venture - I
> am saying that at this point in time, AERC is evolving
> in some ways and we should not be pushed into growth,
> evolution or any other change without considerable
> thought AND the enthusiastic support of its members -
> ALL the members.
> IMHO,
> s

For what it's worth:
The offer was to pay any additional expenses incurred in
making the National Championship ride an FEI event in
addition to being our National Championship.  There was
no mention of making this a 'higher class ride,' just
offering the option of FEI competition.  Please note the
use of the word OPTION.  You would not have to enter the
FEI portion if you did not want to.

Unless the situation has changed without my knowledge,
this is still the plan.  The change being that the source
of the funding of the FEI portion will be from AERC
members.

Reg.,

Lem Beason