From: CMNewell
Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 9:32 PM
To: Howard Bramhall
Subject: Re: [RC] Howard/passports
>So, add one more piece of paper and, quite frankly, I'll come close to
>losing my mind over all this. I don't need this kind of paperwork for my
>kids or my dog, why on earth do I need all this for the horses.
You *don't* *unless* you're competing FEI.
>Look, you're a DVM, you can sign your own papers and this means nothing to
>you and doesn't cost you a cent, vet wise.
Do you plan to take all your horses FEI? If not, no need for the passport.
>I've had enough of this damn bureaucratic red taped world we live in and
>think it's high time we horse owners all got up out of our chair and let
>the bureaucrats know they'd better start toning things down or we will go
>renegade on them. Why on earth does my horse need more documentation to
>prove he exists than most humans? FEI can kiss my butt!
No one is requiring you to participate if you don't want to. All they're
saying is if you choose to play on their field, you have to play with their
paperwork in hand.
C.
-----
Yo, Doc, is it my imagination, or are you setting me up here? Whenever I've mentioned FEI passports it's been in addition to dozens of reasons why I don't want to see our AERC rides joined at the hip with FEI. I've never said the passport thing stands alone. It's just one of the many things, like the stewards, the judges, the collars, the protocol, the preferential and segregated parking, the drugs, the added expenses, the favoritism, the UAE connection, yada, yada, yada. I mean, come on, you're taking one thing I've said and made it seem like I was only discussing the FEI passport, when that's not really what I was saying at all. Truman, what exactly did I mean there?
I'm not saying FEI, in endurance, should be kept out of the states. I want our International competitors to be able to compete, I really do. Keep it at the rides that now have the joint AERC/FEI thing going, that's fine. I'm just afraid that it will get to the point where FEI endurance means professional and there's big money involved. And AERC is strictly amateur, and the two become totally different (which they sort of already are) and it becomes a big split, which it already is. Or, even a worst scenario, is FEI is present at every AERC ride in the country, and their rules prevail and affect all riders. Which brings in the passport discussion, amongst many other changes that they bring to the table.
Hey, it's just my opinion. I know some riders don't agree with me, and that's fine. But, if the International competitors comprise only 5% or less of AERC riders, than lets keep the FEI endurance rides along those lines.
cya,
Howard
