Ridecamp: Fw: [RC] 50 mile and LD finish

This ride was 25 miles, so the 6:00 hr. time was correct.

I don't feel that a slight change for the end of the ride would in anyway
change the "ride" or "race", as you prefer.  The ability to bring a horse in
"recovered" would be the same as always,  just give the LD riders the same
"end of ride" criteria as 50s except only 30 minutes instead of 60.   A
rider could better pace to use all the time allowed, instead of guessing.

I have always thought the philosophy of the LD finish as we know it today is
second only to the requirement that all horses passs a post ride vet check
for completion.

It used to bug me to bring in a horse,moving freely, head up looking for
more, and find top ten horses crashing, treated, and still getting bonus
points.

(By the way, I was the one that fell off,  combination young horse, spooky
culvert, new crupper, and old lady not paying attention. <vbg>)

----- Original Message -----

> Stagg_Newman@xxxxxxxxxxxx - Stagg_Newman@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Was on the board when we developed the current criteria for LD.  The board
> strongly
> felt that LD was not to be a race to the finish and so was to be different
> from
> a 50 or 100.  We wanted LD rides to be training rides for new riders and
new
> horses
> as well as rides for people who did not have the time or inclination to go
> further.
> We wanted an extra margin of safety since LD rides would have more
> inexperienced
> horses and riders.

>
> While we
> understood there would be racing, we wanted to insure the racing was done
> with some
> control and hence the different criteria.
>
> My impression is that the program has worked quite well and the original
> reasons for the decision are still valid.
>
> On the other hand a good debate with input from the members is healthy.
> I would recommend that those advocating a change clearly articulate the
> philosophy behind the change and also what effect the change would have
> on the original philosophy that motivated the rule and why that should be

> changed.
>
> Note that however rules are set as long as we have time constraints,
> there will be non-completions for OT, some by a couple of minutes.
> That may be a non-completion is the formal AERC records.  It can of course
> still be a meaningful achievement for the horse and rider that day.
>
> BTW re the ride below, I believe for a 30 mile ride, according to my
> calcutions one should have had 7 hours and 12 minutes not 6:30 so
> Barb and Dot would have had plenty of time if the correct time were
> allowed.
>
> Stagg
>
> From: "McGann, Barb" <BarbMcGann@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: RE: [RC]   Finish Line question for LD Riders
>
>
> Yes, it does happen.  Have seen it happen many times and this last year it
> happened to me.  Here's the scenario:  Soldier Mtn in Idaho.  LD is a 30
> consisting of one 15 mile loop that you do twice (over a HUGE mountain
each
> time).  Dot Wiggins, super experienced rider on a young horse, myself,
> extremely experienced, but packing broken ribs so we're doing the 30.  The
> first time over, we're trying to pace ourselves conservatively...takes 3
> hours for the loop.  Now a 30 minute hold.  So that's 3:30 out of 6:30
gone
> (since its a 30 miler).  We know we have to pick up the pace some to make
> it
> over the mountain the second time in 3:00 flat.  And we do, except that we
> have a couple of problems (like falling off).  Now we're 3 miles from camp
> with less than 15 minutes!  Here's the choice (both of us have horses that
> recover nicely): (1) Cruise on into camp at a medium trot and end up over
> time, so it won't matter whether we recover or not.  Or, (2) we can run
> like
> hell the last 3 miles, and have 4 to 5 minutes for the pulse to come down.
> Guess which one we chose??> >

>
>


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