Re: [RC] AERC National Championship ride FUNDING

[Randy H Eiland <renegade12@juno.com>]

Originally AERC had a Top 25 Overall Championship with the winner being
the rider who accumulated the most points during the year.  There were
two weight divisions and the winners were determined by year end points,
too.  This system eventually had so many abuses that AERC decided in 1987
to change the way we determined our National Champions  - enter the  AERC
National Series Championship (NSC).  There were several different formats
discussed, debated, and argued.  The  NSC format changed several times
over the years, the idea being it would end the 'trailer races" and other
abuses of the original Top 25.  Unfortunately, no matter how AERC tweaked
the system, the NSC never caught on with the membership and it eventually
turned into the ultimate "trailer race". 

 In 1992 AERC put out its first "professional like" Questionnaire.  One
of the questions asked "  should AERC put on a ROC type ride to circulate
among the regions?"  81% of the respondents stated they wanted AERC to
use this format for a ride of our own.  AERC attempted to do this in 1994
with the AERC Classic..a head to head 100 mile event...to qualify to
enter, horses had to have at least 1000 career miles with at least 400
miles to be with the horse/rider as a team.  Maggy Price was our
President and to quote from her Jan, 1993 President's Message on the
Classic, "(We feel that part of our "protection" for our horses lies in
intimate rider knowledge of that particular mount, hence the 400 miles
with the entering rider.)"  The Classic had 34 entries (I think) but AERC
canned the event due to numerous logistical problems..much of that was a
result of incompatability between the ride management and the Classic
Committee.

Enter 1998 when the Competitions Committee met in Maggy Price's room with
the knowledge that the National Series Championship was no longer
viable..it had hit bottom with no chance of a rebound.  Since our
Membership had overwhelmingly indicated in the 1992 Questionnaire that
they wanted a "head to head" Championship Event, and in later surveys
indicated they also wanted 50 miles included in the event, the
Competitions Committee made the motion to put on the AERC National
Championship 100 and 50 Mile Event.  The BOD approved and the first event
was held in the Lincoln National Forest at Timberon with 37 total
entries..due to the need for a larger base camp, the 2nd event was held
at Ft Stanton, New Mexico (also in the Lincoln National Forest) and there
were 90+ entries.  Last year the event was held in KY and was even
bigger.

Randy Eiland




On Tue, 26 Feb 2002 19:08:22 -0800 Terry Woolley <cancer@simplyweb.net>
writes:
> Jim,
> 
> I'm going to refer this to Randy Eiland since he is a major 
> proponent of the
> National Championship and was the ride manager for the first two 
> years using
> this format.  I know over the years there have been different 
> formats
> attempted in order to have a national championship event.  The first 
> one I
> recall was when there was a championship ride in each region. 2 or 3 
> regions
> would have it on the same date, and there would be one final one in 
> one of
> the regions and whoever accumulated the most points during those 3 
> rides
> would be champion.  The problem was you had to really be able to do 
> all
> three to really be competitive.
> I actually don't remember ever there being a ballot regarding the 
> national
> championship.  Do you think the majority of the riders would be 
> willing to
> add more to their dues to help support the championship ride?  Do 
> you think
> the majority of the membership would not want to see their dues 
> money go to
> help underwrite the ride?
> 
> I'm sending a copy of this to the AERC office to see if they 
> remember a
> ballot ever going out regarding a championship ride, but they are 
> really
> busy right now getting ready for Reno so the answer may have to wait 
> until
> sometime next week.
> 
> Terry
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jim Holland" <lanconn@tds.net>
> To: "Terry Woolley" <cancer@simplyweb.net>; "Ridecamp"
> <ridecamp@endurance.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2002 6:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [RC] AERC National Championship ride FUNDING
> 
> 
> >
> >
> > Terry...
> >
> > I don't remember the date or details (not surprising), but I 
> believe
> > there was a "ballot" to cast a vote for or against holding a NCR.  
> I
> > seem to remember other items on this "ballot" as well. I saw no 
> reason
> > to save a copy.  Surely the AERC office has a record of mailings 
> sent to
> > the membership?  I wasn't referring to the general meeting.  If I
> > remember correctly, there was no funds mentioned, and there were 
> few
> > details regarding exactly what a NCR entailed. I believe the 
> results
> > were that about 55% of the membership voted "For". I'm sure there 
> are
> > people who were involved with this decision who have more details 
> than I
> > do.  The idea of a NCR may have originated with the board, 
> however.
> >
> > Perhaps some historical information on how the NCR concept came 
> about
> > would shed some light on what the membership actually wants. 
> Surely
> > there is a Ridecamp subscriber who can enlighten us with details?
> >
> > Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic
> >
> >
> >
> > > > Terry Woolley wrote:
> > > > >
> >
> > > When you said they supported a NCR ride, what exactly are you 
> referring
> to?
> > > When did they vote for this?  As far as i know putting on a 
> national
> > > championship ride was a board decision.  I don't actually 
> remember this
> > > going out to the membership for a vote. I know at the general 
> meeting in
> > > Reno a couple of years ago, those in the audience did indicate 
> that they
> > > wanted a 50 mile championship too.   I'm not arguing, I just 
> don't know
> > > what you are referring to when you say that a majority wanted 
> this.  And
> if
> > > they did, did they say they were willing
> > > to underwrite this, or were just in favor of having one?
> > >
> >
> >
> 
>