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[RC] 2003Pac Coverage - Steph Teeter

It's 5:10, riders are moving around. (Steph is out tacking up. at 5:30 they
want everyone to start moving toward the start and to check in for final
checks and then they'r off!!).

There are two sites (which have the same content pretty much:

http://www.endurance.net/2003pac/ is the official site and you can go there
for ride coverage thoughout the day.

http://www.endurance.net/international/2003pac is the enduranceNet coverage
site and you can go there for ride coverage throughout the day.

I will be sending posts to ridecamp as interesting things happen.

Most likely I won't take many photos today, though I'm sure others will and
I'll post them as they are available.

Yesterday Dr. Dane Frazier (FEI Endurance Committee Member, AERC Director
and Past President - and many other things) took the opportunity of the
Riders Meeting to present a very heart felt and suitable set of comments to
all involved with the PAC. Basically he said that our normal backyard 100s
have a completion rate of @85%. Higher profile rides (which are commonly
qualification or demonstration rides for Championship level events)
generally drop the completion rate down to the 60% level or so. Events like
the PanAm come in with a completion rate sometimes at or below 40%.

He challenged the riders and teams present to question themselves as to why
this is the case. To try to understand why the better we get the worse we
are at finishing. To question what in their hearts leads these competitors
to press so hard that the equine is placed at such high risk at Championship
events.

I am not as eloquent as Dr. Frazier. I don't think anyone had the forsight
to record his comments. But it was a bold and (IMHO) needed assessment of
our sport and an opportunity to allow all present - all which represent the
most and best of our lot, to look inside and see what it's all about.

I hope by the end of the day that my fingers are strained and my eyes blurry
from entering so many in-times because we have such a high number of
COMPLETIONS in this event. There are 89 starters. The weather will be good
(though the hot part of the day will present a great challenge). The trail
is technical with early elevation changes to test the field.

Good luck to all and I do hope that all are sound through the completion!!!

Ok, enough editorial soap box.....90 minutes to the start. Think I'll head
on up the hill.....

jt.
(p.s. and a special wish of good ride to Steph and Rhet - Rick and Carol are
crewing for her and freeing me up to keep the feed alive. Thanks to them as
well ... now offtuit!!)


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