Re: [RC] [AERC-Members] HRM at Vet Check Poll - Roberta Jo Lieberman
Bob, the quick answer to your question about what happens to the points
is: I don't know. The creative process of re-inventing the "rewards" and
awards is a whole 'nuther conversation. Remember when Steph challenged
us to think about what we would do if we could start from scratch and revamp
the whole system? (Sorry Steph, I didn't state that as elegantly
as you did!) There have been a slew of interesting ideas presented,
including Steph's suggestion that we have NO points. If anyone's been keeping
track of these ideas and could post them all together, that would be great.
One possibility might be allowing points and numerical rankings to stay
with the placing crowd and a categorical system applied to the completion
crowd (i.e., we're testing endurance *quality* not *capacity*), such as
everyone who finishes within 15% of the first place horse's time gets to
stand in the gold/elite group; 30% of the winning time earns the silver,
etc. Putting together a string of "gold" or "silver" finishers could eventually
become the "gold standard" of endurance excellence. Remember, this would
hold true only for those who declare themselves in the COMPLETION group
and wouldn't take away the "right to race" for the placing group; it would
only hold those seeking numerical ranking to a higher standard of recovery.
-Bobbie
P.S. Here is another little bit from Matthew....
"This is ONE attractive suggestion for making over-riding less 'profitable.'
I see other ideas emerging which support that goal. Over-riding is the
use of the horse on that day which exceeds his resources on that day. It
is elusive because it is multi-faceted. It IS the cause of treatment and
death. It is much easier and more humane to prevent than to cure. Prudent
conservation of one's mount must be rewarded and is the best prevention.
I hoped to set this process in motion to see it gain critical mass,
a momentum of its own, and let those whose future is in endurance riding
lead its evolution. The encouragement of the old fossils is helpful, but
we don't have the 'tablets' from the mountain, just concerns for horses
and our sport."
Matthew Mackay-Smith, DVM
Bob Morris wrote:
Bobbie:So
in fact you would have two rides being held concurrently over the same
course and under the same rules except for pulse recovery time. This give
thought to a few questions; if there are fewer than 10 riders declaring
for the "race" category, what happens to the points? If you declare for
the "complete" category and find that you are in the top runners can you
"upgrade" top the "race" category?Bob
