Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> As I mentioned, I think there are two main endurance villages  in UAE, one
> near Abu Dhabi and one near Dubai.
John, your post was a good synopsis.  I'm replying here not just to your
post, but commenting on the whole Middle East thread.  What you describe is
indeed different in many ways than what we do.  That doesn't make it
wrong--just different.  (Am not saying you made any value judgments--you
didn't, you just reported the situation the way it is.)  Does this threaten
endurance as we know it in the USA?  No.  We are still AERC, and can run
rides in the manner that we see fit.  Does this affect how we may have to
approach international riding to stay competitive--I agree with your
comments that yes, it does.  Nonetheless, as riders, we still have the
option of casing out the conditions of the next championship and taking our
horses someplace that mimics those conditions, and pushing the envelope, or
simply continuing to ride AERC rides the way we do now, striving to continue
to learn and improve our performance with our sets of rules and our
particular interests in mind.  I'm one who wants to do the latter, but that
doesn't mean that I don't admire the riders with the dedication to do the
former.  What I described as a prep for international competition is really
just what Steph did, to a degree, when she went to train in Florida for
awhile.  More power to her.  Her going to Florida to train doesn't in any
way interfere with me just getting ready here at home to ride some Idaho
rides this summer, and add to my career mileage, and maybe shoot at a few
minor PNER awards, if I can bet my butt back in shape.  We don't all have to
have the same goals, or all ride alike, to enjoy this great sport of ours.

Ever watch some of our familiar team sports in the Olympics?  Take
basketball, for instance.  They don't play in the Olympics quite like they
play in the NBA.  That isn't a threat to the NBA, nor is either the NBA or
the Olympics a threat to how our local high school boys are playing in the
district tournament right now.  As more and more people get involved with
our sport, the easier it is to have different goals and different levels and
types of competition to suit a great many of us.

The Middle Eastern riders have come a long way in just a few years.  Good
for them.  No, they don't ride the same as we do here in America.  I happen
to like how we do it here as well.  But that doesn't take anything away from
what they are doing, nor do they take away from what we are doing.  We have
a common interest, but we don't have to be the same.  It's ok.  Really.

And thanks again, John, for the informative and level-headed post.

Heidi


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