Re: [RC] Endurance riding/racing growing pains - Heidi Smith
>As measured by the membership of AERC
Int. the number that actually care about international riding is arguably small.
The number that actually need these rides is even smaller ( many AERC Int
members don't pursue international riding - just support it). My last
recollection the number of AERC Int members less than 400 whereas the AERC
membership is about 6000. Given these small numbers and the impact some feel,
the Fruth proposal does seem to hold some merit.
Small?? Nearly 10% is small?? I'd wager
that that's as many or more than care about the AERC National Championship
system. It is likely more than care who wins the Jim Jones award.
And how many out there compete with their kids toward family awards? Our
membership is so diverse that I'd beg to differ that 400 members interested in
the same thing is an insignificant number.
>However fiat,
before this happens I would prefer to see the AERC establish a committee survey
the membership that have ridden these rides and determine what the impact is and
if it is significant, and if it is significant to work out procedures on how
cosanctioned rides work in this country.
As a voice of two (hubby and self), who attended
Ft. Howes as AERC LD riders just out for the scenery and to put a camp-out
experience and a public appearance on a couple of for-sale geldings, I'd
have to say that it being co-sanctioned with FEI impacted us not at all.
Unless you count the positive impact of getting to see some friends from far
away that we rarely get to see, who came because it was also FEI. (Oh,
yeah--there was also the positive impact of being able to
find transportation for a stallion from Ohio, so that we only had to go to
eastern Montana to pick him up--thanks to it attracting folks from all
over.) The trail was marked just like any other AERC ride, the vet
check routine was no more different than one encounters between different AERC
rides put on by different managers in different areas, and I don't think FEI
brought the wind and the thunderstorms, either.
