[RC] Fw: from PNER list with author's permission - Dot Wiggins
I think this is another view of an ongoing
debate. Some useful thoughts and observations.
As a RM (not doing it now) I have to agree with
Pam. I was reluctant to pay the AERC rider fees for LDs when they
first started. Most 25 milers were not members and there was no reason for
them to join. As I got requests I did sanction the LD rides. There
are more LD riders now and they sure help pay the bill sand boost AERC
income and members.
I've done Endurance and LD, like both, and feel
they are a good blend of challenges for all AERC members.
As to LD BC----How can you do a valid evaluation
between horses when one finishes in 4 hrs and another in 6 hrs. The
time factor needs to be considered, the work/stress factor is not the
same.
Subject: Re: [PNER] FORWARD WITH PERMISSION OF WRITER
Merryben,
Please feel free to forward my post to anyone who might be
interested. This is directed specifically to Becky Hart, since it was her
post you re-posted on the PNER list.
Becky,
The LD BC topic seems to be a very hot one indeed and it isn't going to go
away no matter what AERC does or doesn't do.
I very much respect your endurance "resume." I can't lay claim to
anything even remotely spectacular, less than 3000 endurance miles,
only one of them a 75, and dozens and dozens of LD rides since about 1988, on a
variety of horses and breeds, back when AERC didn't even sanction LD. I do
have a pretty high completion rate at all distances. I truly believe in
"To Finish Is To Win." I have only managed rides for seven years.
I have come to the conclusion that there is no perfect solution for LD
rides. They seem to be the unwanted bastard child of endurance, with
some regions wanting them more than others, but most a little embarrassed about
them in general and not sure how to legitimize them. AERC continues
to foster confusing and conflicting rules for the LD rides. All you have
to do is attempt to follow the rules changes from year to year as they mire them
more and more deeply in progressively deeper levels of strata, and pretty
soon after a few years, you're beating your head on the trailer door in
frustration.
I think the first thing we need to do is to quit worrying about why people
do LD and whether or not they are "true" endurance rides. There is no
crime in being a career LD rider. From a ride manager point of view, the
LD riders can make or break my financial bottom line, as do the trail riders (in
our area, we offer a novice trail ride of 8-12 miles; it is how many who now do
endurance rides <including me> got started). Your comment about AERC
encouraging career LD riders troubles me. You can define "endurance"
all you want, but the meaning isn't going to change for people who for whatever
the reason choose to do LD instead of 50+ mile distances.
It is true that in the West and Pacific South regions, the trend towards
racing on the LD is overwhelming. Fortunately, in our local area of
Southwest Idaho, that is not really much of a problem, and any hot shot
wannabees are carefully monitored by vets. This is not to say we don't
have problems from time to time, but last year I had a complete
novice enter my 75. She had absolutely no business being there but I
can't deny entry based on stupidity or lack of experience.
I have tried a variety of BC judging methods on my LD and I finally came to
the conclusion that yes, I would reward speed and judge only the top 10 using
the AERC scoring system, because I was tired of penalizing the majority
of good, conscientious riders for the mentality of the minority.
This year at Purple Passion (May 1), winning 25 time was
3:15, winning 50 time was a little over 4:30 and winning 75 time was under
9 hours. We had no metabolic treatments, only two lameness pulls (one on
the 25, one on the 50) and 100% completion of 15 riders on the 75. In
looking purely at the times, it is clear that the racing is being done at the
longer distances, at least on this day.
Some rides such as the Oregon 100 have become so disgusted with LD riders,
they quit offering LD. I think that is a shame but I completely understand
their reasons.
Perhaps we need to go back to square one with limited distance, wipe the
slate clean and come up with a completely new definition and a new set of
SIMPLIFIED rules. I honestly don't know what the answer is, but this is a
subject (like barefoot horses and helmets) that is NOT going to go away. I
am more than willing to listen to all sides of the arguments and hopefully my
input and opinions are reasoned and thoughtful, and not passionate and
inflexible.
I doubt very much if my opinion will change anyone else's opinion, but that
is part of the problem, so many people are so darned inflexible with their
ideas. Perhaps it's time for a little mediation. As I said above, I
just don't know what the answer is, but in true endurance rider fashion, we all
have opinions and we're not afraid to express them!
