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[RC] Kim Fuess Letter to Tevis Board - Ridecamp Guest

Please Reply to: Karen Nelson knelson@xxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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I find myself agreeing with the majority of what Kim said.  Especially since 
she "cooled off" for a couple of days before writing it.
The awarding of a buckle to a sponsor was wrong, IMO.  A plaque would have been 
more appropriate.
I have started Tevis 3 times, getting as far as Francisco's when I pulled 
myself, against advice of vets.(Pilot error- pilot was stupid and scared).  I 
don't have a buckle.  Probably too old now to do so.  In any event, would it be 
ok for me to find a buckle in an estate sale or pawn shop and wear it as tho I 
had done all the work the buckle implies?  NO, NO, a thousand times NO. It 
would be an insult to those who earned it the hard way. This buckle has been 
revered for 50 years.  Worn with pride by those who EARNED it.
If I hit the lottery and give $35,000 to the Tevis next year, distribute caps- 
with the CORRECT USA flag on them-hang banners advertising my bookkeeping 
services or my home bred Arabian horses, put t-shirts on the volunteers, can I 
get a buckle that way?  Alot of the current crop of riders could buy a buckle 
and afford to pay the $35,000. Is that the direction the Tevis committee wants 
to go?
I think this accomodation of the UAE for the price of $35,000 is having 
"unintended consequences".
For those of us  who have trained hard, been careful in our selection of 
horses, ridden in the canyons in the hottest time of day dressed in black 
turtlenecks to get ready for the heat- (ask Dolly if I did that-)begged friends 
to crew since I have no family, and worked very hard on strategy, it might be 
easier to just pay $35,000 and get a buckle. Kim is correct.
BTW- I cannot imagine ANY reason why the USA flag was incorrect.


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