Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> > A reply to Roxanne Green:
> > I've never meet Roxanne, but she sounds like a lady I could sit down
with
> > and talk
> > about trails and trail access for hours.  We not only hear what you have
> to
> > say
> > Roxanne but have just take the following action.
> > The AERC is forming a new Committee.  It will be titled, The Federal
Land
> > Management
> > Relations Committee.  Its primary focus will be to coordinate all of the
> > work going into
> > the establishment of new rides located on BLM and FS lands.  So your
> > suggestion is
> > already in the works.  The explosion of our trail opportunities with
both
> > agencies has
> > made this move necessary.  I will Chair the new committee and will at
the
> > same time
> > continue to chair the Trails Committee.  This new committee along with
the
> > Trail
> > Grants Committee and the Trails Committee will all function in close
> > harmony.
> > Roxanne's comments are important to those of you who continue to ride
and
> > take
> > your trails for granted.  We need you at the meetings where the land
> > managers are
> > trying to make decisions on their land use.  We need you on the ground
at
> > least
> > 20 hours a year.  Off the horse and on the ground.  Yep, you finger
nails
> > will break,
> > and you will have dirt from head to toe.  But what a great day to spend
> with
> > your
> > horse riding friends.  At the end of the day you can look back on the
work
> > you did
> > and walk away with the feeling of pride and accomplishment.  You saved a
> > trail.
> >
> > In Washington we fight a huge battle.  Those extreme environmental
> > organizations who want
> > us off the trail, and back at the 4 H center have millions of dollars to
> > spend in their
> > lobbying efforts.  And make no mistake about it, they have been beat
back
> > some, but they
> > are there just waiting for the opportunity to shove their agendas down
our
> > throats.  We have
> > two full time staff persons working for us in Washington.  One is an
> > attorney.  They have
> > done a wonderful job in working with Congress on issues of access,
> > insurance, trail
> > designations etc.  We have a lot of work to do, its never ending.  For
me,
> I
> > can tell you that
> > with the hours it takes to do this job, its all worth it when one of you
> > comes up and
> > thanks me for all I do for your trails.  We are on the job in
Washington.
> > We are up to the
> > task.  Sure we could use a lot more money to push our agenda.  We are
> there
> > and we are
> > making a difference.  Will it ever end with the extreme
environmentalist?
> > Probably not.
> > We must let our congressmen know that our opinions, our rights, our
> heritage
> > and our
> > way of life is more important than any whacked out scheme to eliminate
our
> > access to
> > our lands.  Its up to you to let your congressman know how you feel.
> >
> > Jerry Fruth
> > AERC # 441
> > Chairman AERC Trails Committee
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Randy H Eiland" <renegade12@xxxxxxxx>
> > To: <AERC_BoD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <AERCMembersForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>;
> > <AERC_Ride_Managers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Monday, October 04, 2004 8:38 AM
> > Subject: [AERCMembersForum] Future of AERC Rides
> >
> >
> > > The following post from ridecamp, addressed to the general public, is
an
> > > excellent explanation of AERC's future if AERC doesn't get fully
behind
> > > projects like the AERC-BLM relationship being developed by Jerry Fruth
> > > and Roger Taylor - one in which Jerry and Roger have spent
considerable
> > > time working with the BLM;  the result being a partnership between
> > > AERC-BLM in which the BLM is offering their help in providing sites
for
> > > AERC sanctioned events.  Current partnership projects are the Ft
Stanton
> > > Ride in NM, proposed Rock Springs Ride in WY, another proposed site in
> > > CA, as well as a site in AZ and other areas.   Additionally, as we
> > > continue to promote Horse Welfare, we need to seriously consider
> > > Roxanne's comments as they relate to ride veterinarians and proposed
new
> > > rules.
> > >
> > > Randy Eiland  - btw, I would like to see comments from DAL candidates,
> re
> > > the below letter,  posted to the MembersForum - candidates are:  Mike
> > > Tomlinson, Stagg Newman, Mike Maul, Barney Fleming, Robert Ribley,
Jerry
> > > Fruth, Kim Fuess, Anne Ayala, Laura Hayes, Joe Schoech, Brian Gran,
> Diana
> > > Rojek, Betty Baker, Teresa Cross
> > > *******************
> > >
> > > Why the Sunland Ride is Cancelled:
> > >
> > > The simple explanation for canceling the Sunland Ride, which has
existed
> > > every year for 30 years, is the current closure of the Angeles
National
> > > Forest.  It was the consensus of everyone involved that riders would
> > > probably not enjoy riding around the parking lot a few hundred times
to
> > > make
> > > the mileage.  In the past, we have received last-minute approval for
the
> > > ride because of small amounts of rain.  This year the fire danger is
so
> > > serious from so many dry years in a row that even Rangers and lessees
> who
> > > live within the Forest are being evacuated now. Forestry is not
equipped
> > > to
> > > get them all out safely in the event of a serious fire.  So without a
> > > rainstorm large enough to cause flooding, the chance of being able to
> > > hold
> > > the ride is very small.
> > >
> > > There are other more serious factors at work which are of importance
to
> > > all
> > > endurance riders.  It's virtually impossible in most areas to hold
rides
> > > without the use of public lands.  Using them has become more and more
> > > difficult, with restrictions on events which involve competition,
> > > environmental concerns, and regulations requiring a percentage of
gross
> > > proceeds to be handed over to the public entity controlling the land
> over
> > > which the ride is conducted.  As an organization, AERC needs to do
more
> > > in
> > > order to make it possible to have rides at all in the future. We
likely
> > > need
> > > better relations with other equestrian groups using public lands, and
> the
> > > assistance of the American Horse Council to guarantee our concerns are
> > > considered.  Ride managers cannot be blamed for giving up in the face
of
> > > severe regulation.  In the long run, it will necessary to characterize
> an
> > > endurance ride honestly.  Doing so almost guarantees the event will
run
> > > afoul of the law, and permits will not be forthcoming.
> > >
> > > In populated ride areas such as Southern California, ride managers are
> > > hard-pressed to conduct a ride without incurring huge expenses which
> > > cannot
> > > be covered unless a large number of riders participate.  This can be
an
> > > insurmountable problem for a ride in challenging terrain, when in the
> > > weeks
> > > before or after, a ride in an easier area can be attended instead.
> > >
> > > New pending AERC regulations regarding veterinarians and their
> > > responsibilities will have additional impact.  Several veterinarians I
> > > have
> > > talked to already realize they will incur an intolerable burden of
> > > ongoing
> > > liability if they service rides under the proposed rules.  These days,
> > > veterinarians suffer the same problems with malpractice suits as
medical
> > > doctors.  If AERC continues to add more ongoing responsibility for
> horses
> > > a
> > > veterinarian has seen, perhaps only once during a ride, most
> > > veterinarians
> > > are likely to question the advisability of exposing their businesses
to
> > > the
> > > whims of people who are not even their regular clients.  Riders and
> > > managers
> > > need to look at these proposed rules and object to them before they
are
> > > passed.  Just because they are promoted by some of the veterinarians
on
> > > the
> > > AERC committee does not mean they are good for our sport.
> > >
> > > AERC has a lot of projects and activities.  If we don't adjust our
> > > priorities, we may not have rides in the future.  It's hard for me to
> > > imagine very many people going to the lengths I have in order to keep
> > > endurance rides in my area.  It isn't easy to influence AERC, but if
> ride
> > > managers are unable to develop sufficient power within the
organization
> > > to
> > > address the urgent problems, the future of local rides may be pretty
> > > bleak.
> > >
> > > Roxanne Greene
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
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> >
> >
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> >
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> >
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