Good Morning Campers...This is your Uncle Ernies
nephew.
It like a quick thought that came to this
analysis. If a Region or a Nation has trouble meeting the COC because of
terrain or weather conditions, all one has to do is look back in
history.
In 1934 or something (my attempt at getting reports
or newspaper clippings of the time was burnt in a fire Sandra Tevis Haggin told
me), Will Tevis rode 4 horses in an indoor skating arena and went, the
story goes 200 miles in 10 hours on a 1/4 mile oval course.
In 1994, the Knights of the Golden Horseshoe used a
1.67 mile course thru the Page County Fairgrounds in Luray, Va. as a
fundraising project for St. Judes Childrens Hostpital (we raised over
5K4).
The rules were basic FEI Rules with weight, Team
Chef, Gates into Holds etc. and Lee Wittle was the observing FEI Offical.
There were 3 riders with about 10 FEI Competitions among them and we wanted to
see how todays endurance horses would compare to Will Tevis and his
adventure. We found out a lot, and the furtherest went was by Chryssie
Unser at about 166 miles. Dr Jeannie Waldron was the Vet and cut no
slack.
What i'd like to propose to any Region or Country
that has a problem meeting their COC for reasons of weather....Put on your
FEI ride in an indoor amphitheater and cut the AC up to high and ride in the
cool weather. Its actually quite easy to put on something like this and
this is not a statement in jest.
As to boring to the riders...i was never bored and
had the normal race day mishaps as any other ride like a horse going nuts in a
stall with a turned blanket, and taking it out, slam dunks and dislocated
shoulders, heat of the autumn and no shade and Garnet and Chryssie both had
their own personal health issues that dogged them thru the day. It was
good for spectators as every loop included a ride arround the ring and the
grandstands. Lee kept saying at the heat of the day...."You're doggin
it" i only went 144 miles and Garnet went 123. It was an endurance
adventure.
If any one asks why you adoin this? Tell them
Will Tevis did. ts
