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[RC] WEC/FEI Qualifications - Ridecamp Guest

Please Reply to: Kim kimfue@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Bob,
 Thanks for posting the information on the qualification criteria.  I thought 
there was a requirement.  In my opinion, it is small things like this - a 
loophole around the rules- that give FEI riding part of it's negative 
reputation with some AERC riders.  This has nothing to do with the speed or the 
attrition rate at this WEC or being a poor sport.  Don't accuse me of the us 
and them, I am only putting forth an opinion of what I see.  Even FEI 
supporters here claim that all the rules and the protocol etc. used in FEI 
riding are in place to ensure a fair playing field.  In the US, our FEI riders 
are subject to following protocol, rules, standards, etc set forth by FEI. We 
HAVE to provide dual sanctioned rides so our riders can "qualify" for 
international competition because our AERC rules do not provide the level 
playing field FEI requires. It seems that if you want to ride in FEI you have 
to jump through hoops.  The folks that choose to ride FEI accept this because  
I am sure they assume that all FEI riders internationally are being subject to 
the same rules, protocol, standards.  Now, according to one of the posts, the 
winning horse at the WEC had never been in a 100 before this race.  If this is 
true, and I don't know if it is, what does that say to every other FEI rider 
whether here or abroad that followed the rules and precedures to get to the 
WEC.  If exceptions to qualifications can be made at the very top level of FEI 
competition why can't exceptions be made for us here.  Why isn't there an 
easier way for our riders to "qualify"?  Maybe if it was made a little easier 
more riders would be interested in competing and the pool from which to choose 
a team would be larger.  When I read posts that one of the horses from the host 
country of the WEC didn't complete a 100 mile qualifying race before the event 
and then won the WEC why should I feel that there is a level playing field in 
FEI and that that this is not elitist? It not an issue of the animal's fitness 
but a matter of fair play and following the rules which seem so important in 
FEI riding.  How can you expect to get the average AERC rider to support the 
FEI venue whether as a rider, crew, or just be cheerleaders when this is 
happening at the top international level?  Our US riders have to jump through 
hoops just to get qualified and another nation's rider/horse uses a loophole 
and doesn't qualify like everyone else and ends up being crowned "champion".
  Again, I don't know if what was reported was true but if it is it doesn't 
say much for rules and protocol that seem to be the backbone of FEI riding.


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