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[RC] Observations-WEC & US - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: kim kimfue@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== They can't train for Tevis/Big Horn/Old Dominion over there. They don't have to even if they could. Unless things have changed in the recent past. They have brought horses here or bought US horses and leave them in training with US trainers/riders all over the country. Perhaps that has changed in last couple years and I am sure you are more current than I. Dian, there is no question that if UAE riders wanted to place well at a ride like the Tevis on one of their own horses they will. They have the money to use the best US trainers to condition their horses on Tevis like or the Tevis trail, bring over or buy the best mountain horses for the terrain, and even send over the riders/jockeys to train on and become familar with the trail. They should perform perform very well....why not?? As you state, your horses were leased by a UAE rider who placed in the top 5 a Tevis. A very respectable if not enviable performance on a leased horse. If anyone has ever ridden the Tevis it takes horsemanship to get through that ride regardless of the horse you are riding. We may not be used to that kind of money being thrown at the sport but all endurance riders know that equality is not part of the game. All you have to do is look at any basecamp and see one rider in a 200,000 motorhome next someone sleeping in the back of their 2 horse trailer. From my perspective, my view is that the flat race track like racing that the UAE and FEI through the UAE (do you guys remember the name of the FEI guy that was interviewed in Endurance World all the time) who wanted create a fast, viewer friendly, venue that would eliminate riders after a certain percentage of riders crossed the finish line. It seems to me that this is when big changes started at this level of endurance, maybe a little before. This seems to be when the finish lost some respectabilty therefore making the win/placing everything. It doesn't mean that a win at this level wasn't always important but it wasn't everything. It doesn't mean that some individuals/teams/countries do not particpate to just complete but what it does mean is the organization (FEI)has shifted what it deems as important. Is it a written rule probably not but certainly an attitude. How many spectators and cheerleaders were around when the last horse at the WEC finished??? My god, it was only 12 hours not 24 like so many 100 mile rides and this the WEC! Where are the cheerleaders & folks in the stands like at the Tevis when the last few horses come in (whoops...not supposed to compare to AERC rides....sorry) What is observed at these events tells more then an entire rule book. After which rider did endurance city basically shut down...?? Before the UAE was involved I had never once read or heard anywhere that the FEI organization ever thought to eliminate finishers just because they do not finish in the "whatever" percentile of the top riders. International riding has evolved or is evolving away from the AERC version of endurance. If participants in FEI like that fine but for those in AERC that do not like it and do not like many of the ramifications those members should be allowed to voice their opinions. And although many say that our US international riding program has nothing to do with AERC as it is run by USA-E all of the riders and officials are AERC members and participants in FEI use AERC rides as their platform to get to a WEC. AERC does contribute/support (and I don't mean just financial) to international racing...just look in endurance news at their monthly column and at the AERC I committee. If AERC wasn't involved somehow in international FEI events why is there a need for an international committee?? AERC membership should have a voice if they want to support (not just financial)this venue of riding that is almost opposite of "to finish is to win" and all that implies. Both you and Debbie Foti make this very clear in your descripion of this level of riding. I still haven't seen the numbers of exactly how many AERC members are also members of AERC I but maybe those numbers will give everyone an idea about what kind of "support" (not financial just rider/support crew/cheerleader numbers) International riding has in the AERC. Dian, my critique is about philosophical differences between venues not about individuals or countries. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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