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[RC] SERA Convention - Truman PrevattHeaded straight from the SERA convention to a big silver bird taking me away for awhile so I didn't get any chance to report.It was one of the best we've had in years. Dr. Otis Schmitt was our speaker and his speech contained the wisdom of years of vetting rides. The thing that he said that stuck in my mind was the "good old days are now." Today we know more and do it better and our horses are better off for it. Think about what that means folks. I want to congratulate Betsy Knight for winning both SERA Best Condition and SERA Consistent Condition on her wonderful horse Jureeba Kassan. She is only the second person to ever win both of these awards in the same year on the same horse. I want to congratulate all the other riders that won year end awards for their accomplishments. The "Lawton Johnston Presidents Award" was present to Dr. Schmitt for his contributions to the sport of endurance riding in the SE. This is the first time that someone that has never been on top of a horse in an endurance ride has received this award - and it is well deserved. Otis if you see this don't even think about taking up riding - you are too valuable to all of use vetting our rides. I asked Susan Kasemeyer to present the award - of course she just about broke into tears because of her respect to the man and didn't do a decent job on telling the stories that normally comes with this award. So I have an Otis story I will tell to the world. Some years ago on my second 100 at the Carolina Ride over Thanksgiving weekend. I'm not sure Otis will remember it but I'm going to tell it the same. This is back in the days when men were men and the sheep were nervous and you rode horses that were lean and mean running machines. I come in at 95 miles (after my riding partner got us lost for about 5 to 10 miles). It was late and cold. Otis took one look at the mare and didn't like what he saw. She was down when we got in and when she trotted out, she drug me down the lane. I managed to get her stopped and get her back - she damn near ran over Otis. She went out at 56 and the CRI was 44. I guess since she damn near killed him he figured she was "fit to continue." Otis said she's fine - so the recorder put down some grades. As I was walking off, Otis said "She'd do a better with more weight." But it was, as always, a low key comment - one that comes with the wisdom of seeing it all. He was right - I put a hundred pounds (actually closer to 200) on her and she did much better. It was a great time and a great convention with a great speaker and great people celebrating a great sport. Truman -- “Many people consider the things government does for them to be social progress but they regard the things government does for others as socialism.” Earl Warren =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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