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Re: [RC] AERC NC's - Roxanne Ciccone

Do your miles and points earned at the National championship count toward year end awards? I assumed they did not as you have to qualify for this ride and not everyone does.
Roxanne


-----Original Message-----
From: kimfuess
Sent: Oct 20, 2006 12:50 PM
To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] AERC NC's

Here are some other thoughts on the NC
 
1. I think location will always be a factor in who attends a National Championship.
 
2. The way I feel now is that the NC 100 is just another 100 or just another ride.  I don't know why I didn't feel that way with the ROC. I always felt that ride was special and it wasn't just the big $$ prizes as I never had a horse that was capable of that kind of performance. I think it was the qualifications that made that ride seem more than just another 100. You actually had to work to get a horse qualified. 
 
3. Big prize money or big $$ awards would only interest me if I thought I had a chance to win them.  In 20+ years of endurance, I have yet to feel I had a horse that had a chance in hell to win a trailer.  With travel costs the way they are today, I might be better off to stay at home and take the money I save from not attending the ride and putting it towards the new trailer :)
 
4. Kat is right on the mark when she talks about the challenge of the trail.  I think this is what makes the Tevis Cup a really big deal and attracts riders from every region and from all over the world.  I can't imagine any National Championship getting an emotional response from riders like the Tevis Cup does.  I like Kat, some day want to travel to do Big Horn.  It is definitely the challenge of the trail that is attractive NOT the competition I am riding against.  If I had a choice to attend the Big Horn ride as a NC or as a regular ride I would choose the regular because it is more low key and probably less costly.
 
5. National Championship rides in and of themselves only attract those that want to be crowned champion. I know there are some that want to participate but it seems that these riders would not be the ones willing to travel to the other side of the country to attend.   If qualifications are minimal, there is not even the satisfaction that part of the goal is accomplishing the qualifications to get to the ride. 
 
6.  National championships completers should get a perk or something special.  The  idea of double points for participants that Eric mentioned is a good one because this might be an incentive for riders who are interested in year end awards.   Perhaps every National Championships should give belt buckles as completion awards like Ride and Tie. Belt buckles have always been a tradition in endurance and it would give some continuity as this event moves to a different location every year.  The design could change and be unique for each championship location.which features a different trail each year. AERC could have a design contest every year for the NC belt buckle if they want more participation from the entire membership.   AERC could also give horses 5 year and 10 year buckles if the horse completes 5 or 10 National Championships. They could recognize riders who have completed 5 and 10 National Championships.  Now I could see how this might motivate riders to focus on the NC.  It would also give riders a really nice belt buckle collection to display :)  Now someone might travel  a further distance if they just needed one more championship ride for their 5 or 10 year buckle or if they were collecting buckles and liked the this year's design.  We need to find ways to make the NC more than just another endurance ride.  If it isn't through stricter qualifications and if most AERC members are not interested or do not have horses that are able to win big $$ awards, there better be another gimmick to attract them to paricipate even when it isn't in their back yard.
 
7. I pretty much agree that the is no NC format that will please everyone.  But it never hurts to brainstorm and discuss ways to make improvements.
 
 
 

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