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Re: Is 100 miles in one day too much? RE: [RC] WEG 2006 - k s swigartFrom: "Steph Teeter" <stephteeter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> We are seeing a sport where only a few incredible athletes - the freaks - are able to play, and the majority can't even finish the course. There aren't very many horses (or riders) that are capable of consistently performing at Grand Prix dressage either, but I don't see anybody suggesting that all the really hard moves in Grand Prix should be removed...or, God forbid, that the dressage tests at the WEG should only be Prix St. Georges because that way more horses will be able to do it, after all only truely freakish horses can actually DO Grand Prix. In dressage, to compete at the WEG you have to have a horse that can do Grand Prix well, and consitently well (one good test ain't enough). And to field a team, you have to have demonstrated that you have a whole team that can do it well. Consequently, there aren't very many horses that qualify, and there aren't very many riders that do either. Does it sometimes happen that even horses and riders that have performed consistently well to get there don't perform totally up to snuff on the day in question? Yes. And it even happens that sometimes dressage horses take bad steps and have to be retired from the competition because they are lame...but it ain't HALF of them. Humans can also run 100 miles, and it is a valid challenge, a valid sport for the 'ultra' elite athlete, but it is not a mainstream sport and therefore has limited appeal to the International community. why is that?? Because it is boring to watch. And even the marathon would not be in the Olympics It's easy to say 'well, just throw in rocks and mountains to slow them down' - but this is not a solution that is available to most of the world. And in a true race situation (e.g. International competition) an Old Dominion type course would result in an unacceptable level of injury on race day. Nope, what will incentivize riders to actually choose to ride their horses within the horses' capabilities is to punish them if they don't. In addition to my previous suggestion that countries that don't finish a team aren't invited back (this happens in dressage, mind you); I suggest that any rider whose horse is removed from the competition because the horse is not fit to continue be barred from the next championship (note that I do not say any rider whose horse does not finish the ride, but those that are disqualified for being ridden past their level of fitness). Riders should be allowed to keep their COC if they retire their horse before it is disqualified. This way, the vet check becomes the rider saying, "I think my horse is fit to continue, I should be allowed to go on." Riders who say, "I don't believe my horse is fit to continue, so I choose to stop now" are not penalized in the same way (although their country still would be if because the horse didn't finish the course the team did not get a completion). This way, it is only riders who are incapable of evaluating their horses' fitness to continue that are denied a COC. Which is as it should be. Riders who don't know that their horse is not fit to continue when it isn't have absolutely no business being out on a championship course. Championship level endurance riders shouldn't need a vet to tell them that their horse is lame or tired. If the FEI were to combine these two controls, it would go a long way to ensuring that the only horses and riders that are out there on the course are those that are capable while at the same time providing a strong incentive not to ride a horse beyond its capabilities. Kat - your idea is as good as any I've heard. But we'd still see 100 mile races around the world (and in the US btw) where 50% completion rates are not unheard of. Local rides where there are novices and beginners who are still figuring out how to ride the horse and if it is capable, lower completion rates are to be expected. Just like at local dressage shows you are likely to find test scores in the 50s. In fact, as an adult amateur you can qualify for the USDF regional championships with GP scores of 58% (at least you could in 2005, they may have changed it for 2006, but I don't have that book handy), but that ain't gonna cut it if you want to compete at the WEG. But if we were given the opportunity to change the format (currently 100 miles in 1 day, speed is everything) of FEI Championship Endurance ... any ideas? Well....if you shorten the course you will just make speed even more important. What you have to do at the championships is penalize non-completion. The way it is now, 4th place and DNF are no different. And THIS is the root of the problem. kat Orange County, Calif. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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