Okay, lets call them all distance riders (like
Barbara suggested) that all know what endurance is and are working towards
it. However, we need to remember that AERC was not set up to include
LD to begin with. It was not established as a "distance riding" organization,
but as an organization to establish basic rules, set standards, and
to keep records of horses and riders for 50 & 100 mile
rides. Only later was the LD aspect added, with the understanding that the
miles aren't included in endurance.
All the rest of your analogy makes perfect sense,
you just have to take the word "endurance" out of the lower levels (just
like you don't have "Grand Prix" at the lower levels of dressage) and change it
to distance riding or whatever else you like. And yes, we are all winners
at any distance, sometimes even when we don't complete a ride. I'm guessing
that you haven't been lurking enough to have read the previous discussions of LD
& endurance? It gets pretty heated sometimes, as some riders feel slighted
because of a comment that someone made to them, but for the most part all riders
at all levels are respected and admired for what they accomplish, even if it's
just a partial ride or LDs forever.
