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Observation and Collaboration
Thoughts on the World Endurance Forum in Paris ? April 1, 2007.

There were 31 equestrian federations represented in Paris this weekend. They
came together to talk about life, the universe and everything. The process
was extremely inclusive and enjoyed open and candid conversation.

Each of the groups spent Saturday afternoon discussing current issues and
recommendations for the future committee to discuss. As you will see from
their reports, there was a surprising number of common themes and
recommendations from each of the groups involving concerns about the
qualification process of horse and rider; the length of loops, the number
and duration of vet checks, and, of course, the speed of the race.

If you?ve been as interested as I have about the effect of speed on the
horse at international events, you will be pleased to know that the members
present here this weekend are very concerned about the welfare of the horse
and eager to identify ways to better manage the issues we have all become so
familiar with.

Of great surprise to me was the scope and popularity of this sport of
endurance ? the statistics in terms of growth and numbers summarized in some
of the presentations are staggering. Some countries, like France, function
exclusively under FEI sanctioning for all endurance rides. Others, like
South Africa have a few FEI sanctioned events, and use the FEI rules as the
basis for all other endurance rides. It is intoxicating to know that the
sport we enjoy in the remote and distant corners of our own communities is
alive and really thriving all across the world.

I arrived at the conference this weekend with the goal of relating what is
happening on the international scene with my own very humble endurance
riding activities. Just three weeks ago, I was in the mountains north of
Sonoita, Arizona riding a young horse on a ride all day with only a handful
of entries. How does it all connect?

The sport is growing in stature and popularity at a terrific pace, and as
the numbers increase, so does the pressure for increased international
competition. High profile rides must be planned, managed and policed
effectively because the way they are perceived and presented will affect our
grassroots rides from a public relations and legal standpoint. I simply see
no way around it.

The growing infrastructure supporting the high profile rides can only serve
to help us better understand more about our sport at home: the diet, the
training regime, the effect of heat, humidity and distance on our equines,
the length of loops, length of vet holds, and so on. Imagine the expertise
we can all benefit from. And imagine how our own expertise can play a role
in the development of the sport on an international basis.

When I sat at home and planned my ride schedules, there has been nothing
further from my mind than the latest rule changes in the FEI handbook, or
the ride results of an FEI endurance event in Compiegne. But I challenge you
to think about ways of playing an active role as diplomat in shaping the
sport you love. The two extremes will never actually be the same sport, but
I do believe they will always be related. One will always be faster than the
other, and one will always be for the very few and very competitive. Just
look at any other professional sport to draw your own conclusions.

I guarantee you that people will begin to look at you less quizzically in
future years when you tell them you are an endurance rider. Companies will
sponsor international endurance events, press will feature stories on the
training, the players and the results, and our own rides across North
America will feed a small but constant number of graduates into
international competition. My resolution, which I will think about when I am
riding my ten-hour 55-mile ride in Scottsdale next weekend, is to think of
ways to play a collaborative role in the evolution of this great sport.

I will take great comfort in knowing that 100-mile races are alive and well
on the international scene, and that our sisters and brothers across the
world are all dealing with many of the same issues we are. Our role as
educators and trainers is vital to the healthy evolution of the sport in its
entirety.

May the strength of observation and collaboration be with you!

Kevin Myers


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