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vive la France

Thanks, Leonard

This is what I expected but didn't know the details.

It has always been clear that the US tends to be playing catch up in 
sports where there was no significant professionalism or sports that are 
not heavily supported on the intercollegiate level. Until professional 
athletics were allowed in the Olympics, the US was sending true 
armatures to compete against athletics supported by the governments of 
the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact countries, China, and many European 
countries - whose only job was to train and compete. Most of the 
athletics of the old Soviet Union were in the Army. While we had a few - 
a good friend of mine went to West Point and was commissioned. His job 
was to develop a competitive running program for the Army, but his real 
job was to run in track meets. He has just retired as the track coach at 
West Point. But he is the exception - far from the rule.

With Government funding of equestrian sports by European countries and 
least we forget the Persian Gulf States, the US is at a disadvantage but 
that just seems to be the nature of the beast. I am sure someone would 
be laughed out of Congress if it were proposed that the US support such 
a program as the French do. The states would laugh if someone proposed 
to kick in some of the funds from flat track race betting.

That's not good nor bad - just a fact of life and a difference between 
the two sides of the Atlantic. When was the last time you saw the US 
metal in Curling ;-) ? But it does help explain why the French endurance 
team has been so consistently good. It also points out that it is going 
to take a well defined and well funded program under the USEF for the US 
to once again catch up in FEI endurance.

Truman

Leonard.Liesens@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> hi Truman
>
> The funding comes from the SHF (Société Hippique Française) which was 
> funded in the end of 19th century. It's mission is the promotion of 
> the young horses events and at the same way help breeders, owners and 
> the whole world of the horse in France to preserve and enhance the 
> quality of the breeds in France.
>
> It receives funds partly form the Min of Agriculture and partly from 
> the PMU (Paris Mutuel, flat races).
>
> Not only the owners and breeders receive incentives, also the 
> organizers are helped by SHF when organizing an event for young 
> horses. You van see that as a pyramid for the promotion of the french 
> breeding.
>
> Obviously all types of disciples are sponsored. There are obviously 
> also link with all studbooks represented in France.
>
> Beside the SHF, operate the Haras Nationaux (literally National 
> Studfarms) created by Napoleon to enhance the overall quality of the 
> french horse (for his armies). THis institutions offers stallions of 
> all breed all over the country, at very reasonable fees.
>
> So voila Monsieur :-)
>
> Leonard, Belgium
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Truman Prevatt [mailto:tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Sat 10/6/2007 5:29 PM
> To: LIESENS Leonard (COMM)
> Cc: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [RC] Uzes - Young Horses Finals
>
> Leonard and/or Steph,
>
> I'm not sure you guys can answer the follow.
>
> What organization sponsors this program and where does the funding
> originate? Does the French Government partially fund this program or is
> it fully privately funded?
>
> Truman
>
> Leonard.Liesens@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > For the 4 years-40km and 5 years-60km, there is a maximum speed.
> >
> > For 6 years on 90km, there are two competitions, one with a max set
> > speed and one with free speed.
> >
> > But this is not the most important item in the equation :
> > -in the 6 years final, horses are ranked according to a point system (
> > 0, 1.. up to 4 points if I remember well)
> >
> > - 1 point for recovering to 56BPM in less than 10min
> > - 1 point for the gaits (attitude at the trotting, energy, quality,
> > etc...)
> > - 1 point for the speed in the 5% (not sure) of the winner
> > - 1 point for the sped in the 10% (not sure neither but I will check)
> > of the winner
> >
> > 4 points eans an 'elite', 3 'excellent, 2 ' very good', 1 'good', 0
> > qualified
> >
> > several of the french champions came from the young horse finals.
> >
> > one has to know also that the young horse events are organized all
> > year round across France to give everyone the chance to compete
> > without trailering horses too far away. these regional event are at
> > the same time qualifying event for the finals in Uzes.
> >
> > also every time your horse complete a qulifying race, the owner
> > receives incentive money (something like 100 euros for a successful
> > 60km) which is nice to pay the gas.
> > Hope this helps to feed your debate... now I better go riding
> >
> > Leonard, Belgium
> >
> >
> > This is the final ride of the season for this batch of young (4,5,6
> > yr old) horses - they have to progressively qualify for these rides
> > and the older ones have been progressively qualifying over 1 or more
> > seasons. Initially the younger horses must qualify over short
> > distances with MAXIMUM speeds imposed. France's young horse program
> > is not about racing young horses, it is about qualifying and
> > producing mature endurance horses.
> >
> > I don't know if this final ride has maximum speeds imposed for the
> > youngest horses, but the previous qualifying rides do.
> >
> > Anybody out there know the full answer to Kim's questions?
> >
> > Steph (answering for John :)
> >
>
>
> --
>
> "It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how
> smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong" Richard
> Feynman, Nobel Laureate in Physics


--

“It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how 
smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong” Richard 
Feynman, Nobel Laureate in Physics


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