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[RC] Endurance in the Olympics - k s swigartPaul Sidio said: It has been stated many times that Endurance Riding will never be an Olympic Sport. The main reasons given are that it is just too spectator and television unfriendly. If you ask me, the main reason that endurance riding will never be an Olympic sport isn't that it isn't a spectator sport (and, btw, it still isn't a spectator sport even if you can sit in a stand and watch it, but that is beside the point); endurance will never be an Olympic sport because it isn't a human athletic endeavor and the IOC won't be adding an event that is the equivalent of giving out medals to horses. The other Olympic equestrian sports were included back in the days when there was still such a thing as mounted cavalry and the olympic events were, in many way, mock military trials. The only reason the current equestrian events are included in the Olympics is ... tradition. Unlike marathons, which can be run in urban locations in front of thousands of spectators, Actually, marathons (which only take 2+ hours not 10+) aren't really spectator sports either and the only thing that anybody pays to watch in the Olympic marathon is runners crossing the finish line, and even that happens between the other events that the people are there really to watch...like the 100 m dash. And, I contend, the only reason it is included is...tradition. kat Orange County, Calif. :) "If the end justifies the means, everybody is justified." John G. Beck, PhD =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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