Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

On Apr 23, 2008, at 9:40 AM, Beth Walker wrote:

> Which is why I have NO interest in FEI - level endurance, given the  
> direction the UAE is taking it.
>
> All this "proper growth" seems to be about setting the foundation  
> for huge prize money, large professional barns, and expensive  
> professional trainers.  Along with that comes all the pressure to  
> WIN - so you get drugging problems, and all the rest of it. :: gee  
> - sounds like long-distance flat racing to me.
>
> My concern is that, if FEI-level endurance continues to go in this  
> direction, we will essentially have two entirely different sports  
> that go by the same name.
>
> >>

In the UAE it is very much like long distance flat racing in every  
respect...and tho their races are run by the same 'rules' it  
definitely feels like an entirely different sport.

In most of the rest of the world it is not very different from AERC  
Endurance.   And much of the rest of the world is also concerned  
about protecting the original sport - you folks that are speaking out  
are voicing concerns that many others have as well.

But (IMO) FEI is not trying to change our sport, they are trying to  
create a new, separate, version of the sport, acceptable as an  
Olympic, or at the least spectator/sponsor friendly, venue. They are  
not specifically trying to fiddle with anything that we are doing in  
the non-FEI world.  But whereas we (USA) are predominantly non-FEI  
and any FEI changes won't really affect us, much of the 'rest of the  
world' runs their events as FEI events. It will be interesting to see  
if other countries continue to run predominantly FEI rides if the  
rules of the FEI sport actually change.

And - it will be interesting to see how the new FEI rules proposals  
resolve, this might signal the beginning of the branching of the two  
sports (Endurance Riding and Endurance Racing for want of a better  
differentiation).

At any rate, our job (Endurance.Net) is to keep you informed!

Steph


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