I am a LD rider and I only ride a few AERC rides a year but wanted to do my first 50 a year and half ago when I thought my horse was ready. Due to time contraints, physical problems and money issues conditioning a horse for longer distances is difficult for me. The ride manager had a cut off date for entries that I missed but wasn't aware of until a week or so before the ride.
This was the first AERC ride that I had entered that had a cut off date so I didn't check the entry flyer until I was getting ready to send in the form about a week before the ride. I had ridden the LD distance the year before at that ride with the same RM and there was no deadline date that year so I was caught unaware of her new rule. The cut off was not to the number of riders -- it was a date by which you were to send in your entry for all distances.
I called the ride manager and she indicated that she had room for me in the 25 mile ride but that the 50 mile ride was closed. I didn't need to preenter, just show up. (I know that she allowed some other late entries into the 50 mile after I called--these riders were friends of mine but are regular riders and were known to the ride manager.) I pretty sure the fee for the 50 mile ride was a little higher, by about $10 or so.
Just a comment to kat, I am a rider who has been told the 50 mile ride was full (even tho it technically wasn't since the RM allowed other later entries than mine) but I could ride the 25 mile ride if I chose to do so. I respect the job that RMs do and understand that they have the right to manage their rides with cut off dates, etc. I can understand why she might allow some extra riders that she personally knew rather than bend the rules for someone she didn't know.
She is not aware that I found out about other entries that she allowed after mine and I am pretty sure that she didn't have any cancellations that allowed the later entries as my friends called very soon after I called. I called her again after I found out that she allowed later entries than mine for the 50 mile ride and asked that if she had any cancellations of 50 milers I would like to be put on a list to take that position and she told me once again that the 50 mile ride was closed but I was welcome to compete in the 25 mile ride. I decided not to make the five hour drive to the ride for 25 miles. I probably wasn't treated fairly in that situation, but I know that the RM's job is a difficult one and I respect her decision and I didn't complain or put her in a bad spot by telling her what I knew. I know I didn't give her a chance to explain herself but I think it was pretty clear what happened.
I don't want to get into a debate about LD riders verses endurance riders (as a side issue I am glad that we get our vet cards as I think they are helpful to taking care of your horse and I save them as part of the accomplishment of finishing a ride) but this instance does tell me that at least some RMs think that 50 mile ride is more work for them and I believe this justifies a smaller fee for the LD riders. And there are some cost differences between 50 mile rides verses 25 when vets work longer hours, etc. That said the fees are set by the RMs and they have a right to set them however the like. Then I make the decision whether I want to ride or not. By the way, this ride, as all the other rides I have attended, always has more 25 milers than 50 milers. I think there are plenty of room for all of us on the trail.
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