I am well aware of what our people are up against and evidentally it's out of our league or at least out of the leage of the representatives that have been sent. Now it is what it is. If we can't compete to the best of our ability(maybe we have) then it's time to re-evalute or get out of the compeition. I don't have to be a 100 mile rider to know this lesson. My opinion is the same as always, get it together or get out of the competition. YES, TO FINISH IS TO WIN, but we couldn't even finish respectfully. I knew when I sent the post there would be some upset people and this not a new subject as we go through it every year. Let's have some real pride and get this job done right. Ginger
From: mspooh17@xxxxxxx To: orrinandginger@xxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: [RC] Poor showing at WEC Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 14:41:26 -0800
OMG Ginger, do you really understand what are riders are competing with? Most of the winners in the last several years have unlimited budgets, have riders, grooms, etc and hop on when the time comes, money is no object and they have a "hometown" advantage! Two of our riders DID win international rides.
Also, this is a totally different type of endurance riding more flat track type and in sand. We don't have a lot of that in US.
Several of our US riders have done very well and even won at world level in the past. The riding is different over there when you speak of terrain and weather specifics alone!
If you gave our US riders the same advantages these UAE and other gulf contries have our team could and would win hands down. If our riders had their own barn set up over seas and trained there year round like these other gulf coutries can do easily our riders would and could win as well. They are just as good at what they do. Resourses and logistics simply don't allow them to display what they are really very capable of accomplishing.
Becky Hart has mucho experience in this type of world event as do some of our riders. I'm positive she's been an excellent Chef'd quip for the US Team. They however don't even have the support financially of our own country behind them! They do it pretty much on their own and yet can still even just qualify to get there. It is a level maybe only 1% of riders will ever do.
Not only that, but just being able to compete in this type of venue will eventually give them even more exposure to the experince and knowledge that they will indeed sponge up and use in the future. They may not have won but two out of 6 did finish. And to FINISH IS TO WIN! Remember that always. The other poor rider got sick, and one lame I believe, (johns's) and one at the end which is heart break.
You are indeed intitled to your opinion as we all are yet try to put yourself in their shoes before you talk about a poor showing.
As well, think about what could have been had nothing gone wrong for them ie Cheryl getting, ill, Val, who displayed great sportsmanship waiting w/her team mate before moving on, Johns horse for whatever reason NOT being lame, they would have had a shot at it most likely. It simply wasn't their day. Still, they worked incredibly hard and I hope they had the time of their life doing it too!
Come home safe USA...We are proud of you all no matter what!!
For me I was proud to see them just get there!!!
As many say for our own Tevis just getting to start the ride is a success! We need to remember things like that.
JMO, cheers, kathie
From: orrinandginger@xxxxxxxxxxx To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [RC] Poor showing at WEC Date: Sun, 9 Nov 2008 15:57:21 -0800
I've been monitoring our US Teams that represent the sport of Endurance. I wish that whoever is deciding how we ride these events would wake up and smell the roses. Now, you are ready to pounce on me and my shoulders can take it, but our Teams are DREADFUL! Every year we become worse and worse. I do not care what the other countries are doing, especially the ones that I can't even pronounce their names when we are at the low end of the totum pole. I would be there waving my flag if we could get our act together. Now if this is the best we have then lets get out of International competition until we can compete with our heads held high. This is not cool! Okay, let me have it. Ginger
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