Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Truman Prevatt wrote:
> If the trails are public trails - you cannot stop them from going on the 
> trail. If the trails are public trails you cannot stop them from riding 
> with anyone they desire. 

Actually, you can stop them.  Public trails or not, AERC has rules 
forbidding DQ'd horses from riding the trail* and non-participants from 
riding along with a competitor**, aka pacing.  In the former case, a 
protest can be filed by the RM or any other AERC member, which if upheld 
could result in the DQ'd person being barred from future competition. 
In the latter case, if the complaint was made to the RM, the RM could 
strip the competitor of his completion on the spot which would also mean 
the competitor would forfeit any mileage and/or placing.  Alternatively, 
if the RM chose not to act on an AERC member's complaint, that member 
could file a protest which if upheld would retroactively strip the 
competitor of completion, placing and mileage.

While it is true that on public trails, AERC cannot dictate to 
non-members where they can and cannot ride, it is also true that AERC 
members are bound by our rules and when they choose to violate those 
rules they can and should be appropriately penalized.

In response to Truman's attempt to differentiate between pacing and just 
riding along, it is important to note that the rules do not address 
INTENT.  Were they to have done so, then yes, riding along might not 
qualify as pacing.  However, in the absence of requiring intent, then 
the rules should be interpreted in their strictest sense, to wit, that 
any riding along will have the effect of pacing and therefore should be 
considered pacing, ipso facto.

*Both 2.1.5.2 and L2.1.5.2 state, "Equines disqualified by the control 
judge must not continue on.  This practice by a rider is considered 
grounds for barring that rider from future rides."

**Both rule 6 and L6 state, "Completion requires meeting all of the 
following criteria: k. Not having been paced or prompted by an 
un-entered, withdrawn, or otherwise unauthorized equine, vehicle, or a 
person other than another entrant..."



> RHONDA LEVINSON wrote:
> > As long as I'm asking, I thought there was a rule against 
> > non-participants riding along with people in competition, even in an 
> > LD.  I saw several people "pleasure riding" with their friends in 
> > competition. 
> >  
> > And the only reason it bothered me at this ride is because one of 
> > those people was on a horse that was disqualified at the check-in for 
> > dangerous behavior.

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