Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Sandy Adams said about the GRD "special"? in January:

> The reality is that this one event, though "just this once"
> ?for the first time creates a scenario where the AERC riders
> ?- if they could afford it - would be subsidizing FEI riders.
> ?That is not an opinion but fact. The CONCERN here is that
> ?this WON'T be "just this once". 
Perhaps I am in the minority, but I am actually of the opinion that it would be 
a good thing for both FEI riders and "AERC only" riders it this weren't a "just 
this once."? So I hope that is not "just this once" but instead becomes a 
common practice.

It seems to me that this particular format is a win/win situation for 
everybody.? If more ride managers to whom it is important were to be willing to 
go to the immense trouble of putting on rides that appeal (for whatever reason) 
to FEI riders but not the regular run of the mill AERC rider where those riders 
intersted in FEI and its qualification process can get through the levels of 
the FEI star system without having to travel long distances, then existing ride 
managers can focus on putting on rides for the AERC "only" riders and just let 
the FEI people do their own thing.

I think this is one of the smartest things that the AERC, AERC International, 
international hopeful riders, and existing ride managers who have no interest 
in hosting a dual sanctioned ride, have ever done to address the fact that 
there are few but not no riders who want to do the FEI thing.

I?HOPE that there are more rides like this one, a place for FEI riders to go to 
do the rides required to qualify where they will have no impact on the rest of 
the AERC community who isn't interested in FEI.? And this isn't because I want 
to go to these rides (I have no interest in FEI riding), but rather because I 
would be only too happy if the?rides I do want to go to were not FEI dual 
sanctioned.? The last thing in the world that I want is for regular AERC ride 
managers to feel pressured into dual sanctioning their event because they want 
to help FEI riders get their qualifications.

Now, if the GRD Special had had a cheapy fee (like, say $50) for "AERC only" 
riders in an attempt to get these riders to help underwrite the cost of putting 
on the FEI ride (as most of the costs are fixed costs), then other local ride 
managers who aren't going to price discriminate in this way might justifiably 
be peeved, but certainly pricing it in such a way that nobody but FEI riders is 
going to come isn't a way to get "AERC only" riders to help subsidize the cost.

All of the "anti" FEI people who are complaining about this ride are shooting 
themselves in the foot.? If you are anti FEI, it seems to me that that you 
should be PLEASED about this ride.? A ride of their own is the best place for 
all those evil FEI riders and all those evil FEI requirements that you don't 
want to have anything to do with.? 

I?think that this is an excellent way to address the dichotomy that exists 
within the AERC between FEI riders and those that?are not.? In fact, 
personally, I can't think of a better way.

kat
Orange County, Calif.
:)

p.s.? It would be cheaper for me to go to this ride and enter the 100 than it 
would be for me to go to and enter Tevis, but I haven't seen any complaints 
here from anybody saying how abominable it is that Tevis is cost prohibitive 
for many riders....but it is (and that is one of the things that has kept me 
from going), or that because Tevis is cost prohibitive for many riders that the 
AERC shouldn't sanction it.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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!!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-