Re: the AERC Convention

["Glenda R. Snodgrass" <grs@theneteffect.com>]

> Regarding why Convention is where it is when it is--the frequency that the
> Convention goes East was intended to mirror the demographics of our sport.

That is certainly a logical explanation, and follows one standard 
philosophy in the convention business.  However, just to throw out an 
idea (since I love stirring up discussion), has AERC considered the value 
of actively trying to increase the number of endurance riders in the 
East?  By not only having the convention here, but actively advertising 
it, as has already been mentioned (Case in Point:  the Equine-L list is a 
very very chatty horsey list, with lots of subscribers in the East, with 
lots of posts about all kinds of horse events going on, but I don't 
remember seeing one single post on there about the AERC convention.)  And 
I'm certain there are other means to achieve this goal (and a good 
marketing specialist could tell you better than I). 

I say this as a newcomer to the sport, living in Mobile, AL, who has not
yet found one endurance rider closer than 100 miles away in any direction. 
(And if not for Ridecamp, I wouldn't have found any at all.) I look at the
ride schedule in EN and am green with envy at all the rides happening out
West, while in the SE we have perhaps 1/3 (just guessing?) the number of
rides, and at far greater distances -- I will have to drive 300-400 miles
to most rides in my region this year.  Obviously that increases the 
expense and decreases the number of rides I can attend.

Now, I'm NOT saying all this to say "woe is Glenda" -- my point is, the
only way for these conditions to "improve" for me (and others like me, all
over the East) is through an increase in the number of endurance riders in
the area, which will increase the number of rides, and the number of
potential training partners, and the potential Fun Factor <g>. 

I know that there are times in an organization's life when maintenance is 
a priority, and times when expansion is a priority. I've read that AERC 
has undergone some serious problems in the recent past, and is now 
recovering.  Perhaps now would be a good time for the AERC to consider, 
in moving from maintenance mode to expansion mode, the value and 
potential benefit of a concerted effort to increase membership -- and 
participation in the sport as a whole -- in the East.

Just a thought.

Glenda & Lakota (25 down, 1000s to go!)