Radios, et al.

[renegade12@juno.com (Randy H Eiland)]

From: renegade12
To: ramey@wvi.com
Date: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 10:14:42 -0600
Subject: Re: Radios and cell phones
Message-ID: <19980414.101443.15142.11.renegade12@juno.com>

In a vague answer to Ramey's question - 

Over the years that I have managed rides, I have had the pleasure and/or
displeasure of observing the National Mileage competitions, the original 
National Champion runs, the numerous National Best Condition
competitions, and it is my opinion that in the heat of competition people
sometimes lose focus of what this sport is supposed to be all about.  I
think on training and conditioning rides anything that improves your
performance and technique is great, but during the actual competition I
think there  needs to be a "level playing field", and I don't think radio
contact between rider and crew is right.    

Having just read Heidi's post,  I think she probably said it better than
I could.  I have no problem with a rider carrying a means of
communication that is sealed and to be used only in case of
emergency....and when used it would act as a disqualification from the
ride unless it is used to report an emergency situation such as a rider
or horse in trouble, trail vandalism that would effect the ride, etc. 

To answer your question as to what 6k. allows, I think many of our rules
were written in an era that never envisioned the technology we now have,
and I think the founders of AERC pictured a competition of each horse and
rider team against other teams of horses and riders, all competing
against the trail with no outside influences such as radios, no pre and
post ride high tech remedies such as magnetic stimulation, bio scans,
etc. 

In some ways the Radio, et al. philosophy is similar to AERC's recent
position on the above mentioned Bioscans, Laser Lights, Magnetic
Stimulation devices, etc.  The AERC Vet Committee decided these
techniques fell under the AERC Drug Rule and Rule 13a. was added. 
Personally, I voted against adding these somewhat questionable techniques
to the Drug Rule...but the majority rules. 

 One thing I know for sure, by bringing this up you have gotten the
"ridecamp" members involved in a much better and more positive dialog
than the "guns in camp" discussion.

Randy Eiland

    

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