Re: 1999 LD Rules

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

Just came home from a long, sleepless weekend putting on our Paulina Peak
ride.  Had a perfectly glorious day for the ride--with the scenery on this
trail, it makes one remember what endurance riding is all about.  Folks who
stayed home because of the fires missed one of the prettiest Paulina Peak
weekends we have ever had.

What a mess the AERC Board is trying to make once again.  Had previously been
fed up with the LD system as AERC now runs it, and had decided not to have
LD's at my rides in the future, but instead have CTR's.  Guess now we will
have to run them on Sunday like they do in some other regions.  Between that
and the upholding of the Henslee protest, makes me wonder why we ride managers
even bother to put on rides.  Just spent a frantic few days salvaging our ride
from the forest fires, and am right now propping my eyes open with toothpicks
after frantically unmarking and cleaning up all day (since hubby has to leave
on Tuesday, so I won't have any help).  After all we go through to put these
rides on, AERC tells us we can't keep dangerous horses out of our rides, and
we can't have other things going on at our rides without AERC horning in on
the action.  Nope, you guys won't get any more bucks from LD riders from my
rides.  We just won't have any.  The riders will learn a lot more with a CTR
format, and if we have to go to the trouble to have them a different day, then
so be it.  Yep, the LD riders are our future--both mine as a ride manager and
AERC's.  But I think I will give them a squarer deal than AERC is by letting
them ride a format where they can really learn something, and get their feet
wet without being forced to either join an organization that they don't yet
know is their cup of tea, or pay extra bucks to participate in a sport that
they likewise don't yet know is their thing.  The whole point of the LD riders
not having to be members was to let them get started without a lot of strings
attached.  I for one still firmly believe that is the right approach.  When
they're ready for AERC, they'll join.  Time for the BOD to wake up and smell
the coffee.

Heidi