Re: RC: Limited Distance?

["Liz Carpenter" <cvsec@south-01.novell.leeds.ac.uk>]

I have received some private replies to my 
initial post saying that I am describing 
Competitive Trail Riding.

Well, maybe. We have CTRs here too. 

We have 3 societies here, a CTR society, our 
version of the AERC called 'BERA' (or British 
Endurance) and SERC which governs distance riding 
in Scotland.

Our AERC equivalent, 'BERA' does have time 
constraints in the under and upto 50 mile ride 
classes (qualifiers and finals). We call these 
'set speed' rides and you have to do these (upto 
50 miles) before progressing to rides with 
placings (50 miles and over, called ERs, or 
Endurance Rides). Set speed rides are considered 
preparatory and are supposed to prove to BERA 
that you and your horse are ready and capable of 
'racing' 50 miles and over (in ERs). They also 
fill gaps in the calendar between longer rides 
for established horses, or as trial runs for 
horses who have recently recovered from 
injury or disease. This ladder system protects 
the horse and his performance in them during his 
first year(s) of endurance are recorded 
permanently on a mastercard in the horse's 
logbook. Once a horse has done the full distance 
ladder, he need not do them again and can race 
50's, 60's, 75's, 80's, 100s - as you wish. In 
set speed rides there are no placings. There are 
veterinary controls. There are grade certificates 
given for particularly good vet scores, linked to 
speed (ceiling - 8mph) so that you don't just get 
away with walking round to get top vet score. 
There are speed constraints (the maximum time 
could do with being increased IMHO).

There are annual awards for the most mileage 
accrued in these 'LD' (set speed) rides, an award 
for each distance category. Something for 
everyone to go for.

BERA just won't let you 'race' until you have 
proved you can get round these 'LDs' (set speed 
rides) safely.

Our CTR society is different and has a different 
system for awarding grades.

The Scottish system is a kind of amalgamation of 
the two types described above, with grades and 
speed categories for each distance. They also 
have a ladder system whereby lower distance rides 
have to be completed before moving up in 
distance.

I am very interested in all this because I 
feel that we can all learn from each other and I 
admire many aspects of how endurance is run over 
there in the US....

Liz and Basil The Nag
-- 

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Dr E Carpenter
Institute for Cardiovascular Research
The University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
+ 44 (0113) 2334169/2334803 (voice/fax)
+ 44 (0498) 783129 (mobile)
e.carpenter@leeds.ac.uk
http://www.netlink.co.uk/~snaffle/rogues/scun1.gif
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