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Re: [RC] Dubai and no Val? - heidiOkay - a round trip ticket to the UAE is around $1000. Should we talk about how much $$ these team members spent in the past year plus because they were members of the team. This included trips to Biltmore, Ft Howes, and Idaho, at the least. Some members had to travel to other rides also. Never mind how much time off work these people and their crews had to take (assuming they still have their jobs). Now, they had to be in Fla for a month and a half (no paycheck again) and then off to the UAE for the remainder of January. Oh, don't forget - $$ has to come out of their pockets if they want their whole crew with them. It ain't all free! Anne, I don't think anyone was "judging or condemning" here--and I certainly didn't mean to start a debate, either. But I still think that it is reasonable to expect someone to retain a horse that they have nominated. And while you are correct that those who are on the squad have paid dearly for the privilege to be there, it is my understanding that the USEF picks up a considerable tab for international competitors as well. While it may only cost $1000 for a person to fly over, the last time I saw any figures, USEF budgeted somewhere in the neighborhood of $120,000 per horse-rider team for international competitions, and I know a few years ago, they were really happy with the endurance people, because they only averaged spending about $110,000 or so of that money, coming in under budget, and were the only discipline to do so. So yes, even though the competitors have paid a considerable amount (and many folks travel that much to do rides without being a part of the FEI scene, so I don't think it is fair to compare the travels to Ft Howes, Idaho, etc.--we had the entire saga of one rider who traveled from Florida to do Tevis right here on Ridecamp, etc.), I still don't think it is unreasonable, given the monies that USEF spends to send the best possible squad, to ask a rider who nominates to see the process through, barring the normal attrition rate that occurs anyway, due to injuries or illnesses. Heidi =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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