One of the reasons that I personally participate in this at the organized
sport level is because I like to get some recognition for my efforts - ,
even if I come in dead last on every ride, my horse and I accumulate miles..
If I didn't care anything about earning _something_ (in this case miles)
then why join an organized sport and go to it's sanctioned events? I could
just as easily go for a trail ride with a group of friends on a Saturday.
IMO, many of the comments I have seen seem to be referring to this _sport_
as if it's nothing more than friendly weekend get-togethers. Yet, how many
of you *honestly* would, in the space of 72 hours or less, pack up an
incredible amt. of stuff, trailer long distances, ride long distances, turn
right around and pack back up to trailer home to be at work Monday (an
exhausting scenario that most of us have to live with) if this were not an
organized *sport*?
This is not say there isn't something unique about this sport - many of us
- myself included have commented on how FUN this sport is for us -
regardless of placing or prizes or any of that. However, I don't think we
can deny that there is a group out there that does this to COMPETE and they
are not necessrily inherently evil because of it <g>. I think people like
Nina Warren, Valerie K. and, Becky Hart, (just to name a few) etc....have
proven that you can be _very_ competitive and still keep the horse's best
interest at heart. I guess what I'm trying to say :-> is that
competitiveness is not some big monster that is going to suddenly come out
of the woodwork and swallow the sport because there are now $$ prizes.
I *do* agree that $$ prizes will raise the level to a possiby dangerous
one for the horses as some riders wil push horses that are not prepared for
it in order to get the $$.
**So, then maybe the other thing we need to be worried about with $$ prizes
is more and more and more _rules_ as we try to keep the damage to the horses
(and the sport) to a minimum from offering $$ prizes???**
It appears from Valeries' comments that money prizes are very likely going
to become a reality - if not with this ride then another one - the precedent
has been set at higher levels as we already know.
As Teddy wrote:
> I must remind you all of what the ROC has done for this sport...high
dollar prizes and all....it has >opened it up...there were few 100 mile
rides until the ROC required them. Now we have a vast number >of them and
more and more riders giving it a try AND SUCCEEDING!!!
Maybe instead of saying "we don't want this at all" we need to say "we
don't like it but let's see how we (the sport) can benefit from it"?
I dunno - not an easy situation -- growing pains aren't called "pains" for
nothing <g>.
===============
Tina and the crew
hickst@nichols.com