Cash and Incentives
Laney Humphrey (laneyh@mbay.net)
Thu, 12 Dec 1996 09:18:39 -0800
Wendy wrote:
>I am beginning to lean towards the professional/amature status for
>endurance riders with a stiff qualification needed to reach professional
>status. If a rider has to put in many miles, for example 250 miles of
>50 mile rides and another 200 miles of 100 mile rides, before they can
>become "professional" and ride in the big bucks ride, then maybe we
>can weed out those who would over ride their horse for the money.
>Also, I think a horse and rider combination need to have ridden before
>on at least one 100 ride. No catch rides for the money rides. This
>would be a hardship on foreign riders coming over here, I know, but
>I just don't like the idea of having a rider start a 100 mile ride on
>an unknown horse. Or of having a horse have to face that 100 miles with
>a rider who doesn't know what the horse is capable of.
>
>In the above, all rides must be completitions.
This sure seems to me to be a good first step. Then:
1.Should "professional" riders & horses then be allowed to also
compete in "amateur" rides?
2.Should amateurs be allowed to ride in "professional" rides?
3.Should there be different drug testing rules for "professional"
and "amateur" rides?
4.Should sponsors of "professional" rides be required to pay
anything to AERC to cover the expenses of administering these rides?
5.Should any of the money sponsors of "professional" rides pay AERC
be given to managers of "amateur" rides to help defray their expenses?
etc., etc., etc.
Laney