Re: RC: New FEI standards

[hikryrdg <hikryrdg@evansville.net>]

 To all: For the past year there has been discussion regarding the
influence of
funny money on endurance riding. Well, now you have it folks. Michael Stone
has
become a lackey of FEI which in turn is owned lock stock and barrel by the
funny money form UAE. It is truly a very sad day or weekend for endurance
riders all across this great land of ours.
Think I'll just go our and ride for a bit to settle down. In my opinion Stone
should be drawn and quartered.  Jerry
>Dear Teddy and all:
>
>When I read the article which follows these comments I was dumbstruck.  The 
>changes described by M. Satyanarayan to the sport of international endurance 
>racing should make the powers that be in the US sit up and take notice.  
>These changes will enhance the elitist nature of our sport internationally 
>more than ever.  Horses have quite clearly become a cash crop.  Horses are 
>bought, sold and borrowed worldwide now, with narrow goals in mind.  Win
now, 
>win money, win now, who cares about the future?  Who cares about the horses 
>who will never be the same after today's race?
>
>My God, the results of this mentality are so obvious already.  Look at what 
>happened in today's world championship.  Out of 142 starters, only 32 
>finished.  That's a 22-23 per cent completion rate.  Who among the FEI and 
>the other countries' federations thinks these results will go over well when 
>lobbying for Olympic participation? This doesn't make sense to me. 
>
>These kind of results in our sport might get airtime from networks covering 
>extreme sports, race car driving, and Evil Kneivel type stunt spectaculars.  
>People tune in to watch the crashes, the disasters, the blood and guts.  I 
>wasn't there, but today's race sounds like it was a disaster for most 
>participants.  We must start asking ourselves WHY?  Is it the drive for 
>success, the drive for fame, the drive for money that is blinding too many 
>participants to the welfare of the horses?  What else could it be?  I know 
>bad luck can be blamed for some pulls, but not this many.  The completion 
>rates in the elite, international races are becoming shocking.  I don't 
>remember the exact rate of completion in last year's Pan American 
>Championship, but I know it was well under 50 percent.
>
>Please, don't anyone think that I'm pointing fingers at any of our 
>participants from the US in today's race.  I know many of these people 
>personally.  Money and fame is not the guiding force for most.  I am 
>sincerely sorry for the tough day that our US squad experienced.  But money 
>and fame is what drives far too many others in this sport, including those
at 
>the very top who make the rules and now reward the money.  It's very scary. 
>
>When I competed in the World Equestrian Games in 1994, this sport was a 
>softer, more innocent sport.  Money and fame--who doesn't want both--too bad 
>they corrupt everything they touch.  Perspective is lost.  Innocence is
lost. 
> I have no answers, no solutions, and the FEI ball is rolling and hard to 
>stop at this point.  
>
>I don't know when the phrase, "To finish is to win" became the motto for the 
>sport of endurance in this country.  I'm guessing it was late 70s to early 
>80s.  Doesn't that seem like a long time ago today?
>
>Debi Gordon
>
> << 
> > FEI imposes strict rules
> >
> > From M. Satyanarayan
> > Compiegne, France - The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the
> > governing body of equestrian activities worldwide has decided to use the
> > carrot and stick policy for countries, including the United States, in
its 
>bid
> > to make endurance an Olympic discipline.
> >
> > Addressing a press conference here on the eve of the 8th World
> > Endurance Championship, Endurance chief at the FEI Michael Stone said
> > that one of the biggest obstacles in the path of endurance becoming an
> > Olympic sport was the apathy towards FEI-organised rides from
> > countries like USA, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
> >
> > "These countries organise rides under their own national federation rules
> > which affect the rides organised under the FEI umbrella. To start with,
> > from the next world championship we will not accept the US riders unless
> > they have qualified through FEI-organised rides. So far we have been
> > accepting their entries but this will be the last time they will be 
>allowed,"
> > Stone said.
> >
> > This means that the US riders, who have won all the world championships
> > will have to toe the FEI-line or miss the world event.
> >
> > The carrot comes in the form of an increase in the prize money for the FEI
> > Emirates Worldwide Endurance Ranking announced by Faisal Seddiq Al
> > Mutawa, FEI member and General Secretary of the UAE Equestrian and
> > Racing Federation .
> >
> > The ranking which was introduced by the UAE and FEI in 1999 had
> > offered US $25,000, $15,000, $10,000 for the top three ranked riders. It
> > has now been increased to $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000.
> >
> > 'We hope the increase in prize money will attract riders from US,
> > Australia and Canada to organise rides under the FEI umbrella and help
> > their riders take a shot at the world rankings," Faisal Seddiq said.
> >
> > Commenting on the success of the ranking system which was conceived
> > by the UAE, Faisal Seddiq said it had created a lot of enthusiasm among
> > riders worldwide who now felt pride in being placed in the ranking.
> >
> > "The ranking for horses has also helped on the economic front with horses
> > that were earlier fetching around $10,000 now being sold at $40,000.
> > The owners, breeders and riders have all benefited by the ranking system
> > with the increase in numbers being a pointer towards its success," Faisal
> > Seddiq added.
> >
> > Commending UAE's role in promoting endurance worldwide, Michael
> > Stone said the FEI was working closely with the UAE in this
> > direction."Some of the major hurdles have been removed to enable
> > smaller national federation to organise FEI rides," he said.
> >
> > A reduction in the official FEI fees, change in rules to enable lesser
> > number of officials to supervise the rides and also changes to facilitate
> > foreign delegates at such rides were some of the steps taken by the FEI to
> > promote endurance rides.
> >
> --
> Teddy Lancaster
> 
>
>
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