Re: European information needed

[pplug <pplug@casema.net>]

Dear Maryanne,

Sorry for my late reply. I live in The Netherlands, so the answers are according to the Dutch rules.

> For reasons that it would not be diplomatic to go into in public, even on
> Ridecamp, I desperately need some input from some of our European endurance
> riders as soon as possible.
>
> 1. When you want to participate in an endurance ride in your own country, do
> you just sign up or is there any special procedure? For example, must you
> belong to a club or organisation? Do you have to have your horse examined
> and certified in any way? Do horses have passports that must be presented at
> every ride and are these done once or each time?

We have one organisation "Dutch Endurance Riders (DER)" and you have to be a member of this organisation to start in endurance rides. There is a possibility to become acquainted with endurance by starting three times in the first class (25 up to 40 km / 15,5 miles up to 25 miles) without being a member of the DER.
Horses are examined before, during and after the rides by the vets, no matter what the distance is.
When you are a member of the DER and you want to start in endurance rides, you must apply for a passport. All the results are noted in that passport (which ride, date, distance, result etc).

> 2. Is there a different procedure if the ride is FEI sanctioned than if the
> ride is not FEI sanctioned? Are the costs different?
FEI-rides are different indeed. As a rider you need to have a FEI-passport,
entrance fee is much higher and the rides are for the highest distances.
Also if you want to organize a FEI- ride, there is much more to think about
and to take care (international vets and jury, their accommodations etc)
of and last but certainly not least extremely high costs.
But I believe there are people at the list who have more knowledge
about FEI-rides than I do.
> 3. Are all rides connected with an organising body at a national level;
> local level?
All rides are organised by volunteers, but under the rules and restrictions
of the DER. The DER takes care of inviting the (special trained) vets and
they take care of inviting a jury.
> We have had a locally organised ride that went well and was fun. Strictly LD
> and training as it should be right now, but our national branch of the FEI
> has $$$ signs in its eyes and is making life a bit difficult. Surely things
> are not so regimented elsewhere. Unfortunately, for the EEI, the USA is not
> considered an example because they say that there is no national branch of
> the FEI there, whereas in Europe, at least theoretically, there is. These
> guys are show jumpers for crying out loud...we are trying to introduce them
> to reality.

I´m interested in the way endurance riding is organised in Egypt. Please let me know more details.
If you need more information about endurance in The Netherlands, please let me know. I´ll do my utmost to answer your questions.
 

Niset Plug