Re: RC: AERC Revenue/Expense

[Jim Holland <lanconn@tds.net>]

"guest@endurance.net" wrote:
> 
> K S SWIGART   katswig@earthlink.net
> 
> Well Steph, since you asked.....
> 
> I will preface everything that I say with this statement:
> If the AERC raises it single membership dues, I will not join.
> 
It costs $35+ to fill my truck tank with diesel fuel.  I think my AERC
dues at $65 are a bargain.  I paid AERC dues for years and didn't even
own an Endurance Horse, but AERC and EN articles inspired me to dream of
faraway rides and marvel at the accomplishments of people like Julie,
Lawton, and Matthew, just to name a few. I wanted to go there and do
that. I pay $65 to belong to IAHA and can't even look up my points at
their web site.  Other than a few articles now and then, they do very
little for Endurance.....especially the local club.  I join because I
like the promotion they do for the Arabian horse.  I belong to the
Appalachian Trail Conference and have never hiked a mile on the trail
but proudly display their decal on my windshield. Same reason.  I like
what they do for the environment and their goals. When I'm too old to
ride (I really want to go like Lawton) I will probably STILL pay my
dues, whatever they are. 
> 
> The Endurance News (EN)
> 
> I have already said a bit of my piece about the EN, and its, what I
> consider to be its absurd, shift from a B&W newsletter to an attempt to
> become a "premier color magazine." I know a thing or two about the
> difference in cost and effort between producing an informative black &
> white newsletter and a quality color magazine, and if the rest of the
> membership of the AERC wants to raise the dues that I have to pay to
> ride my horse in endurance so that they can get a slick color magazine,
> I can only say, "shame on them."
> 
I totally disagree.  I LIKE the EN color, particularly the ride photos
of Tevis, OD, Outlaw Trail, etc.  This publication is a major source of
information and publicity regarding our discipline.  There is one thing
I learned well during 30 years in the corporate world:  If you are the
CEO, but dress like the janitor, people will think you ARE a janitor. 
Maybe some of you remember John Malloy's book on "Dress for Success"? 

I would like to see more articles with a broader content.  For example,
the Ridecamp post by John Ayers on driving.  That got me excited about
trying that with my little guy.  This could be combined with an article
by a knowledgeable authority on the benefits of cross-training in
Endurance.  In these articles point me to organizations and web sites to
give me more information.  How about an article on the town of Front
Royal, VA by someone who lives and rides there?  Tell me about the
little towns on the Tevis Trail.  How about the post by Frank on his
last place award at the Big Horn 100? Great story!  Got tears from some
of my friends I sent it to. Angie's interview with Otis was great.  

How about going to a Bi-monthly publication with more content?  That
would be preferable to going back to a black and white newsletter.
> 
> The Awards
> 
> I gotta agree with Barb McCrary, I don't ride endurance for the awards,
> not even the year end regional point standings awards. But I also don't
> ride endurance to have other people recognize me at an awards
> presentation, I don't care if I have my picture taken with anybody, and
> I give away practically all of my awards anyway.
 
Maybe some members get so many awards it has become "no big deal".  They
get awards in show, awards in Endurance, awards in dressage, etc.  We
po' Southern country boys can't afford to do all that....like many
others.  I may not remember all the rides I attended to win an award,
but I won't forget the horse I got there on. I WOULD like to see the
emphasis more on the horse than the rider. I have always thought it was
kewl that the Top Ten Riders at Tevis got to receive their awards WITH
their horse.  More rides should do this. 

I have ONE horse and have spent many hours training him and I know every
inch of him and every thought that passes thru his sometimes pea brain. 
He gives his all for me and yes, I want awards..to remember him and our
hard work and the dedication of my friends who crew for me. Awards let
you remember, and in some cases, keep you from forgetting and I display
my awards prominently.  One of the best "awards" on my wall wasn't
"wanted" either.  It's a picture of my Dad behind a 50 caliber Browning
Automatic Rifle on Guadalcanal...along with the USMC battle ribbon
"awards" he earned for "Service, Honest, and Faithful". I'm sure he
would have rather have had his eye back.  So don't say "awards don't
mean anything". It's a relative thing depending on the individual and
what you had to go through to get it.  I'm sure he would have disagreed
with you.  

> 
> I am perfectly content with the certificate and the medallion that I
> get as part of the thousand mile horse program.  And I am perfectly
> content with the rider mileage patches that I get as I reach major
> milestones (even though, or maybe because, all these things end up on
> my dining room table--which, if any of you have ever seen it, is just
> another expression for reverse chronological filing system).  And I
> consider the lifetime mileage achievements to be of far greater import
> than the year end accomplishments.
>
> Awards that I (or my> horse) can wear or that can be displayed, serve as nothing > more than conversation starters (which, don't get me wrong, can be very
> valuable).  If I start using them as a way to show off, then I figure I
> am doing endurance for the wrong reason and I need a reality check.
> 
>  And they are both displayed in the same place (my bathroom)

Not a bad idea....can't miss seeing them there!  :)
> 
>
> ...AERC has to raise dues in order to pay for things that go to, really, a very > small percentage of the membership
> (and those have a tendency to get them year after year),...

Not ALL of us get them year after year.....
 
> Dues/Fees/Revenues
> 
> 
> General AERC dues can then be used for things that benefit the entire
> membership more equally.
>
"Equality" doesn't exist in this context.  Give me a couple of hundred
thousand dollars each year to spend and the time off to compete as much
as I want and I will consistently win awards, no problem.  It's sorta
like politics...you have to campaign, but you can "buy" elections. You
still have to ride, but you can "buy" awards. If you can only afford to
go to "x" number of rides, it's very difficult to win a regional award. 
But like campaign reform, it's easy to talk about but difficult to do. 
Maybe we should limit each member to one horse per year and "x" amount
of dollars they can spend on rides? Maybe awards would mean more to
everyone then?
> 
> kat
> Orange County, Calif.

Jim and Sun of Dimanche
Blue Ridge, GA
> 
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-- 
Richard T. "Jim" Holland                 Phone:  (706) 258-2830
LANCONN, Inc.                            FAX:    (706) 632-1271
Three Creeks Farm			 INTERNET:  lanconn@tds.net
175 Hells Hollow Drive                   
Blue Ridge, GA 30513