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Results and Dubai



Hi Ridecampers,

First, the final results were on the EnduranceNet homepage and
hyertexted to the UAE homepage last night.  I just checked and now I
cannot even get EnduranceNet to respond at all. I'll try and find the
UAE Homepage.  It gives complete information on all riders, horses, and
vet check results.

Now for the flames!!!  I am amazed at the lack of sportsmanship being
displayed in some of the comments about the ride in Dubai. 

Do you really think that our best riders go to the UAE and abuse their
horses?  A great deal of research on our endurance horses has come out
of the races in Dubai.  Didn't Dr. Nancy Loving tell us a couple of
years ago about the UAE providing the onsite blood testing machine
(which cost a lot of money) which allowed the vets to realize that many
of the metabolic problems may stem from transportation issues or other
pre-ride problems?  Dr. Gayle Ekker's study on electrolites was a major
part of the 1998 WEC.  Tom Iver's work on Carbocharge has been advanced.
Somehow I cannot imagine bringing all these people together to abuse the
horses. 

I crew for Christy Janzen in international competition (including the
WEC in Dubai in 1998) and NOTHING is more important that Tang (Tais). 
Christy never leaves her mare's side until Tang has met criteria and had
all the water she wants and is safely in Christy's husband Ron's care.  

Do you really think the Kanavy Navy got its reputation by neglecting its
horses?  Have you seen the names of the vets who crew for Val? 

Do you think that Steph is going to neglect Krusty?  Don't you remember
the teamwork that allowed Steph to do so well in France inspite of hoof
problems?

Most of the international crews have several endurance vets who are
volunteering as crew.  They are certainly not going to risk their
reputations by allowing an unfit horse to continue. They certainly don't
get paid any big sums of money to be there.  The majority of all crews
are volunteers who pay their own expenses.

You have never seen a stiffer set of ride vets that those in
international competition.  The completion rate is as much a result of
the demanding standards of those vets as anything related to the
competitiveness of the riders. When you can review the results, you will
see that many of the riders pulled themselves.  

When we were in Dubai in 1998, it was December.  The temperatures were
80+.  This last week the riders were talking about temps approaching
100+.  This is serious, sandy desert country and most of the horses are
not routinely training in those conditions.  The Austrialians generally
do well because of similar climatic conditions.  I have always thought
that horses trained in our southern Utah deserts would do well there.
But I am always amazed when horses from opposite terrains do well and
not many do.  

The UAE not only buys good horses, but they prepare them expressly for
these conditions.  Additionally, they are promoting serious training for
a large number of participants.  They have started children and ladies's
programs as well as the men's program.  It is really impressive to see
the dedication to this sport in that country and it certainly does
present a real challenge for our teams to be equally as dedicated.

Certainly there is a homecourt advantage just as in any sport being
hosted in a location known to some of the competitors.  The French did
rather well in France last year too. Have you looked at the hometowns of
the people who do well in the Tevis?  But it would be grossly unfair to
the UAE participants to demean their work and preparation for these
events by dismissing their accomplishments. 

Most of us could be given the best horse alive and we still could not
complete this desert course, much less top ten it.  This is a course
intended to create its own kind of premier challenge right up there with
the Tevis and the Tom Quilty. I know you will not hear our riders
degrading the efforts of those who did well in Dubai. I have found that
our best riders are often also our most gracious sportsmen. Many of
those riders used to participate on this list regularly.  Perhaps this
hostility toward the international riders is the reason so few are still
with us.

Joane Pappas White
Price, Utah



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