Check it Out!    
RideCamp@endurance.net
[Date Prev] [Date Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next]
[Date Index] [Thread Index] [Author Index] [Subject Index]

RE: RE: RE: Worlds Most Preferred--Really?



Truman's summarization of the subject is getting close to the problem.

Many years ago I was very closely associated with the sport of ski racing in
the US. The question arose, why with the broad base of competitors to draw
from did the US not produce winners as did the small countries of Europe?
One of the findings was the lack of high level support by either industry or
government and another was the desire of the individual to excel. This
desire, in a winner was found to be the dominate thing in life, in fact
often the express concern of the individual to the exclusion of many other
things in life.

To the US competitor, this overwhelming desire is not as strong. We have
been instilled through out our formative years with many other, thought to
be more important, concepts of living. If we win, we win, if we lose the
world will continue on and our lives will not change. This does not make a
consistent winner!

With horses, here in the US the individual is the basic responsible party.
If that individual wants to compete on the top world level, then that
individual must find a source of financial support that will allow the
acquisition of the knowledge, the materials and the means of sustenance
during the training, conditioning and competition period. That means the
competitor will be capable of living to compete. Not wasting time raising a
family, earning a living or wondering how the vet is to be paid. Our society
does not engender that train of thought. That methodology, that sacrificial
concept is not considered proper.

Our nation wide concept of commercial, industrial or other type of business
support is based on the return on investment. There are fewer than 6000,
AERC and non-AERC competitors in the USA! What return on investment can be
expected from that base?  Total dollar (the almighty dollar driver!) value
of endurance competition in the US, with add on multipliers, will not reach
five million dollars. That is petty cash to most commercial sponsors and not
worth the time to investigate.

If the US is to be a strong force in International Endurance Competition,
then the first influx of finances must come from the private sector. Once
the capability is proven, then the commercial assistance will flow forth.

But one realization please, Endurance is not a spectator sport, it is not
even a wagering sport. Combined training with its "roads and tracks" draws
the most spectators in the arena portion, the jumping and dressage. The R&T
is incidental.

Think of it

Bob Morris

-----Original Message-----
From: Truman Prevatt, PhD [mailto:truman.prevatt@netsrq.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2001 6:19 AM
To: Jim Holland
Cc: Ridecamp
Subject: RC: RE: RE: Worlds Most Preferred--Really?


There are many issues that are involved with this. First is the issue that
someone, e.g. Debi, or Bob or whoever, cannot raise questions and concerns
without
someone directing a comment that "this is a lack of sportsmanship", or
accuse them
of saying "nasty" things about people - our friends who have gone over, etc.
The
same things for questioning the selection process for the US team in the
worlds or
one of the time zone teams in the Pan Am's. Just because someone doesn't
agree
with the process does NOT mean they are implying the people chosen should
not be
there nor that people are not trying to do their level best, it means the
process
needs to be analyzed using logic rather then emotion. This reminds me a lot
of the
"Viet Nam" era where if one questioned the wisdom of the US involvment, you
were
somehow considered a "disloyal citizen."  Maybe Teddy should come up with
the
endurance riding equilvalent to the old bumber sticker, "My Country - Love
it or
Leave it." We are never going to make progress on an issue if the issue
cannot be
discussed!

TI hit it on the head when he brought up the fact that in the UAE and
probably
much of Europe this is becoming a professional sport!  Many of these
countries
have government sponsorship for their riders!   Is the US going to compete
with
this - or should I say is the US going to compete with this with FEI under
the
wings of the AERC?  I the US ever going to get Government support for it's
equestrian team - nope it's not our way. I don't know but it's a question
that
should be asked and answers found using logic, not emotion. It does seem
that the
US has not kept pace with the emergence of the sport on the FEI level. It
seems
that there is insufficient infrastructure to support the US riders - not to
mention funding - compared to the UAE and the Europeans. Our riders are for
the
most part amateurs - not they they are not good - but that the sport is not
a
significant part of their daily life. Of course there are a exceptions to
this.

I believe that until these issues are addressed we are not going to be able
to
take a position of dominance in FEI endurance. Is it up the the AERC to do
this or
should to the riders establish the necessary infrastructure under a
different
sturcture?   While the AERC may seem a logical candidate, there is
absolutely
nothing wrong for a sport to be organized at the amateur level and the
professional level by two different organizations, for example the NCAA or
AAU for
amateur athletics and the NBA, NFL, NHL, etc. for professional counterparts.

And to address Jim's comments I do not believe personally that we need to
change
the rules of the game because of what people see going on in FEI rides. If
you
look at the AERC it has something for everyone - for the rider who wants to
rack
up miles, the rider that can only get out and do a few rides a year (maybe
even
LDs), for the family who sees this a good family activity and yes for the
racer.
In the FEI world there are basically the racers!  While maybe 10 to 20
percent of
riders at a backyard AERC ride are "racers", more like 99% that go to FEI
events
are racers. There is nothing wrong with that, but that fact should not drive
AERC
to change any rules that would impact our bread and butter, the backyard
rides. I
ask you is Trilby a very deserving member of the AERC Hall of Fame? A also
ask you
- unless she changed - would she ever make a good FEI candidate?  Different
outlook on the sport, neither is superior to the other and both deserve to
be
rewards under the AERC tent.

Cheers
Truman

Jim Holland wrote:

> I have followed this thread with great interest and I agree with
> Debi...but I also agree with Bob.  It all depends on where you stand
> when you view the situation.  The one thing that has not been mentioned
> is the perspective of others when they look at our sport.  If I ever
> feel that this sport is not dominated by people who care deeply about
> the welfare of their horses and mostly do this simply "For Love of the
> Game", I'm outta here.  If Debi's post were to be published in the local
> PETA propaganda, what would the lay person see?  This is our sport and
> it is our responsibility to regulate it and insure that it continues to
> grow.
>
> Perhaps it's time to look at the way we "win".  "Win" is defined by the
> rules of the game.  If you change the rules, you get another definition
> of the same thing.  Maybe Endurance should move toward more of a team
> sport?  Something to think about. If you could change the rules, what
> would you do differently? Can we keep it competitive, fun, and avoid the
> inevitable clash over horse abuse?


=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/RideCamp
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=




    Check it Out!    

Home    Events    Groups    Rider Directory    Market    RideCamp    Stuff

Back to TOC