Re: RC: UAE/AERC (my final stupid remarks)

[Howard4567@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/28/01 3:51:20 AM Eastern Standard Time, Tivers@aol.com 
writes:

<< For the sake of everyone's comfort, it would be useful if the very 
 vocal here would take just a little more time to think rather than to type.  
>>

My problem is I happen to be able to type over 70 words a minute and, 
obviously, can't think that quickly to keep up.  Tom, thanks for writing what 
you did.  Very insightful for explaining their motives.  I'd like to try and 
explain why I think (can't come up with a better word) the way I do when it 
comes to the money and UAE.

My biggest fear is change.  I fear going to a ride and not seeing Val or Nina 
or, even that woman from North Georgia, anymore.  I fear the top runners not 
being at the rides I attend because there's an FEI ride going on the same 
weekend, at another location, for top runners only, and that's where they all 
are.  They're there because of the money.  There's a cash award for top 
tenning and BC gets ten grand.  That kind of thing.

And, because of the money, the entire sport changes.  We're not all amateurs 
anymore, competing against each other.  There's the pros, the serious 
competitors, and then there are riders like me, who just enjoy the 
experience, with the family and all the horses and other horse lovers.  And I 
no longer get to saddle-up with Val or Nina or any of the others in that 
class because they're somewhere else, attending a ride that I'm not invited 
to.  This is my fear and it's why I say what I do about the whole thing.  Has 
nothing to do with race or with being stupid or with speaking out before I 
think.  If such a thing were to happen with our sport, and I think it's damn 
possible, it would truly break my heart.

cya,
Howard (I promise to shut the heck up about it all now)