- To: "RIDECAMP" <ridecamp@endurance.net>
- Subject: RC: Whips and spurs...an outsider's perspective
- From: "Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>
- Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 09:23:42 +0200
- Old-Return-Path: <tracey@tbt.co.za>
- Resent-Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 23:35:38 -0800 (PST)
- Resent-From: ridecamp@endurance.net
- Resent-Message-ID: <FmhZt.A.ZvG.J9rW6@seahorse.fsr.com>
- Resent-Sender: ridecamp-request@endurance.net
I've been reading the mail on this,
and I must say I'm somewhat astounded that FEI has passed this ruling,
particularly as it has seen fit NOT to pass similar rulings in relation to
the
other disciplines.
What I'm about to say may upset
many of you, and I'd like to point out that this is NOT my point of view, and
that I don't endorse it in any way, but I've discussed the ruling with some
folks in other disciplines, and the only "rationale" we can think of
for the FEI's decision, is that, to many people, and particularly to those
involved in other disciplines, endurance riding is still perceived as
"yahoo" riding.
To the so-called
"purists" of equestrianism, it is unnecessary to "mess with"
long-established sports such as show-jumping, dressage, and eventing.
Indeed, the politics rampant in those sports would make any attempt to do so
highly unlikely to succeed. However, as endurance is a new sport, and
lacks the elitism of the older disciplines, it is "fair game" to the
FEI, which is seeking to show the animal activists out there that it truly
has
the best interests of the horse at heart.
Maybe I'm wrong in my assumption,
but my experience sitting on disciplinary panels makes me think
not.
Any thoughts?
Tracey