Re: Endurance in the Olympics

[Howard4567@aol.com]

In a message dated 6/7/01 8:24:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time, wsabg@t-online.de 
writes:

> when will you stop fighting your AERC fight? Please be so kind as to accept
>  that there are thousands of endurance riders worldwide NOT organized in
>  AERC. A huge percentage of them is organized in federations working on a 
FEI
>  base, running events under FEI (or similar) rules. Your AERC rules don't
>  differ that much from FEI!

Wofgang:

I beg to differ with ya here.  FEI rules are quite different from AERC rules. 
 I understand quite well that FEI is king when it comes to International 
Equestrian sports.  And, even though, when I mention FEI, I am speaking of 
the endurance aspect (I do believe they separate the different types of 
events within FEI), I understand that FEI means "show ring."  This is a big 
problem with me.

Wolfgang, where you live, it seems to me, y'all don't have much choice.  
There is no German, Belgium, French, or other separate set of rules to 
follow; all of you ride under FEI, and I can understand you defending it as 
you do.  If we had separate rules in the States, Florida rules, Georgia 
rules, California rules, we would probably seek to unify one set of rules for 
each state.  In fact, we have, but we call it AERC, not FEI.

I really do think there are huge differences between FEI and AERC.  They have 
all been mentioned here on ridecamp before.  The fact is the majority of AERC 
members do not want FEI rules taking over.  I'm purty sure of that; most of 
us don't want to dress up like we're going to the prom to get on our horse 
and ride 50 or 100 miles.

My contention is, once Olympic Fever hits, things will change.  American 
riders will want to convert to FEI so they get a shot at riding for the Gold 
in the Olympics.  And when that happens, all the rides I go to now, will 
start becoming FEI sanctioned.

And why?  Because some Sheik in UAE deems it to be this way.  He has the 
funds and the will power to make it happen; his dream of riding for that Gold 
medal will become fulfilled.  And the rest of us just have to deal with it.  

Someday, Wolfgang, I will let this go.  Someday, I will, most likely, throw 
in the towel and just say, "I give up."  Till then, I'd like the freedom to 
speak what's on my mind concerning all this.  I hope you can tolerate me for 
a little while longer. It seems I don't have much time left; it's gonna 
happen and I'm either going to have to adjust to it or get out.

cya,
Howard (believe it or not, this Florida redneck did spend 3 years in Germany; 
Ramstein Air Base, courtesy of US Air Force.  Too bad I wasn't doing 
endurance back then)