AERC recognition for Morabs

["Linda B. Merims" <lbm@ici.net>]

Anita Messenger libertymtn@yahoo.com said:
>Since the Tevis Cup is coming up, and we know at least 3 Morabs are
>entered, we wanted to let everyone know that those Morabs that are
>registered with the International Morab Registry are now recognized as a
>breed with the AERC...The IMR Morabs are also now recognized by USDF and USCTA.
>Please go to www.morab.com for more information or email me. We Morab
>people are very excited about this!

I hope AERC, USDF, and USCTA all understand that there are TWO
Morab registries.  I'm not sure which is which, but it is all
based on some silly internecine war about the only "real" Morabs
being Morabs descended from the original Hearst cross-breds
vs another registry that allowed a somewhat broader definition.
One "registry" split off from the other "registry" because
they felt their horses weren't "pure" enough.

I was completely unaware of this until the two groups got
into the most incredible flame war on the Morgan listserver, accusing
each other of personal dishonesty and what-not in a real,
deadly-serious blood-letting.

In my opinion, any registered Morgan crossed with any registered Arab
is a Morab, whether "registered" with IMB or its competitor organization
or not registered with any organization at all.

AERC needs to be careful that it doesn't get tricked into supporting
a position on "What is a Morab?" that is of interest to only the
few dozen people who own and participate in one or the other registry,
and of no interest whatsoever to the general population of Morgan
people interested in the possibility of a Morgan/Arab cross as an
endurance horse.

Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Massachusetts, USA