RE: FEI stuff, selection procedures - placement vs time

["Bob Morris" <bobmorris@rmci.net>]

First off a warning to every one I picked up a virus W95.MTX and w95.MTXdll
tonight from RC. Every one beware!

As to the selection situation. I believe that it should take into account
that there are the two objectives in FEI competition. First, and I feel most
important, you are riding for your country. Call me old fashioned and
patriotic but that is exactly what I feel the TEAM should be doing. Then
there are the individual medals. These are the icing on the cake. If someone
on the team gets one that is a bonus, but the TEAM COMES FIRST. (can the US
riders ever get this through their heads?)

Therefore the qualifying rides should show some measure of TEAM WORK! All of
our entire system is geared to the individual effort. Screw your neighbor if
you have to but WIN. That way you will make the TEAM. Well, this does not
make good team members. It makes for cut throat competition between team
members.

Sorry, but there is a missing factor in the equation. I am not yet sure how
to introduce it yet but with further discussion like is going on I believe
we could work something out.

-----Original Message-----
From: Steph Teeter [mailto:steph@endurance.net]
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2001 8:40 PM
To: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: FEI stuff, selection procedures - placement vs time


A few riders recently came up with selection proposals for the
2001 PAC which use an objective scoring system. (you can
see these at http://www.usa-east.org ). Several of the
zones intend to use systems such as Teddy/Truman's
and Roger's.  Both of these are based on scores determined
by placement - relative to other nominated riders. TNT's
also factors in a post-ride veterinary score.

Now I've been looking at these, and thinking about them.
There is a strong desire by many to create an objective
selection process - and these proposals certainly do that.
But the issue that I have with both of these systems is
that they are based on relative *placement*. In FEI World
and PanAmerican Championships, there are individual medals
(1,2,3) and team medals (1,2,3). The team scores are determined
by *time*. It makes no difference what the relative placement
of the team members was, only what their relative ride time was.

So .... to me, placement is not necessarily the best indication
of a horse/rider team's potential merit in an FEI team event.
And when considered over different courses throughout the
demonstration period, could be very misleading.
Scenario 1: A rider finishes finishes 5th in Ride A , but is 2 hours
off of the 1st place finisher's time.
Scenario 2: A rider finishes 10th in Ride B, but was only 30 minutes
 off the 1st place finisher's time.
In the above points based systems, the rider in Scenario 1 will
have a much higher score, but in an actual FEI championship the
rider's performance in Scenario 2 would have been more valuable.

Solution? I don't know, but I think ride time should be factored
into any points based system, not just placement. Truman, Teddy,
Roger - you guys must have thought about this too? What made
you discard ride time as a factor in earning points?

Steph

(my apologies to those of you out there who could care less! I'll
be done with this topic soon :)


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