Awards Proposal

[guest@endurance.net]

K S SWIGART   katswig@earthlink.net




Rides 2 Far wrote:
> P.S.  Kat, if I buy my own regional award, I hope you all are prepared
> for the consequences.  I may just take out a loan for something along
the
> lines of a 4-star general's jacket with braids, medals, and what the
> heck...fringe!  Once I've earned one of those things (which I didn't
this
> year darn it...wanna debate the PAC not counting for points?)  I want
> something pretty gaudy to show for it!

Just as a matter of note, I was not suggesting that award winners should
buy their own awards.  By saying that awards should be "self funded"
rather than coming from the general fund I was suggesting that either
sponsors for particular awards be solicited and/or the CONTENDERS for the
award should all contribute--very much like stakes racing on the flat
track and in steeplechasing...and just about every other competitive horse
event, e.g. futurities, jackpots, even the IAHA breeders sweepstakes
program is "self funded" (i.e. it only disburses prizes that it has
collected from sweepstakes participants...of which there happen to be lots
who pony up when the horse is born and never see a penny of it again).

THe idea is that awards are paid for by the people who might win them.
Whereas people who choose not to even pursue awards (for whatever reason)
can opt out of constantly being dinged for their cost.

Just about every horse organization in the world has a framework program
in place for doing this.  The AERC could use just about any one of them
(or some combination of them) as a model.

Most AERC members never have and never will earn an AERC year-end award;
and I see no reason that they should be expected to pay for my jacket.

However, it is also VERY much worth noting that people who go to lots of
endurance rides (and therefore become eligible for year-end awards) DO
make larger contributions to the general AERC fund than do occasional
riders.

As an example, Karen Chaton, in riding the ~2500 miles that she has this
year will not doubt be in contention for a year end award or two.
However, by attending these rides she has contributed, in per rider
sanctioning fees, about $200 over her annual membership dues...which
probably ought to more than pay for her award.

Last year, the Johnson family, by riding over 9000 miles to win the Family
award probably contributed between $500 and $600 just in per rider
sanctioning fees, which, no doubt more than paid for the prize they got
for it.

That being the case, I don't find it particularly egregious that the AERC
might charge an extra $20 per starting rider to the AERC National ride so
that it can generate funds to purchase the awards.  Let's call it the AERC
National Jackpot Ride instead.  It is certainly way less than the hundreds
of dollars that milage and points awards winners pay in sanctioning fees
in pursuit of their awards.

kat