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    Re: [RC] My Perspective on FEI - Sandy Bolinger


         Some of you may watch a program on TV called ECO challenge...I'm not sure of the details, but the race itself is something like 350 miles over every kind of terrain imaginable.  They climb glaciers, mountain bike over unbelievable terrain, travel in dangerous white water, rappel down massive cliffs etc etc.  The winners finish in about four days...Usually doing the whole thing on almost no sleep.  The rest of the participants spend DAYS out there trying to reach the finish line....They race in teams of four...This is in no way a spectator sport and yet the coverage of it via filming crews is so well done that it totally captivates you for four consecutive episodes.  I doubt  that this kind of race will ever be an Olympic sport...doubt that the participants want such a thing.  They. race because of the challenge and sense of accomplishment..The front runners are absolute maniacs..but they are a small handful compared to the rest of the teams who are just wanting to complete. 
         If people want more endurance "exposure" then let's get some really professionally done documentary  on the Tevis or the Outlaw Trail or Swanton or any one of the true "Endurance rides.".  And let's not call the FEI, flat track, Teeny Heeney 80 mile races endurance rides...Let them have it if they want...but in no way relate it to endurance riding. They need to separate it completely from the sport of endurance..give it a new name..Something like "Whimpy Ego Challenge"
         It would be like laying out a 150 mile flat road course..getting a bunch of recreational runners together...and calling it an ECO challenge.Don't you think that those people who over the years have been apart of the real eco challenge would be insulted, to say the least????????????? WHY do we want endurance in the Olympics??????????  No one has adequately explained the rational behind that. 
     
      
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: goearth
    Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2002 8:24 PM
    Subject: [RC] My Perspective on FEI

    There was a time when FEI was at the vanguard of High Adventure for me because i love High Adventure.  Lately, actually Stockholm was the start, it has been a sport geared towards 'Getting into the Olympics'.  At that point it started going towards bringing Endurance to the masses.  Then it left horse friendly trails and tests to become Flat Race Tiny Hiney Spectator Sport.  This sport will never be Spectator Friendly.  25% Completitions don't do much for me on flat track.  It means 1 thing.  The participants took a reckless path.  That path is whats taken me from the FEI path to other high adventure paths. I still think the concept is good but there are some points that needs fixing because its getting REAL close to being broken. The highlight of my Endurance FEI  was a  28th place finish and the National Anthem was played in Germany  when we won Team Gold.  That meant a lot to a Viet Nam Veteran...more than anything you will ever know.  That even overshadows my top ten individual finish at the PAC in Ontario.  Where went the Team?  all we hear about are the Queens and Kings.    tom sites

    Replies
    [RC] My Perspective on FEI, goearth