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Howard wrote:
>>you and I live in completely
different worlds. The only thing that is similar is the word
"South." From what I can tell, FEI is the only choice you have if you want
to compete.
No, it isn't. We have
affiliated and unaffiliated shows. I can compete in either. I
compete in both, but find that, generally:
1. Affiliated shows are
more predictable in terms of what is and is not allowed (IOW, I know the
rules).
2. Affiliated shows are
better run, because they use professional officials (as opposed to friends and
family) who know what they are doing.
3. If I see something I
don't like, I can report it to SANEF, who will take action against the
culprit. This, to me, is probably the most important.
4. I get the chance to
pit myself and my horse against top horses and riders, on courses made by
qualified coursebuilders, or being judged (in dressage) by qualified
judges. How I do is therefore a better test of my horse's ability.
I know that some of this may
not be of relevance to endurance, but I'm simply pointing out that I'm not
pro-FEI because I have no choice. I'm pro-FEI because of what I get from
FEI. There are a number of issues about FEI which I don't like, but I'm
working hard on changing that, in conjunction with people of similar
minds. Maybe we will, maybe we won't, but it would be small-minded of me
to say that FEI sucks, just bcause I disagree with certain things.
It's not that way over here.
In fact, it's quite the opposite. If I wanted to participate in FEI rides
I would have to travel great distances and pay huge sums of money to do
so. I elect not to do this. AERC is still King of the Hill here in
the states, and I'm confident it will remain King for quite some
time.
From my understanding of
previous discussions, and I admit that I may have misread it, the proposal is
not do away with AERC, but to make some rides FEI affiliated and others
not? So you'd have a choice, wouldn't you? As we
do.
Shouldn't others in America
also have that choice, to compete at FEI rides, if they want to? At
home?
Tracey
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