<% appTitle="Ridecamp Archives" %> Ridecamp: [RC] FEI /Money for nothing
Ridecamp@Endurance.Net

[Archives Index]   [Date Index]   [Thread Index]   [Author Index]   [Subject Index]
Current to Wed Jul 23 17:25:20 GMT 2003
  • Next by Date: [RC] Zebra Cross--ZORSE
  • - Karla Watson
  • Prev by Date: Re: [RC] something for money
  • - EquesB

    [RC] FEI /Money for nothing - beth glover


    Aha! I think I have figured out the crux of the matter.  

    I have friends who are serious in dressage. They ride FEI here , and we were all thrilled to get an "international FEI judge" to give us some clinics.   None of those show people have ever ridden internationally. Some of them have gone to Scottsdale to compete, but that is probably the biggest show. The goal was to get a Scottsdale blue ribbon on the wall, and they did. The horses barely broke a sweat. They get tired, but it isn't endurance.   Of course they are gonna have a very positive outlook on the FEI. They aren't competing against the Saudi's, they may go to the Olympics and compete against the Germans, the Swiss, the British. I don't recall any UAE dressage sheiks. I went to the Olympic dressage in 84, and took a friend who remarked, "this is like watching staggering horses die on their feet". She wasn't a horseperson. It wasn't an appealing sport for non-horse people. I don't recall any Sheikhs riding dressage at that Olympics, or any money being involved.

    Now comparing that with a cool book I am reading. "Seabisquit".   In that book it talks a lot about the money being thrown around, the power plays, the politics, the cunning, scheming, sneaky tricks at the track.  Things like putting armed guards on the horse so nobody would stick a sponge up his nose.  All this during the depression when most folks were poor, and a few were dirt rich.  I think Endurance could be more like that than like FEI dressage. If we aren't careful. 

    Perhaps people like that Mr. Potter look-alike, who haven't done shows of dressage, have a whole different approach to looking at things then those who had some happy showing days. Perhaps, and maybe, some of our happy showing friends who do endurance, have a real cheerful outlook on how things will be, and some of us old cynical grouches are waiting for it to hit the fan, because we are anticipating, "Seabiscuit meets the UAE".

    Beth G.




    Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: Click Here
    =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=