Ridecamp: [RC] Completion rate of Masters Series

>   We in the AERC honor endurance - staying power. 

Just got back from an evening ride just down our country road. A neighbor
who was out for a walk stopped and was talking to us about the horses. 
The neighbors have gotten a little informed about what we do so she asked
about the new horse. Josie was riding Charbiel, Melissa Crain's horse. 
In retrospect it was kind of sad. I got a bit of insight over where we've
come from and where we're going.  The neighbor asked about all Charbiel's
accomplishments and was really impressed that he'd won a silver medal in
a 100 mile ride at age 15. She said, "How long do these horses usually do
this?" and I told her about Rio winning BC at the World in his 20's.  

Then she said, "How long do you think it will be till this is in the
Olympics?"  >sigh<  I thought about what I used to say when people would
ask that...all excited saying that we had been recognized by FEI, etc.
which is a first step and so on.  
Instead I said, "I don't think it's ever going to happen.  The wrong
people have gotten hold of it and they're trying to ruin it."  

I think it's kind of sad that they want in the Olympics *so* bad, yet
they have so little savvy about what is the true draw of the sport to the
masses that they're going to cut away the part that triggers people's
imaginations and admiration, (the bond between a human and a horse
tackeling the elements) and they're capitalizing on the elements that are
most distasteful (the image of a human running an animal, risking its
health in pursuit of a prize).  I think an Olympic committee will keep a
very safe distance from anything of the sort.

Angie

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