Re: RC: AW: Tom Ivers letter

[SandyDSA@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/16/2002 2:39:58 AM Pacific Standard Time, wsabg@t-online.de writes:


> By the way, his letter is directed to the endurance racers, to those who
> share his views, to those whose goals are the worldwide rankings, the World
> Championship. It is not directed to those who are riding the "local" rides
> only, where "local" can be one State, one country or whatever. I think of
> those who are riding just for fun, happy with a Top Ten, even more happy
> with a win. It doesn't matter in which country they ride - USA, Europe,
> Asia... All these aren't riders who will ever think about flying with their
> horse to the UAE to compete, flying to Spain to start at the WCh, flying to
> Australia to start at the Tom Quilty or to the USA to start at the Tevis.


hmmm, methinks there is a bit of elitist tude here. What makes one so sure that "locals" have no other aspirations? Aside from that, what makes anyone so presumptuous as to think let alone allude to a difference in ability, knowledge or skill level dependent solely on one's present ambitions? EEK! Each one who CAN finish - whatever they finish has an admirable level of both competence and skill level, certainly when they FINISH fit to continue. Belittling those efforts or skills is both demeaning to the object and the speaker. It is well known that TI loves to insult people and demean their efforts. No need to try to espouse those skewed opinions here. 

In this vein, the greatest satisfaction sometimes is either horse or rider who previously had been fortunate indeed to complete a hunter course, a 25 miler or a dressage class - with good scores and sound, with no relationship whatsoever to either LEVEL or CLASS or $$ or DISTANCE TRAVELED.  At least this tight reaed attitude helps the lowly who actually muck their own stalls and braid their own show horses who they want to spend their pizza time with - we don't have time to waste!:)
s