Ridecamp: [RC] ntNewsGroup: Jerez WEG Endurance Postride Report

Dane said:

>>the Toulouse Group placed pressure on the Technical 
> Delegate> (Dr. Hallvard Sommerseth) through senior FEI officials to
accept 4 > vetgateswith a trot-by (within the FEI >>>>rules)

Lori, please forward this to Dane.

O.K. I'm confused.  After reading this and Steph's post, I re-read
Michael Stone's comments in several Endurance World Magazines. I had been
under the impression that he was in favor of 4 gates.  Do I owe him an
apology and should I quit taking his name in vain?  Here are some quotes
that I based my thoughts on:

In his comments on the Pan Ams in Vermont:

>snip<

"The riding times of the winners in Vermont wre exceptional, especially
taking into consideration the climbs and difficult terrain that the
horses had to endure.  Undoubtedly the extra vet gates helped this as the
horses had plenty of rest and the vast majority looked fantastic at the
end of the ride.  However, I do have some concerns about adding vet
gates.  There is a temptation for riders to race between vet gates at
higher speeds, knowing that the horses can recover.  Everyone says that
it is speed that kills, and whilst in Vermont the hills reduced the
ability to go very fast, on a less tough course, I am not so sure.  It
seems to me that it also takes away some of the riders' skills as they do
not have to make the same judgement of pace as when the loops are longer,
and certainly one could question if it is really endurance when the
horses have so many breaks. 

>snip< 

*after I choked on that last comment (just *how* many 100's has this man
done?) I saw in a later paragraph what I considered his real concern*:'

>snip<
"However, I question whether it is appropriate for a championship ride to
start and finish in the semi-darkness and to have exhausted vets and
officials-not to mention riders, horses and crews hanging around in the
darkness until a couple of horses slowly make their way around."

>snip<

That was last year.  This quote was from the pre-WEG issue:

>snip<

"The Toulouse Meeting has ensured that the senior figures in the FEI and
the NFs will be watching the ride in Jerez with a critical eye, and I
hope that those advocates of four vet gates will be proved right.  Whilst
we might be able to understand very tired horses, it is not a concept
that the rest of the equestrian world will be as quick to accept"

>snip<

I had taken it that he was in *favor* of the 4 checks.  Are you saying he
was on the other side?  Just what is the "Toulouse Group"?  Stone seems
to think they would like for him to lose his job.  Then there is the
comment:

>snip<
"This means that compromises have to be made and the Europeans must
realize that the Americans and the Australians and all the other parts of
the world have valid experiences in endurance and that their opinions
have to be considered as well, so that we can all work together to
further our sport.  Listening is a 2 way process and I realize that maybe
the FEI did not listen as much as it should have, but we are certainly
listening now, and I trust our critics will reciprocate."

>snip<

I'm confused. This quote made me think the "Toulouse Group" somehow
included the USA & Aussies.  But then there's the suggestion the 4 gates
was their idea, which wouldn't jive with our stance.  WHO does it benefit
to have 4 gates...WHO would be willing to push for it?  WHY?  Motive? 
Would somebody please straighten this out...because now I've broken his
last rule....the rest of his article is devoted to condemning people who
take his quotes out of context and blow them up on the internet. >eg<

Angie

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