Ridecamp: Re: [RC] January 2002 European Chef d'Equipe Resolutions for FEI

> This was actually an attempt by the European group to provide some sort of
> control over how FEI events were run. I don't know the specifics of the
> issues and discussions over the number of vet gates, but most of these
> measures were intended to provide more consistency (course designer, lack
of
> 'secrecy' when taking horse's pulses, etc.)

I fail to see where limiting the number of vet gates has any relevancy to
problems of "secrecy" in taking horses' pulses.  We ran 7 vet gates at the
PAC in 1997, Vermont ran a like number last year, the number was openly
advertised up front for both events, as well as for other events who have
had similar numbers of vet gates.  As to "secrecy"--at every international
event I've attended, the mehodology for taking pulses was spelled out in
advance, and was adhered to.  Increasing technology makes the public
awareness of pulses increasingly possible, and THAT is how to address
problems of secrecy--not limiting numbers of holds.

>There may have been other agendas
> such as shorter competition time (media friendly) but mostly this was a
> result of frustrations over the way rides had been run in the past.
>
> Dane's reference to the veterinarians at the WEC being 'over-ruled' by the
> Toulouse Group regarding vet gates suggests that this resolution was
pretty
> powerful.

First of all, others have suggested that they'd like to know just who the
"Toulouse Group" is, and I'd like to add my own curiosity to that
number--WHO are they, and why are they powerful?  Furthermore, I hope the
"powers that be" who want the sport to be "media friendly" find out in a
hurry that having dead horses is NOT "media friendly" and that compromising
in the area of looking after the welfare of the horses will come back to
bite them on the proverbial backside, if media interest is what they are
after.

Heidi


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