Re: RC: LD Rider Standings

[Lynne Glazer <lynne@glazer.org>]

At 10:16 PM -0800 1/17/02, Karen wrote:
>At 06:17 PM 1/16/02 -0800, you wrote:
>
>>In the Standings Section of the Endurance News, in the National 
>>Limited Distance Mileage Championship,  I only see reported the Top 
>>Three riders. Most other standings list the Top Ten. Why are LD 
>>riders "cheated" on the report? It would be nice to see more names.
>>
>
>Hi Lauren:
>
>There are probably a few reasons for it. If they were to list the 
>top ten highest mileage LD riders, they would probably end up with a 
>multiple-way tie for 10th place.  Sort of like how it works out with 
>the LD Best Condition category -- there are an awful lot of people 
>in there with just one BC.  If they gave out awards for every rider 
>who got one BC on any ride, it would make for a lot of awards. 
><snip> ne horse made it into a National category.  I'm happy with 
>that, tho if I had just alternated them at that one last ride, they 
>both would have been there.  So, LD riders who did say 350 miles 
>this year shouldn't feel cheated.  Just lucky that they had the 
>opportunity to get to ride!
>
>Happy Trails,  Karen

Uh, oh, you brought up LD BC.  <g>

I was happiest to see that of all the regions, *nobody* was listed 
for PS LD BC for 2001.  The reason for that is that all the PS rides 
that award BC (and that includes all but perhaps 3 rides) do it by 
NOT abiding by the AERC rules for this.  The rules only apply to 
whether or not the win qualifies for national recognition, and 
showing up in Endurance News.

The AERC rules want ride managers to count only the top ten 
finishers, and uses the 50+ miler's BC worksheet.  For those of you 
unfamiliar with it, besides a 4 category vet score, there are time 
and speed factors.  They did this to try to standardize it across the 
country; I understand their desire but not the execution.

On the other hand, the PS ride managers consider the whole field, on 
a vet score basis only, though they use different methods. 
Apparently, they feel, as I do, that limited distance is for riders 
to develop their partnership with their horses-- learn how to work 
more effectively with each other, as well as for those with older or 
rehabbing horses (or older or rehabbing riders.)   A few reward 1st 
place, though I use Angie's idea of giving the first LD a free entry 
to the next year's 50!  The gal that got it in 2000 used it in 2001, 
Angie, the first to redeem it!

I know that there are regions where LD is as much a speed event as the 50s are.

Many of the PS ride mgrs give BC to 5 places.  To me, that's plenty 
of incentive to shoot for.

And riders like me, who move on to 50s, can look at 50+ BC as the 
remotest of possibilities, when we're not there to race but finish 
well and incrementally improve our performance.   That's our own 
reward!

Lynne
Norco Riverdance Ride (PS) 8/31/02
and Rem-member me, 150 miles in 21 days, whoo-hoo!  ;-)