Re: RC: Re: Qualification for Nationals

[Karen <karen@storallnv.com>]

I think the change is great.  If somebody is going to be an AERC National 
Champion, they should have had to have actually done something to get 
there.  The standards should be something people aspire to.  The  National 
Championship ride is advertised as a "race" in Endurance News. IMO, we 
should not be trying to attract riders who have less than 500 miles on a 
horse to be "racing".  In the eyes of many endurance riders, being a 
National Champion because you did well at one ride is a joke.  If it 
doesn't mean anything, why do it?  500 miles is only ten rides.  Or five 
rides.  It's pretty hard to learn everything there is to know about a horse 
in various conditions without riding at least that many rides.  I know I 
would rather compete against a seasoned competitor than a new person who is 
clueless that if they race the first year or two their horse probably won't 
make it thru very many seasons.  The AERC NC has the potential to be more 
successful than the ROC, but not if they keep lowering the standards.

Karen
West Region
9000+ miles


At 08:15 AM 02/06/2002 -0800, Tami Lange wrote:

>Ridecamp readers, what do you think of this rule
>change? Write your regional representative. They will
>be talking about this issue at the March Convention in
>Reno.  Tami Lange
> >
> > > Dear Dr. Fleming:  Cc:Board of Directors
> > >
> > > I read the November issue where you mentioned
> > there may be some rule requirements for
>qualifications to Nationals.  I emailed Connie Caudill
>and found the following reply:
> > >
> > > Horse and rider team must have a total lifetime
> > > mileage of 5oo miles. Included in this mileage-
> > you must top 5 in your wt div at two rides between
>Aug 2001 and Aug 2002. For the 100 you must have top 5
>in one 100 miler within the same time frame, and the
> > > horse must have also rode with you in another 100
> > > miler to have a total of 2 - one day 100 milers
> > > included in the lifetime 500 miles.
> > >
> > > I want to appeal this rule change and explain my
> > > reasons why.  First I believe it is over and
> > > above what is necessary for a successful National
>event. I see the Pan Am games, World Championships for
>the most elite Endurance Rider, but our Nationals is
>for the American Rider...which means it is a melting
>pot, all very good riders, but you don't have to be
>wealthy, with long credentials to play the game.  This
>is an event to springboard top placers to be inspired
>to go on to higher levels, but for everyone who makes
>it there to be proud to have made it that far.
>
>Please review the following information.  Of the
>top 20 placers on the 50 at Nationals, only half would
>have been at the race under the new rule change
>(Instead of 124 riders you would have had 62!).
> > The first category is RIDER LIFETIME MILES ON ANY
> > HORSE (six riders had UNDER 500 LIFETIME miles), the
> > second category is HORSE/RIDER COMBINATION.
> > > Placings- Rider Lifetime Miles-Horse/Rider-Combo
> > > #1  500+                    750
> > > #2  380                     275
> > > #3  375                     300
> > > #4  500+                    500+
> > > #5  500+                    475
> > > #6  500+                    405
> > > #7  500+                    425
> > > #8  500+                    500+
> > > #9  500                     500
> > > #10 500+                    500+
> > > #11 375                     285
> > > #12 500+                    500+
> > > #13 500+                    500+
> > > #14 500+                    500+
> > > #15 500+                    500+
> > > #16 300                     300
> > > #17 335                     255
> > > #18 500+                    325
> > > #19 500+                    500+
> > > #20 300                     300
> > > I rode in Nationals last year and received 11th
> > > place.
> > >  I went to two extra rides so that I would have
> > the
> > > 200 horse/rider miles by Aug 15th.  Three other
> > > friends attempted to come with me, but two of our
> > > local races were canceled and they just missed the
> > > mile requirements.  I have been a limited distance
> > > rider since a stranger (now good friend Gerry
> > > Cummings) lent me his horse in 1997.  I bought my
> > > first endurance horse February 1998 (she is the
> > one I rode in Nationals).  When I saw Nationals was
>only 6 hours from my farm, I started riding 50's.  It
> > > inspired me to try something new, and helped our
> > > local races get another four riders riding the
>50's.
> > >
> > > This year there are six from our area that have
> > > planned our rides/miles around getting enough
> > miles to go to Nationals.  None of us will be able
>to go with the 500 horse/rider combination.
> > >
> > > Please reconsider this rule change.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > >
> > > Tami Lange
> > > ***I am adding additional information here but do
> > > not wish it to be published as this letter is
>getting too long.
> > >
> > > Dr. Flemming,  I had the great opportunity to meet
> > > you and many other leaders of AERC at the National
> > Ride. That experience will be etched in my mind
>forever.
> >
>
> > > I do not have the time/money to go to the
> > convention,but I have read every issue of Endurance
>News,cover to cover, since I became a member in 1998.
>So it was really great to meet the people I read about
>monthly.
> > >
> > > My horse has 720 endurance miles, but only 260
> > with me on board.  I have trailered Savannah for all
>but 100 miles of it.  I enjoy this sport so much and
>have bought into the fact that we need to promote the
>sport.  So now there are 8 new endurance riders
>out there because I lent my horses out, like Gerry
>lent me his.  I have three Arabs now, and two of my
> > friends
> > > have bought their own after riding mine at a ride.
> >
> > >
> > > My girlfriend that crewed at Nationals bought an
> > > already conditioned horse so that she could get
> > the miles and be ready for Nationals.  I have been
> > > thinking of spending more money than I ever had on
> > a big, conditioned, purebred Arabian so that I can
> > > ride 100 mile races in the near future.  All of
>this because I went to Nationals and did well on my
> > half foxtrotter/arab.  That's what I think Nationals
> > > should be all about, promoting our sport and
>making
> > > everyone feel like they are a winner. By doing
>that AERC will also be the winner!
> > >
> > > Thank you for considering my appeal.  Tami Lange