Re: RC: Handicapping (was:TOO MANY CHAMPIONS)

[Truman Prevatt <tprevatt@mindspring.com>]

Handicapping is based on the fact that weight carried makes a
difference. I
think endurance is more than finding the lightest rider to put a few
miles on
the horse and go for the National Championship. That's why we have
weight
divisions so the playing field is level. Otherwise riders over 125
pounds
should just forget showing up at an endurance ride and maybe forget
paying
their AERC dues.

Truman

guest@endurance.net wrote:

> k s swigart   katswig@earthlink.net
> Truman said:
>
> > However, there are handicapped events. Most stakes horse races very
> careful
> > attention is paid to the weight the horse carries and the races are even
> > handicapped, one horse carrying more than another. There is a definate
> > precedent for weight being considered in a equine timed events, i.e. a
> race.
>
> It is meaningful, however, to note that this handicapping is done for the
> purpose of getting all the horses to cross the finish line at the same
> time.  Not because they want to determine which is the best horse, but
> rather because if you handicap the race so that all the horses might cross
> the finish line at the same time, then the betting becomes more
> interesting.
>
> The handicapping system in horse racing (of which weight carried is but a
> small part, making rules so that horses only compete in their own class is
> a bigger part of it) is specifically designed so that any horse in the
> race MIGHT win, whether it is the best horse or not.
>
> kat
> Orange County, Calif.
>
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