Re: [RC] AERC National Championship ride qualfications

[SandyDSA@aol.com]

Please take into consideration not increasing the qualifications for this
years NC ride.
The AERC doesn't finance the ride.

Sorry but I Don't see what this has to do with anything. Do you think for a minute that American or National League Baseball finance the World series? Think again. In the end, if this is a determining factor, if I am AERC, I then withdraw sanctioning, points and standings based on this competition. No offense intended at all, but this is just not a logical argument for dropping a baseline of qualifications, and in my 30 plus years of involvement in sports of all kinds - human and equine - a pattern has been historically demonstrated that lowering the standards lowers expectations and finally performance. In this case, I believe it also lowers safety margins. There is far too much margin for error with the proliferation of inexperienced HORSE people - I mean, people who discovered the sport and THEN bought a horse. BEtter to have and understand teh horse first, then join in the toughest sport out there. But since we DO open the doors to those who do have experience and those who have none, there simply must be protections and safeguards - qualifications, if you will, to upper level competition. 
 So far either private individuals or a
> riding club has taken on the financial responsibly of the ride. To make the ride successful and to keep entry fees in line the ride needs numbers. Give some time for the ride to get established, then in time, increase the qualifications.