Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

The convention was in Chattanooga Tennessee this year it is a wonderful city & very beautiful. Many close attractions such as the I-Max theather and the Aquarium were nearby the Marriot Hotel that housed the convention. We had a great time in the city as that is how we spent most of our time. A lot of people complained about it not being in Reno but Chattanooga was nice to see. I enjoyed Susan Garlinghouse Nutrition siminar and Becky Harts Centered Ridding siminar.  Mike Maul helped out with the computer stuff throughout the convention and I thought he did a fine job! The trade show was a little small this year and I personally didn't see anything I couldn't live without. Nothing new to my eyes anyway. We won a couple raffles that was fun. That is the good part of the smaller turnout. The regional awards ceremony on Friday was one of the best Regional Awards turnout I have ever seen in my time with AERC. John Parks did a super doper job (way to go John)! and was well prepared and made it very entertaining. Great job with the computer stuff too. Nice photos and stuff from riders in each region an overall percentage completion rate and membership numbers made for a very interesting layout of all the regions. The crowd was involved and stuck around for the most part unlike the last few years when most take off after receiving there own awards. The last Region usually gets left alone this year that didn't happen so bad. The awards were very nice this year too. Blue vests with polar fleece lining. I actually thought the regional awards this year were much better than the National awards. We missed the dance as my husband and I went to dinner instead at a nice Restaurant in town as there were only I think 14 people from Pacific South Region. Jordan (my son) made his appearance anyway and danced with Donna Winters mostly. She makes for a nice date...... never a dull moment! They had a good time.

At the National Awards Ceremony I am sad to say I was a little disappointed.  First off the coordination in itself was poorly done, nearly all the announcers asked to call out the winners were unprepared. Names not mentioned properly and simply un-knowledgable as to who the winners were. John Parks by far was better prepared for all the regions put together. The winners lists should be studied and at least know how to pronounce the names properly. There was no stage and the people in the back could not see the winners. Lynn couldn't get everyone's pictures as there wasn't enough room to take them. She really tried to get what she could but it was hard for her.  
What bothers me the most is the awards have gotten really cheap through the years. All they are giving out are small little plaques, no more blankets it seems and that saddens me. We now only get a medallion and a brass name tag glued on a piece of wood. They should have a picture on it at least. Come on........
Pioneer awards are great! They are sponsored by Easyboot and they have done a fine job! Way to go for them. However they get better awards than National award winners what is wrong with that picture.
National Family awards. Wow families........ most people don't understand how really hard it is to get all your family to these rides. How much money and effort it takes to do the rides as a group. All riders have to go as slow as the family members horse that may be having some sort of problem. It is very rare all the horses are running the same. You never just get to ride your own ride it seems. Kids miss out on school and other things in life. Do you know how hard it is to keep everyone's horses up and going...shod conditioned nutrition etc.............? National family winners received a piece of paper not even a little plaque this year. First place did receive a plaque. The Johnson Family who have won several years in a row now. They should have received a trophy! A Big one! All the Johnson kids are grown up now and this was there last year to compete for the family award. A better speech should have been prepared too!

Continued on part two