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[RC] LD catagory....? - rides2farif AERC doesn't start recognizing it as such there will come a day when they organize and start rides all on their own, without any sanctioning. > If we don't, they will eventually go elsewhere. I doubt it. The association with longer distances adds legitimacy and status. Long before I ever did a 100 I used to design t-shirts for rides and I always listed all the distances...25, 50 & 100 mile Endurance Ride because I wanted to be associated with a sport where people went 100 miles even though I didn't yet. I wonder, if you had a choice of t-shirts at a ride and could either get one that said, "Million Pines 25 mile Ride" or "Million Pines 25 and 50 mile Endurance Ride" ? Which the average 25 mile completer would choose? A stand alone 25 mile ride would be over by lunch. I think that would be a lot more like going to a horse show...a day activity where you're home for supper...no reason to set up a camp. Really no reason not to haul the horse in that morning or leave that evening. Nothing to watch after it's over. The "winners" would ask for their award and leave by 10:30 AM. No goal of going farther, just faster and getting done by what....9:30? I find it bizarre that an organization called the American Endurance Ride Conference gives out a whole separate set of awards for people who are literally done by 10 AM and no separate awards for people who choose to try 100's. The bonus point advantage is easily cancelled out by the higher attrition rate. The financial gamble is higher, we don't have incentives for them to do it, if anything we offer every incentive for them to stay in the lower distances and it's showing up in the numbers. People who do 100's do it for personal reasons...period. I don't have a horse to ride in 100's right now so I'm not speaking for myself but if any group gets shortchanged that's where I see it happening, funny how you never hear them complaining. Angie ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ============================================================ Riding alone is when you teach a horse all the "tools" and "cues" he needs to handle the trail, to hold a speed, deal with hills, etc. It's also where you develop the "bond" that causes him to "defer" to you before losing his cool. ~ Jim Holland ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ============================================================
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