Enjoyed your post. Glad someone is
thinking. I was late for the opening so I missed that part. I do
know that there was some talk at our table about why the stars and stripes
were backwards on the hats that were given out.
Using the phrase "sold out" is pretty kind, from
some of the comments I heard.
Mary wrote
>>>I just wanted to compliment the Western States= Trails
Foundation for the excellent Tevis Cup awards ceremony held Sunday afternoon.
= Besides presenting the top 10 horses and honoring the
"winners," tribute= was paid to Wendell Robie for establishing
the Western States Trail Ride= 50
years ago.<<<<
I sat there wondering what Wendell would
have thought of all the= attention given to the "sponsor" EMIRATES
INTERNATIONAL= ENDURANCE VILLAGE all weekend. (then again, I wonder if
he would= have approved of that sponsership in the first
place)
At the awards presentation, they awarded the sponsor with a
belt= buckle just like all the riders recieved, except it said
"crown= jewel sponsor" on it, then the 1955-2004. Makes one think
they= sponcered the ride all those years. I was sitting with a
few= riders who felt VERY hurt that they gave a buckle to someone
who= 'bought it' instead of earning it with sweat and effort
by= riding the trail with their horses. Give them a plaque
or= something, with a buckle maybe inbedded in it, but don't
cheapen= the signifigance of the buckle(and the efforts of the horse
and= rider to earn it) by giving it to anyone who puts up
enough= money. And really, the $35,000 sponsorship is not a huge
amount= when you look at how much it takes to put on that ride.
There were many riders and others involved in the ride who
felt= the ride "sold out" by accepting that sponsorship.
