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[RC] Presidents Cup: Here goes! - Steph Teeter

It's 3:20 AM, drinking cold coffee (ordered from room service last night)
and trying to get my eyes to stay open. I'll meet Leo, Nathalie and Cesar
downstairs in 20 minutes and head out to the stable.

Yesterday was busy and hectic, organizing gear and crew stuff and hauling it
to the village, full tack ride on Arazi - making sure everything works,
practicing taking tack on/off, buying last minute stuff at the souks
(buckets/tubs/apples/carrots/sunglasses). The final inspection and trot-outs
were from 12 to 1, everything went ok. There was a pre-ride briefing in one
of the big tents, all the FEI officials were there explaining how things
would work, answering questions. Foreign Vet. delegate: Dr. Pierre
Romantzoff, Foreign technical delegate: Michael Stone, Chief Steward: Dilip
Das, Head of Vet. commission: Dr. Carlos Ponferrada.

Afterwards there was an open forum: introduction by FEI - Michael Stone
(Equest sports), Ian Williams (Endurance). The basic message was that after
Jerez (two horse fatalities) FEI was focused on improving the sport. Two
main criterea: Fairness and Horse Welfare. They've formed a new veterinary
subcommittee to conduct research, and  continue focus and improvements
toward horse welfare. They are also considering ways to further educate
riders and trainers on horse welfare issues, and considering methods for
cabability testing, requirements, qualification.

During the Q&A period Valerie K expressed concern that there were so few FEI
rides in the US - expenses prohibitive or not attractive to most ride
managers. The answer was basically that FEI is fine, the problem is in the
mindset of the US - and the need for more support from the Nat'l Federation
(USEF). Peter Toft (Australia) added that there is a similar problem (lack
of FEI rides) in Australia.

Gotta go!

Steph

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Common sense should also be a part of the decision making process. If 
you see someone who doesn't have any, hand them your tool box. 
~ Lisa Salas - The Odd Farm ~

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