Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> > From the statements made by the USA reps & the Australian's reps about
> the non interest in FEI rides, I can't help but think that more and more
> people are saying, "That's pretty amazing...but you go your way and
> we'll go ours". They want endurance to be an Olympic Sport, yet they may
> be raising the bar so high that the very height of it will limit the
> countries who will compete...and who is interested in an Olympic
> competition with limited participation and total dominence by such a
> well financed, non inspiring machine?
I think what the USA and Australian reps are saying is that "we have
something more all-encompassing in the sport we have at home."

I have nothing against the FEI program--and in fact, I think it has often
given us valuable food for thought.  But it is shallow and one-faceted,
and as such, can never replace the sport as we know it in countries where
it has developed the different aspects and the rich tradition that we have
here, and that the Aussies likewise seem to have.

I had meant to chime in on the comment where Valerie was quoted as being
concerned that we didn't have more FEI rides here.  I don't see that as a
concern at all.  We will have enough to get those who want to participate
in international rides qualified to do so.  Supply tends to meet demand. 
And more power to those riders who can and who desire it.  Meanwhile, what
we have enables far more people to meet far more goals than FEI possibly
can.  And because so many more people have so many more diversified goals
that can be met riding just "plain old AERC rides," those will continue to
prosper, FEI or no.

Like Truman, if I were younger, I might enjoy taking my shot at the brass
ring.  But thank heavens the sport means more than that to me--because it
does, I CAN keep riding in my slower older years, with goals such as
amassing career miles, riding for regional awards, riding for awards that
require persistence and consistency, etc.  If the brass ring was the only
thing the sport had to offer, a great many of us would have no place in
it.

Heidi


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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

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