Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

At 09:06 AM 4/7/2005, you wrote:
> Ah Bette,
>
> And we are so glad a few of you breeders are out there doing what you do.
Sorry to enter late into this. I generally don't have much to say about the 
breeding of the Arabian horse - mainly not being too particular as to the 
breed, but the individual I'm riding. But there are contrasts with activities 
in the US and those I've seen or heard of in other countries. 

In Argentina, as I mentioned earlier, there are @10 large breeders of Arabians. 
The original endurance events in Argentina were sponsored by the Arabian 
Breeders Association (circa 1985). At the time, the major focus of these 
breeders was on the Arabian flat track world  and the show/halter world (which 
I know nothing about!). 

The first Arabian flat track race was held in the early 1990s. It was a major 
breakthrough for the Arabian breed here but Endurance was what the real horse 
people WANTED to do with their time though it seems! 

-- back on topic -- a big difference I have sees between breeders here and in 
the US is that here each stud (haras) has multiples of individuals out there 
competing. They are either ridden by professional endurance riders (like 
Mercedes Tapia on RAS Kasal) or by semi-professional gauchos who are skilled 
horsemen first and endurance riders second (like Hugo and Hugito Mendez riding 
on the Miguel's Moro horses in the PanAms) - and/or by the breeders and their 
extended families.  Either way, the breeders are actively engaged at both the 
breeding and the competitive areas. 

They tend to bring a large number of their offspring into endurance themselves, 
as well as providing mounts to others through early sales. But they are very 
visible at the competitions and there is a very friendly, spirited feeling of 
competition between the various haras. 

This is not unlike what I saw in the UAE - where the various racing stables are 
visible (unique team colors and clothing etc.)  - there the breeding facilities 
are just being established, so they are not yet projecting  out through the 
competition as identifiable entities, but basically each racing stable has (or 
will have) behind it a breeding operation I think. Also, there is a different 
feeling of completive spirit which likely reflects cultural/historical lines.

Australia, with the Toft's and Meg Wade have a similar situation. Breeders are 
actively visible in the competitive arena - almost at the team level. I haven't 
seen much of France, Itally, ... the rest of the Europeans. Belgium looks more 
like the US I think - But it would be interesting to know more.

Overall, while I've seen American Arabian breeders be interested in endurance, 
I've not seen any yet field an endurance team which is visibly competing with 
multiple entries in multiple events every year. For example, in the upcoming 
AERC NC, we would see various breeders actively supporting the competitors who 
are riding on their offspring - with bragging rights going to the ones who had 
highest completion rate or most top 10 - with team colors and shirts etc. which 
bond the teams in the competition. 

As it is, the US is very fragmented with the riders not being aligned much with 
those that breed their mounts. It would be great fun to see team FireMountain 
in the national rankings with team OutlawTrail for example (to use breeders who 
aren't in this conversation:)

johnt 

(who hears that Val and Cia are on-site at Pinamar - that Mercedes and the RAS 
team were there, but came back to El Reparo training center to celebrate 
Eduardo's birthday last night and to pick up Madiya, Grace, and Jan at the 
airport today) and that Steve, Dianah, and Deborah will arrive tomorrow (i 
think?). Leonard and Carol will get here Saturday and will drive down with 
Steph and I - to meet all the Moro horses there. 

Anyway, people are showing up and I'm still trying to get steph out of the tack 
shops! She found this great new saddle - 3km  w/o stirrups  - and bunches of 
"ride awards" which is a eufomism (sp?) for something culturally unique which 
needs to be spread around the Southern Idaho endurance community:) - she 
wouldn't go for the soapstone turtles though -- too heavy??? (and btw: the US 
announced their team - although if Steph weren't on it, I don't think I would 
know this yet:) But the list is at:

 http://www.endurance.net/2005pac/riders/

)


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