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I'm not experienced enough to give a strongly knowledgeable answer, but I 
can't help but wonder if the low completion rate is due the course. In this 
country and others, we don't have a flat, 100-mile groomed track. We deal 
with technical terrain, some very difficult, some less so.  I just don't see 
how those of us who are accustomed to technical trails can compete against a 
flat course where the horses gallop the whole way. Also, in this country, 
and I'm sure others as well, our horses are not considered expendable. "Oh 
well, if this one doesn't make it, we'll buy another" or "If this one dies, 
there are always others." Anyone want to make a bet that there are horses 
lying beneath the sand that no one know what happened to them?

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ridecamp Guest" <guest-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 5:49 PM
Subject: [RC] WEC Questions


> Please Reply to: Kim  kimfue@xxxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ==========================================
>
> If I read the facts correctly there were around 185 horses that started 
> and only 65 that finished.  That means there were 120 DNF.  It looks like 
> only a very low number of those were RO.  I know the vetting is strict at 
> these events BUT the caliber of horse and rider is supposed to be the best 
> that the world has to offer.  Why is the attrition rate on these 
> experienced 100 mile horses and experienced endurance riders so high? 
> This just does not make sense to me.  There have been many 
> discussions/comments about the low completion rate at Tevis but I don't 
> believe it has ever been this low and the qualifications for the Tevis for 
> both horse and rider don't even come close to the qualifications that a 
> WEC horse/rider team are required to have.  With a completion rate this 
> low does International Endurance consider this event to be a success with 
> so many metabolic and lameness pulls?  I also wonder what kind of PR this 
> gives to the sport of endurance when comparing it to other Olympic level 
> equestrian events...does it look good to have a low competion rate because 
> of strict veterinary controls or does it look like around 60% of the field 
> wasn't really prepared to successfully compete at this event?
>
>
>
>
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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

Ride Long and Ride Safe!!

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