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[RC] Review of Review - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Kim kimfue@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== The timing on this post is classic. I realize the original was written before the gold was stripped from the UAE but it posted to ridecamp after the UAE "medal debackle" broke on the list. I wonder if the author would want to edit any of the first paragraph in his original. The rest of what he says is true and very insightful. I am taking his comment to heart about the how the US is to learn lessons by looking outward to other nations. The first lesson I have learned from looking at the performance of the small nations mentioned in his post is "Don't use performance enhancing drugs to win a WEC". This is actually a great lesson and I hope that this alone will increase the number of horses we test at our US rides. I would like to see every horse drug tested at US major rides so a situation like this (regardless of how it is resolved) does not occur and our events are not tainted by the use of performance enhancing drugs or pain relieving drugs. I never want to have to wonder if the Tevis winner or the last completer used prohibited substances to earn their placings. I also learned that this is another example of the FEI not following their own procedures and protocols rules. That seems to be adding to the confusion with the UAE medal stripping. hmmmmm, again, someone tell me why they don't have to follow their own rules? Why should we be adding these rules and protocols to our AERC dual sanctioned rides when they don't even follow them at the highest level of competition. Thanks Nic for the insight and I do agree with you that the performances from the French individual, Australian team, and the Italian team, was magnificent. I am sure there is much to be gleened from their successes Kim -----Original Message----- From: Nik Isahak Abdullah [mailto:drnikisahak@xxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2005 8:25 AM To: pete@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; bleckboys@xxxxxxxxx; steph@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: WEC:Review What an interesting mid week it was!As predicted UAE 's HE Sh Hazza came home triumphant in the individual event followed very very closely by France's Barbara Lissarague and third place went to endurance prince,FEI powerhouse and prime mover,HH Sh Mohd bin Rashid Al Maktoum .At an average speed of over 22.68 kph over the 160 km fast desert course,Sh Hazza's 10 year old gelding Hachim prove that at this rarefied atmospheric competitive level ,the world have a lot to learn from the sheikhs. Say what you like but at the end of the day WEC 2004 in Dubai is about national honour ,glory and that rather commercial word branding and many may not like what I am going to say that yet again the rest of the world has almost being comphrehensively beaten by tinu UAE.I used the word "almost" because personally I feel ,with some prior restraint and more conservative strategy,they could have taken the team medal as well given that as gracious and generous host they have the advantage of double the number of starters. I expected Australia under the captaincy of my good friend Peter Toft to win the team event.They have the right strategy and probably one of the best horses .A wee bit more bravado and less restraint on the part of their riders probably could have given them the gold rather than going home with a silver.But I can understand Peter's predicament: a silver is better than none at all!Australia in this year's WEC practice a peculiar form of horse selection.Allthe "freaks" apart from Margaret Wade's mount came from Peter's ranch,That speak a lot about the strengh of Toft Endurance Inc but I pity Peter for the undue emotional burden and stress and that probably made the difference between gold or silver! Italy will be dancing and wine-ing for weeks to come.But before one decided that this is a lucky Team winner let us examine the fact.Dr Fiasto Fiarucci ,the dentist,was a close 2nd to Valerie Kanavy in WEC 1998 and if I am not mistaken he is now head huncho of Endurance Italy.An Italian was again 2nd in WEC2000 at Compeigne.They have the pedigree,if everyone tend to forget and they have the mind. As Pierre Cazes the ever dominant French endurance supremo look into his beer{does the French ever drink beer on normal days?}and stares into the foreboding Abu Dhabi desert thinking about what went wrong, he should not be overly too seroius with himself. France has not done too badly.Barbara Lissarazue on her crossbred Georgat was great.Watching her in Kuala Lumpur on the internet{I was drop from Team Malaysia at the last minute and this is not America!},in the 4th loop surrounded by a sea of UAE riders I thought to myself she was not going to make it.And make it she does!At a scorching final lap speed of over 31 kph!This is one brave French lady.Pierre Cazes also should be proud over the fact that the champions of the day learn from him and his boys over the years.French endurance encompass the fine art and science of winning in this game. I am sure the Americans, former world power in this game will still be wondering what went wrong.They have many thousands of rider horse combinations to choose from.Many hundreds of rides per year.The birth place of endurance.A whole culture stepped in riding andhorses.What went wrong.?They were no where near at all.!No one will ever know the reason why but in this game sometime it is good to just not look inward but also outward.Lessons can sometime be learned from small nations as well.And this is mighty difficult for a nation as big as USA.{Iam very sure Iam not going tobe too popular there!} That was the week that was. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- 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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