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[RC] Observations-WEC & US - Ridecamp Guest

Please Reply to: kim kimfue@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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They can't train for Tevis/Big Horn/Old Dominion over there.

They don't have to even if they could.  Unless things have changed in the 
recent past.  They have brought horses here or bought US horses and leave them 
in training with US trainers/riders all over the country.  Perhaps that has 
changed in last couple years and I am sure you are more current than I.  Dian, 
there is no question that if UAE riders wanted to place well at a ride like the 
Tevis on one of their own horses they will.  They have the money to use the 
best US trainers to condition their horses on Tevis like or the Tevis trail, 
bring over or buy the best mountain horses for the terrain, and even send over 
the riders/jockeys to train on and become familar with the trail. They should 
perform perform very well....why not??  As you state, your horses were leased 
by a UAE rider who placed in the top 5 a Tevis.  A very respectable if not 
enviable performance on a leased horse.  If anyone has ever ridden the Tevis it 
takes horsemanship to get through that ride regardless of the horse you are 
riding.  We may not be used to that kind of money being thrown at the sport but 
all endurance riders know that equality is not part of the game.  All you have 
to do is look at any basecamp and see one rider in a 200,000 motorhome next 
someone sleeping in the back of their 2 horse trailer.

From my perspective, my view is that the flat race track like racing that the 
UAE and FEI through the UAE (do you guys remember the name of the FEI guy that 
was interviewed in Endurance World all the time) who wanted create a fast, 
viewer friendly, venue that would eliminate riders after a certain percentage 
of riders crossed the finish line.  It seems to me that this is when big 
changes started at this level of endurance, maybe a little before.  This seems 
to be when the finish lost some respectabilty therefore making the win/placing 
everything.  It doesn't mean that a win at this level wasn't always important 
but it wasn't everything.  It doesn't mean that some 
individuals/teams/countries do not particpate to just complete but what it 
does mean is the organization (FEI)has shifted what it deems as important. Is 
it a written rule probably not but certainly an attitude. How many spectators 
and cheerleaders were around when the last horse at the WEC finished???  My 
god, it was only 12 hours not 24 like so many 100 mile rides and this the WEC! 
Where are the cheerleaders & folks in the stands like at the Tevis when the 
last few horses come in (whoops...not supposed to compare to AERC 
rides....sorry)  What is observed at these events tells more then an entire 
rule book.  After which rider did endurance city basically shut down...??  
Before the UAE was involved I had never once read or heard anywhere that the 
FEI organization ever thought to eliminate finishers just because they do not 
finish in the "whatever" percentile of the top riders.   International riding 
has evolved or is evolving away from the AERC version of endurance. If 
participants in FEI like that fine but for those in AERC that do not like it 
and do not like many of the ramifications those members should be allowed to 
voice their opinions.  And although many say that our US international riding 
program has nothing to do with AERC as it is run by USA-E all of the riders 
and officials are AERC members and participants in FEI use AERC rides as their 
platform to get to a WEC.  AERC does contribute/support (and I don't mean just 
financial) to international racing...just look in endurance news at their 
monthly column and at the AERC I committee. If AERC wasn't involved somehow in 
international FEI events why is there a need for an international committee??  
AERC membership should have a voice if they want to support (not just 
financial)this venue of riding that is almost opposite of "to finish is to 
win" and all that implies.  Both you and Debbie Foti make this very clear in 
your descripion of this level of riding.  I still haven't seen the numbers of 
exactly how many AERC members are also members of AERC I but maybe those 
numbers will give everyone an idea about what kind of "support" (not financial 
just rider/support crew/cheerleader numbers) International riding has in the 
AERC.  Dian, my critique is about philosophical differences between venues not 
about individuals or countries.




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