What a great post!! I agree with everything you wrote. You know, wouldn't it be nice to have clinics, good coaching available, etc. to all AERC members. It doesn't just have to be for those elite riders trying to get on a WEC team. I think riders who compete at any level can benefit from seminars/clinics. It is so interesting to me that the clinic/seminar idea has not caught on in endurance like some other sports. I don't know if it is the general attitude of the average endurance rider who feels they can do everything on their own or if the time has just not come in this sport. Perhaps it is because endurance is not a lesson based sport like dressage or jumping. I have never competed in any other equestrian venue so I really don't know if clinics/seminars are popular in other disaplines. I do see an awful lot of seminars and clinics for natural horsemanship.
When I competed seriously in dog agility, going to seminars and clinics was common place almost necessary. Clinics and seminars were always full. I guess it is just a different mindset.
I have a hard time imagining a USEF centralized training facility & lab with how large the geographic area is for those competing in USEF endurance. Sometimes it is stupid to imitate models from other nations, even if those are winning, because we are not starting from the same place. Our geography and our organization is not similar to most European endurance programs and definitely nothing like the UAE.
Perhaps, the only way a centralized training facility would work is if we were only going to field "professionals" who make a living at endurance or or the "wealthy" who don't need to make a living. I guess that would put USEF endurance at the same place USEF Eventing, Show Jumping, and Dressage is at. Definitely out of the reach of all except a few. I am not sure that that is the vision most endurance riders want even those that support US international endurance.
Kim
I'm kinda torn. On the one hand, I love the fact that "anyone can rise up and be great with lots of determination"...on the other hand, I'm often embarassed when I see some of the equitation at even our bigger rides. No, don't want to turn this into a show, but is it too much to ask for the rider to be able to stand in the stirrups without tiptoeing and holding onto the front of the saddle? If my kid got a chance to go to a Young Riders training camp and train under great instructors, you can bet I'd get her there and if I didn't she'd get herself there! I had a good horse, but if he'd been more controllable he could have been a *really* good horse. I wish I'd had the training to know how to get him that way. Endurance riders are very often like me...self taught, self motivated types that never had the intense schooling and training that riders from other disciplines get. I don't know if this would make much difference in the medals, but at least our videos would look better. >g<
I think the best thing the US could do to improve its chance of medals is get some allies, lobby *hard* with other countries to bring back technical courses and get rid of the speed requirements on these qualifying rides. That, combined with good up and coming riders could be the ticket.
