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Re: [RC] Ride & Tie realities/Olympics - Barbara McCrary

Steve, you forgot Switzerland. Lud and I competed in one while there in 1985....in the rain! I don't know if they are still doing so, but the Swiss did have them for a time.

Barbara

----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Shaw" <sshaw@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 10:48 AM
Subject: [RC] Ride & Tie realities/Olympics



In as much as I endorse and appreciate the excitement, depth and intrigue of Ride and Tie (finding that 3 hours on the trail seem to be only 30 minutes) the realities of life determine that this sport will never be in the Olympics. Much as I would wish it to be.
The OOC requires that the sport be represented by a set number of countries (25?) and at a certain level of "international" federation scrutiny. I also personally believe that an Olympic sport needs a certain amount of sponsorship if not historical international visibility. Though Ride and Tie has roots in many other countries as an "efficient way of going..." it is not well know outside of the USA, Britain, France and Germany.
Other than Levis Strauss and Easyboot, there has never been any significant sponsorship of this sport except in France! In the 80's there was the "Go Sport Ride and Tie Series" in France. Go Sport was a clothing company that put together a series of races around France that were in very visible venues and gave out nearly $150,000 in prize money. The 1989 R&T poster from Fraiser Park by Emmett Ross was a duplication of the Go Sport poster. This French series lasted only one year though it did get the media attention the sponsors desired.


Yes, R&T has more depth of competition than endurance and is more of a "team" sport, but unless it becomes even MORE prevalent than endurance riding you won't see it on ESPN or in the Olympics.

But thanks for thinking of us.... and you should all try the sport. You don't have to run, just hiking makes it work. I know that now (with this knee and having had Maryben as a partner!)
Steve Shaw




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Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
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Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

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