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Re: [RC] [RC] FEI World Forum on Endurance - Truman PrevattI think it's called the Golden Rule - he who has the gold makes the rule. The worst thing that could happen to we recreational endurance riders is endurance to become an Olympic sport. Even at our Pan Am's we have have had horses die - it just doesn't happen in Dubai. Even at our Pan Am's we can see horses in the "treatment barn" hooked up - it just doesn't happen in Dubai.You think a staggering horse coming off the eventing course in the '92 Spain Olympics cased a furor - wait till a WEC style treatment barn is shown on the world wide media with multiple horses hooked up. The incident in the '92 Olympics caused a fundamental change in eventing in order for it to stay in the Olympics. I can just hear Brian Gumbo talking about a dead horse. Let Brian Gumbo wonder aloud why on 10% of the field finishes an endurance course and why so many have to be hooked up to IV's because of the event as the camera pans the treatment barn. What to turn a hundred million people against endurance - all endurance in a heartbeat - this would be a sure fire way to do it. We in the AERC are not noticed much now - not many really know or care what we do. Many that hear about it have a first reaction of "isn't that hard on the horse?" However, you can explain to them what precautions are taken and they are satisfied. Let the general public see a scene from the treatment barn broad cast on international TV and I suspect our sport will come under a hell of a lot of pressure. For my money the best thing that could happen to both international endurance and AERC endurance is a total separation. Let the USEF/FEI go it's own way without interference from the AERC and we "namby-pamby armature endurance riders" and let the AERC distance itself from a form endurance racing and promote the sport of endurance riding. AERCI has done it's job. International endurance is firmly entrenched in the US as a recognized discipline of the USEF. It's time to sunset AERCI and for USEF go its own way in producing a winning team and for the AERC to go it's own way promoting the armature sport of endurance riding in the US. Truman Steph Teeter wrote: One can't deny that Dubai is fueling (funding) the growth of FEI Endurance. But there are a lot of us (riders, Federations) that hope the sport can grow Internationally without changing it's nature. The UAE races are unlike races anywhere else in the world If we (riders. Federations, FEI) can just recognize this, and allow the sport to grow to accomodate the various types of Endurance - UAE racing (fast/flat), and Tevis racing (slow/technical) and Malaysia racing (slow/hot) - where the terrain and conditions determine the nature of the competion - then we can stay healthy as a sport. Why not have divisions or classes of competitions. why must all of FEI endurance be seen through the same lens (the one which is fueling/funding the sport). ? -- “Since when have we Americans been expected to bow submissively to authority and speak with awe and reverence to those who represent us?” Justice William O. Douglas =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 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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