Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Title: FEI/AERC

I view this a little differently than Sandy. I don't understand the problem with riding in both AERC and FEI events. I rode in my first 50 mile ride when I was seven years old, this was in 1982 My father started in the sport in 1978 and all my brothers and sisters rode at an early age as well, so we are steeped in the AERC tradition. I can tell you one thing, the times were just as fast (if not faster) back then. Here is an example, last year there was an FEI/AERC ride at the Grand Island ride in MI. The winning time was 9 hours and 15 minutes (I was 9 hours and 22 mins). I can remember a ride in the late 80's (non FEI event) where my dad rode the ride (same exact trail) in 8 hours and 26 minutes and he was 4th over the line. There are many more examples of this, the FEI ride in WI three years ago was won in a slower time than it was won 2 years ago. Some of them ROC rides were pretty quick as well. My ride time when I was a kid were faster than they are now and we were not hurting horses back then. I remember riding the Colorama 50 mile ride in 3 hours and 18 minutes and that ride is won now every year in about 5 hours (same trail). The winning time in Aachen last year was not outrageously fast and you can be sure that it will not be fast in Malaysia as well. All FEI events are not flat desert races, there are still technical courses where these are held. MOST importantly, I have just as much FUN at FEI/AERC rides as I do at AERC only rides. It has been that way since the early 90's when my dad was riding in a few FEI events and I was tagging along to crew.

Jeremy Olson
6416