Re: [RC] [Endurance Riding: News] FEI CoC for 2008 WEC - 10:40 and 12 months! - FXLivestock
You know, I kind of find the new COC time requirement kind of ironic. It was just a couple years ago that FEI riders in my region were frustrated that there were not that many 100 mile rides around that one could easily earn a COC in 13.20 without stressing/thrashing the horses. So, concerned riders created a 100 mile course (Get R Done) that could be comfortably finished in the time required without compromising horses. Now, it seems that for the 2008 WEC, only 5 riders would have made the new COC cut off time on a course that was designed qualify a larger pool of riders.
I guess there are two ways to look at this..... it will be much easier to choose a 2008 WEC squad because there will be fewer horses that are capable of earning the new COC so the list of qualified nominated horses will be short to begin with or perhaps IF the 10.40 COC time becomes a future standard for WECs after 2008 we may want to start running endurance rides on race tracks (or similar) to qualify a larger pool of riders. At least the trail will be easy to mark :)
Nik, I will say that it is really too bad that this new standard was imposed across the board. It just seems so unbelievable that horses in the host country are put at such a disadvantage to qualify. It seems those horses would actually be the most qualified and the most fit to compete as they live in the conditions where the WEC will be raced. I thought that many of the FEI rules and protocols were imposed because of creating a level playing field and being fair in competition. I think they really dropped the ball here for countries that do not have the conditions to qualify safely in 10.40.
One thing I do like with the qualifications for the 2008 WEC is that horses will not be able to nominate if they are pulled/treated for metabolic problems when they are trying to qualify. I think this is a step in the right direction and I believe the first time that the "pulls" a horse has on it's record has been taken into consideration.
Is there anyone that can tell me what the corrolation is between a faster COC time and the ability to compete successfully in humid, hot conditions? Logic tells me that just because a horse can do a fast 100 in ideal conditions does not mean that this same horse is able or is suitable to do a 100 mile ride at any pace in humid, hot conditions.
Kim Fuess
AERC #6648
In a message dated 04/25/2007 11:09:16 AM Pacific Standard Time, johnt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
We have found that the following would reflects this 10:40 time requirement in the US:
2006 FITS: the top 8 finishers 2006 GetRDone: top 5 2006 Owyhee 100: top 11
