I don't think the train wreck will happen at the WEC. The requirements imposed by FEI may actually screen out some horses that don't belong at this event. It is definitely positive change to penalize horses with metabolic pulls while trying to qualify. I don't agree with the faster COC qualification for several reasons but especially that it really isn't fair to the host country.
It is up to USEF not FEI to ensure the safety of the US horses that are trying to qualify. I do believe that the riders themselves are ultimately responsible but organizations like USEF can set up rules to help weed out those that "forget" who is responsible.
I think the US will have to find better ways to play this game. USEF can impose more stringent qualifications to the US horses that plan on nominating. Two I can think of off hand are these 1. first, before qualifying for the COC, make sure that US horses that want to nominate CAN successfully finish 100s in Malaysia-like conditions. So make sure horses can complete 100s in hot, humid conditions. The speed factor should be the secondary qualification for US horses. What good is a horse that can finish a dry, desert ride in 10.4 if it hasn't proven itself in a hot, humid 100.
From those horses that prove themselves in hot humid conditions require them to do the fast 100. Send them to FITS or GET R Done or Owahee to earn their 10.4 COC. Or better yet, make even easier courses for these horses to qualify on. Tailor the course to the end goal which in this case is to easily complete a 10.4 100. Why should all the potential US nominated horses have to earn a 10.4 COC if they can't even prove they can compete/complete in hot, humid conditions. The 10.4 COC is only for Malaysia.
2. Raise this WEC competition age to 8 years old so we make sure that 6 year olds in the US are not trying to qualify by running 100s in 10.40.
There are probably other qualifications that the USEF could impose to ensure the best horses are chosen and ensure the safety of those trying to nominate. I think the most important thing is to be flexible enough to adapt to rule changes that occur (like the 2008 WEC qualifications) while keeping US horse welfare front and center. The US needs to find better ways to play this game if they want to continue playing.
Kim Fuess
AERC #6648
In a message dated 04/29/2007 5:07:47 PM Pacific Standard Time, tprevatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
The train wreck starts when a horse with not much experience is pushed to run a 10:40 time for a COC on a course that is not designed for that speed by a rider that has only one goal - go to the WEC on the US team. I sure hope the AERC BOD is smart enough to run as fast and far as possible to distance themselves from this train wreck.
