JT, Steph and Truman, I find this issue very
interesting and i'd like to share my thoughts and leave it to the legal scholars
to sort this idea out.
Lets just say that I as a rider from France, UAE,
or Jamacia or whatever country you choose, become a Member of AERC.
I put my horse into the AERC mileage system and receive a #. Lets also say
that being this Member, I follow the rules of AERC and state my
Region of Competition (of the USA) by 15 June or so, as the AERC says one must
do if one is to change a Region. What say i as a French Team or a UAE Team
or any Team set up a PO Box at a Training Facility in lets say Greeley,
Colorado. I compete in my Region within the period and fulfill
the AERC mileage requirements to become eligible to compete at the NC. Who is to
say that as a dues paying Member of AERC stating my Region of Competion, that I
as a Member of AERC can not compete at the AERC NC, regardless of my National
Citizenship?
I think it could be done if someone was serious
enough about it, but so far it has not held the allure of a Championship Event
because of its Regional locations and usually the best of the USA is not
representated at any one given time.
When the WEC comes to Kentucky and serious
competitors come to the USA for maybe a year of training, this plan would work
to make it an Open Championship, if they found it a matter they wanted to
pursue or else AERC could just make it Open.
