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Re: [RC] GSFHR - Truman Prevatt

While endurance riding is a race and many times there are flat out sprints to the finish - as Joe Long pointed out - there may be some times when this just may not be possible and ride management must recognize it and accommodate for it if possible. If it is not possible to safely support a race, the finish line should be moved to a location where it is or the "race" must be decided on the trail with the finish much like a yellow flag in car racing. I've seen several accidents and near accidents - fortunately not this serious - because of poor finish line placement. There also seems to be the issue of the finish line. The AERC rules are quite specific about a marked finish line across the trail (rule 5.4). From the account of one rider it doesn't seem that was the case.

There was an incident several years ago where a spectator was injured during a race off. The P&G committee ruled that if there is no way to make it safe for a race to the finish - then there should not be a race to the finish. This may have been the case at the GSFHR.

Like most accidents - this I expect is most likely a combinations of events and poor judgments and just bad timing of a car in the wrong place at the wrong time. I am sure there will be an investigation by the sheriff or State Police since it involved a vehicle and there was bodily injury. There might even be litigation - most likely the driver's insurance company will sue the organizer and maybe the AERC to reclaim their loss. There may or may not be more litigation over it. I also expect that the organizers were required to get some sort of permit to run the event though public areas. This might impact their ability to secure a permit in the future.

Today we are sharing public trails with more people and in rides like this we are many times on public right of ways. That fact can change the event and in fact it might impact the ability to "race whenever we please." That is just a fact of life.

The main thing now is that it seems the people going to live - although a displaced hip does sound rather serious. However, we must learn from this incident because two horses are dead - most likely deaths that could have been prevented with better planning.

I sure hope the AERC investigates this accident and takes steps to mitigate a repeat of this type of thing in the future.

Truman

Kristi Schaaf wrote:
Kate wrote:
I hope this never happens again. Check out there
site, they are already taking entries for 2008, the
last ‘news’ update on THEIR site was mid August!. I
believe that all this guy wanted to do is make money,
I believe that this is dangerous and aerc and aha both
of who sanctioned this ride should pull and never
sanction again.




--

“It doesn't matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn't matter how smart you are. If it doesn't agree with experiment, it's wrong” Richard Feynman, Nobel Laureate in Physics


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Replies
[RC] GSFHR, Kristi Schaaf