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RE: [RC] WEC " Poor showing?" Not... - Paul

I have to admit to being amazed by some of the critical comments about our teams performance at the WEC. My feelings go along with the "put up or shut up" responses to those who think our team sucks.
 
In the past I have had the opportunity to compete at rides where Kathy Brunges, John Crandall, Jan Worthington, and Valerie Kanavy have also competed. Actually "competing" is probably too strong a word to describe my effort. At those rides, my views of these other riders was a brief glimpse of them disapearing off into the distance.  
 
At the recent AERC National Championship ride, Valerie Kanavy left camp 10 or 15 minutes behind me and still easily passed me on the first loop. She finished about 4 hours in front of me and that was my fastest 100  ever.  At Tevis and the Old Dominion I also finished about 4 hours behind John  Crandall's horses. At the Biltmore, if I had finished, I would have been about 4 hours behind Theatric. (We are darned consistent aren't we?) 
 
Until you have competed with these horses and riders on the same course, you should not try to judge their abilities. My horse is a good endurance horse, but he is not close to the caliber of these top horses. As for my riding ability, well, that's not even close to these folks. We can be competitive with ordinary horses and riders, but with these folks it ain't even gonna be close.
 
A comparison might be made with horse racing. How many trainers, owners, or jockeys  win the Kentucky Derby every year? Or even more than once in a lifetime? Or how many stallions sire the winner more than once? When you get to a rarified level of competion such as the WEC, then winning is not something you can count on every time. The next time the USA could run 1,2 and 3. and the folks from the UAE would be spitting and cussing.
 
I really enjoyed endurance.net's coverage of the WEC. I even watched the finish live over the internet and got goosebumps.  It was a "wow!"
 
We appreciate the effort and sacrifice made by those on our team.  
 
Thanks
 
Paul N. Sidio
KMA Chazz Piper
Spokane MO