Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

On Nov 13, 2008, at 1:03 AM, John Teeter wrote:

> (Forwarded by Request)
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> Posted by: "Ken Townsend" ken.townsend@xxxxxxx   llyndallee
> Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:50 pm (PST)
> I read the posts on Ridecamp, and I must say that I was shocked to  
> think people
> could write such terrible comments about the US team. I couldn't  
> imagine being on
> the team and reading those posts, knowing that you did everything in  
> your power to
> do well. Not just for your country, but for yourself.

I think it was mostly just one poster, and its hopefully been sorted  
out.  I think most of the folks on this list are very, very proud of  
our team.  If we are disappointed, it is not in them or their effort,  
but at the incredibly bad luck they suffered which spoiled their  
chances.

> I also felt sorry for the US, because I think the expectations were  
> to high, same for
> Australia.
> While I watched the ride on the internet, I must say, my first  
> thought was, how can
> we compete when so many teams have so many people working on there  
> horses.
> You could not see the horses for people at the vet checks.

Given the disparity in the level of support that the US, Canada and  
some others have compared to the machines of the UAE and others like  
that, I'd say we did a tremendous job.  As you say - they had dozens  
of folks, and the US team had - what - somewhere around 6 or 10 total?

> Our horses are our buddies, our friends, our teams mates. I didn't  
> get that feeling
> when I watched the winning riders.
For a very good reason.  From what I can see, their riders are  
jockeys, and their machine is grown from the thoroughbred racing  
industry.

> When she talks about our countries being so big. That has always  
> been a problem.
> We don't ride together, train together or even share that much  
> helpful information.
> We only meet once in awhile, and that's to compete against each other.

This is also true.  Someone else mentioned our isolation.  Most of the  
other countries compete against each other on a regular basis.

>

> I don't know how we get our government more involved. I don't think  
> horses are a
> priority.

In the US - I don't think that is an option.  Not even the Olympic  
athletes have government sponsorship.

> We are so very proud of our riders. Job well done!

I agree - well done to both US and Canada!

> I haven't had a chance to discuss why the plan didn't work but as we  
> all know sometimes the best laid plans fall apart during the event.
One of my favorite authors, Mercedes Lackey, has a saying in many of  
her novels - "The best laid plans never survive the first encounter  
with the enemy" - or something to that effect.


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