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[RC] Decline to Participate and Different Sports - FXLivestock


The second fallacy is that, while the UAE may not care if the USA
refuses their invitations...


It certainly does not hurt any high profile event to invite the best, most well respected, popular riders to participate in their events.  When those riders choose to participate in those events it does lend credibility and does infer acceptance.  I mean there are there competing.....  It certainly didn't hurt UAE rides like the Presidents Cup to invite the winner of the Tevis Cup or the Hagin Cup to participate in their event in the early days.  Even though the "individual" makes the choice to attend and their choice shouldn't reflect what the guest's national organization may values, they are still tied together.  Even now, I am sure that it is true that the UAE could care less if the US participates but it sure doesn't hurt them that some of the most well respected endurance riders,in the US is participating in their event on Saturday both as riders and as ride support .  In my eyes, it does add to the credibility.

I don't begrudge anyone who chooses to go and participate at the President's Cup.  I could accept this much easier if the distinction between what the UAE calls endurance and what we call endurance was as clear as the line that separates CTR and endurance.

Steph brings up some great points in her post "different sports".  I would say same venue different values.  Yes we both use the same animal, cover the same distance, use many of the same rules and protocols BUT have completely different values.  I could write a list 3 pages long on how we differ in terms of values.  I am not making a judgement call on one being "better" just that each "sport" put a different value on an aspect of the competition. 

Having different values using the same playing field does make this a very different sport.  As time goes on this really becomes much, much more defined.  As I mentioned before, Steph's report of the YR race did not even resemble any endurance I have participated in at AERC events.  This is coming from the perspective of someone who like to ride competitively.










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