PRESENTING THE 1996 UNITED STATES ENDURANCE SQUAD:
(in alphabetical order)
Melissa Crain/Whoa Jack
Shirley Delsart/KJ Destination
Danielle Kanavy/Pieraz(Cash)
Chris Knoch/NV Fifth Avenue
Ona Lawrence/Dandy McCoy
Susie Morrill/McFyre Flyte
Patricia Murray/Mojave
Stephen Rojek/WR Peregrine (Hawk)
Marcia Smith DVM/On a High (Elvis)
Dennis Summers/Tony Boloney
Chrisie Unser/Nugget
Jan Worthington/L.M. Mastermind
ALTERNATES (In alphabetical order)
Lynda Corry/Baskhari
Audrey Gehrig/Czar Louis
Clydea Hastie/Sus Kario HCC
Heather Hoyns, DVM/ Snowdown
Don Jacobs/Brioso
Linda Johnson/ MC Tron
Lois Mcaffee/ BA Rhett Butler
Carrie Miracle/ Royal Looks Ruby
Patti Pizzo/ Savaq
Jim Rogan/ WJ Beezar
Joyce Sousa/ Jim Bob
Holly Ulyate/ Beztez
Valerie Kanavy has received an automatic invitation as reigning World
Champion. She has elected to ride FireNGold.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU!!
The United States is very fortunate to have had so many strong horse/rider
teams to choose from. Selection was tough this year. The final selection
conference call as much as guaranteed AT&T a BIG profit this quarter.
Thank you to all who nominated. Every one of you put incredible effort into
the year so far and all of you should be proud of yourselves and especially
proud of your horse. They are amazing athletes, aren't they?
WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK LIKE FOR THE UNITED STATES RIDERS?
For the twelve chosen to the squad, their focus will become even sharper now
that the World Championships and GOLD for the United States is the goal. For
the twelve alternates, their focus might soften just a little, but it
shouldn't. At least two of them will be asked to travel to the World
Championship site in the event that one or more of the squad horses is not
able to compete. Which two will be determined by the Chef d'equipe with the
assistance of the team veterinarian and the selector's chairman. The
alternates are not ranked and all should consider themselves candidates. For
those that did not make the ENTRY LIST (squad of 12 plus 12 alternates), life
will begin to return to normal after a brief let down. Hopefully the United
States will benefit from their presence in Kansas as part of the United States
support team effort. But, if the vacation time that was scheduled for
September is used to take a loved one to Hawaii , we understand. All the
nominees have had to put their significant others through hell this year. A
BIG thank you is in order.
A GLIMPSE AT LIFE FOR THE AVERAGE AMERICAN TEAM RIDER
DURING PREPARATIONS FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:
I'm on the squad!! Who do I call first? Before I can answer, the phone
rings, AGAIN, as it has since yesterday because most of my friends don't know
that after the selection committee does its job the list goes to the USET
Endurance Discipline Committee and the USET Executive Committee for approval
and then onto AHSA before the squad is announced.
After making what seems like a million calls to all the members of my "fan
club", it is off to the barn to make sure the demons of lameness did not
strike my horse down during the night.
There are still 5 weeks before the Worlds. Is there a ride that is close
enough and safe enough to do that will give my horse a nice "bounce" for the
Worlds? Will the ride manager mind if I put my horse in a glass bubble and
carry him through?
Ah, shoeing. If I do a ride will the shoeing schedule still be on target for
the Worlds. At this point in the season after a grueling demonstration
period, does my horse still go well with the shoeing program I'm using? Do I
dare tweak the system? When are they coming out with "Nike" for horses?
Speaking of tweaking the system, who are these people? Friends of friends
who are experts at something or have a product to sell are coming out of the
wood work offering to help me and my horse- for FREE. "If it ain't broke don't
fix it," are wise words to live by.....but...will I regret later not having
all these freebie tricks in my bag. These "helpful" people are robbing me of
a good night's sleep, of this much I am sure.
I am confident that my horse and I are "fit to continue" but is my rig? Money
has been flowing freely from my home for months. Do I risk a financial dam
break by taking my truck and trailer in for a "little tune up"? When my
mechanic cautions that for a haul clear to Kansas for something this
important, my truck needs a valve job and the trailer needs new brakes and the
wheel bearings packed , do I believe him? More sleepless nights.
And about those finances...do I have my work commitments sufficiently covered
for the two weeks I'll be gone in September? A World Endurance Championship
medal doesn't buy much hay. I have yet to see an endurance rider on a box of
Wheaties.
Speaking of hay, does my horse's feeding program travel well. It works for
as much as a week away from home, but what about two weeks? Do I have a good
supply of feed in the barn now so I don't run low and have to change to a
different cutting of hay the week before I leave. A hay change has never
bothered my horse before, but it is sure to now.
FOCUS, the key to success, the secret to sanity. With so many details
swirling around, I turn more and more over to my groom and other members of
my team. The local paper wants to do a feature on one of the town's own going
to a World Championships. This I do not delegate but the interview is tiring
especially when the questions began with, "What is endurance riding?"
I try to keep my routine familiar and simple. My horse trys to keep life
interesting. We made it through the endurance ride last weekend without a hair
out of place. However, this morning my horse greets me at feeding time filthy,
with a patch of hair missing, and a lump right where the saddle sits. Nothing
like a simple roll in the pasture to stop my heart. So much for today's
training ride!
Anymore surprises? Just one nice one. Friends and family surprise me with a
bon voyage and go kick butt party, a week before we leave. None of this would
be possible or worthwhile without friends to share the excitement and to keep
me humble with all their good natured teasing.
The rig is packed and looks like something out of the Beverly Hillbillies.
I'm exhausted and coming down with a cold (maybe), but my horse is hot to trot
and my truck runs smooth as silk thanks to the valve job. TEAM GOLD WILL BE
MINE!!
AERC INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE BUSINESS:
Nominations for AERC International Committee Zone Representatives are open.
The deadline for nominations is October 30, 1996. Send your nomination to
Chuck Gray, International Committee Chairman (Reference Inside Cover).
If you are interested in serving as your zone selection chairman or your zone
chef d'equipe for the 1997 North American Championships,Bend Oregon, please
send your resumes to your zone representative (reference AERC News inside
cover) by November 30, 1997.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS NEWS:
NOW AVAILABLE: "HOW TO ENJOY THE 1996 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS", a full color
brochure to enhance your enjoyment of the World Championships in Endurance.
To receive your copy write: World Championships, 9200 Longhorn Drive,
Manhattan , KS 66503. For the latest in World Championship information , the
WC-E Home Page address is: HTTP://WWW.VET.KSU.EDU/FEI
The following countries met the July 15 deadline for Entries in Principle:
AUSTRALIA, BRAZIL, CANADA, CHILE, DENMARK, FRANCE, GERMANY, ITALY,
NETHERLANDS, QATAR, ROMANIA, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES,
and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Great Britain and Ireland have pulled out. There remains a good deal of
contriversy among their team members regarding this.
1998 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP NEWS:
Nissan has signed on as the principle sponsor of the 1998 World Equestrian
Games. With this financial backing, IRELAND will be able to host the games
after all.
E-mail from: R. K. and L. D. Stewart, 15-Aug-1996