Endurance riding is exciting to me because it is a true sport
competition. The winners (those who complete, not necessarily those that
place first), won on true athletic ability, time spent preparing their
horse, and smart horsemanship. They did not have a trainer train the
horse for them, then hold the stirrup while they mounted. Endurance is a
true test of HORSE and RIDER.
I wholeheartedly agree with Tina that this is a SPORT. This is
why $$$$ is such a hard question. I do not want to see endurance riding
become like the horse shows, but by the same token there should be
something where the best of the best can prove themselves. What would
Valerie Kanavy and Becky Hart and a host of other greats have done if the
next level in competition had not presented itself. Would they
eventually quit the sport from boredom because there was not some new
challenge to test themselves against?
The problem of idiots over-riding their horses would hopefully be
diminished by proper qualification requirements for both HORSE and
RIDER. The whole point of an event with qualifications is that the best
of the best are competing against each other, and you don't become the
best if you over-ride and don't care for your horse.
This doesn't have to mean you become a professional. What it means is that you
have proven yourself as a rider and horseman and your horse has proven
himself as an athlete.
A while back it seemed that everyone was complaining that ESPN,
the news, and TV in general provides no coverage of endurance
activities. Well, you can't have your cake and eat it too.
Like Tina
said growing pains aren't called pains for nothing. All I'm saying is
that we shouldn't shoot this down so vehemently without completely
examining everything. And like Mr. Ivers stated the whole attitude so
far has been - stay away from us!! The sport of ride and tie (whatever
you think of it) wouldn't even exist if it weren't for the big money
corporate sponsorship of Levi.
With the expert guidance of experienced endurance enthusiasts
like Valarie Kanavy events like this COULD be good for the sport. Maybe
this is too naive a viewpoint, but I don't think the infusion of money
into the sport necessarily has to be bad.
Well, just some thoughts.
Dianna
(Susan you can include this but I am not a member of AERC **YET**)