> Aerc Rule 6 states "Completion requires meeting all of the following
>criteria: (a.) All riders and mounts must be present and accounted for
>at the start of the ride...."
> The rule was established to keep one from riding an event and then
>going to a second event. I know it sounds crazy but there were a few
>folks going for nation milage championships who would do such a thing. =20
> Now days, if you are in camp, saddled or not, you meet the rule's
>intent. But I suspect you will not be able to get an AERC representative
>to say so. They generally avoid any absolute statements regarding the
>application of our rules.=20
I was on the AERC Board and the Rules Committee when this was written.
The motivation for its inclusion was the abuse you mentioned, but it is
also there to prevent riders from sneaking out early.
All it states is that you must be present, with your horse, at the
start. The rule does not require you to actually start with the other
riders, or even be tacked up. And yes, "at the start" is sufficiently
vague that horse and rider being present (and accounted for!) in camp
meets the intent of the rule.
> Most ride managers will let you go as you please. But be considerate
>and ask the ride manager first, the staffing of vet checks is often time
>intensive. Also your alloted time (12 hours for a 50) will start when
>the main group leaves. Nothing in the AERC rules says this is mandatory,
>it is just the accepted custom.
On the contrary, all riders starting time is the official starting time,
even if they choose to leave at a later time. No rider can have his
time extended past the alloted time. This is explicit in the rules.
It is not uncommon for a rider with an excitable horse to wait a few
minutes until the herd gets down the trail a ways before leaving. They
must recognize that the time they wait is part of their riding time.
--=20
Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
Business Page http://www.mti.net
Personal Page http://www.rnbw.com