ridecamp@endurance.net: Re: Best Condition poll

Re: Best Condition poll

Terry Woolley Howe (cancer@inetworld.net)
Fri, 05 Sep 1997 20:17:47 -0700

Reynolds wrote:
The frontrunners are
> oftentimes whipping and spurring to get their horses over the line with
> enough time to spare to allow them to receive the BC award, when in
> fact, other horses in the top ten were in better shape at the finish.
> It makes me sick to see an obviously tired and sore horse take top
> honors! This isn't exactly the picture we want to portray to the
> general public or our newcomers. Enough said on that...
> Our questions to you are-
>

At the San Diego rides I have never seen a horse whipped or spurred
over the line. I HAVE seen two competitive horses racing for the
finish, but never in an inappropriate manner. At our rides all top ten
horses are judged for top ten so a rider unnecessarily pushing his horse
at the finish would not be in his best interest.

> Do you believe the best condition judging should be kept as is?
>
I am satisfied with the way the best condition judging is handled, with
the exception of I think there should be more credit given to horses
carrying more weight. I think the formula should be 1 point per pound,
rather than a half point.

> Would you rather see the best condition judging done on all horses in
> the top ten regardless of time or weight carried?
>

At our rides, all top ten horses are judged which I think is fair.

> Would you like to see more of a "window" in the time/weight factors?
>

I'm not sure what "window" you are referring to. I have never had the
top ten horses have more than 200 minutes between the first and the
tenth horse, but realisticly speaking, if the tenth horse was more than
two hours behind the first horse, it would be difficult for that rider's
horse to overcome the time factor, unless of course all the horses
preceding him had a grade one lameness.

Terry Woolley Howe
San Diego

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