ridecamp@endurance.net: ROC-Rogers Comments

ROC-Rogers Comments

VMAXEPT@aol.com
Sat, 11 Oct 1997 01:24:30 -0400 (EDT)

I was at this RACE of Champions.
This was my 5th ROC.. not as a rider but as a support worker for Susan, a
sponsor--for Susan, a vendor(for me), and as a crew person.--guess who?

I believe this was the best ROC I have observed.
Yes - sure there were problems, there are problems at MOST events. Not just
the high level world class races, but the local ones too.

The Ft Armstrong club under direction of John Gray and Co. gave us the best
location, facilities, trail and support crew I have ever seen.
There was more help then you would need. I never saw or heard any of the
support personal give any competitor a bad time.
I felt this event was 'lighter' then some of the other ROC's. I must have
missed all the politics...tough vetting why not --set the standard high..
earn that buckle and be proud to wear it.. like OD100 and TEVIS.. they just
dont give them out with the tee shirt...

Now -- you all have to understand ..this IS SUSAN's RACE.. She put it
together. She sets down the rules and yes she can change them. The RULES
state that..
AERC and ROC appear to have a working agreement. She follows the core rules
of AERC, then adds her rules on top of that. They are stricter then the
normal AERC.. sort of like some the rules from FEI.. i.e WEG.. 18 hrs..total
time.

SO we ALL SHOULD know by now this is the name of the game.. READ the
SIGN..its SUSANS RACE..
Dont like it dont go.
As a past sponsor and worker and vendor, I know there will be problems.. and
I may get a bad deal.. BUT I KEEP comming BACK..
ONE day I hope as a competitor..
WHY? Because IT IS THE ROC.. SO I quit gripping most of the time--, and try
to roll with the flow. Except when some of my stuff gets stolen.. thats not
good...

I like the big time stuff.. FEI ROC World Racing.. If I cant ride it I
will support it as I can. Worker sponsor crew etc..
BUT it is NOT for everyone.

This time my crew part got cut short.. by 50 miles. The CASH machine shut
down..Too bad.. I felt real bad for Danellel and Larry.. and I am sure glad I
was not in Ft Valley when they all came home and had to face Val..
Yeah I know some of you will blast me on this one and say something like
'its about time' or other less civil remarks.. They, the Kanavies got there
thru VERY HARD work..they earned it.. the hard way.. no freebees..

They messed up this time. Happens to the best.. look at FEI-PanAM.

Last point .. I may have missed something.. THIS one IS A RACE... not a
ride..
It's on the SIGN...

Hope all the horses are ok.. I dont think any were real bad. Trust Steve's
Hawk will recover ..they were doing so well.. just stupid luck to step on
some trail junk..

Loretta is the 'new' star on the pile. She is a very nice lady. Quite and a
very good rider. Those western PA and Eastern Ohio riders.. are and have
been very tough.
Her horse came from the 'killer' pens. Like many of the old horses raced out
there.
That gang would buy up good stock from the pens in Ohio.. get them going and
if they lasted a year or two they kept them..These riders are tough and
hard.. and the name of the game was they ALL came to RACE. The horses had to
be as tough.
They are part of that PA-OH coal-steel-iron mentality. Tell them it cant be
done.. you best get out of their way. Loretta's 'truck driver' horse may run
you off the road..

They dont do CTR..

They have one speed .. fast --- ride to win

I did not think she could keep up the pace of day 1 .. wrong.. she ran a few
good ones into the ground that day.
Her horse looked very good at the end.

The best race was run by Kathy and Zane Grey.. never made up all the time..
but saved her horse for BC AND the Ist IAHA.

Say-- I did not hear one word or booing --about the BIGGIE bucks the
Sweepstakes horses won.. AND no one cheated.. Wendy Mass almost LOST her
pot of gold.. with the missed trail .. so glad they went back and took the
correct traill.. almost shades of TEVIS..

Congradulations to all the winners..

The whole event was great I had a grand time. Very nice to see all the riders
I use to ride with when I was a Yankee..

YES --of course I will be back next year.. ITS THE ROC>>

Roger R---good-ole-boy trainee

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