FW: Who was in the US Squad

[Bernita & Jerry Barfield <barfield@primenet.com>]

Thanks Joe I think you said it all. This is indeed beating a "dead horse"so to 
speak. Some people just have to have the last word.  I find I'm deleteing more 
than opening these days... when it gets down to mare urine ( now that's really 
endurance related... except of course if we're talking about the color of the urine 
during competition, that's different!), and the same old arguments about team 
selection,etc.  We had a great team and each and everyone of them worked 
their butts off to do their best.  On any given day, the results of our team and 
individual placings could have been different...but that's the sport of endurance.

Bernita BArfield
Southwind Arabians
Sierra Vista,AZ
----------
From: 	Joe Long[SMTP:jlong@mti.net]
Sent: 	Sunday, December 13, 1998 4:39 PM
To: 	ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: 	Re: Who was in the US Squad

On Sun, 13 Dec 1998 09:57:34 -0800, "Carlos Crespo" <ccrespo@nigma.com> wrote:

>It is a sad reflection of the sport and the  current state of competition 
>if the way to win is to play conservatively, not take risks, and aim for a less 
>than optimum performance. In my book, this is not competition.

>WHERE THERE IS NOTHING VENTURED THERE IS NOTHING GAIN.
 
>Great horses and Great Competitor do amazing, unpredictable feats in the face of adversity.
>Underestimating these horses and riders is a big mistake.

Why do you keep beating *this* dead horse?  No one said anything about not
taking risks or turning in a less that 100% effort.  I pointed out that the
results of the race bore out what I and others have been saying about team
selection, that the *consistent* team wins the Gold.  That's a fact -- deal with
it. 

In my book, the best competitors find out what is the best approach to victory
and employ it.  They also go out and *do* it, and they don't put down the
achievements of those who beat them.  I'm not taking anything away from the U.S.
team and their fine achievement when I give credit where credit is due to the
New Zealanders.

>CONGRATULATIONS TO THE TEAM, BUT MUST OF ALL TO VALERIE AND JEDI FOR A 
>GREAT PERFORMANCE AND FROM WHOM WE NEVER EXPECT ANYTHING SHORT OF 
>OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE.

I'll second that.  I also never expected anything less than optimum performance
from the U.S. team, and I believe we got it.  There's no sense finger-pointing
and crying sour grapes because another team won; we congratulate them and begin
preparing for the next competition.


-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
http://www.mti.net     Business
http://www.rnbw.com    Personal