25's

["Blankenship, Ann" <ABlankenship@commerce.ca.gov>]

I don't think there should be any acknowledgment for the "winner" of a
25.  I think the finishers should be announced in alphabetical order (as
they almost always are here in our area) to discourage the weekend
warriors from killing their horses and thinking they're something hot if
they come in first.  There's a person in our region that we called the
King of the 25's because he thought we was really a big deal because he
would win all the time.  He didn't realize that he was the ONLY one
racing...  the idiot.    Erin McChesney told us 10 years ago when we
first started with her that it's sort of a disgrace to win a 25, that
they were for training rides and were to be ridden sensibly and
controlled.  Has this thinking changed?

I think many of the people who ride mostly LD have a completely
different agenda from the 50/100 riders.  There are those who are just
dabbling, those training for longer rides, and those who just really
LIKE the 25-mile distance.  It lets you get out on the trail for a long
ride at a fun speed, not like slugging along on a "trail ride" (ick),
you get to ride in all kinds of new places, enjoy camaraderie, it really
develops your horse and gives you something to aim for in your daily
riding.  All of these are perfectly acceptable reasons to be out there.
You don't have to want to win or go any farther.

Please let's not turn the 25's into speed mills.