1999 Pan Am Zone Selection Schedule

[Steph Teeter <step@fsr.com>]

<forwarded for Lori Stewart>

FROM AERC INTERNATIONAL
(the following was inadvertently edited from the Dec and Jan. EN)

1999 USA ZONE SELECTION SCHEDULE :

EAST: Nominations Open: October 1 and Close: December 1, 1998.  Long List
(18)
chosen: January 2, 1999. Demonstration Period begins: January 9th and ends:
May 1st.
Short List (6 squad members and 6 alternates) chosen: June 6th
Zone Selection Chair: Doug Lietzke: Ph: 610-987-3165. Email:
Lietzke1@aol.com

CENTRAL: Nominations Open: October 15th and Close: February 15, 1999.  Long
List (18) chosen: March 1, 1999. Selection committee appointed: February 17.
Demonstration Period begins: February 27 and ends: June 12.  Short List (6
squad
members and 6 ranked alternates) chosen: June 14th.
Zone Selection Chair: Art Priesz: Ph: 621-399-0850

MOUNTAIN: Nominations Open: December 1, 1998 and Close: February 28, 1999.
Short List (6 squad members and 6 alternates) named no later than June 24,
1999.
Zone Selection Chair: Linda Voigt: Ph: 406-273-6384. Email:
emu4@mssl.uswest.net

PACIFIC NORTH: Nominations Open: January 1, 1999 and Close: January 31st.
Long List (18) chosen: March 1st.  Short List (6 squad members and 6
alternates)
chosen: June 14, 1999.
Zone Selection Chair: Ellen Betker: Ph: 541-389-7606. Email:
lebetker@outlawnet.com

PACIFIC SOUTH: Nominations Open: December 1, 1998 and Close: February 1,
1999. Long List (18) chosen: February 15th.  The Short List (6 squad members
and 6
alternates) chosen no later than June 24, 1999.
Zone Selection Chair: Barbara Sanchez: Ph: 805-472-9228. Email:
ronbarbara@thegrid.net

UNITED STATES MINIMUM SELECTION CRITERIA FOR 1999 PAN AM:

-AERC International minimum selection criteria:
(Reference: AERC International Procedures, Article VII)
Riders:
-The rider must have completed a minimum of 500 lifetime miles on AERC
rides, or
equivalent, of 50 miles or more.
-The rider must have completed a minimum of two 100 mile one day rides.
-The rider must reside in the zone for which he nominates, per AERC
standards of
residency.
Horses:
-The horse must be at least seven years old at the time of the event.
-The horse must have completed a minimum of 500 verifiable lifetime miles on
endurance rides of 50 miles or more.
-The horse must have completed a minimum of two 100 mile in one day rides.

Horse/Rider Combination:
-The horse and rider combination must have completed a minimum of 200
verifiable
AERC miles, or equivalent, as a team.  This mileage must include a minimum
of one
100 mile in one day ride.

-Zones may have requirements in addition to the AERC International minimum
selection criteria. Check with your zone selection chair.

-The FEI does not require that a rider or horse have completed an FEI
sanctioned ride to
be eligible to compete at the 1999 Pan Am FEI Championship.

Note:  Minimum selection criteria must be met by the close of nominations
for your
zone.  Contact your zone selection chair for a nomination form and to answer
questions regarding selection.

1999 PAN AMERICAN FEI CHAMPIONSHIP
Myna Cryderman, OC Chair

	The 99 PAC promises to be a very special event. The Pan Am Games are slated
to be held in Winnipeg, Manitoba from July 24th to August 9th,1999. After
much
negotiation we received the green light to hold the Pan Am Endurance
Championship in
conjunction with and in close proximity to the Games. This should help to
draw media
attention to our sport as the eyes of the world should be on the Games. The
PAC is
going to be held in Spruce Woods Park which is approximately 75 miles west
of
Winnipeg. This is located geographically in the center of North America only
50 miles
from the Canada/ US border making travel distance equal for most
competitors.  Border
crossing is usually relatively easy with only negative Coggins and
government certified
health papers needed.

	Spruce Woods Park is more than its name suggest.  In addition to towering
white
spruce trees on its rolling sand hills, the park offers vista of creeping
sand dunes, quiet
oxbow lakes, grassy plains , the meandering Assiniboine River and its broad
valley.
The   early white settlers related stories of strange noises and nightly
apparitions in
crossing these hills. For Aboriginal people, however, the sand dunes were a
place close
to the Great Spirit or Kiche Manitou, rather than a place or home of evil
spirits. To the
present day visitor a feeling of closeness to our maker is often experienced
when riding
through the area.

	The park offers many diverse activities to it's visitors. There is a large
campground close by  the equestrian camping area which will be the
headquarters to the
PAC.  There is a lovely beach area for swimming, canoeing on the historic
Assiniboine
River, hiking trails, wagon rides and biking trails. The area  surrounding
the park is very
rural agricultural area.  There will be a shortage of hotel rooms in the
immediate area
but an urban area of Brandon is only about 45 minutes away and Winnipeg, a
large
urban area is about 75 miles away. With the Pan Am Games on though, there
could be
a shortage of rooms in Winnipeg as well. There will be billets available as
well as the
large campground. Visitors to the PAC might want to take in some of the Pan
Am
Games after the ride. There will be a full compliment of events from track
and field
events to other equestrian events.
	The PAC pre-ride was held this year on July 4th in conjunction with the
annual
Great Northern Connection, a multi-day ride. There was competitors from
every corner
of the United States and Canada. The competitors  found the trail
deceptively
challenging because of the sand.  Most of the trail appears relatively easy
but the sand
does take it's toll.  There is a couple of section which offer a real
challenge in that there
are steep sand dunes where the horses are sinking in sand as they are
climbing and
descending.

	The trail is laid out in such a way that all the vet checks are in main
camp. The
vetting area is in a natural amphitheater. This will enable the public and
media  have a
better vantage of  what goes into getting a horse through a vet check
without interfering
with the crewing.  There will be limited crewing allowed and only at water
tanks which
will be placed at least every ten miles. The terrain is gently rolling with
very little of the
trail being on flat land.  The footing varies from firm grassy two track  to
loose deep
sand single track. .  These sections are short and do not make up a very
larger
percentage of the trail. There are no rocks, pads will not be required. The
loops vary in
length from 10 to 25 miles. The temperature at this time of year vary a
great deal but the
normal is 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the day but it cools off to about
60 at  night.
The humidity is usually fairly low. Daylight last about 16.5 hours at this
time of year at
this northern latitude and the ride is planned for the full moon.  We will
be holding the
annual Great Northern Connection at this ride site two weeks ahead of the
PAC so you
can pre-ride the trails at this ride and stay to acclimatize at the ride
site.

	Manitoba is a very sparsely populated area and as such we have a limited
pool of
sponsorship monies available.  It is my hope that the endurance community as
a whole
will see this as a great opportunity to showcase our sport to the World as
part of the Pan
Am Games. As such I hope everyone will want to help out with the funding to
make this
an event worthy of showcasing. We have organized a raffle to help raise
funds.  The
feature item will be a 1998 purebred Arabian colt  donated by Al Marah
Arabians. There
will be a number of other endurance related items in the draw. Tickets will
be available
at the AERC convention or by mail from Myna Cryderman, Box 657, Boissevain,
Manitoba R0K 0E0  or email mcryderman@techplus.com. There is also two other
sponsorship programs for those wanting to help out.  There will be  wooden
completion
plaques with sponsor names on for $100 or Top Ten and Team blankets with
sponsors
names embroidered on for $500.  Advertising in a  souvenir glossy covered
programs
will be also be available.  There has been a great deal of interest from
vendors so
everything in the endurance line should be available at the ride for sale.

	Manitoba is known as the friendly province so come and enjoy our
hospitality at
the 1999 Pan Am Endurance Championship.


 2000 FEI WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

A venue has not been announced for this millenium event.  Persons interested
in
serving as National Selection Chair or Chef d'Equipe, please send a resume
of FEI
and related experience to Lori Stewart, AERC International Chair (reference
EN
committee directory).  The AERC International Committee will interview
candidates
and draft a recommendation to the USET during the 1999 AERC Convention, Feb
25 -
27.  Nominations for these positions close February 15, 1999.