Re: National Championship

[terry woolley <cancer@simplyweb.net>]

> I am pleased to see that you will be counting miles and points
> on this ride. That is good. However: It is not to late to make
> this ride more attractive to more people.
> I still and always will believe that the 50 mile ride should only be for
> horses who have never done a 100 mile ride. The 100 for only 100 mile
> horses.  I think you would get more entries that way. As it stands
> there are more members that only do 50's and will never do 100's so
> there is no reason for them to have high hopes of beating a veteran
> 100 mile horse.
> just my .02 cents.
> Debbie Zanot NE
> AERC # 7317

Debbie,

    I appreciate your input, but I think that horses that  have done a 100
mile ride do not
necessarily have an advantage over a horse that has exclusively done 50's.
Some horses who do 100's, do not do as well in 50's because what makes them
good 100 mile horses is that they can continue on for that second half, but
do not go competitively enough in the first 50 (similar to a runner who is
not a good sprinter, but a good long distance runner).
Plus is also allows those older horses who may have at one time done 100's,
but now only competes in the lower distances.  Also, sometimes it's the
riders that no longer can do those 100's.  If you limited it to "never have
done a 100", it would limit alot of riders from competing in the 50 mile
national championship until they got another horse.

Those who were at last year's national championship rides said they thought
that the 50 mile championship was one of the most exciting races they had
ever been to.  I hope you can make it as either a competitor or a
spectator/volunteer.

Terry




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