I’ve ridden endurance events as a proud AERC (American Endurance Ride Conference; our national organization) member for 32 yrs now, ever since H1 & I picked up a brochure at our feed store: “Hmmm, this sounds interesting!”, and more or less what we were doing on our own as we’d set out each Sunday for a long trek of a horseback ride - back when it was relatively safe to ride down the roadside, tether the ponies at Dairy Queen or Braum’s for our lunch break, then make our way back home…
AERC is a freewheeling group with relatively few rules: time limits for events and strict veterinary controls over the horses, for the most part. We are a “Drug-Free” organization: equines must compete on their own merits, while riders can do whatever it takes to get through ;-) (I’d have to give it up if we riders couldn’t take analgesics) We have joked that it is the sport of the middle-aged housewife, since many women get involved later in life when the kids are grown, and one has the time, finances & leisure to travel to our far-flung events.
Our sister sport is NATRC, the competitive trail riding organization which outsiders disparage as “the horse show in the woods” - it has much more intensive rules & scorekeeping procedures: judging not only your equine but your horsemanship, turnout, tack & campsite. They have relaxed their rules quite a bit in an attempt to attract more riders. When I took my darling Sahara to a NATRC event 25 yrs ago, I’ll never forget the older man who was in an argument with the camp judge. He was being downgraded since he hadn’t packed a hay net and had fed his horse on the ground: “Do you think hay grows in trees??” It just wasn’t my cuppa tea!
However, I have attended several NATRC events these past few years as standby emergency treatment vet and fill-in labor as needed - mostly with the P & R crews. I’ve had fun socializing with my friends, got in a little bit of casual riding on my own, but this did not fill me with a desire to compete. But Sam talked me into taking Silas up to the leisure event yesterday - of course any ride is better than no ride! I was going to post examples of an AERC vet card versus a NATRC scoring card but whaddaya know I’ve misplaced it?!? The last straw, so to speak, was sitting through an awards event watching all the NATRC members get their little ribbons and commemorative coffee cups or wine glasses while Sam and I got this piece of paper.
One rule that is written into the AERC book is that ALL riders who successfully complete the event get an award**, member or not! Seems only fair - I don’t mean to sound petulant but that is not a way to encourage new riders. The judges are trying to impart wisdom with their scorecards and I appreciate their insight but the old saying is that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar…
** I now have several quilts worth of T-shirts even though at some rides the award might be as simple as a hoof pick. I had to purchase a T-shirt at last spring’s NATRC event even though I had spent probably close to $100 in diesel fuel volunteering my time to be there for the weekend
How interesting! Seriously, different organizations, different rules, different attractions. I've noticed the same in varying triathlon events. Those sanctioned by the national organization (USAT) have strict rules (mainly for the safety of athletes) and penalize infractions observed by the referees. Less formal events tend to be on the honor system. Fortunately, most folks are compliant and self-report if they went off course, for example.
ReplyDeleteWe have a random drug testing system in force at some of the larger events: generally 1 or 2 horses from each distance category are sampled after lottery-type selection. Very very rarely do we have any transgressors, although I know a lot of people "bend the rules" with herbal concoctions for which we have no formal test. I find it extremely far-fetched that any such potion could overcome a real injury or defect!
DeleteThirty two years of participation proves you made the right choice. Love the thought of seeing horses tethered at the DQ. Here we use to have Amish and their horse drawn buggies and BK.
ReplyDeleteThe NATRC doesn't sounds like much fun so I am not surprised that some riders are turned off by all of the rules. I'm not sure I would want to volunteer with them much.
Well, the issue is, I have good friends in both disciplines, which I how I got started "emergency vetting" for my friend Alice. Several are "double-dippers", competing in BOTH disciplines - Silas has also been through the hands of a friend/rider CW who called him "Sirius Black". The poor horse is going to be SO confused, but I still like the sound of Sugar Ridge Silas (Silas for short) - when you throw too many syllables at a horse, it's like that old Far Side cartoon; all they hear is "Blah blah blah Ginger" ;-)
DeleteIt's a constant cry in our circle...things are like they are because someone in the recent past decided there were no winners or loosers and everyone gets a trophy.
ReplyDeleteHowever, non-members getting an award may be enticement to join. I dunno. Gone are the days...
It just felt odd & off-putting to Sam & I, sitting there like the last kids picked for the sports team as everyone else collected their goodies. I'm sure it's similar to AERC: the cut-off point at which membership "pays for itself" is around 5 or 6 rides annually (AERC charges a $15 non-member fee, but even that outsider would get a completion award)
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