I realize that it is good to be heard and to write letters to the USEA. However, isn’t this a done deal? Would input make any difference at all?
If it is a done deal, maybe the only convincing factor will be low turnout in 14 and 15.
I went with bambam and a couple of friends. It was a much bigger expedition than us spoiled area II folks normally make 
, and in a way that was part of the fun of it - up to a point. It was one long day’s haul. It definitely felt special, and fancy. Going into the huge SJ arena was pretty cool, as was the festive feeling all weekend.
We were in a class of over 70 training pairs - that in and of itself made it feel like a big deal. On the flip side, any moment that was less than stellar in the dressage (and I do mean moment) put you mid pack for the weekend.
I was really glad I went, but it was a lot about doing it with my friends - and I had a horse who could be, and was, very competitive.
I would not go even that far alone, or on a horse who couldn’t be competitive on a good day.
But having it be a really big fancy event that was a hike but not an absurd, multi day drive…yes, that was within reach of a bunch of us.
Texas? No way.
I am totally against it staying in one place, unless we had an awesome facility in like, Kansas.
Pony Club has Championships east and west for 2/3 years that move around yearly. Then the 3rd year is Festival/Championships at the Kentucky Horse Park.
[QUOTE=Winding Down;7321680]
I realize that it is good to be heard and to write letters to the USEA. However, isn’t this a done deal? Would input make any difference at all?
If it is a done deal, maybe the only convincing factor will be low turnout in 14 and 15.[/QUOTE]
It doesn’t seem to be. The article that started this threaded is titled ‘AECs May Seek Permanent Texas Home’, not ‘AECs Makes Texas Permanent Home.’
For those of us who went to the USEA convention earlier this month, it sounded like putting it in TX permanently was a done deal. However, if enough of us express our unhappiness about their choice to put it permanently in TX, then maybe the squeaky wheel will get greased. It never hurts to try. Apathy will accomplish nothing.
If letters don’t work lack of money in entries certainly will…
And also this:
This year marked the first time the USEA managed the competition instead of contracting out the management, and the USEA netted $21,000 from the event.
When did it become okay for the USEA staff to use their time on the clock to act as organizers? Last time I checked, this was not part of the mission statement of the USEA.
Moreover, the USEA staff/AEC organizers are now competing for entries with ‘real’ HT organizers, especially those in Area V. That’s not very nice.
My horse & I probably aren’t candidates for the AECs, but in the past I’ve contested several ATC’s and enjoyed the experience immensely. Since the ATC’s were sponsored by COTH, can’t we just put the pressure on COTH to keep the competitions regional?
I just wanted to note that “Area II” includes a fairly diverse area and is not a magical fairyland for all. Every Area has it’s “corner stepchild” parts, LOL.
If you live in NoVA/MD/DC, you are golden.
I live in NC (the ‘not Southern Pines’ part, haha). And while you may say, oh you have CHP, hush… I do have CHP – and it’s a solid 2.5-3 hour haul. The next closest recognized venue is VaHT which is close to 4 hours. Tryon/FENCE is also 4 hours and it’s in the same state as me! NoVa/MD is 4-5 hours…if you hit the DC beltline in a mystical 45 second window where it’s not a parking lot. I’ve only hauled my horse up there once for a VERY special clinic, never an event, too far, too expensive. Oh and VA rds (hey, I lived in central VA for 3 years in college so I can say it) suuuuuuck unless your horse enjoys riding on an asphalt cheese grater.
Aiken is 5 hours south, I can actually get to ATLANTA in the same amount of time and I can be at the KHP in 8 hours (plus mum lives 40 mins from it so free lodging, woo).
Schooling at CHP is phenomenally and prohibitively expensive for me, I rely on unrecognized and private facilities for that. I LOVE the Park, it’s my favourite place to compete and they have a GREAT schooling series, but it’s by no means cheap or easy for me to get there.
So before mentally dismissing Area II as “not counting, you don’t have to drive,” remember, that’s only if you like in the really expensive part, LOL.
As for the AEC/ATC decision, I think we all agree it’s ludicrous. I have heard from several regional events in different areas that will be holding their own ATCs though, so it’s not all gone.
No kidding wildlifer! I went to college from CA in VA thinking it was ALL eventer land central. Nay Nay! And try to get to Fair Hill when you have to go through DC and Baltimore??? I would much rather drive 6-8 hours here out west any day.
Why not have a west coast and east coast championship like they do for some H/J stuff like USET equitation division?
My horse qualified for AEC this year but I stayed home partly for the long distance from ny/nj to Texas and partly for $$$. Since its such a long trip , it made sense to only do it if I could do it the right way, go several days early, give my horse a chance to rest first and then do some schooling. That meant taking at least a week off work. Several people in my barn were qualified also, but they stayed home for similar reasons.
Had a larger group made a commitment to go, I likely would have gone in order to split costs. With just me going there would have been huge overhead for trailering, hotel, etc. it wasn’t worth what I figured it would cost me in $$. I decided to save the money to do other stuff next year that I think will have a greater educational benefit such as clinics, maybe a trip to Aiken for a week, etc.
Snicklfritz beat me to it-- what if there were two or three AECs? Instead of making the ATCs conform to the AEC model of having just one venue, why not split the AECs by region?
[QUOTE=CookiePony;7326577]
Snicklfritz beat me to it-- what if there were two or three AECs? Instead of making the ATCs conform to the AEC model of having just one venue, why not split the AECs by region?[/QUOTE]
I think we had this conversation 12 years ago.
Reed
and what were the issues that came up back then?
