Florac is back!

hyppoblog - http://hyppoblog.blogscheval.net/archive/2010/04/26/florac-is-back.html

(translation from French to English by google translate)

Done. The association will organize Equestrian Endurance Lozere, in Florac, the European Championship 2011. A deserved win, after a year of administrative campaign, Crucis organizers candidates for this type of event big size ... First, get the needed support from local institutions. Then, meet the requirements of the French Equestrian Federation (FFE). Finally, seduce the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI). Year, then flies. Until last March, where Ian Williams (Technical EIF), Nicky Kennedy (FFE responsible internationally) and Jean-Louis Leclerc (national coach) came up to judge the relevance of a historic nomination . For Florac is history - the cradle of endurance which is now entering adulthood. This is THE race. Hard. The cold, the mountain, the stone. Inevitable. The atmosphere, the glory, pleasure. Race mythical, heroic, anti-arithmetic. The distance does not count it in kilometers, but not, each of which approximates the arrival of the Grail. Perhaps even more than a race, a symbol. He, for Ian Williams, a return to "qualities of yesteryear" endurance. In other words, those of Jean-Louis Leclerc, the return to "a race of riders rather than a race horse." Back to basics, then. Such a discipline that combines sports, adventure and geography. But this version of the endurance is it soluble in the future, focused on racing flat, fast and sand? In terms of message, the choice of Florac is significant. Europe remains the stronghold of endurance. It is she who sets the rules. Not the emerging discipline - Dubai, Qatar, UAE. Yet Tartas has won this year at 26Km / h to 24 Huelgoat ... But the problem here is not who is right, but rather to note this: every race draws its riders, who themselves are responding to different motivations - the passion, money, image classification, habit, aligot. Each race has its place on the international circuit. As against this choice of Florac, which remains a great news and demonstrates the qualities of a permanent organization, shows an evolution. The European Championship seems to forge an identity, a DNA code. A European identity inevitably and naturally, attached to a tradition, values, to a method. But the European personality, strong and engaging, should not come to oppose the more contemporary, a worldwide circuit otherwise covered. In each culture, and to each his nature - the desert does not pass through a pine forest. The World Championship, then, must not resemble the European deadline. Riders to choose one or the other or both. Without hierarchy. Without trial. Unconstrained. And federations can do nothing except respond to the situation, open like never before ... In the meantime, go tomorrow night to celebrate the event Florac through a ritual historically and genetically European French: drink a cup together champagne.

hyppoblog - http://hyppoblog.blogscheval.net/archive/2010/04/26/florac-is-back.html