[drivingpairs] Important letter about pairs.

Forwarded from CDL
------------------------------

Date:    Mon, 28 Jul 2003 19:51:57 EDT
From:    Marc Johnson <Obstacle21@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Pairs

I have been watching the postings through this entire controversy. As an
advanced driver and former USET committee member I am shocked to see someone now
suggest we blacklist selectors because you don't agree with their decision.
Thank goodness it was pointed out that these people are friends.  The simple
fact is, almost all driving people that have been in the sport that long are
friends.  I'm sorry it's a crime.

Over the years, "Medal Chasing" has caused a lot of tension between friends.
Competition can get very political.  George Hoffman came to me in 1994 to ask
me to support the World Singles. That year I was the Chairman of the Active
Competitors Committee for Driving at the USET.
I remember my response being:"Why do you want to ruin your sport"?At that
point the Advanced Singles were topped by three gentlemen...George, Bill Orth 
and
Chandler Erwin.  I loved watching all three of them trying to kick each
other's butt! I was worried that would change.   Now we have the ponies, too.

The problem you people have been witnessing is probably mostly caused by the
Advanced Pair division declining in number, and selection criteria that needs
to be more specific so that the selectors are able to make clearer decisions.
Selections over the past 23 years have had sticky points.  I do feel all the
selectors have always acted in good faith.  We might also suggest that viable
substitutions are made to the selection committee, when a conflict of interest
comes up, that cd-listers agree with.

This is not the first time a selection committee has made the choice not to
send.  In 1994, I was on the committee that decided not to send a third driver
to The Hague. Keady Cadwell was not showing enough promise in her results, and
she lacked the experience that we felt she needed to attend the WEG.  This
was a hard decision, but we made it in Keady's best interest.  Bill Long and
Jimmy Fairclough, both performing well in dressage, were sent without a third
team member.
We had a shortage of fours that year, causing me to put a four together at
Myopia so Bill had someone to compete against.  My interest was to make our team
stronger...after all, I was a selector.

At this point, sending the pairs, or not, is only the beginning of the
problem.  Either way, someone's going to disagree.  We should channel our 
efforts
into helping out Advanced Pairs division grow. If we encourage drivers to move
up and be sure to have good competitions for them to learn, we'll have an
unquestionably world class pair team to send.

Maybe we should send them, maybe we shouldn't.   We all have our opinions.
Let's let the selectors do their job.  These people are qualified to do it. When
it's decided, let's stand behind them.

Marc Johnson
-- 
noel jones, aago
athens, tennessee, usa
423 887-7594
-------------------------------
frog music press, publishing MIDI music
moderator, rodgers organ users group
at www.frogmusic.com

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