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<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"
color=#008080>Earl.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="MS Sans Serif" color=#008080> Thank
you for taking your time to share some of the back ground info that most of us
weren't aware of.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"
color=#008080>
del
<BR>
NSRCA - 473</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #008080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=EHaury@aol.com href="mailto:EHaury@aol.com">EHaury@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=discussion@nsrca.org
href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=patterndude@comcast.net
href="mailto:patterndude@comcast.net">patterndude@comcast.net</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, March 27, 2004 8:07
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Nats Proposal</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Some things to think about as you advise your Dist VP's of your position
regarding the pending Nats proposal. Change is always resisted by someone and
generally I dislike change solely for the sake of change as much as
anyone.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Please don't focus a dislike for the proposed changes on F3A and the Team
Selection Program. They are separate issues. Chip and Dave volunteered to CD
the Nats a long time before Chip was involved with the TS process. Chip's plan
to fly the F3A finals with F05/unknowns predates his TSP involvement.
Essentially the TSP should be transparent to the Nats.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Regarding the proposed changes. Consider that we work our Nats volunteer
horses very hard and there isn't a waiting list for the job. People like Betty
Stream, Tony Stillman, Ron Van Putte, Bob Noll, Jeff Hill have given a great
deal to ensure that the Nats is what it is today. Each made changes that were
resisted but proved to be for the best. Within the NSRCA structure, Chip and
Dave should have the same latitude. Also consider stepping to the plate and
taking on the job in the future if you believe that you can do it well.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As for the Team Selections. I put the program together for the last cycle
and was (am) convinced that a stand alone event in the year of the WC selects
the best Team and sends it to the WC best prepared. The feedback from
participants, both before and after is a close call between a stand alone
event and a Nats process. A stand alone event is expensive and the cost
must be borne by the participants. Program fee math is simple, divide the cost
by the number of participants and it comes to $300 - 500 per entrant. AMA
strongly suggested that the cost for the 2005 process be much lower. I
realized that the only way was to select the Team at the Nats. I also realized
that it's a can of worms to try and meet the expectations of both sets of
competitors within the requirements of NSRCA, AMA, and TSC. I decided to step
aside and give someone with convictions toward the Nats TS process the
opportunity to do the job. None of the TSC members were willing to take
the job. The process at that point was to obtain a (non-voting) Chairman from
the competition community. Chip again stepped to the plate and is the current
TSC Chairman. I would prefer the Team Selection be in the year of the WC. Chip
has arguments for doing it this year. The TSC approved the latter. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Nats changes being proposed (and some that aren't) were being
considered before the TS issue came up. Other variations of the banquet have
been tried. Trophy presentations being separate for classes has been great for
Int/Adv (enjoying the fanfare at the banquet) but lackluster for
Mast/F3A (on the runway after most have departed). It seems reasonable to
present awards when the Nats is over - not just each class. Then again - I
like to get out of town as soon as possible also! The Wed evening banquet is
tough - a lot of folks are working to get things ready for the finals, both
competitors and staff. Maybe, in the future, we should return to having a
finals for all classes. Sure would bring the scheduling viewpoints
together.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My vote to approve the Nats proposal as submitted.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Earl Haury</DIV>
<DIV>NSRCA 191</DIV>
<DIV>AMA Dist VIII Team Selection Committee
Representative</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>