Welcome To AERC International

In March 1991, the AERC Board of Directors established a special membership category for those interested in supporting international endurance riding. For years, the AERC-I Committee served to establish and develop international endurance riding in the United States and, with its standards and procedures, was the founding organization for many of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) endurance committees, e.g., High Performance, Technical, and Youth Council Committees. Today, the AERC-I Committee serves America’s international endurance riding membership by promoting excellence in the sport of international endurance riding through education, participation, promotion, facilitation and support of the United States efforts.

In 2019, the AERC Board of Directors voted to disaffiliate with the United States Equestrian Federation. Beginning with the 2020 AERC ride season, FEI rides will no longer be co-sanctioned with concurrent AERC rides.

The AERC-I Committee represent members and acts on matters pertaining to international equestrian endurance riding, and is made up of elected representatives.

AERC -I Team Challenge

Do you like a challenge? Is your AERC region the best in the country? Are you ready to be a team player to prove how competitive it is in your region? Great, because AERC International was listening. We are both proud and excited to offer the AERC International Team Challenge event September 23-25, 2022, in Vinita, Oklahoma, graciously hosted by Gunnar and Alana Frank. Visit AERC-I Team Challenge for all the details!

Do you enjoy the numerous challenges of the 75-mile and 100-mile distance? For longtime endurance riders, do you remember how excited you were when you had a horse RoC (Race of Champions) qualified?

Are you a strategic and smart rider who enjoys what I have for years called “coopetition”? Coopetition is roughly known as cooperation among competitors that can increase the benefits to all the riders and teams.

AERC-I has received special sanctioning approval for this event. There will be some minimum qualifications to compete for your region. All mileage qualifications must be met with endurance (50-100 mile) mileage.

75-mile qualifications:
Three years leading up to event:
— 300 miles for rider
— 300 miles for horse
— 150 miles must be together as a team
— Horse must be at least 6 years old at the time of the event.

100-mile qualifications:
Five years leading up to event:
— 300 endurance miles for horse and rider
— Two 100-mile rides for rider
— Two 100-mile rides for horse
— One 100-mile together as a team
— Horse must be at least 7 years old at the time of the event.

Our awards will be emphasizing team completions, much like the PanAms, NAETC and ZTEC events. This promises to be a fun and exciting event where you can compete with and against the best teams in the country.

Stay tuned for more information. If you have any questions please reach out to your AERC-I regional representatives (contact information is on page 2) or you are welcome to contact me, Lynn Kenelly, ridemanager@aerciteamchallenge.com, or Assistant Ride Manager Debra Lemmons, dal59pal57@hotmail.com

AERC International - Useful Information

Message from the AERC-I Chair

AERC International Committee Report

Presented at the 2019 Midyear Meeting of the AERC Board of Directors

by Meg Sleeper, VMD, AERC-I Committee Chair

 

In light of the disaffiliation of AERC from USEF, the International Committee is in the process of editing and updating the International Committee Charter to include an updated vision of what its function will be in relation to AERC as a whole while supporting the International/High Performance component.  A subcommittee has been tasked with preliminary edits to then present a draft to the Committee for comment.  They are in their first draft of revisions and expect to have a working draft for the August committee meeting.

 

The International Committee would like to foster international USA team riding, international exchange riding opportunities, high performance riding clinics and education.   Historically it has taken AERC members with exceptional horseman skills and very athletic horses to compete at the international level. AERC as an organization has numerous committees supporting Green Beans, Youth/Juniors, those starting in endurance and awards for those who have progressed in endurance riding. However, there is no other area in AERC that supports High Performance riding and competition.  Therefore the AERC-I Committee has in the past and desires to continue to fill that niche.

 

To condition, maintain and compete horses at the international level, it requires individualized attention to the horse and rider as well as education.  Last year the AERC-I Committee was involved in providing educational webinars on topics useful in producing world-class endurance athletes (both the horse and the rider).  While all members are happy to spend time on the trail, AERC-I wants to help riders works on their own fitness and ability in conjunction with conditioning and fine tuning the horse. All facets are considered such as rider fitness, horse fitness and soundness, equitation and riding ability, nutrition, saddle & tack fit, as well as hoof and veterinary care.

 

To truly facilitate riders at this level requires an individualized and interactive approach.  Therefore we supported our first Northeast Young/Junior High Performance Clinic in Virginia that took place July 10 to 13 involving eight youth. The small group included some international riders, one starting her journey in advanced endurance riding and others graduating from the program this year to compete as adults. The Youth were encouraged to bring their own horses and the clinic involved lessons from a world-renowned clinician, farrier consultation, veterinary assessment with hoof x-rays to evaluate hoof balance, equine nutrition, saddle fitting, pacing in a group over trail, and team building exercises where the youth were paired to provide a meal for the others and to report on learned objectives. The young riders were also tasked with writing a report of what they learned.

 

The International Committee will use this clinic as a template and encourage other clinics to be hosted in all the zones and feels that these type of educational events help to build better riders, better horses and sounder competition.  In addition, it supports horse-welfare through one-on-one education of the participants building awareness of health care and competition subtleties that come to light at the higher competition level. In addition to education through clinics, webinars and EN news articles, the AERC-I committee will explore opportunities involving international team competition and international exchanges with other endurance countries. We hope through education and example, our committee can help both Senior and Youth athletes aspire to ride at the highest level in the USA and abroad.

 

On a final note, it is gratifying to note that AERC-I input into FEI has had a positive impact whereby our suggestions have been implemented through the FEI Temporary Committee and we expect rule changes in the new year to reflect that influence.

Support AERC International

Interested in supporting AERC International? Contact the AERC office for details or add a donation when you renew your membership.

AERC International Store

You can support AERC-I with a purchase from the AERC International Store.

Items include t-shirts, tank tops, baseball caps, tote bags, note cards, stickers and even hitch covers and pet tags.

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