January 17, 2008
At Larry Langer’s request, I am forwarding the following email, received in the WCAR office on January 16th, 2008. Having been appointed as Technical Representative for Zone 10 Jumper Committee, PCHA and WCAR, I have likewise requested Larry send my recent Technical Representative report to all Zone 10 members.
If you wish to comment please reply directly to Larry Langer and cc West Coast Active Riders.
Respectively,
Bernie Traurig
From: LarLanger@aol.com
To: info@westcoastactiveriders.com
Cc: HayBernie@aol.com
Subject: Re: Technical Representative Report - HITS Thermal
Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2008 8:36:44 PM Eastern Standard Time
While you guys are trying to ruin the sport, incite a riot, and make yourselves look good, I believe you should send another viewpoint to your 300+ members.
If you and Bernie are brave enough, send this other set of emails out also.
Larry Langer
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In a message dated 1/16/2008 1:00:48 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, nappy@*** writes:
Just in case you all missed this – the obvious point is that footing is the top requirement if any place is to have the top shows and riders. See you tonight. Best, Nappy
Nappy,
No way could I miss Bernie's report, but just so you know, I thought he was very hard on Tom, who spent 20 million on his facility.
Here are some replies to Bernie's report:
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Hello all,
I thank you, Bernie for your recent report on Thermal as you see it. Considering the various war dances flying over the email waves and the many Thermal phone calls interrupting the normal business of the recent USEF annual meeting, I guess it was a good report.
I guess I just have a personal and professional issue with a few things, and feel the need to state them at this time. On a much smaller scale than Thermal, I went through the many of the same issues in developing the LA Equestrian Center, Colorado Horse Park, Woodside Horse Park, and lately the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center facilities - all where I hold horse shows.
- Although some people act like show managements are gods, we are subject to the same outside forces such as government oversight, contractor failures and permit delays as any other major building and facility project of this scope.
- Show managements, just like riders and trainers, are in business to make a profit, and the business decisions we must make do not always fit someone else's wishes or time schedule.
- Delays in completing projects are not always of management's choosing.
- The traditional three weeks on - one week off - three weeks on Desert Circuit was expanded this year on both the front and back end. I am not privy to the details of that change, but there is no doubt that the extension of the front end caused problems with the timing and finishing of the improvements.
- It seems many in the sport forget that through the year there are many horse shows, none of us go to all of them, and we have not only a choice, but an obligation to our horses, to make sure the conditions are right prior to entering a given competition. I think approximately 500+ competitors are doing exactly that at the beginning of the Thermal circuit.
- It is patently unfair to hold Thermal to a higher standard than other premier horse shows around the west and around the country. Menlo, the Hampton Classic, Devon, and now Wellington all have more problems than Thermal, and it is wrong to expect our horse organizations to stir the pot in just one place and with just one show producer.
- One of our best California horse shows is the Del Mar National: could you imagine if Tom built rings of the size of the rings at Del Mar. Yes, they have one good one there, but that is all.
- Did you know that the Federation denied approval for Wellington to hold some high prize money classes, that the prize list has not been sent out yet, that the prize list information on the website is incorrect, and that the Grand Prix horses are showing at the Littlewood facility and may NOT be able to move over to the main facility?
- How many 20 million dollar plus facilities are being built in the west, or anywhere else in this country outside of Thermal and Wellington?
- Did anyone investigate why the correct equipment wasn't at Thermal when Bart got there? Could it be that the special equipment only exists outside of the United States and couldn't be available in time?
I am sorry for this vent, but in my opinion, someone should thank Tom and HITS for the effort they are making, and for what a fantastic legacy they are creating for our sport in the west.
Thank you Tom!
Larry Langer
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Larry - Three cheers for your letter to Tom. The points you brought up re Wellington are only the tip of the iceberg... How will classes be held at Littlewood and the Polo Field when they are not contiguous property.
Why hasn't the Federation not stood up for the exhibitors for once when the prizelist was not sent out til a week ( ? ) before the shows and the online prizelist was a hundred and some pages, which changed at last 4 times, and I don't think " just Download it " is a good enough reply when asking where is my $ 75 prize list,
The amount of building, etc, which has been done at Wellington - without permits, and the fines which have not been paid is amazing.
The extra horse show charges there are a nightmare, no refund if the classes are canceled due to an act of God ? I would become an athiest for the winter. HUH ?
I am glad you wrote the letter & I hope it will be printed on Phelps.
Keep writing the the things you do - I am happy to have someone with a great mind taking the bull by the horns!
Shorty
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How about instead of passing all this stuff along, someone actually does something constructive? Talk to Tom, Talk to Brian Morris, maybe talk to some of the people who have horses down there at Thermal and are showing. How about passing along the positive comments the riders have made?
Richard Spooner - "This is the best footing in California"
John Pearce - "The footing at the World Cup Finals in Vegas was the best footing I've ever ridden, this feels just like it"
How about mentioning the almost 20 million spent on the facility so far, and the ongoing commitment to having an incredible facility.
I am so tired of all of the negative attacks on Thermal and Tom. How's this for a novel concept, call him up and thank him for all he's done so far, and ask if we can be of any help, since all of us certainly understand how difficult it is dealing with permits, contactors, delivery deadlines that suppliers don't meet, and any of a hundred or so other problems that they are dealing with on a day to day basis.
I neither work for Tom nor do I attend the horse shows at Thermal in any capacity other than spectator, but I certainly understand that the Horse Show industry on the West Coast wouldn't be where it is today without him. Maybe all of you should think about that.
Charlotte Skinner
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Hi,
I am writing to you as a friend and as a professional peer. Why are you willingly engaging in mud-slinging? Do you know for a fact that this letter is actual? Have you considered that perhaps this letter is being taken seriously out of context? Do you know all of the circumstances that led to this letter? I don't.
This is someone's livelihood we are talking about and so many people seem quite willing to engage in the mob mentality. It does not matter whether Tom Struzzieri is phenomenally successful or not. Who are we to pass along this kind of material? We are not at Thermal. I think it is safe to say that no one participating on this informal e-mail list has bothered to call Tom and ask him about Bart's letter.
Besides, is the footing awful? I heard, from a reliable, accountable source, that John Pearce was extremely complimentary about the footing (before two of his horses were clear in the grand prix), and I know that the course designer for the grand prix was very happy with the footing.
Imagine if a disgruntled client began sending e-mails to everyone he or she knew making unsubstantieated statements about his or her former trainer. I imagine then that many people would be outraged because no one wants to see the "little guy" picked on. But if we are saying negative things about someone perceived to be successful and "big business", many people are ruthless.
What about the fact that a number of expert people were at Thermal for the December footing test, and that the response was resoundingly positive? Now that one person, granted it is someone who had a contractual arrangement with HITS for footing, has written a seemingly negative letter everyone seems quick to abandon a positive report for an all out smear campaign.
Finally, I wonder if all of you are confident enough in this kind of action that if it was seen by Tom or those perceived to be in Tom's inner circle that you would still stand behind these actions? I think most, if not all of you, would head for the hills. It is so easy to hide behind e-mail.
I for one not only do not wish to participate, and I am willing to state that I think this type of activity is immoral and unethical. Some may say that my opinions are because I am associated with "show management", but that could not be further from the truth. As an individual who holds productive achievement as one of my highest values, I can not sit idly on the sidelines while non-factual, out of context attacks are being spread like wildfire via e-mail.
Marnye Langer
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