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What is Endurance?
Endurance is an athletic event that combines the skills of one horse and one rider competing over a distance of 50-100 miles (80 km-160km) within a specified amount of time, In the USA, 12 hours (50 miles or 80km) and 24 hours (100 miles or 160km). On the International circuit 100 mile/160km races are often completed in 12 hous or less. Winning times vary according to terrain, weather and the elements. In the USA, typically a 50 mile/80km ride is won in 4 ½- 8 hrs, and a 100 mile/160km is won from 8 - 18hrs. The terrain is varied according to location. Wilderness, mountains, desert, single track, water crossings or any combination are likely to make-up the course.
Within the time period allotted to complete the race, are mandatory vet
checks or pit stops where the horses are required to pass through veterinary criteria before they are allowed to continue. At that time, the rider and their crew attend to the needs of the horses.
Most vet checks allow you to have a support crew, but because of space restrictions, some do not. A competition will have a preset number of vet checks dependent on the accessibility of terrain for vehicles. Typically the vet checks are between 15- 60 minutes and there may be 1- 6 checks on any given ride.
Upon arrival to a vet check, the horse needs to pulse down (heart rate) to meet criteria (beats per minute). This recovery must be met within a specified amount of time. In order to facilitate the horse meeting criteria, the rider must control the pacing through-out the event and to monitor his or her horse for fatigue and how it is coping with the stress and the elements.
The welfare of the horse is the primary concern of the riders, veterinarians and crew. The veterinarians monitor and give the horses a thorough examine documenting their findings on a card that the rider carries with them. No other horse event monitors the horses as closely as in an Endurance event. Through hours, miles and years of training, the team effort between horse and rider becomes successful.The Horse may fail to meet the criteria of the Veterinarians and be pulled from the competition. Two common reasons are Lameness and Metabolic issues. A rider can elect to pull themselves if they have concern for their horse. The welfare of the horse is of utmost concern for everyone involved. Horses may be tested for illegal use of Drugs anytime through the event. All Top Ten finishers may be subject to a mandatory drug test at competitions.
The Best Condition award is a coveted honor given to one of the Top Ten horses that finishes a 50 or 100 mile competition. The horses are judged by the veterinarian committee according to a preset formula that includes: vital statistics of the horse at the finish, time of completion, weight of the rider, results of the CRI ( cardiac recovery index) to name a few of the parameters. Often times, it is not the horse that finishes first, that wins this award.
Endurance Statistics
In 2006 there were 6,585 members in the American Endurance Ride Conference aka AERC (France has over 12,000)
Women make up 52% of the membership
90 % of members are over 35 years old
36 % earn over $100,000.
1 in 6 earn over $150,000.
42 % of members focus on 50 mile distances only
9 % ride 100 miles
9 % have a moderate interest to compete Internationally
1-2 % actually compete Internationally
5 % Ride to Win
International FEI Championships of CEI*** and CEI**** events are held in distances of 100 miles (160km) and occasionally longer.
FOR FILMMAKERS
GUIDELINES & CRITERIA
WashingtonFilmWorks (WFW) offers funding assistance of up to 30% of total in-state Qualified
Expenditures (including labor and talent who are Washington state residents) to commercial, television and feature film productions selected to be funded by WFW. read more >>
APPLICATION
Download the PDF Application. read more >>
COMMUNITY TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RULES
The department of community, trade, and economic development is charged with developing criteria to be used by a motion picture competitiveness program in determining funding assistance to productions that use Washington state as a location for film and video production. read more >>
APPLICATION DEADLINES
After the beginning of each calendar year, WFW shall post on this website the date when we will begin accepting applications for a calendar year's funding assistance. read more >>
MORE STATE INCENTIVES
Additional available State and Federal incentives. read more >>
CLOSE PARTY TRANSACTIONS POLICY
The close party transaction policy was adopted in May 2008 and is designed to accommodate the unique needs of Washington based production companies that have full time employees and that own significant production and / or post-production resources. The adoption of this policy allows WFW to better account for the costs associated with these types of productions. read more >>
FOR INVESTORS
HOW TO CONTRIBUTE
Information on how to contribute to WashingtonFilmWorks. read more >>
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE BULLETIN
Persons who make cash contributions to an approved Motion Picture Competitiveness Program are eligible for a business and occupation (B&O) tax credit effective June 7, 2006. (Second Substitute Senate Bill 6558).
The Motion Picture Competitiveness Program (MPCP) is intended to revitalize the state's economic, cultural, and educational standing in the motion picture market by providing financial assistance for motion pictures filmed in Washington. read more >>
Realizing Sponsorship Opportunities - the Horse Industry is Hot!
Results from an American Horse Council study, show that the $25.3 billion US horse industry is comparable in size to the apparel manufacturing industry and the motion picture industry. This figure is based on the economic activity of the 7.1 million horse owners, service providers, employees and volunteers. The industry provides 338,500 full-time jobs.
Equine sponsorship builds your brand image with the affluent consumer. Consumers relate to brands that share their interests. As a sponsor, you are not competing for the targeted consumers attention amidst a large clutter of advertising.
Your product is in front of an elite upscale audience with great disposable income. Equestrians purposefully support their industry sponsors. In addition, via PR articles, your message will repeatedly reach consumers in their homes as they read their favorite equine publications. This exposure results in sales, brand specific sales and repeat business sales.
Sponsoring is a low-cost way for your company to tap into the horse industry consumers and gain loyalty for your products. When the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers and employees is taken into account, the horse industry has a $112.1 billion impact on the US economy.
