Competition - fly fishing

Read an article this morning in the Spokesman Review on a "fly fishing contest". Now, I've always had a problem with the idea of competition, but to have a "fly fishing contest" seems to me to be a bit ridiculous. Comparing fly fishermen to determine the best fly fisherman is akin to saying "I love my wife more than you love your wife and let's have a contest to prove it." I mean what's the point? Whose to say? Who cares? So you say, "well Skip they are not judging your love, they are judging your technique". I'd prefer we not go there!! So who do we consult on that one; observers or the trout or women. And, if the trout and women, how many? I mean most fly fishermen are doing "it" because of their love of fishing and all that surrounds it, i.e. quiet, mountains, smells, sounds of creek, etc. How can you make a "competition" out of that? I fly fish not because I'm good at it (let alone the "best") but because I enjoy (love) it. I'm adequate and that's good enough! Why does the human animal insist on injecting the idea of competition into areas within which the concept has no place - relevance?

Now I know competition has a place in this world. I'm a student of the sixties, remember, and was raised on the free markets and global competition curriculum. I want to "win" as much as the next guy. But let's be honest. Some things in life are simply not meant to be in the arena of competition. And, fly fishing is one of them. I don't understand "Bass tournaments" either. And, I bet, if the truth were known most thoroughbred horses run because they enjoy it, not because of what some human thinks!

My rant for the day. Other than that, pretty nice day here in lake wo-be-gone.

G