Elephantman half, Ironman tune up race

This season I'm using the Ironman training plan from the book Ironfit by Don Fink. The book has me doing a tune up Half Iron 8 weeks before my Ironman triathlon. Since the Ironman I'm competing in this year is Ironman Arizona on November 20th, my tune up half Iron race is supposed to be on the weekend of September 24th. There are 2 half Irons that weekend, the Redman in Oklahoma city Oklahoma, or the Elephantman in Elephant Butte New Mexico. I live only a few hours from Elephant Butte NM, my Dad lives there, & this year is the Elephantman half Iron's inaugural year. Actually the Elephantman half will be the 1st half Iron in New Mexico, so the decision was easy! I signed up for the Elephantman. I was surprised that the Elephantman registration was only $190! A 70.3 race of the same distance owned & put on by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is $250-$300. I had stopped supporting the WTC races when they stopped having a clydesdale division & continued to raise the prices of their races. Although it's been a couple years since I've raced an entire season as a clydesdale, I am still a supporter of the clyd & athena divisions. The Elephantman half has clydesdale & athena divisions & the registration is cheaper! The last couple years I've heard nothing but great things about the race directors who are putting on the Elephantman, so I'm convinced. I'm very excited about being able to be a part of this race. Not only am I a supporter of any race that is in competition with the WTC, but it's not very often I can have the opportunity to compete in the 1st half Iron distance triathlon in a state!