2014 Fort Valley 50 - Liz Stout

Liz-Stout Blog - Full Story

October 27 2014

The Short:
Amazing ride. Loved the trails (again). Q was pretty stellar all day as long as she wasn't leading. Pulled at the finish due to a cramp in her rear end. She was fine within a few hours - body sore, but fine.

The Long:
Thursday
The weather at home had been a steady mist - not rain or fog but mist - for days. It had been cold and froggy, too, the kind of weather that makes you want to do nothing more than sit indoors curled up doing nothing. The kind of weather that makes it hard to do anything on time out-of-doors. As such, I was running a bit behind my scheduled departure time.

I made it to the barn about 30 minutes later than planned. Fortunately, the trailer was packed because I'd done that on a whim on Monday night. All I needed to do was bring the mare in, dust off most of the mud, hook up the trailer, put her on the trailer, check all tires on the way out of the driveway (garage with air compressor is on my way out), and be off!

So much easier said than done...

Read more here:
http://liz-stout.blogspot.com/2014/10/2014-fort-valley-50.html

The Haunting - Karen Bumgarner

Karenshorsetales Blog - Full Story

Monday, October 27, 2014
by Karen Bumgarner

As fall settles in so does crazy weather! When my bestest buddy, Colleen Martin, and I cooked up the idea of her meeting Beth Nicholes and I at Fort Rock for an endurance ride, the weather was gorgeous! A week ago it was still tank top weather. Rain settled in a few days before the ride and the weather report was a dismal 90% chance of rain on Friday, and 70% for the weekend. But we are endurance riders, and our young cohort, Beth, said, "I'm not afraid of rain!" So us two old ladies couldn't wimp out on the kid.

Besides I have known Tribby's for nearly half my life, and their place is gorgeous! It had been two years too long since I had ridden over here. This site, known as the historic Gebhard Well, was also a vet check at one of the old endurance rides put on by George Behee in the 80's. I have many great memories from rides, horses and people in this area in the old days. Shoot, Andi did her first endurance ride out here, in utero, I was 7 months pregnant when I rode the old Cabin Lake 60 on Tonka in 1982!...

Read more here:
http://karenshorsetales.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-haunting.html

Maryvale 40km ~ My worst Nightmare

ToCompleteIsToWin Blog - Full Story

by Mindy Nguyen
25/6/2014

Maryvale was the third ride for 2014’s season with a 40km and an 80km ride on the Sunday. I couldn’t wait for it, as this would be Mr.T’s second 40km ride of the season and I would get to ride with Monique. I really hoped I would get to ride with Sascha again too.

Sascha and I don't live close to one another so doing endurance together has been our regular opportunity to spend time together in a hobby that we are both madly passionate about. Every ride together was a blessing and we just couldn’t get enough. But Sascha’s team Splendacrest was still on a break and Zafire the beautiful stallion she loved riding still hadn’t been brought back into work yet.

Team Surch had a new horse called Zac. Gary took him in the 20km at Boonah a few weeks earlier and he was the coolest, quietest little dude at the ride. Sascha is a really good little rider too so Sue and Gary offered for her to ride him at Maryvale.

Monique and I loved riding together so much because we knew how to look after each other. We knew exactly what to do to help each other out if we were struggling with our horses. Like at the beginning of a ride when the roadside can be very dangerous we put whatever horse is calmest in front and stick to single file. Without words we always just did what had to be done to keep ourselves and our horse’s safe so we knew Sascha would fit right in riding with us...

Read more here:
http://www.tocompleteistowin.com/blog/maryvale-40km-my-worst-nightmare

2014 Indian Territory - Susan Young Mock

The 22nd Annual Indian Territory Elevator Ride is in the history books!  The weather was perfect and the trails were in the best shape they've been in for quite some time, thanks in large part to the herculean efforts of Dr. Jim Baldwin!  He has faithfully brush hogged trails, cut up fallen trees, pushed windfall off trail, and built/repaired bridges for over 20 years and we all appreciate his effort, time, money, blood, sweat, and probably a few tears.

Friday and Saturday evenings were in the 50s which made camp fires, S’mores, and camaraderie the call of the evening.  What a wonderful way to spend the weekend visiting with friends while listening to the calming munching of our favorite equines.  There were 9 new riders whom the other riders welcomed them with open arms and invited these new and potentially new AERC members into their camps.  Each new rider had a mentor on trail as well.  Did I mention this was a GREAT weekend?!

Thank you for marking, unmarking and trimming trail Jim Baldwin, Gail, Rob, and Christina Kimery (with a friend of Chris’), Alexis Jones (with husband Rich and his cousin), Kathy Crothers, Rick and Julya Humphrey, Link Mock, and various pleasure riders.  After the start of the ride, volunteers POURED out of the woodwork!  Thank you Nona Broussard, Rick Humphrey, Ann and Fred Spencer (Fred worked after completing his ride), Caleb “Will Work for Chocolate Milk” Minnick, Kirsten Scott (started working after finishing her ride and mentoring a first-time rider), Link Mock (after finishing his FIRST ride!), and Dr. Jim Baldwin (not only did he help vet, he trained a new veterinarian!).  All of us appreciate your efforts before, during, and after the ride!  A young lady approached me early Saturday morning stating she had done the Intro Ride at the Frank's ride in late June and that she wanted to learn more about our sport by VOLUNTEERING TO HELP!!!  THANK YOU Trisha Williams!

A special word of THANKS goes to excellent ride veterinarians Leon Self, Camilla Jamieson, and Jim Baldwin.  We all learn so much more about our precious equines thanks to caring professionals such as these.  Their conscientious efforts and attention to detail helps us be better riders.

While pulling ribbon, I met Diane Day and her lovely daughter Anniska on trail.  Diane wants to help work on trail and hopes to be at the Jo Tate Fall ride at the Frank's Ranch October 18.  Can this weekend get any better?

YES!

Thanks to the generosity of endurance riders, the Shriners Hospital in Shreveport, LA, will have well over 30 gift cards to give to their young patients!  Your selfless devotion to the welfare of others will bless these children in ways we’ll never know.  THANK YOU!!!

The Limited Distance Ride had 21 starters and 21 finishers!!  Mary Heberling and her wonderful Pinto x Arabian gelding Hajar earned Best Condition with a score of 751.5.  Hajar also tied for High Vet Score with 480 points.  Nikki Bridwell’s horse “Deals Kamil Jr” also had the High Vet Score of 480 points.  Kudos to the first-time riders Carole Watt and her darling mule Leroy, Travis Brinck and her SC Akil Gassur, Donna Fearing and her Paint Cheyenne, and Link Mock and his Friesian cross Captain.  Kathy Crothers was “Middle of the Pack” and Link Mock was “Turtle”.

The Endurance Ride had 20 starters and 17 completers.  Congratulations of Rosemarie Doyle’s horse “Santa Alpha Lucia”, ridden by Debra Stockwell, on completing her first 50!  Gunnar Frank won with a ride time of 6:07 and also won Best Condition with a score of 730.  Julya Humphrey’s  Spanish Mustang “Copperhead Road” had the High Vet Score with 430 points.  Sue Phillips-Jaffe and her awesome Quarter Horse mare “Sussie Prize” was “Middle of the Pack” and Debra Stockwell was “Turtle”.  Congratulations to all!

We are looking forward to the 23rd Annual Indian Territory October 3, 2015.  Hope to see you all there!

 
Susan Young Mock