Tuesday, May 01, 2018

Pacific South: Descanso Endurance Ride Cancelled

Dear Riders: 

It is necessary for me to cancel the Descanso Endurance Ride and the Descanso Ride and Tie which has been scheduled for the 
weekend of May 19/20, 2018.

The Cuyamaca State Park has set the cost for the permit for using the public trails at more than $3,400. There has not been sufficient interest in the ride to generate enough entries to cover the costs for the permit fees, basecamp, vets, etc. These rides never make money, and it is always necessary to add money to pay for the extras, but David and I are unwilling to cover the several thousand dollars that would be required to go forward when there appears to be so little interest in the ride this year.

I have only received 63 entries for Saturday and 31 entries for Sunday and only 4 ride and tie teams have entered. While it may seem that this is a premature decision because it is still 3 weeks away, but I am at the point where awards need to be ordered and deposits placed, veterinarians need to be released and riders who use these rides for conditioning, need to plan for a replacement ride. 

I want to thank the loyal riders and new riders who did enter the ride. I appreciate their support. I especially want to thank 
Challenge Ranch who had 19 entries and two ride and tie teams. I know that Challenge Ranch’s kids have been working very hard to get their horses ready for this event, and I know that they will be very disappointed that it is necessary for me to cancel the ride. 

I have identified a possible site for a new ride in Campo and hope to possibly get this scheduled before the end of this year. 

Terry Woolley Howe

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