Taking the Heat at the AERC National Championships

http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2021AERCNC/

by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
June 15 2021

It's been a hot week at the AERC Nationals outside of Ashland, Montana.

Described at various times as "HOT" and "a brutal heat wave" and "incredibly hot" and "extreme heat," the ride was a challenge in more ways than just the terrain this year.

Friday was the 50-miler; Sunday was the 100-miler; Tuesday was scheduled to be the AERC Young Rider National Championship, but due to extreme heat forecast of 108*, the start time was moved up to 6:30 PM Monday evening - ride is still underway with 13 starters.

Winning the National Championship 50-miler was Heather Reynolds and Misfit Toi in 4:17. Niki Beck and Cloudy finished second in 4:18, and Rachel Land and Matla were third in 4:33. Best Condition and High Vet Score went to Matla. 48 finished the ride.

Jeremy Reynolds and Supersonic Zell won the open 50-miler in 4:05; they also got Best Condition and High Vet Score. 17 finished the ride.

Repeating their 2017 AERC National 100-mile victory in Colorado, Gwen Hall and Sizedoesntmatter ("Dakar") crossed the finish line first in 13:14. Also repeating the finish in Colorado was second place Hannah Johnson and Kourageus Hope ("Stuart"); they finished in 14:28.01. Third place went to Suzie Hayes and Sannstorm, who rode with Hannah all day. There were 13 finishers in 44 starters in the Championship. Best Condition and High Vet Score went to fourth place The Maclean Machine, ridden by Marvin Brangman, in a ride time of 14:29.

Two out of 9 starters completed the open 100, with Kelly Stoneburner finishing first aboard Reckless in 19:05.

More stories and results to come:
http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2021AERCNC/

Endurance Ride Photographers Guild’s Becky Pearman Donates Photos for AERC National Championships

by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
June 13 2021

Becky Pearman, a member of the Endurance Ride Photographers Guild, is the Official Photographer for this weekend’s AERC National Championships.

From Ivanhoe, Virginia, Becky traveled to Ashland, Montana to cover the championship even June 4-6.

As a sponsorship for the rides, she is donating a 4x6 commemorative portrait with the championship logo to all riders in the 50-mile and 100-mile championships with their horses wearing a garland that was used in the 2001 AERC National Championships in Kentucky.

Becky’s ride photos will be available online after the event at https://beckypearman.smugmug.com/Other/Endurance-2021

Junior Endurance Rider Kyla Law Debuts Rock Horse Art at City of Rocks Ride

by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
June 11 2021

If she hasn’t already caught your eye at endurance rides as the tall, confident, 13-year-old pig-tailed pilot of a Hackney pony with an outsized personality, then it’s her burgeoning - as of last weekend - rock horse art business that will really stop you in your tracks.

“I started painting these rocks for fun,” Kyla said, “because my sister wanted to paint. Then I was thinking, why don’t I just paint horses because we’re at a Ridecamp.” That was at City of Rocks Pioneer endurance ride in south-central Idaho June 4-6.

Dave Rabe saw the first fun rock painting she created of a gray horse, and since he had two rather famous gray horses, Cheys Cocamoe Joe and White Cloud at his trailer across the field, he bought it for $20.

“And then I thought, why don’t I paint people’s horses because then people would want them more.” Next she painted a rock for Naomi Preston and Lee Pearce of their horses, (Hall of Fame horse) Fire Mt Malabar and JAC Winterhawk. (top picture)

When I saw that rock, I made a beeline for Kyla for my own rock painting of Hillbillie Willie. It was good timing, because after that, the word got out.

Kyla takes a profile picture of her subject, finds a big flat rock (“sometimes that’s the hardest part!” - but luckily City of Rocks had just the right kind of rocks scattered around our Ridecamp field), then she sequesters herself with her acrylic paints for around an hour to produce a unique, one-of-a-kind piece of art specific to the ride and horse(s) that’s guaranteed to delight its new owner.

She paints for fun, and for the pleasure she gives her clients, but it also serves another purpose.

“It’s so I can raise money so that I can pay for my horses’ shoes. Because if I don’t pay for them, I don’t get to ride them.”

Kyla has two horses, Prancy (Velvet Prancer), a saddlebred bay, and the aforementioned Flash (Piece of Perfection), the now-12-year-old Hackney pony. Kyla’s goal this year is riding the Tevis Cup with Flash.

“Flash is crazy. He has a huge personality. And he LOVES to run fast and he loves to win and he’s funny. And we share a really big connection with each other,” Kyla said.

Sheila Wetter had bought Flash several years ago and recruited Kyla to help break him. “He wasn’t even saddle broke. So we just worked from that, and when I was finally able to ride him, I couldn’t even talk while riding him or he’d spook. So we had to work all through that. 

“And we were moving to Utah from Washington state, and I thought, I can’t lose him, because I love him so much. Because training together, we just grew a huge connection.”

She asked her mom and dad if she could buy Flash; they approved and she raised the money to buy him in 2018. Kyla started endurance riding when she was 9, and has ridden 915 AERC, EDRA, and WDRA miles. She and Flash finished the Scottsdale ReMarkable 100-miler last December, and they are focused on the July 24th Tevis Cup.

“I know that my pony can do it,” Kyla said. “And it’s a huge ride and it looks really fun to do, and this year is free for juniors.”

Kyla loves custom painting her rocks with people’s horses, and it kept her busy during City of Rocks, and is likely to keep her busier at future rides. But get your order in early and be patient, because that won’t interfere with what she’s really there to do. “I have to ride!” she said. 

If you want your own custom rock, you can get in touch with her mom, Natalie Law. 

Or, Natalie says, “I guess the easiest way is to find the little black pony. And you’ll find Kyla.”

2021 City of Rocks Pioneer: Great Trails, Great Tevis and AERCNC Training

by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
June 10 2021

This year's edition of the City of Rocks Pioneer endurance ride in south-central Idaho - the 10th year/11th event, or thereabouts - provided riders and horses with the ambiance of plenty heat and wind and dust throughout the 3-day event!

"Great Tevis Cup conditioning," said first time City of Rocks rider, and 24-time Tevis Cup finisher Kathy Perry. And great prep for the AERC National Championships in Montana next weekend. A few people were going on from City of Rocks to there.

From the always-changing weather (maybe heat or cold or snow or rain or wind or dust or all of the above in one weekend) to the elevation change (basecamp at 5500' with climbs up to 7500' on some loops), it's always a challenging ride. But lest you think only Arabians can handle it, a variety of breeds took on this year's ride, including Quarter horses, American saddlebreds, mustangs, Missouri foxtrotters, Tennessee walkers, a Standardbred, a feisty Hackney pony (hopefully Tevis-bound with his Junior rider Kyla Law!), and not one, but two Icelandic horses!

And always, the good trails and beautiful scenery left several more people saying it's one of their favorite rides anywhere in the country. The trails you ride through City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park offer the same breathtaking views that pioneers gandered at 150 years ago as they headed West on the California Trail on horseback and in covered wagons.

More than 70 riders hit the trails each day. The familiar face of Christoph Schork added 3 more wins and Best Conditions to his long resume, aboard GE VA Blizzard of Ozz (days 1 and 2) and GE Haat Wheelz (day 3). On the LDs, Greg Mayer and Khlua & Cream won Day 1, Carol Bischoff and Kenlyn Struts won Day 2, and Simone Mauhl and Boogey got first and Best Condition on Day 3. Carol and Kenlyn Struts got Best Condition days 1 and 2.

City of Rocks is the first in the Idaho IronHorse Challenge - 12 days of 50's or 25's in 4 Idaho Pioneer rides (next is the July 3-day Top o' the World in Spencer, the September 3-day Old Selam in Idaho City, and the October 3-day Autumn Sun in Gooding) for one horse-one rider.. or a combination of horses…. or whatever challenge you are up for! Good swag goes to those who accomplish IronHorse or IronButt challenges.

8 horses and riders completed all 3 days of 25s, including Junior Kinley Thunehorst and her Missouri Foxtrotted Lady. 4 horses and riders completed all days of 50s: John Stevens and Lil Dude AA, Elizabeth Grimshaw and Prinzymess SPS, Nance Worman and Owyhee Smoke Signal, and Virgina Jenkins and RA China Doll.

And even though we were completely wiped out after this year's City of Rocks ride, never fear because ride manager Regina Rose was already making plans for next year's edition!

More photos at:
http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2021CityOfRocks/index.html

Enthusiasm for endurance: Western States Endurance Run co-founder continues trail support

GoldContryMedia.com - Full Article

Western States Endurance Run co-founder Shannon Weil continues trail support

by Traci Newell
Auburn Journal
Jun 04, 2021 9:00 AM

From one big idea to the next, Shannon Weil has never stopped supporting Auburn’s endurance events since she helped create the first Western States Endurance Run.

This year’s big idea – a 48-feet-by-8-feet poster with past race champions out in front of City Hall – continues Weil’s mission to keep Auburn living up to the title: Endurance Capital of the World, a moniker she coined.

An experienced equestrian, Weil was competing in the Tevis Cup in 1977 while riding beside one of 14 runners partaking in the 100-mile race, which takes place over one day from Tahoe City to Auburn.

“While we were going through Volcano Canyon, I said, ‘This run is going to be a hit, and I’m going to make sure it is,’ ” Weil said.

Partnering with Mo Livermore, Curt Sproul and then-husband Phil Gardner, the “Gang of Four” worked to create the Western States Endurance Run. The event grew from 14 runners in 1977 to 64 the next year with runners from as far away as San Francisco.

Today, the race is considered the premier ultra-running event and hosts 369 athletes from around the world...

Read more here:
https://goldcountrymedia.com/news/190000/enthusiasm-for-endurance-western-states-endurance-run-co-founder-continues-trail-support/

Endurance Horse Podcast Ep. 44: A Quilt of Sorts

EnduranceHorsePodcast - Listen

May 27 2021 Created by: Christina Hyke

Welcome to Episode 44 of Endurance Horse Podcast

Updates & Catching Up on Files!!!

I am so glad to be moving back to traditional episodes of Endurance Horse Podcast! This episode is a blend of audio from recent and also from last year! Here are some new voices and some familiar ones! Enjoy!

Listen:
https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/e/a-quilt-of-sorts-catching-up-with-files-that-were-on-hold/

Christina Hyke, creator of Endurance Horse Podcast and WARHORSE Endurance Challenges. In 2021 Wisconsin State Horse Council named Christina ‘Horse Person of the Year’ for her philanthropy, her work with Endurance Horse Podcast and WARHORSE Endurance Challenges. The previous year Endurance Horse Podcast won an international award given by Equus Film and Arts Festival.

Chris lives in southern Wisconsin with her sweet husband, Jim and their three children. She has always loved the trails and spent every moment she could spare out riding for as long as she can remember.

It was the love of covering miles through beautiful territory hiking, running and riding on good horses that inspired her to create both Endurance Horse Podcast and WARHORSE Endurance as places where riders for riders to share stories with others from around the world.

Happy Trails Podcast: Top Ten Horse Trails in Colorado

RideClimb.com - Listen

May 27, 2021
by Jess

In this episode, Micahlynn Kaza breaks down her Top 10 favorite trails in Colorado. Micah is the Founder of Top Horse Trails, a highly detailed trail directory. She built it out of a passion for helping to get more horses out on trails and helping new riders get into horses.

Listen...
https://rideclimb.com/podcast/top-ten-horse-trails-in-colorado/

PNER Profile: Regina Rose

by Elayne Barclay
May 18 2021

The endurance season in the PNER region has begun and it is time for a new PNER member focus. This focus is on the manager of one of the first rides of the season (Tough Sucker) and one of the last (Owyhee Halloween): Regina Rose.

Regina was a horse crazy 8 year old with no access to horses but her mother worked at a dairy milking cows, so she improvised: “I tamed one of the young heifers and taught her to be ridden”. I sure wish there was some video clips of that! Regina moved on from backing heifers to pleading with a family friend to allow her to ride his horse. She recalls that she “begged and begged to ride the gelding and he finally said I could ride the unsociable gelding if I could catch him. I followed that old Morgan/TB gelding around for over 2 hours before he gave up and let me catch him so I could ride him.” By the time she was 12 years old, the gelding's owner had become Regina's step father and he was getting tired of her always riding his horse so he bought her 2 POA ponies. The ponies were from a dispersal sale, due to foal, and unbroken. Regina admits, “I did not know what I did not know. I just got on them and started riding them. I got dumped a few times, but the ponies were broke to ride and to drive and the foals soon to follow.” Pretty impressive for a 12 year old!

Regina's family moved from the Pacific Northwest to Wyoming in 1970 where she joined a saddle club and started competing in O-Mok-See events (I had to look that up, in case you haven't heard of it before, it originated with the Blackfoot Indian tribe and described a particular style of war ceremony riding which translated as“riding big”). Regina won 6th in the nation in the “Barrel & Stake” event on one of the foals out of her POA. The saddle club also put on endurance rides and Regina completed her first one in 1971 riding one of her ponies. She started volunteering at rides early on. The club put on the first Big Horn 100 in 1969 and Regina remembers, “I marked and unmarked trail, did secretary stuff, and helped with everything on the ride until I moved back to Idaho in 1992. Luckily for PNER, Regina continues to volunteer at rides and was recognized for her contributions in 2020 by being the recipient of AERC's Volunteer Service Award. Last year she “pioneered” the City of Rocks Pioneer ride as the first ride manager in the PNER region to put on a ride after Covid restrictions were in place. Once again she had to improvise to meet all the requirements for AERC sanctioning and public land permits. She rescheduled the entire ride by a day to be able to take advantage of less restrictive measures.

Since that first ride in 1971, Regina has ridden over 15,000 endurance miles! When asked how many 100 mile rides she has done, she replied, “ I have no clue, but I have done somewhere between 20 and 30. I never thought about keeping count, just loved to ride.” When asked about her mounts for all those miles, Regina said, “I just rode the horse I had at the time, any breed. I have ridden Arabians, Arab/draft crosses, mules, Appaloosas, Quarter Horses, and my pony. Loved them all and did well on all of them. All my horses and my mule were retired for old age not unsoundness.”

When asked about her favorite memory riding endurance Regina said, “I think my favorite memories are of riding my mule [named “Mule”]. She was half Thoroughbred and could run, I did over 1000 miles on her in one season. That was one of my goals for her. I loved riding her and would just have to race people to the finish line when we were at rides. I would be riding along with someone and we could see we were getting close to the finish line and you could just see by the look on the other rider's face that they were thinking that they were not getting beat by a mule, so they would trot a little faster and Mule would keep up and then they would break into a canter because they could see the finish line, but too late for them, 'cause when Mule and I broke from the fast trot it was not a canter but a dead-out run and did I mention, she was half Thoroughbred, bye bye! Mule could really run and I got the biggest kick out of out-running a horse whose rider did not want to be beat by a good mule.”

Another vivid memory is of her Tevis completion. “I rode Tevis in 1984 and there were 300 riders that year. I had no crew and had improvised by persuading a volunteer to take the horse trailer and rig to Auburn. The same volunteer took some grain and food to the vet check at Forest Hill. The rest of the time we just used the hay and stuff everyone else had left from their horses and some folks gave us stuff when they heard we did not have a crew. We made it past Forest Hill as it was getting dark. It was so dark along the river under the trees you could not see anything. The folks at the river had a fire going, but you could only see the fire as you rode along trying to get there on the trail, and the river was high, so they told you where to cross when you got to the edge. The end of the ride that year was across the river and then up a steep trail into the east end of town where you finished and then led your horse to the fairgrounds on pavement to get your completion. Surprisingly, there was a foot race at the same time as the horse event. As I was going up that steep narrow trail I saw a person climbing up the same trail. I said what are you doing? He said I am running the Tevis and I said, oh my gosh you are nuts, and he said, what are you doing? I said I was riding the Tevis and he said I was crazy! So horse passed runner in the dark and both of us finished, he came in a few minutes behind my horse. I finished with a half hour to spare.”

Looking back Regina said, “The best times at endurance rides are when we are all sitting around waiting for the 100 milers to finish. At Owyhee Tough Sucker 100 we were waiting up with the vets along with a few other folks and the stories flowed, good and bad, the out house stories are the best, and everyone has a great out house story. Folks that go to bed miss the good stories.”

Don't miss the good stories!

Canada's Robert Gielen Secures Coveted Elite Athlete Status

Photo Credit: ©EC/Caroline Soble

Equestrian.ca - Full Article

17 May 2021
By Kathy Irvine

Congratulations to Robert “Bob” Gielen of Flesherton, ON, and his Arabian gelding, Morebangforyourbuck (Doran x Forty Thieves), aka “Bang”! With the completion of the Fun in the Sun (FITS) CEI 3* 160km endurance ride in Williston, FL, on March 12, 2021, Bob retained his FEI (Fédération Équestre Internationale) Elite Athlete Status.

Robert Gielen, a veteran of the Canadian Endurance Team from Flesherton, ON, has reached the impressive milestone of FEI Elite Athlete Status.

Bob, 70, started endurance riding in 1995. In those fifteen years he, with some exceptional horses, has racked up a respectable 18,624 competitive kilometres. Bob has been a team member representing Canada in several World Championships: the 2008 Malaysia World Endurance Championships; the Lexington 2010 World Equestrian Games (WEG); the 2013 North American Endurance Championships (NAEC) in Florida; and the 2016 NAEC in Millbrook, ON. In 2018, he rode in both the WEG test event and WEG in Tryon, NC.

The Elite Athlete Status Bob received demonstrates to foreign officials that he has the skill to guide a leased horse safety and expertly over a 160km course. To attain this designation, a rider must successfully complete a minimum of 10 CEI 3* or 4* 160km events. To retain Elite Athlete Status, they must complete same level ride within every successive 24 months; however, the timeline was extended to 33 months due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Even with the extension, the past two years hasn’t made this easy. In 2018 the ride at WEG was disrupted and the next year, COVID-19 frustrated everyone’s plans. So, with only one shot left, Bob completed this 160km ride at FITS within 33 months as required...

Read more here:
https://www.equestrian.ca/news/rGCJNWZNTyT9oWgoj/robert-gielen-secures-coveted-elite

Fort Howes Hosts AERC Young Rider Championship Concurrent with AERC National Championship June 11-15

Also happening is the Ride and Tie and Equitation and AHA Region 6 Championship

What a better way to celebrate 24 (25) years of AERC Endurance Rides at the Circle Bar Ranch and the adjoining Custer-Gallatin National Forest than to host the AERC National Championship!

Homesteaded in 1883 by Captain Calvin Howes (a former sea Captain from Massachusetts), the Circle Bar Ranch is the home of the Fort Howes Endurance Rides - See Ranch History Link. As noted, starting in 1997, the Fort Howes rides have grown from a one-day ride offering a 25-mile Limited Distance ride and a 50-mile Endurance Ride to hosting the 2021 AERC National Championship.

We'll start the ball rolling with the AERC 50 Mile Championship on the 11th. On the 12th we'll have an open ride day with two Limited Distance rides - one starting at 7:00am and the next starting at 3:00pm. In addition to the two LD rides we'll have a 50-mile ride. Finishing out the weekend on the 13th we'll have the AERC 100-mile Championship. But wait, in order to keep the ball rolling and the party going, we are extremely excited to offer the AERC Young Rider Championship on Tuesday the 15th. The AERC Young Rider Championship will be a 75-mile ride with a Team aspect thrown in for good measure!

Trails consist of Open Meadows, Cow Trails, and unimproved Jeep Trails. Riders can expect to have at least one 1000' elevation change in each loop they ride out on. Water is available out on trail every 3-5 miles. Although most Vet Checks will be in basecamp, we will have out checks for the 100-mile ride and the AERC Young Rider Championship 75-mile ride and we'll make arrangements to haul your crewing supplies out, if necessary.

Basecamp is a huge open field of more than 15 acres with lots of room and plenty of horse water available.

We will again be offering our Rancher's dinner on one of the nights - probably Thursday - including steak and all the trimmings. We're also anticipating that the local Amish ladies will have freshly made donuts and other baked goods available during the ride. We are working with a couple of the local food trucks to have food for purchase available for the weekend as well.

Temperatures in the early part of June range in the 40's overnight and up into the 80's during the days. Though one should always plan for anything - this is Montana after all and we subscribe to the saying "Don't like the weather, wait five minutes, it will change".

Please be sure you read the "Important Travel Information" page as it has information for people entering the state of Montana with horses.

We’re looking forward to once again opening our little piece of Heaven to our endurance community with the offer of "come early, stay late", but don’t be surprised if you get "put to work" while you’re here!

Bill, Jan, Heather, John, Tyler, Cody, Kaylee, Jennifer, Chet, Milo, and Megan.

For more information, including entries and schedule of events, see: https://www.forthowes.net/

Nicole Wertz Featured in Lavender Fields Magazine

 

Did you know that Nicole Wertz has almost 16,000 endurance miles, 52 100-mile completions, *and* a USDF Gold Medal in dressage?

Nicole is featured in the May issue of the online Lavender Fields magazine.

Read about her starting on page 22.
https://issuu.com/lavenderfields.co/docs/may_2021

 

 

Holly Corcoran To Represent The USA Equestrian Endurance Team In The World Championships In Italy

WNEP.com - Article & Video

She will ride her 2007 Arabian gelding Poete along with her 5 member team this May in Italy

Author: Steve Lloyd
Published: 7:36 PM EDT May 11, 2021

MONROE COUNTY, Pa. — Holly Corcoran is a 1988 East Stroudsburg University graduate and lives in Monroe County with her 5 Arabian horses. Back in 2003 she got involved in the sport of equestrian endurance riding. Over the last few months she has been training her 2007 Arabian gelding Poete down in Florida for this month's Endurance World Championship in Pisa, Italy. She is part of the five member USA team making the trip to compete in this international event.

"There is a lot of strategy involved in endurance to begin with just so you know. Like I said coming into the holds you want to strip down as fast as possible like NASCAR. So you maintain efficiency in the ride and try to make every moment count so that the horse has to do the least amount of work over the terrain," said Holly...

Read more and see video here:
https://www.wnep.com/article/sports/holly-corcoran-to-represent-the-usa-equestrian-endurance-team-in-the-world-championships-in-italy/523-66349b09-6d9d-4b09-b6a9-75857dd55b29

200 Signed Up for Tevis

TevisCup.org

Two Hundred Signed Up!

If you haven’t sent your entry in already, time is of the essence. See the rider list HERE.

President's Message

Well, folks. It’s looking more and more like we are going to have a ride, or as Wendell would say, “Ride, really ride!

As Covid cases decline and more of us are vaccinated, the parks and trails are beginning to open up and, the likelihood of a ride becomes a real possibility.

There will be some challenges. One of the major ones is the very small area we have for the Robinson Flat vet check and one-hour hold. The Forest Service, having had an entire year where the campground was vacant, decided to log it during the ride. Most of the traditional area we use will be unavailable. We will only have the log deck on the left as you reach the road’s intersection with Soda Springs Road to use for vetting. We will need to limit crewing and have a streamlined traffic plan. We may limit crews to one or two per rider and have crews carpool to reduce congestion. Crewing will probably be done back in the trees across from the log deck and up Soda Springs Road for a hundred yards. Needless to say, it will be a real test of ingenuity and making do. Stay tuned for further information.

It’s been a dry year and we hope to make up for it by having plenty of water on the trail. We now have two large water trailers, and they will service Michigan Bluff and Foresthill. We should have our new well in place at Chickenhawk, and have an abundance of water to cool the horses there.

Having missed the ride last year, we are all looking forward to reestablishing Tevis as the ultimate experience in endurance riding.

Happy Trails and Be Safe!

Jeff Herten

Winning the Big Horn 100 & Overcoming All

HorseIllustrated.com - Full Article

Suzanne Hayes’ extraordinary Big Horn 100 endurance ride victory came in the face of numerous challenges.

By Merri Melde
May 9, 2021031

Not many people would consider climbing aboard a horse soon after breaking ribs. But not everybody is Suzanne Hayes, who won the Big Horn 100 endurance ride just six weeks after a fall that resulted in 10 broken ribs (some in multiple places), two fractured vertebrae, a punctured lung and a lacerated liver, and that led to her spending five days in the ICU and 10 more days in the hospital.

In fact, the 67-year-old Arlee, Mont., native was already discussing the possibility of riding the Big Horn—one of the toughest 100-mile endurance rides in the country—with her trauma doctors in the emergency room when they ticked off all the damage.

“I told them, ‘Well, I’ve got a really big 100-mile ride in six weeks,’” Hayes recalls. “‘I’m hoping that we can still plan on that.’ They looked at me like, ‘You gotta be kidding me...’”

Read more here:
https://www.horseillustrated.com/winning-big-horn-100

Wisconsin: Local horse enthusiast looks to take on 2021 Mongol Derby

HNGNews.com - Full Article

By Peter Lindblad plindblad@hngnews.com
May 7, 2021

Across mountainous, desert terrain, Chloe Dvorak will ride from sun up to sundown on horseback for seven to 10 days straight.

It’ll be scorching hot during the day and freezing at night, when she’ll sleep on a cot in a yurt, or gers as they are called in Mongolia, with a native family if she’s lucky. Otherwise, the hard ground will be her bed.

Every day of the punishing Mongol Derby will push the Poynette resident and 2011 Lodi High School graduate to the limit.

“I’m going to be really happy to take a shower at the end,” said Dvorak, with a laugh.

Grueling challenge

Chosen as one of 30 out of 700 candidates to compete in the 1,000-kilometer race, Dvorak is up for the challenge. Just getting through the race in one piece would be a monumental achievement...

Read more here:
https://www.hngnews.com/lodi_enterprise/news/local/article_d60e8b6b-e598-51e3-b304-720ff1c96c56.html

US Equestrian Announces New U.S. Endurance FEI Calendar Policies & Procedures

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Department | May 7, 2021, 9:00 AM EST

Lexington, Ky. - On September 29, 2020, the USEF Board of Directors approved the FEI Calendar Policies and Procedures for FEI Endurance competitions within the United States. These policies and procedures will go into effect starting with the 2022 competition calendar.

The aim of these policies and procedures is to produce the most effective U.S. endurance calendar. It is important to note at the outset, that these policies and procedures do not replace the USEF licensing and/or mileage rules.

The policies and procedures document outlines the process by which organizers will need to submit their applications and go through an open review period prior to consideration by the USEF Committees and then potential submission to the FEI.

Applications for events wishing to be submitted to the FEI by October 1 for the following calendar year must be submitted to USEF no later than June 1. Any application received after the June 1 deadline has no guarantee of being submitted to the FEI for the applicable October 1 deadline.

The June 1 deadline allows for the addition of an open review period to the standard approval process. The procedure timeline is as follows:

June 1: Deadline for submission of applications.

June 15 – July 1: Open Review: Proposed calendars are circulated to all OCs that submitted an application. OCs may request modifications, cancellations, or comment on potential areas of concern during the Open Review.

Beginning of August: USEF Endurance Sport Committee reviews calendar. If potential areas of concern are noted by the committee, USEF staff will work with OCs to resolve areas of concern and re-submit the calendar to the USEF Endurance Sport Committee prior to sending the calendar to the USEF International Disciplines Council (IDC) or an IDC Ad Hoc Calendar Group.

September: IDC reviews calendars and makes recommendations to the USEF Board of Directors or an Ad Hoc Calendar Group approved by the USEF Board of Directors. The USEF Board of Directors approves calendars prior to the October 1 submission deadline to the FEI.

To renew an existing competition, log into the licensee account here. Select “Competition Dashboard” then “Endurance Application to Host a 2022 USEF/FEI Competition” and select the competition(s) to renew (eligible competitions will populate on the next page).

Online applications are only for renewals. First-time FEI events must be submitted on the paper application found here.

The full Policies and Procedures can be found here.

For questions, please contact Steven Morrissey, Project Director of High Performance Programs, at smorrissey@usef.org.

Monroe Co., Pennsylvania Woman Represents Team USA in Endurance World Championship

BRCTV13.com - Article & Video

Tuesday, May 4, 2021
By Emily Kress

A Monroe County woman is representing Team USA in the 2021 Endurance World Championship. The 100 mile equestrian race will take place in Italy later this month after being postponed last September due to Covid-19.

Holly Corcoran of Stroudsburg is just one of five team members participating for Team USA in the International Federation for Equestrian Sports Competition. The team and their horses will fly out this weekend to Pisa, Italy. Corcoran will be riding her horse Poete for the 100 mile trek. She has another horse named Poetrie, that qualified for the race. Poetrie will be ridden by another Team USA member, Hanna Weightman.

"It's incredibly humbling, I'm just overjoyed. I feel privileged and it's a special feeling when you're asked to represent your country," said Corcoran...

Read more and see video here:
https://www.brctv13.com/news/local-news/27457-monroe-co-woman-represents-team-usa-in-endurance-world-championship

Local Nevada woman embarking on 550-mile horse ride

KOLOTV.com - Article and Video

By Josh Little
Published: Apr. 30, 2021 at 9:52 AM PDT

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - Samantha Szesciorka is about to set out on a horse ride across the state of Nevada.

“I love trail-riding and being with my horse. And I love Nevada,” exclaimed Szesciorka.

It’s a 550-mile trip, spanning 43 days.

“I try to eliminate the amount of weight he carries of course, and monitor his hydration. And all of that is built into the preparations and planning in advance,” explained Szesciorka.

It’s the third time she’s done a long-distance ride like this on top of “Sage”, but this trip has a special meaning.

“To promote wild horse adoption, because I’m riding a formally wild horse, and he’s a great ambassador for that adoption program,” said Szesciorka...

More article and video here:
https://www.kolotv.com/2021/04/30/local-woman-embarking-on-550-mile-horse-ride/

Applications Closing Soon for 2021 FEI Endurance Pan American Championships and World Championships for Young Riders & Juniors

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Department | Apr 27, 2021, 2:00 PM EST

Lexington, Ky. – Endurance athletes are encouraged to submit their Applications of Intent for the 2021 FEI Endurance Pan American Championships and the FEI Endurance World Championships for Young Riders & Juniors. The final deadline for both applications is Thursday, April 29, 2021.

The applications are available through the Member Dashboard on USEF.org. Additional information on the application process for each championship is available through USEF.org/endurance.

The 2021 Pan American Championships is scheduled to take place July 28-29 in Campinas, Brazil. The World Championships for Young Riders & Juniors is set for September 6-11 in Ermelo, the Netherlands.

For more information, please contact Steven Morrissey, Project Director of High Performance Programs, at smorrissey@usef.org.

Stay Connected

Stay up to date with U.S. endurance by following USA Endurance on Facebook and US Equestrian on Instagram and Twitter. Use #USAEndurance.

Tevis Cup Rider List as of April 22 2021

Teviscup.org

Updated April 22, 2021 - 196 riders.

All entrants are listed in the order entries were received by the Tevis office whether by post mail or email. This ranking will be posted on the Tevis website and will only change when there are entrant withdrawals.

We will not know the number of starters allowed until we are much closer to the actual ride date.

Our current rider list for 2021:
< href="http://teviscup.org/images/2021/RiderList-04-22-21.pdf">http://teviscup.org/images/2021/RiderList-04-22-21.pdf

The number of Tevis starters in 2021 will depend on several factors that are beyond the control of ride management:

• The number of participants may be limited by the usable area at the Robinson Flat vet check due to hazardous tree logging by the US Forest Service.
• Additionally, ride management does not yet know if restrictions may be placed on us by land owners, the US Forest Service, or the Auburn State Recreation Area due to Covid-19 concerns.

Because of these factors, Tevis wants to be clear about how the entry list was ranked and how it will be updated. Thank you for your understanding during these unusual times.

For more information, see:
http://teviscup.org/2021-Rider-List

Eastern Crabbet Arabian Horse Society Award in this year's Tevis Cup

Teviscup.org

Posted Thursday, April 15, 2021 10:04pm

The Eastern Crabbet Arabian Horse Society will be offering an award to the "Highest Placing Purebred, Half-Arabian, or Anglo-Arabian Crabbet-Related Horse" in this year's Tevis Cup. Ribbons will be awarded to both a senior and junior rider.

There is no entry fee, however you must pre-enter and your horse must be certified 25% or great Crabbet bloodlines. If your horse has not been pre-certified a small fee will be collected to do so.

For entry form see:
http://teviscup.org/node/283

Stroudsburg, PA native to represent US Equestrian national team in Endurance World Championship

PoconoRecord.com - Full Article

Frank Piscani
Pocono Record
April 25 2021

U.S. Equestrian announced its roster for the the 2021 Endurance World Championship, and a Monroe County native will be one of just five representatives for Team USA in the International Federation for Equestrian Sports competition.

Holly Corcoran, originally from Stroudsburg, will be riding her 2007 Arabian gelding named Poete in the championship event, which takes place at the San Rossore estate in Pisa, Italy, on May 22. The 160-kilometer, six-phase race will begin at 7 a.m. local time on May 22.

Corcoran also owns a second horse that will competing at the Endurance World Championship, a 2011 Arabian mare named Poetrie that Hanna Weightman will be riding.

Making this year's roster adds to a list of success for Corcoran, who in January 2020 the International Federation for Equestrian Sports ranked as the No. 1 endurance rider worldwide...

Read more here:
https://www.poconorecord.com/story/news/2021/04/25/stroudsburg-native-represent-us-equestrian-national-team-world-endurance-championship-italy/7336524002/

25,000 Miles for Endurance Rider Suzanne Hayes

You can't buy, beg, or borrow respect in Endurance. You earn it. Suzanne Hayes has it.

by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
April 15 2021

25,000 miles - more than one trip around the earth - that's the AERC mileage mark Suzanne Hayes reached at the 2-day Antelope Island endurance ride on Antelope Island State Park in Utah last weekend.

This Arlee, Montana, horsewoman started endurance riding in 1965, and has competed in an endurance ride every single year since. She has consistently shown a competitive and calculating, yet honest and kind nature on the endurance trails, always putting the welfare of her horses first.

She's completed 91 100-mile rides and her mounts have earned 96 Best Condition awards. She has 9 Tevis Cup completions and has won the Big Horn 100 twice.

She has an AERC Hall of Fame Equine Award (2011), and Pard'ners Award (1997) with her horse Kootenai Zizzero that she traveled the world with and competed on internationally. Kooter earned 6340 endurance miles, 28 first places, 35 Best Condition awards, and 33 100-mile completions over 15 years of competition. He's just one of her outstanding horses over the years.

Fittingly, her 25,000 mile mark at Antelope Island happened aboard Sanstormm, the gelding she won last year's Big Horn 100 ride on 6 weeks after a riding accident left her with 10 healing broken ribs and 2 cracked vertebrae and a lacerated liver.

Susie took her 25,000th mile in stride, as humorously as she takes all her horse adventures. "Here's to another 25,000!"

Talkin' Trot Podcast: Getting Started in Distance Riding

This week we are Talkin' Distance Riding with Angie Mikkelson and Bridget Helms from the Talkin' Trot Podcast.

We chat about:

Finding a Distance Riding mentor

Distance lingo every new rider should know

The latest Distance Riding news

Plus, Bridget and Angie debunk a few Distance Riding myths!

Listen in

https://anchor.fm/arabian-horse-association/episodes/Getting-Started-in-Distance-Riding-with-Angie-and-Bridget-of-Talkin-Trot-eua44q

2021 April's Horses in the Morning

Horsesinthemorning.com - Listen

Endurance for April 13, 2021: Ten Times Tevis Rider Judy Houle and US Team Member Holly Corcoran

Apr 13, 2021

Endurance Episode: Ten time Tevis competitor Judy Houle is starting a new blog with her humorous stories from the trail. Us Endurance Team member Holly Corcoran tells us the United States Team plans for 2021 and the FEI Endurance World Championship. Listen in...

https://www.horsesinthemorning.com/endurance-for-april-13-2021-ten-times-tevis-rider-judy-houle-and-us-team-member-holly-corcoran/

2021 Antelope Island Endurance Ride

by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
April 13 2021

Situated back in its regular April perch on the AERC calendar, the Antelope Island 2-day endurance ride on Antelope Island was a good start to the Utah endurance season. If you survived the windy drive on Thursday (the wind closed I-84 in eastern Idaho for a time, causing long detours for some Montana drivers, and it also ripped the rolled-up awning off a horse trailer and sailed it and deposited it on the Interstate median), and the windy Thursday and Saturday nights, the rest was mostly smooth sailing!

Weather ran the usual gamut from cold to cool to warm, wind (from every direction), no wind, (but this year sans precipitation); it was good riding weather for many horses' first out of the year. At least one of the loops on each distance each day had a good climb, but at an altitude of 5300 feet by the (receding) lake, the whole ride is a good workout. (Over the years, the lake has been shrinking, due to an ever-growing population sucking the rivers and creeks about dry before water reaches the lake, hence salt water ten times the salt content of an ocean.)

This year's ride had a number of first-time island riders, and some first-time endurance riders. Riders sat astride spectrum of breeds from Arabians to American Saddlebreds to Mustangs to Quarter horses to Thoroughbreds and a feisty little Hackney pony who kept his companion tall, leggy Saddlebreds on their toes!

64 riders started on Saturday, 40 in the 30-miler and 24 in the 50.

The familiar face in the Winner's Circle (i.e. the awards table) was Christoph Schork aboard GE VA Blizzard of Ozz (Ozzie's 23rd win in 33 starts!) in 5:17, and he also got Best Condition (Ozzie's 20th BC!) 22 finished the 50.

Winner of the 30-miler was Lynn Oslick riding Kenlyn Psyche in 3:58. Best Condition went to first-time rider and first-time endurance horse, 9th place Randy Lander aboard his Thoroughbred Royal. 34 finished.

24 started and finished Day 2's 50-miler, with Jennifer Kaplan winning aboard Rogelio in 4:22. Second place Suzie Hayes got Best Condition with last year's Big Horn 100 winner, Sanstormm. Suzie hit the 25,000 mile mark!

Ride Manager Jeff Stuart finished Day 2's 50 on 17-year-old JV Remington (aka Gus), achieving their Decade Team.

Winner of Day 2's 25-miler was Cindi West on Solvstads Ann Mai in 3:00. Fourth place Lynn Lee got Best Condition on Al-Marah Fastnfine. 18 finished out of 20 starters.

Tennessee Lane and her golden Thor were the only starters and finishers of the 2-day 100, finishing in a total ride time of 12:07.

This year we all said farewell to a long-time Northwest/Mountain region endurance rider and long time invaluable helper and fixture at the Antelope ride. Tonya (Call Me Annie) Stroud-Oakes and Gary are moving to Ohio, and Antelope Island will never be the same.

Gloria Mack, 74

WCCSRadio.com - Full Article

April 8 2021

Gloria Jean (Pearce) Mack, 74, of Rossiter, PA died Tuesday, April 6, 2021 at the Punxsutawney Area Hospital in Punxsutawney, PA.

The daughter of Charles “Chuck” Harvey and Doris “Jean” (Hopkins) Pearce, she was born on December 16, 1946 in Commodore, PA.

Gloria was a 1966 graduate of Harmony High School.

She attended the Canoe Ridge Church of God.

Gloria married Gary Dalton Mack on July 2, 1966 and they shared over fifty-four years of marriage together.

Prior to embarking on her retirement seven years ago, Gloria had been employed the previous twenty-one years as the receptionist for the Wise Veterinary Clinic in Punxsutawney, PA. Earlier in her working career, she was the receptionist for Doctors Fatula and Orris, a Pediatricians office, in Punxsutawney, PA.

Gloria thoroughly loved being in the outdoors, especially in the woods. She enjoyed keeping herself busy with her family going camping; fishing; hunting and swimming.

She possessed a special affection for animals. Her pets – dog, Kasey, horse, Sarge and three cats – were treated as family members. Through her love of horses, Gloria had competed in endurance horse racing competitions and was a past member of the AERC...

Read more here:
https://www.wccsradio.com/2021/04/08/gloria-mack-74/

Eagle Canyon is Opener for 2021 Northwest Endurance Season in Idaho

by Merri Melde-Endurance.net
April 5 2021

54 horse and rider teams turned out near Eagle, Idaho, for the first Endurance ride of the season in the Northwest region. With the Covid pandemic (maybe) in the rear view mirror, endurance riders were looking forward to the beginning of a more normal season this year.

Eagle Canyon, managed by Layne Lewis in the Eagle foothills, is no pansy ride however: those deceptively gentle rolling green hills are a valid challenge to horses and riders. The weather cooperated this year - no excessive heat and no hurricane to blow riders off their mounts.

Eagle is normally in late April, but Layne switched with Regina Rose's Tough Sucker, which is normally the first of April, so that Regina could put on an early season 100 miler in the desert. Eagle was a good solid prep for the ambitious 100-milers!

28 started the 25-miler, with 26 finishing. Carrie Loughry and Copper River won in a ride time of 3:57, with Maria Kilgo and Echo Barbanno winning Best Condition.

26 started the 50-miler, with 19 finishing. Dick Root aboard OFW Alivia tied with Roxi Welling aboard SLF Lil Bit Loco tied for first in 6:36. Roxi and Loco got Best Condition.

A jolly Easter Egg Hunt commenced the next morning, Easter Sunday, with one or two grown up big kids getting in on the festivities. It was reported that one or two gophers joined in the fun, making off with a few of the eggs down their badger holes.

For more from the ride, see:
http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2021EagleCanyon/

ASK REGINA! - Regina Rose Brings Home 2020 AERC Volunteer Service Award

March 22 2020
by Merri Melde-Endurance.net

The secret’s out: At this year’s AERC Virtual Unconventional Convention, the rest of the Endurance world discovered what we in the Northwest Region have known for a very long time: Regina Rose sets a very high standard as an all-around Ride Manager/assistant RM, and Endurance volunteer, and as crew person extraordinaire (particularly at the Big Horn 100). She was awarded AERC’s Volunteer Service Award in a surprise Zoom meeting that was recorded and presented during the Virtual Convention.

From the moment that began 14,830 AERC trail miles ago (at the 1971 Wyoming 50) Regina Rose found her sport in Endurance riding. And since 1982 when she and her friend Tom Goton first managed the Jackalope Endurance ride in Wyoming, she found her métier.

The Big Horn country of Wyoming is in Regina’s blood and plays a big part in her Endurance history. She helped her riding club mark trail for the Big Horn ride from 1971 to 1992. She earned 12 finishes on the Big Horn 100, and she can still tell you every single sagebrush she passed and every turn she ever took on every trail (and not just on the Big Horn 100).

When Regina moved back to Idaho in 1992, she started helping Steph Teeter with her Owyhee Endurance rides, and she took those over last year when Steph retired from Endurance. She’s helped with other rides around the Northwest and in the Mountain region the last two decades.

The Coronavirus was no match for Regina last year when all the early-season rides were cancelled; she put her mind to the task and came up with a Covid plan for the multi-day City of Rocks Pioneer in June, which was one of the first rides held during the pandemic with safety protocols in effect. That plan was subsequently adopted by many Ride Managers in the NW region, and paved the way for Endurance to continue in Idaho and other parts of the country during Covid.

Known for her dedication to the sport, her cheerfulness in even the most dismal situations, her profound knowledge, her unparalleled generosity, and her matchless work ethic, she’s encouraged many people not only to try Endurance riding, but she’s infected some of them with the Ride Managing bug. She’s also crew extraordinaire for the Big Horn if you can get her.

Despite all this (and much more), Regina was taken completely by surprise by her award. Northwest Regional Directors Naomi Preston and Jessica Cobbley, and the AERC office’s Kyra DeMartini told Regina they’d be recording a convention video about the Covid protocols. Instead, a number of Regina’s friends popped on the call when Naomi told her the real reason for the Zoom meeting.

“They were sneaky!” Regina said. She was delighted by her award, particularly because it represents so many volunteers at rides who don’t even ride horses. “Rides have to have volunteers - we can’t have rides without them.

“The best part of putting on rides and volunteering at them is seeing all the Juniors come out and ride. It’s fun seeing new riders try Endurance, and join local riding clubs and get recognition. It’s also rewarding seeing some of these newer riders take on the challenge of managing rides.”

Mountain region rider and volunteer Lauren Coziah said it best in her nomination letter:

Why should Regina receive this award? Simply put, the woman works her fingers to the bone to make sure every ride she attends (which includes every ride in Idaho, the Big Horn, and several in surrounding states) is a roaring success. She’s always smiling and always more than willing to help anyone who’s willing to listen. If you need a question answered, ask Regina. Need advice about an issue or problem you’re having? Ask Regina. Need someone to tell you to buck up and get back on? Go to Regina. Have an injury during a ride that you need to figure out how to manage? Ask Regina. Need someone to run your ride registration booth? Ask Regina. Need a pulse done on your horse? Ask Regina. New to the sport and unsure what happens next? Ask Regina. Want to ride the Big Horn 100 for the first time and need amazing crew? Ask Regina. Need placings and awards figured? Ask Regina. Need a shoe nailed back on? Ask Regina. Need a truck to haul water? Ask Regina. Need a laugh? Go to Regina. Need someone to encourage you? Ask Regina.

Seriously. Ask Regina. Even the wildest request she’ll fill and she’ll do it with a smile because she loves horses, she loves serving people and she loves this sport.

Now that the secret’s out, Regina’s Endurance dance book will be filled. But we all still get first dibs on her!

The Bold and the Beautiful’s Katherine Kelly Lang Adds A New Family (Horse) Member

SoapHub.com - Full Article

MICHAEL MALONEY
MARCH 15, 2021

The Bold and the Beautiful star Katherine Kelly Lang plays Brooke Logan Forrester, Ridge’s wife and matriarch of the Logan clan. Off-screen, Lang has a big family — one that recently gained a new addition.

“A new member of the family,” Lang shared on Instagram along with a photo of her latest family member — a horse! “Meet Al-Marah Tiffany, a beautiful Arabian horse. Looking forward to many adventures with her on the trail. She is a sweetheart! 😃 I stopped riding my horses 7 years ago when I got into Triathlon racing… but now going to give it a go with the endurance riding again. #enduranceriding #ilovehorses...”

Read more here:
https://soaphub.com/bold-beautiful/the-bold-and-the-beautiful-news/the-bold-and-the-beautifuls-katherine-kelly-lang-adds-a-new-family-member/

Robert "Archie" Bouttier, Drinkers of the Wind Arabians Founder: 1943-2021

March 15 2021
by Merri Melde-Endurance.net

Robert "Archie" Bouttier, founder of Drinkers of the Wind Arabians, passed away suddenly February 28, 2021. He will forever be remembered for his passionate devotion to breeding Arabian horses on his farm in Bellevue, Idaho.

Here's a look back at an article on "Archie" and his Arabians, from 2011.

Drinkers of the Wind Arabians: The Quest for the Perfect Horse: https://merritravels.endurance.net/2011/07/drinkers-of-wind-arabians-quest-for.html

*Photo:
Robert Bouttier (Archie) riding DWA French Kiss in 2004. DWA French Kiss was the Colorado Arabian Race Horse of the Year in 2003.

Making History on Horseback: A Pacific Crest Trail Triumph

GearJunkie.com - Full Article

March 4, 2021 | By Mary Murphy

Gillian Larson’s short film ‘The Thru Rider’ is finally here. Watch one woman and her horse ride victorious over the entire Pacific Crest Trail.

The premise of “The Thru Rider” is simple: one woman, one horse, and 2,600 miles of trail. Created in partnership with Firestone Walker and directed by Dylan Lucas Gordon, the short film recounts Larson’s solo mission to ride the Pacific Crest Trail. She completed the entire PCT, from Mexico to Canada, on horseback...

Read more and watch video here:
https://gearjunkie.com/outdoor/the-thru-rider-pct-horseback-film

2021 March's Horses in the Morning

Horsesinthemorning.com - Listen

Trailer Safety, Dolly Still Riding at 84 and The Equilab App: Endurance for March 9, 2021 Mar 9, 2021

Endurance Episode: Dolly DeCair joins us, she is still doing endurance rides at age 84 and just won the AERC Pard’ners Award. Dwayne Russell gives us the important things we need to do to keep our horse trailers running safely. Plus, Karen tells us about The Equilab App. Listen in...

https://www.horsesinthemorning.com/trailer-safety-dolly-still-riding-at-84-and-the-equilab-app-endurance-for-march-9-2021/

2020 AERC Award Recipients

Sunday March 7 2021

From the AERC convention, 2020 recipients:

Hall of Fame Person: Connie Burns-Caudill
Hall of Fame Equine: Thunders Lightning Bar, owned by Pat Chappell
Pard’ners Award: Dolly DeCair and Wazirs Karahty
Volunteer Service Award: Regina Rose
Ann Parr Trails Preservation Award: Deirdre Monroe

All well deserved! A big thanks to Nick Kohut and Michael Campbell for hosting the online national celebration Sunday evening!

$5,000 reward offered for horse lost in Wickenburg

Fox10Poenix.com - Full Article

By Stephanie Olmo
March 4 2021

Big reward offered for horse lost in Wickenburg

A woman who is visiting Arizona from Washington state is asking for help, after her horse, an Arabian Mare named Ameera, went missing following an accident in the Wickenburg area.

WICKENBURG, Ariz. - A woman who is visiting the Valley is pleading for help in finding her lost endurance horse, after it ran off following an accident. Now, a local man has stepped up by offering a $5,000 reward to anyone who can help bring this horse home.

Lori Van Zuyen, who is visiting from Washington state, says she's never had this happen to her before, and is hoping to get her horse, Ameera, back.

Van Zuyen was just a few miles into her endurance ride on Feb. 27 at Boyd Ranch in Wickenburg when her horse got spooked and bolted.

"I saw her run over the hill, and I got up," said Van Zuyen. "I got up right off the ground and pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Boyd management..."

Read more here:
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/5000-reward-offered-for-horse-lost-in-wickenburg

Equestrian Adventuresses Podcast Ep 104: An Unlikely Endurance Horse – Competing her Tennessee Walker in the Tevis Cup

EquestrianAdventuresses.com - Listen

utetonia
March 3, 2021

In today’s episode, Ute talks with Susan Garlinghouse, DVM and Endurance Rider. Susan is on the AERC (American Endurance Riders Conference) board and lives in Tevis Country. She has competed in Endurance competitions all her life. After riding Arabians and Arabian crosses, she fell in love with a big, portly Tennessee Walking Horse called John Henry. John Henry was a trail turned Endurance horse and he was the most comfortable horse she ever rode. When her owner offered him to her for sale, she did not waste a minute and brought him home. Since then, she has trained him and ridden him in many Endurance competitions including the Tevis Cup. Both of them won three of his five Tevis Buckles together. Susan tells us all about training your non-Arabian endurance horse, why gaited horses are different and why she wants to stick with them for the rest of her riding career. So if you are interested in Endurance riding, this is going to be your episode!

Listen:
https://equestrianadventuresses.com/2021/03/03/horse-podcast-ep-104-an-unlikely-endurance-horse-competing-her-tennessee-walker-in-the-tevis-cup/

US Equestrian Expands Eligibility for $1,000 Higher Education Equestrian Scholarships for High School Seniors

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Department | Mar 3, 2021, 10:00 AM EST

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that it has expanded the eligibility requirements for the Higher Education Equestrian Scholarship, which provides five $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school seniors committed to continuing their involvement in equestrian sport while in college.

US Equestrian is now accepting applications for the scholarship. Applicants must be active US Equestrian competing or fan members preparing to enter any college or university full-time in fall 2021. The scholarship is open to all 29 recognized breeds and disciplines.

Previously, applicants were required to be enrolled in an equine-related degree or to participate on an intercollegiate equestrian team. Now, applicants can provide other forms of evidence that they will continue their involvement in equestrian-related experiences while in college. This can be through enrollment in an equestrian-related degree or classes, participation in an intercollegiate equestrian team or club, an equestrian-related internship, job, volunteer work, or other proven commitment to continued involvement in equestrian sport.

Funds awarded by the Higher Education Equestrian Scholarship will be issued directly to the recipients’ educational institutions to be applied to tuition costs.

To Apply, and for more information, see:
https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/us-equestrian-expands-eligibility-for-1000

Last Chance to Sign Up for AERC Convention

March 2 2021

Thinking about attending the Virtual AERC Convention? Last chance to sign up is noon (Pacific Time) on Wednesday, March 3, to be part of it!

Link to sign up: https://aerc.org/static/2021Convention.aspx

Convention brochure: https://aerc.org/static/2021conventioninfo.pdf

Owyhee Tough Sucker to Offer Early-Season 100

February 28 2021
by Merri Melde

Idaho's Owyhee Tough Sucker, normally scheduled as the first endurance ride of the Northwest season, has moved this year to the last weekend in April, and will offer a 100-mile ride in addition to a 25, 50 and 75-miler.

Ride manager Regina Rose said, "Several people were asking me if I'd put on a 100, but the first of April is pretty early in the season. So I talked with Layne Lewis (ride manager of the Eagle Canyon ride in Eagle, Idaho), and we decided to switch dates." Lewis' Eagle Canyon 25 and 50-mile ride will be held on April 3rd, and the Owyhee Tough Sucker will be held April 24th.

In the Owyhee desert, near 3500 feet, the ride will offer up a moderate, do-able early-season 100-mile trail, over 2-track roads and cow trails, with minimum sand and minimum rocks to negotiate. Parts of the trail will follow the historic Oregon Trail near the Snake River.

"The trails are not hard, but not easy," Rose said. "The 100 will have several gentle climbs and descents of 1000 feet throughout the ride. It's an early-season opportunity for folks to start preparing for the National Championships in Montana in June, and Tevis in July."

For more information and to register, see
https://owyheeendurancerid.wixsite.com/rrose

Christina Hyke Selected as 2021 Wisconsin Horse Council "Horseperson of the Year"

Wisconsin Horse Council District 4

Congratulations to Christina Hyke on being selected as the 2021 Wisconsin Horse Council "Horseperson of the Year"!

Christina was nominated by a District 4 resident and selected by the WHC Board of Directors for her leadership and contributions to Wisconsin's equine industry.

Christina is an equine photographer located in Jefferson, WI. https://www.christinahyke.com/ . Through development of programs such as Endurance Horse Podcast ( https://endurancehorsepodcast.podbean.com/ ) and her "Warhorse Challenges" https://www.warhorseendurance.com/ she has created platforms where horse enthusiasts from all over the world can enjoy and share stories of their horses together, inspire and support each other, and give back to charitable organizations - both local and nationally! She encourages and supports youth, honors and helps preserve equine history, and continues to positively impact lives all over the world!

Congratulations on a well deserved honor!!

List of Early Tevis Cup Entries Released

Teviscup.org

Posted Sunday, February 21, 2021 6:02pm

All entrants are listed in the order entries were received by the Tevis office whether by post mail or email. This ranking will be posted on the Tevis website and will only change when there are entrant withdrawals.

We will not know the number of starters allowed until we are much closer to the actual ride date.

Our current rider list for 2021:
http://teviscup.org/images/2021/RiderList-02-21-21.pdf

The number of Tevis starters in 2021 will depend on several factors that are beyond the control of ride management:

• The number of participants may be limited by the usable area at the Robinson Flat vet check due to hazardous tree logging by the US Forest Service.

• Additionally, ride management does not yet know if restrictions may be placed on us by land owners, the US Forest Service, or the Auburn State Recreation Area due to Covid-19 concerns.

Because of these factors, Tevis wants to be clear about how the entry list was ranked and how it will be updated. Thank you for your understanding during these unusual times.

Tevis Cup Ride Director Message - February 2021

February 24 2020

As a member of the Board of Governors and the Director of the Ride, I hold Tevis traditions and the effort to sustain and preserve them close to my heart. Then Covid 19 happened, and we are all struggling with what that means. What is normal anymore, and we’ve seen how fragile traditions are as we reconstructed our holiday season across the nation and the world.

Usually the Ride Director’s message goes over what to expect at Tevis: the Ride Week, traditions, the check in at Robie, the awards banquet on Sunday, etc. I think we should keep it simple. ENTER EARLY!! Our numbers may be limited by government regulations, local agencies, and property owners. We will maintain and post the rider list as entries are logged in at the office (http://teviscup.org/2021-Rider-List). Our whole organization is committed to starting as many riders on the morning of July 24, 2021, as permits and circumstances allow.

For people who would like to volunteer for one of the critical 800 volunteer positions, please go to teviscup.org to complete a volunteer registration form. Let us know if you are a rider and can take pulses, keep the mashes going for horses in a hurry, or are interested in keeping water flowing to cool out hot horses. We are always looking for experienced horse transport drivers who have a well-maintained rig to help with getting pulled horses to assigned destinations (as determined by veterinarians and ride management). Please send us your information by completing the form on line (http://teviscup.org/how-to-help/volunteering-for-tevis) Our Volunteer Coordinator will contact you, and you are on the team. Become part of the magic of Tevis—it’s just that easy.

If you have a special request, please email or call the office. Jean Hixon will route your request to the correct person. Don't be shy about asking for help or directions, we have had many varied requests and can usually assist with meeting them. Also, hotels in Auburn fill up early for Tevis weekend. So if you need a reservation, please book lodging early.

On behalf of the 29 members of the Western States Board of Governors, the ride committee and the community of Auburn, we look forward to seeing you at the 2021 Tevis Cup Ride!

Chuck Stalley
Ride Director

Talkin' Trot Podcast: Talkin AERC 2021 "Unconventional" Convention with the AERC Offic‪e‬

Talkin' Trot Podcast - Listen

Join us for a chat with the ladies of AERC about the Unconventional Convention coming up March 6 and 7! They give us the details on the speakers, the raffle, the vendors and more! The app we will get to use sounds awesome!!! This will be a great opportunity for anyone in any discipline in any country to attend the AERC National Convention!

Look for the details at aerc.org/convention and listen now at:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/793154/7754758.mp3

Keeping open land open in Scotts Valley

SantaCruzSentinal.com - Full Article

Land trust helps owner to fulfill wish to keep property near Scotts Valley undeveloped

By Jessica A. York | jyork@santacruzsentinel.com | Santa Cruz Sentinel
PUBLISHED: February 12, 2021

SCOTTS VALLEY — With an unquenchable love of horse riding and country living cultivated since childhood, Julie Weston Suhr did not have to be asked twice when her husband proposed buying up a vast swath of undeveloped land in the Santa Cruz Mountains some 50 years ago.

“I grew up in Santa Clara Valley in an orchard out in the country with no neighbors and I saw what happened to it, covered with concrete and it was disturbing,” Suhr said during a recent interview with the Sentinel. “And I had a very wonderful husband and he said, you’d like to live in the country with your horses, wouldn’t you? And I said yes, so we came over here and found this piece of property for sale and that was 1971 and then we built the home in ’73 and I’ve had horses here ever since.”

Suhr and her husband, Robert Suhr Sr., transported their life from Saratoga to unincorporated Scotts Valley off Weston Road, making their home in a place echoing Julie Suhr’s maiden name as a pure coincidence, she said. Robert Suhr died in 2010, after 64 years of marriage to Julie Suhr.

As with her horses, the nearly 300 acres of undeveloped land which the Suhrs and, often, their neighbors, have roamed for hours on end in the past half century have left their indelible mark on Suhr. So much so that she devised a way to protect the property’s sanctity, long after she is no longer around to watch over it. Working with the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County and a private financial gift from neighbor Ed Fenster, cofounder of Sunrun Solar, Suhr said her land will never be developed beyond an existing picnic table that overlooks a stunning view of the area. Through a conservation easement developed in the past three years, Suhr has entrusted her property’s development rights to the land trust in perpetuity, with an agreement that nothing will be built on nor taken from the land...

Read more here:
https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2021/02/12/keeping-open-land-open-in-scotts-valley/?utm_medium=40digest.7days3.20210213.home&utm_source=email&utm_content=&utm_campaign=campaign

AERC Middle Distance High Point Winner

February 8 2021

The Arabian Horse Association recognizes the AERC high point earning Arabian and Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabian of the AERC National 100 Mile year-end standing and the Arabian and Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian High Point Middle Distance applicants that meet AHA membership and registration criteria.

The AERC Middle Distance High Point is an AHA nomination-based annual award given to the Arabian and Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian with the highest AERC points accumulated in the year through 50-99 mile Endurance rides.

Keeping Faith+ is the winner of the Arabian AERC 50-99 Mile High Point award earning a total of 450 points with owner and rider Mindy Wolfe.

Keeping Faith+ won competing in 6 Endurance Rides during the season and since 2013, the pair has completed a total of 2,330 Endurance miles together. Mindy states "The past couple years have been challenging for a lot of people and myself personally, but my girl Keeping Faith+ has been my rock through it all! She was given to me as an unbroke 5 year old and her quiet sweet nature melted into my heart! She was going to be my project horse while I bred my 1/2 Arab mare and when my mare could not carry, ended up being my embryo transfer recipient mare and was a wonderful mother! After weaning she went right back to work training for Endurance and she has surpassed my expectations! We are looking forward to many more miles down the trail together!

Arabian AERC 100 Mile High Point Winner

February 8 2021

The Arabian Horse Association recognizes the AERC high point earning Arabian and Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabian of the AERC National 100 Mile year-end standing and the Arabian and Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian High Point Middle Distance applicants that meet AHA membership and registration criteria.

Poete (Bandjo De Falgas X Poetikka), a 2007 gelding is the winner of the Arabian AERC 100 Mile High Point!

Poete earned a total of 940 points for completing three 100 mile rides with owner and rider Holly Corcoran. Holly states “He’s a big horse, with a BIG personality and on the ground he can be the sweetest, most endearing horse. In competition he loves to go and loves being out front.

Early in the ride that is not always the best ride plan, so that is when we are most often “negotiating.” While I have ridden other horses where I know it is my love and desire that fills their sails, with him, our competitive spirit is mutual … and he makes it just so much FUN (most of the time)! I am honored to be owned by this awesome horse and while he is truly a talented athlete, we both are blessed by amazing supportive crew who take great care of us and keep us fresh in the game. For all of his wins, we have had such amazing support from friends who ride with me to condition and who travel to rides to help crew. It is with sincere gratitude that the Sayvetz family/Asgard Arabians entrusted this amazing horse to me.” In addition Holly says both “Poete and his ¾ sister Poetrie are fully qualified and nominated for the World Endurance Championships to be held in San Rossore, Italy in May 2021. Both have the maximum scores for USA selection so I am fervently hoping that we will have the opportunity to represent the USA together in May.”

Lillie Slifka Hall 1930 - 2020

Legacy.com

Lillie Adele Slifka Hall
April 14,1930 - December 7, 2020

Lillie Slifka Hall (April 14, 1930 to December 7, 2020) was born in Torrington, Wyoming, the 3rd daughter of Roy and Elsie York. She was named Lillie Adele York but her family called her "Pete". She and her two older sisters, Lavonne and Lois spent their early years on a ranch near Lance Creek in Eastern Wyoming, 26 miles from town. The winters were tough, and the Depression conditions persuaded the family to move to Idaho. They bought a ranch 12 miles West of Cambridge, Idaho on Mill Creek at the end of a wagon road. This wagon road is now highway 71. Lillie started first grade at the Pine Grove School on Seid Creek. She and her sisters rode horses, walked, or rode the horse drawn "school bus" 4 miles to the one room school for 2 years.

In 1939 the family relocated to a ranch in Cow Valley, near Brogan in Eastern Oregon. It was 4 miles horseback to this school too. Lillie loved horses, so this mode of transportation was never a problem for her.

In 1943, during the war years, ranch help was hard to find, so Lillie, at age 13 helped work their farm with draft horses. She always prefered working outdoors. She mowed hay with a sickle bar, raked with a dump rake dodging rattlesnakes, and helped stack loose hay. She also worked on neighboring ranches where she stayed during summer harvest , working their horses. Her passion for horses started very young in her life, and embraced her to the end of her 90 years.

In 1944 the family relocated to Cascade, Idaho. Their farm was in the valley, and was eventually buried under the waters of Cascade Reservoir when the dam was built. At this time the family moved to town where the girls got to attend a "town school" for the first time. Lillie attended Cascade High School and formed some of her dearest memories there. She met Elden Slifka at school where she was a cheer leader and he was a football player. In 1948 they were married at the Methodist Church in Cascade. Elden called her "Dusty" all of his life. Lillie adored her in laws, Joe and Margaret Slifka.

When she was 18 Lillie cooked for a remote logging crew near Burgdorf, Idaho.

1n 1949 Lillie and Elden moved 28 miles from Hungry Horse, Montana where Elden worked construction on the new dam. They then moved to Boise where Elden attended Boise Junior College.

They later moved to Ketchikan, Alaska where Elden worked on a logging operation. When they moved back to Boise their first child, Mark Steven Slifka was born January, 1955. In April, 1956 Trudy Lois Slifka was born. The young family moved to Moscow, Idaho where Elden attended the University of Idaho and earned a degree as an Electrical Engineer. Lillie kept plenty busy caring for her babies.

The family moved to Bountiful, Utah where Elden worked for Utah Engineering Labs, but their roots in their beloved Idaho were calling. After 4 years in Utah, the family including horses and dogs moved to an acreage between Boise and Meridian where Lillie pursued her passion for horses and they began raising Arabian horses. It was not long before the horse operation needed room to expand, and the family moved to the end of South Cole road near Boise. They built a beautiful horse facility known as Desert Edge Arabians where they raised, trained, and marketed horses for several years. They were involved with the Des Arab Horse Club from it's first meeting. Elden was the charter president. Their stallion, Las Trad was Lillies pride and joy. He won numerous championships at horse shows from 3 states competing in halter, western, english, and driving. He was ridden in parades as well as back country mountain trails, and was the Boise State Bronco Mascot at the football games. He sired 167 colts and lived to be 33...

More:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/idahopress/obituary.aspx?n=lillie-slifka-hall&pid=197344768&fhid=7108&fbclid=IwAR2BW5jHjhvedGhY4avPWJH5hA5twQadYvFBgFjtfOmBj64qCBBiuKkMSlk

Selection Memo Available for 2022 FEI Endurance World Championship

USEF.org

by US Equestrian Communications Department | Feb 8, 2021, 11:59 AM EST

Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian has published a selection memo for the 2022 FEI Endurance World Championship with helpful information for potential applicants.

In December 2020, the FEI Board considered a series of key decisions on allocation, cancellation, and reopening of bids for FEI Championships. The FEI Board agreed to allocate the 2022 FEI Endurance World Championship to Isola della Scala in Verona, Italy.

Following this decision, the USEF Endurance Sport Committee produced a selection memo for the championship, which can be found here.

This preliminary information is provided to assist athletes with their competition planning and is subject to change. Please remember that this information is based upon the recommendations of the USEF Endurance Sport Committee and is subject to approval by the USEF Board of Directors or an Ad Hoc Selection Group approved by the USEF Board of Directors when the selection procedures are compiled. Therefore, the information outlined in the selection memo is subject to change.

Please contact Steven Morrissey, Project Director of High Performance Programs, at smorrissey@usef.org if you have any questions.

More at:
https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/selection-memo-available-for-2022-fei-endurance

2021 February's Horses in the Morning

Horsesinthemorning.com - Listen

Tevis Winner and Dressage Trainer Erin McChesney: Endurance for Feb 9, 2021

Feb 9, 2021

Endurance Episode: Multiple Tevis and Haggin Cup winner Erin McChesney joins us. Karen shares her recipe for thrush control and we catch up on how her new horse Apollo is doing. Listen in...

https://www.horsesinthemorning.com/tevis-winner-and-dressage-trainer-erin-mcchesney-endurance-for-feb-9-2021/

Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian AERC 100 Mile High Point Winner

February 8 2021

The Arabian Horse Association recognizes the AERC high point earning Arabian and Half-Arabians/Anglo-Arabian of the AERC National 100 Mile year-end standing and the Arabian and Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian High Point Middle Distance applicants that meet AHA membership and registration criteria.

Our 2020 Half-Arabian/Anglo-Arabian AERC 100 Mile High Point winner is Shyrocco Rimbaud owned by Heather Davis!

Shyrocco Rimbaud “Rim” (Rimmon X Poetic Pride) is a 2006 gelding, earned a total of 885 points for completing three 100 mile rides with owner and rider Heather Davis. “Rim is the ultimate athlete - brains, brawn, speed, agility but most importantly heart. Every ride on him is pure joy” Heather states.