The Posse Ride (From the Ride Manager)

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

Jeff Patterson cowboypolo@email.msn.com
Endurance Enthusiasts,

During the 1999 Posse Ride there was an accident where two riders left the course ahead of the finish line due to a hazard and ran over a spectator.  I think everyone knows about it, or at least thinks they do.  Right after it happened I was swamped with requests to write something on Ridecamp, but did not feel it was appropriate to do so at that time.  I relied on AERC to review my incident report and the facts provided and then inform the ride community.  After reading the April Endurance News, I now feel compelled to attempt setting the story straight myself.  To date, AERC has not provided an accurate account of the incident.  In addition, unless it does get straightend out, there will be no more Posse Ride.

It has been really hard to set back and listen to all the hearsay and opinions based only on rummor.  I have heard about every rendition of the incident possible.  Some are humorous and some scary.  Realizing there is no way I can cover all the facts using this media, I will attempt to cover only the most important issues.  I would have love to attach the entire Incident Report with diagrams, photos, and eyewitness statements, but that is not possible.

BACKGROUND ON RIDE CAMP:
For those who are unfamilar with our camp, it was in a timbered setting at an old logging camp which had been used for a church camp in most recent years.  The camp sets in a deep canyon accessed by only one main road.  That road was used as a common trail accessing most of our loops and the finish line.  The road was gated off just beyond our camp which restricted any through traffic.  However, the road was necessary to access the camp.  Every rider, spectator, and crew member drove into camp on that road.  As well, every rider left and returned to camp for vet checks on that same road for a distance of at least 550 feet just about each time they made a loop.  In addtion, that road was used as a finish line due to an absolute lack of any other reasonable place to have one.  Of course since the wreck, I have heard numerous suggestions of other places I could have put the finish line, like a mile from camp on a one lane trail, or down the road on a blind corner, etc, etc, etc.  Let me assure you, a lot of effort, consideration, and advise from other ride managers and vets went into deciding where to put the finish line.  I just did not count on riders disregarding the fact that we were limited in where we could put a finish line and refusing to cooperate with the circumstances.  Other than a less than ideal finish line, our camp was a beautiful setting with very nice trails, good facilities that everyone raves about.  We even provided showers and indoor toilets with some RV hookups.  

We set up a very expensive PA system at the finish line for announcements.  As riders approached we announced them and cleared the road.  It actually was working very well.  Along the road and parallel to the road just before the finish line were our vet lanes.  We had four vet lanes regulation length marked out on the ground with white chalk.  The outside line of the first lane was approximately 10 feet from the edge of the road with the remaining three lanes adjacent.  At the far end of the vet lanes closest to the finish line were the vets' stations.

Along the road before the vet lanes, but on the same side as you approach the finish, were campers.  Across the road from the vet lanes there were a couple camps but mostly open.  There were platforms from Army tents on that side of the road making it difficult to park campers.  The road at that point in camp was approximately 24 feet wide, not including the shoulder area along the vet lanes.  To give you an idea how wide that is, it is about the same as a standard secondary highway.  Upon approaching camp, riders round a corner, approximately 550 feet from the finish line.  The approach to the finish line along that road is clearly visable for that distance(or almost two football fields).

SUMMARY OF THE INCIDENT:
At about the same time as the three riders who had been riding together the whole 50 mile distance approached the camp on their last leg, and headed for the finish, the pastor of the church camp drove in to see how things were going.  The pastor was driving a small red pickup and had made it about to the beginning of where the vet lanes started.  The incoming riders made their decision to race before they rounded the corner from camp.  Therefore, they were in a dead run as they rounded the corner and approached the last stretch of road to the finish.  The riders addmitted that they saw the pickup in the road when they rounded the corner but thought they would just go around it rather than to slow or abandon the race.  The incoming racers were reported and announced over the PA but the driver of the pickup evidently could not hear it and did not see them in his rear view mirror.  I saw others attempting to wave him off the road but he did not understand.  The riders also addmitted that they saw a man (James Oury) sitting in a chair at the end of the vet lanes well off the course, but stated that they thought they could make it around him rather than chance spooking their horses by going around the pickup.  Keep in mind that this is a small red Ford Ranger, approximately 5 1/2 feet to 6 feet wide in the middle of a 24 foot road bed. 

As I stood right behind the finsh line and watched the ordeal unfold, I was in shock as to what I was witnessing.  I could see the three horses approaching the back of the pickup.  It seemed as though something must have spooked the horses because they veered to the right of the pickup and raced right over James Oury who was sitting in the chair.  The first horse ran around the right side of Oury, furthest into the vet lanes, clear into the third vet lane.  As Oury jumped up from his chair to escape the first horse, he moved to his left and was hit dead on by the second horse.  The first horse was about a horse length ahead of the second and was whipping her horse to the finish.  The second horse hit Oury and I watched him tumble under feet like a rag until he was deposited out the side.  I recall fearing that the horse was going down on him and would crush him.  After James Oury broke loose from the horses legs, the rider encouraged the horse on to the finish.  I had to dodge the two riders myself in my attempt to get to James Oury.  As all this was happening, the third rider slowed her horse behind the pickup and avoided the whole collision.  After these two riders crossed the finish line, they brought their horses to a complete stop at the water tank approximately 40 to 50 feet beyond the finish line. Personally, I was too occupied with James Oury to pay much attention to the two riders after that.  I do know however, that one of the riders never did come over to see what had happend to James Oury and the other only made a seemingly superficial inquiry.  Both riders made their way to the P&R and vet checks as normal and as though nothing had happend.  It was reported to me by P&R people that the rider who hit James Oury asked them who it was that she hit.  When they told her she remarked that she used to work for him.

After Oury was life flighted out, and I returned to the crowd, I was lambasted with demands to disqaulify the riders and to write a protest.  Riders, spectators, and eye witnesses alike were outraged and wanted me to do something about what had happend.

After a very pressured review of the rule book, I determined that I should disqualify the riders under the rule regarding dangerous horses.  Had I had the time and frame of mind to study the rules more I would have used the unsportsmanship rule.  I approached the rider that actually hit James Oury to tell her I was going to disqaulify the two of them, expecting to be received with some remorse and emotion.  Instead, the rider demanded that I could not disqualify her without a hearing.  Due to the atmosphere of the crowd, I agreed to put together a panel and offer the two riders a hearing right there at camp.  The riders agreed that a panel of ride managers attending the ride would be a fair panel for a hearing.  A hearing was therefore conducted.  During that hearing ride managers plead with the riders to voluntarily disqualify themselves.  The hearing became an environment of emotions and tears, so we compromised by giving them their completions but taking way their placings.  One rider ran away in tears and the other accepted the terms but in protest for her horse and the loss of his points.  I had agreed to go along with whatever the panel of ride managers wanted to do, so that was the conclusion at that point.

THE CHANGE OF MIND:
There has been much talk and many questions as to why we changed our minds and disqualified the riders after we agreed to give them completions at the ride camp.

First and formost, our decision was made due to the advise and influence of AERC, after contacting them regarding notification in case of an insurance claim.  I was not going to set on this matter unreported, only to find our insurance would not cover it because we did not notify them of the incident.  Upon contacting Doyle Patrick's office, office staff refered me to the Protest and Grievence Committee as the appropriate branch to report to.  Jim Rogan of the P&G Committe took a very strong position regarding the incident because of other incidents they have dealt with.  He asked me to make a formal protest and provide them with a detailed report on what had happened.  I was convinced after talking with him that it was more appropriate to disqualify the riders, provide the P&G Committee with the facts, and let them decide what the penalties should be.  Jim Rogan advised me that it was his opinion that these two riders should be sanctioned for life from any AERC event.  I want to go on record to say we defended the riders in this regard and in no way ever promoted such severe action.  In fact, Darlene and I co-authored a cover letter to my report and complaint that specifically requested that we be given an opportunity to further comment on what we feel would be appropriate and what would not be appropriate should they decide to employ any further penalties other than disqualification.

My conclusion to the matter was that disqulification was appropriate.  Regardless what was in the road, whether it was a pickup, a rider going out on another leg of their ride, a child, a dog, etc., these riders had a responsibility to take whatever measures they needed to evade a collision.  Although we made every attempt to make the finish safe, ride management cannot guarantee the finish line will be unobstucted.  Anyone who thinks they can, short of a fenced off and guarded zone, is kidding themselves.  In addition, as stated above, there was ample room for these riders to avoid the pickup and still finsh on course, as was demonstrated by the third riding partner, who slowed down, went around the pickup, and finished safely.  The rider who hit James Oury stated her horse was out of control and could show us how his chin was cut from trying to pull him in.  However, she managed to pull him up okay within 40 to 50 feet after crossing the finish line.  Most of all, I couldn't help but consider the attitudes of both riders regarding the accident.  They not only justified what they did as competition, but they both, on occassions, attempted to put some blame on Oury for reasons I have yet to understand.  I will maintain forever, safety of others has got to come before competition.  Both of these girls could have and should have made the decision to slow down and take a safer approach once they saw the hazard, rather than jeapordize a man's life because they were of the opinion ride management did not keep the course unobstructed for them to race, not to mention that they ran into a vet area full of people.  Had they not hit Oury, there were numerous others that could have been hurt.

THE OTHER WRECK:
Now that I have given you a thumbnail of the incident, let me address an incident which occured the year before.  Only because I know it has been brought up and is questioned.  

The year before at our ride we had placed the finish line down the road at the advise of a long time and experienced ride manager.  As 2 or 3 25 mile riders raced for the finish line, a horse being handled along side the road close to the finish line spooked at the racing horses, pulled away from its handlers, and ran into the path of the racing horses causing a collision.  No one was seriously injured but could have been.  I want to make a point in this regard.  In 1998 the finish line was down the road approximately 200 feet from where the finish line was located in 1999 and we had a wreck.  It was an unforseeable incident.  A darting child type incident.  However, this incident has been beat to death in comparison to the 1999 wreck.  Although it was unforseeable that the pickup would drive in just as riders raced in, these riders had plenty of notice, unlike a darting child case.  Moving the finish line did not prevent these riders from making a poor decision regarding the safety of racing under the circustances.  When your ride camp limits you to a finish line that may pose hazards, riders have to cooporate by taking pre-cautionary measures in their own actions.

AERC AND THE POSSE RIDE 2000:
After reading the Aprill issue of Endurance News and seeing what AERC has done to us in regard to liability, we are not in a good position to manage another ride.

Although the Board denied Janet's appeal, the Board passed a motion that "this ride manager" needs to be educated in safety.  This is a declaration that the Board did not and does not consider me experienced or educated enough in safety to manage a ride.  Therefore, I would be crazy to expose the Sheriff's Posse or myself to any accident that might happen at another ride I manage.  We do not feel AERC is in support of Posse Ride management.  If someone falls off their horse in the water tank, ride management will be at fault.

Darlene (my wife) has ridden endurance for more than 15 years.  She has ridden approximately 1400 miles in competition, completed Tevis, and has helped at other rides on numerous occasions.  I have followed her and this sport and helped at many of those rides over the years.  In addition, I was raised on horseback and participated in just about every horse sport available to me growing up in Montana.  I have been an active member and officer of the Missoula County Sheriff's Posse (horse-mounted) for more than 15 years and have organized many public equestrian events.  I am respected among my peers as a good source of equestrian information.  Not to mention that I am a licensed private investigator who has made my living for more than 18 years evaluating liabilites and investigating accidents, many involving horses and livestock.  I have been quaified as an expert in court in that regard.  I tell you this only that you may appreciate why I am so insulted that the Board Members of AERC have the audacity to brand me as a ride manager who needs to be educated in safety.  I would kind of like to know who they are going to commission to be my tutor!  Not that I am anywhere beyond learning, there are always suggestions and comments that help us do a better job.  I just do not appreciate being put in a position where I cannot even manage a ride because I have been branded "unqualified" to manage a ride.  Barbara McCrary wrote about our incident and not only misstated the facts but left the readers to believe it was because of my inexperience that I was unable to anticipate possible dangers with endurance riding.

We would really like to continue with the Posse Ride.  We have lots of riders who had a lot of fun at our ride encouraging us to continue.  This is not just Jeff and Darlene Patterson's Posse Ride.  This is the Missoula County Sheriff's Posse Ride.  There are a lot more very qualified and experienced people involved here in this ride than just Jeff and Darlene.  However, unless AERC can rectify our reputation by correcting their comments and decisions to brand us unqualified, in the same widely published forum as they have chastised us, we just cannot do it.

As I said in the begining, I wish I could lay the whole case out in front of all who are interested.  This forum is just not adequate for the task.  I am sure this will get around and there will be hundreds of questions and comments, good and bad.  I did not come here to argue or debate with anyone, just to do my best at what you all asked for in the beginning, but did not feel I should do so until AERC had made their decision.  So thanks for taking the time to read this long message and I hope it helps some of you clear up some questions or concerns.

I will leave you with this; riders have many times asked what they could do to help.  Well, you can start by letting me know how you really feel as a ride community.  Secondly, if you support the things I have said, let AERC know how you feel.  I do not think any of us ride managers are all that different.  I hope you all understand how the lack of support and actions by AERC can affect you personally in regard to liability while managing a ride.  In court your defense to a liability action will rely on expert testimony from your peers and an organization which regulates the sport.  If your peers and the regulatory organization do not support you, you are S.O.L.  If I were to end up in court over a case like this with AERC citing me as a ride manager, who needs to be educated in safety, where do think that leaves me?

Sincerely,

Jeff Patterson
Posse Ride Manager