LONG X ride report

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

Teresa Van Hove tvanhove@uswest.net
Tami wrote 

>Did any one go to the Long X ride in ND?  I'd love to hear how it went. I'm
>still whining about missing it:((( I had planned to go  but we had a bad
>storm the night before and had to stay home and clean up the mess. Pole barn
>roof gone, many trees down and miles of fence. Along with 250 acres of crop
>gone with the 100 mile an hour winds.

Tami, we did not have quite that weather at the ride basecamp.  Did have
40-50 mph winds driving over an inch of rain in about an hour, but luckily
only some minor damage to a few tents and some damp clothes and awards to 
contend with on Friday night.  I pushed the start times back an hour on
Sat to give the trails some time to dry, I figured that the soil was dry
enough to mainly absorb the water and a few hours of sun would have the
trails rideable - I was almost correct in this assumption - the 50's had
one spot of trail I was worried about which did prove to be impassable
so I've got to get an emergency re-sanction of Saturdays ride to a 55
for the detour they ended up taking.   Other than that hitch, the ride
went really well, the horses looked good, most of the trail markings
had survived and I fixed a couple of junction points I was concerned
about on Sat morning and I had a great group of riders, vets, and 
volunteers who took the extra, unexpected challenge in stride - 
basecamp was still the fun place it usually is at a ride.  Sunday's
weather was great, cooler than it had been the week before the ride 
with lots of breeze for the horses up on top of the buttes and the
trails were great.    

Before I do the results I'd like to thank my ride sponsors.  Advanced
Biological concepts sent wonderful (very generous sized!) samples of
their ABC plus, rush creek mineral, pro-biotic, and electrolyte products;
I was able to let all my finishers choose a sample.
Valley Vet Supply sent me a beautiful t-shirt of a U.S marshal with
pretty grey arab horse crossing a snow-covered mountain range.  I used
this tee for Saturdays 55 BC award, it was so appropriate after the 
trail conditions they had encountered.  

Saturday: 50's 4 starters /4 finishers
1st Kate Burgess and Mariah   (JR rider)
2nd Phyllis Arnold and Prince (BC)
3rd Dorothy Sue Phillips and Cassenova Star 
4th Mary Burgess and El Kamari

25 LD  7 starters/ 7 finishers
1st Mary Eaton and Kintyge
2nd Sara Benson and Brownstoke (JR)
3rd Lynette Helgeson and Apache Dancer (BC)
4th Randy Helgeson and Dollar
5th DeAnne Knapp and Dameon Hada Brat -sp???
6th Pam Wagner and Ace
7th Cindy Wagner and Mt Flyer

25 CTR - Linda Goddard -only entrant but the horse looked great!

12.5 CTR - I am drawing a total mental blank on my finish order,
and my co-manager has that ride result sheet to send to
EMDRA -sorry about this but congratulations to the Juri
family and to Mickey.  

4 starters, 4 finishers and all the horses looked good-
there was only a few points separation.  

Sunday 50's 8 starters/ 8 finishers
1st Lynn Tomavick and B.A. Dyplomat (BC)
2nd Hanna Pruss and Shazam Z Hope
3rd Paschal Karl and Miss Kota
4th Mike Jarding and Fredy
5th Phyllis Arnold and Prince (2nd day horse)
6th Kate Burgess and Mariah (2nd day horse)
7th Dorothy Sue Phillips and Starlit Harbor
8th Mary Burgess and Ray Zi Onah 

Sunday 25's 5 starters/ 4 finishers
1st Randy Helgeson and Dollar (2nd day horse)
2nd Lynette Helgeson and Apache (BC -2nd day horse)
3rd Sara Benson and Star
4th Linda Goddard and Mathias sp??? 
Cindy Wagner had to pull - she got dehydrated and sick,
next year I have got to stress at my ride meetings that the
riders need to take care of themselves too, not just their
horses and they should help themselves to the water and sports
drinks that I provide to try and keep my volunteers hydrated 
and electrolyted.  

Thanks to everyone who volunteered and attended the rides and
best of luck to everyone for a great ride season the rest of
the way.  

Teresa Van Hove
Long X ride manager