RURAL GROUP HOSTS TOP NATIONAL ENDURANCE RIDE
Ashland, Montana
(June 5, 2002): The Fort Howes Endurance Rides is turning out
to be one of the most important horse
endurance rides in the U.S.
this year. Riders and horses from over 19 states and from Canada
have already arrived and set up camp in an alfalfa field. The most important
ride, the 100-mile, will be held Friday, June 7. Fifty-mile and 25-mile rides
will be held on June 8 and 9.
Bill and Jan Stevens, owners of the Circle Bar Ranch 20 miles South of
Ashland, Montana, started organizing and hosting the rides about 7 years ago.
Bill Stevens says, “We were both avid endurance riders and wanted other
riders to enjoy the beautiful country around Southeastern
Montana.” With the
cooperation and help from the Custer National
Forest the ride slowly gained popularity. People
from the local community volunteered their time. The number of entries in this
year’s 100-mile ride jumped dramatically when it was selected as a
national championship ride. The largest number of entrants previously was 18.
This year there are 52 entrants, nearly a 3-fold increase. The Stevens’
and the community have their hands full this year!
Jan Stevens says, “The hundred mile ride will start and 4:30 in the morning. The top horses are
expected to finish the 100-mile course in about 11 hours. These horses are true
athletes.” Horses which do not
finish in 24 hours are disqualified. The horses are required to have a 30 to 60
minute rest stop several times during the length of the ride. Large animal
veterinarians check each horse before the ride, at each rest stop, and at the
completion of the ride. If the veterinarian decides the horse is not fit enough
to continue the veterinarian disqualifies the horse.
Today the Stevens’ alfalfa field is the home to a small village
of mostly self-contained horse rigs. Wednesday night there were about 50 rigs.
This number of trailers is expected to double by Saturday. Wednesday the
100-mile riders were riding their horses out to check the trails and make last
minute adjustments. Friendly rivalries are being renewed as riders from as far
away as Vermont, Virginia,
Pennsylvania, and Vermont
converge with those riders arriving from the Western states. The pre-ride
veterinary checks began.
This year’s rides will determine, among other things, the 2002
International Arabian Horse Association’s Champion endurance Arabian
horse. This is only one of a few races in the U.S.
which will determine who qualifies for the World Endurance Championships in Spain
in September. Between 150 and 200 entrants are expected.
