Ridecamp: [RC] Malibu Ride

Monica Woodman monica_woodman@xxxxxxxxxxx
For those of you upset at Laura Toston and her junior riders, I ask that you provide me with facts and specifics to support your allegations.  As of now I have not received anything that can be substantiated and I do not react to rumors or finger pointing.

I had one rider allege at the ride that Laura cut trail near the photographer and I could prove it by checking with the photographer.  I did check with the photographer who did have pictures of Laura and each of her Juniors.  I marked the trail myself in this area and know it very well and the ride went the shortest way that anyone can go.  I could not find anything to substantiate the allegation and have not heard anything further from the rider.

I had another rider allege that Laura cut trail going through Rocky Road.  There are not any short cuts along this path as the ride route was the shortest way.  Any area to pass is literally 5-10' from the trail so I can't see how Laura could have cut trail or gained ground on the other riders.  Without specific facts I don't think it is fair to start and perpetuate rumors, let alone disqualify riders.  So again, if there are facts and specifics for me to review, I will do so.  As many of you have stated, you can also file a complaint with the AERC.  As the Ride Manager, I am doing my best to follow the rules and apply them fairly.

The facts and specifics that I have to work with do not support the allegations made on Ridecamp.

I'd like to point out a few things that I know for fact.

Laura spent a day working with a group of volunteers that I organized to help clear the trail in preparation for the ride.

Laura and her students helped me mark trail for the ride and they donated water containers that were used on the ride.

Laura and two of her students were three of the seven people who helped me clean the entire campsite after the ride on Sunday.  The other people were my boyfriend, his two children and one of my best friends.  None of the rode.  I didn't call Laura, she just showed up to help.

Last but not least, she and her students are helping to take down the markings for about 20 miles of the trail.

I ride many of the same trails that Laura and her students ride and I rode Hog Wild and was the ride photographer last year at Malibu.

In all the times I've past her and her riders, I have never seen them behave poorly, push anyone or yell at anyone.  At Hog Wild I rode many miles with them all of them uneventful.  The few times we past riders it was on a fire road and nothing dangerous about it.  At the Malibu ride where everyone went by me along the way back to Base Camp, I took pictures of Laura and her riders and there wasn't anyone within a few minutes of them, before or after, so I am curious how so many of you seemed to have witnessed her personally as I didn't see any of you near her and her riders.  I am always amazed at how confident her Juniors are on the trail and how well they ride.  I am encouraged to see the Juniors on the trail both on horseback and on foot learning and doing the hours of hard work that rides and horses require. I don't understand why many of you are so angry at her and her Juniors as I don't see any facts and my own personal experiences with them are nothing like the allegations made in Ridecamp.  Laura and her students are always riding and my guess is the reason why they so often win the LD rides is that all Laura's horses are very well conditioned and very experienced. She and her riders put more miles on their horses than anyone else I have seen personally.

The last point I would like to make is that I was at Vet Check 2 and the 30 mile finish and Laura and her riders were all together at the same time.  Differences in their completion times were due to how quickly each rider met criteria.  From what I saw personally, they were all together as they were supposed to be.

I saw a lot of things as a Ride Manager that I wished I hadn't, the accident, riders overriding their horses, riders abusing other riders verbally, etc.  My spotters on the trail reported a sponsor screaming at her two Juniors to stop complaining and making her ride miserable.  Things that you just wish wouldn't happen in our sport.  I am trying very hard to not let these things distract me from the many many good things that I saw happen.  The horses for one, were and are amazing.  Giving their all and trying their hearts out for their riders.  I saw some wonderful horsemanship and many people caring and taking care of their horses.  The many volunteers that came from no where and the many that returned to help year after year, words can't say enough about how inspirational the people and the horses are in our sport.  There is much more good than bad and I guess we all are trying to figure out how to get the bad out and keep it from tainting the good.

Thank you so much to the volunteers and the riders for helping make this ride happen for another year.

Monica Woodman





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