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Reynolds Twins Dominate SASO Race


(Published in EquiSearch, April 17, 2004, 
http://www.equisearch.com/sports/endurance/ridetieSASO_042004/)


By Biz Eischen 


First-timer Tim and brother Jeremy Reynolds vaulted to the 
gold in the second of the 2004 SASO Ride & Tie series race. Equine partner Zar 
Za Fire received the Best Conditioned 
Award.

San Jose, Calif., April 17, 2004 -- The second of 
the 2004 Shine and Shine Only (SASO) Ride & Tie
race series was held at Santa Clara County's Grant 
Park just below Mount Hamilton (elev. 4,213 feet) in the 
east hills of San Jose. This 9,553-acre former ranch boasts 
52 miles of hiking and equestrian trails traversing diverse 
terrain between 1,200- and 3,000-foot elevations. For 
Ride & Tie aficionados, the Grant Park SASO provided a 
perfect tune-up for the upcoming 34th Annual Championships 
in late June.

The 25-mile race included all the extreme bipolar attributes
curiously present in many Ride & Tie races: extremes of 
weather, temperature, terrain, travel distance, vegetation, 
contestant age, experience, skill and, of course, inseams. 
None of which -- especially stirrup length -- fazed first-
timer Tim Reynolds and identical twin brother Jeremy Reynolds.

Right from the start, the twins took the lead and continued 
to out-run, out-tie and out-pace the rest of the pack. They 
were the first to arrive at the 10-mile vet check and had 
already vetted through when the others started to arrive. 
Having only one Ride & Tie race between them, the Reynolds
brothers on Zar Za Fire finished first in the 25-mile course 
in 3 hours 10 minutes --11 minutes ahead of super-veteran 
team Warren Hellman and Jeff Townsend.


The 20-something Reynolds twins are perfectly suited for 
Ride & Tie. They are accomplished hunter-jumper competitors, 
gymnasts, cyclists and runners. Jeremy is a notable 
endurance rider and horse trainer and is currently training 
for the Western States 100-mile ultra-marathon.

The Reynolds' attribute their win to efficient xchanges. 
"Rather than wasting time stopping the horse and fumbling 
around getting on, we shaved minutes off every mile by 
vaulting off and on the horse at a trot," said Jeremy.


While the other SASO finishers may not have vaulting in 
their Ride & Tie skill set, they all had team spirit, 
sheer determination and a little luck.


In second place, pros Hellman and Townsend on Sam finished in 
3 hours 21 minutes. In third place, pros Sara Kelly and 
Brandi Page on Majik finished in 3 hours 29 minutes. Coming 
in fourth was first-timer Terri Milkovich and 
pro Curt Riffle on Corky in 3 hours 45 minutes.


The coveted Best Conditioned Award -- based on vet check 
results, recovery time, and placement points -- went to 
Zar Za Fire, who received a new tie rope and a basket 
of carrots.


Ride & Tie Association president and mentor Curt Riffle 
took great pleasure in the Reynolds' win.  "In Ride & Tie, 
the multitude of team-horse-course variables in a race 
tends to level the playing field and that's what makes it 
fun for all participants - young, old, experienced or not," 
he said. "I'm always glad to see amateurs win but I'm really 
going to have to watch out for those guys at the Championships. 
They are hot!"



For full race results, a schedule of upcoming events, or 
more information on the sport of Ride & Tie visit 
www.rideandtie.org or call the Ride & Tie
Association at 650-949-2321.


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