A Big Horn weekend to remember and reflect over
these past fifteen years. I rode the Big Horn the first year I lived here and
have been going every year since when I could. This year was one of the most
challenging and memorable.
Wyoming is very hot and dry this year.
The wild flowers where not as pretty as many years past, but the scenery just as
spectacular. I have always been in awe of this ride for its beauty and the
challenge to horse and rider. I keep going back to see the scenery, meet the
people and still see if my old body can do it again. It was difficult this year
as the loop from Antelope Butte to Jack Creek ( last vet check) must have been
30 miles or more. It took Emily Mathews and I seven hours to do this loop. I
admire the Tolman family and friends who put on this ride and three other rides
on in Wyoming. They have so little help to do such a difficult task. Thinking
about the volunteers for the Tevis and seeing how few people manage the Big Horn
make you realize what a monumental task this ride is for the few people who
manage and work it. My thanks and gratitude go out to the Tolman family,
their volunteers and vets. Thanks to Lyle Bishoff who stands by this ride every
year cares for all our horses.
I was so sorry to see that many 100
milers did not finish because of time and two were not able get to the last vet
check and spent the night on trail. Unless you see this country, experience the
difficulty of marking and riding trail in a very remote area with few people to
help, you cannot appreciate the challenge and hard work for ride management. I
want to thank the Tolman family, veterinarians and all the volunteers for their
outstanding job.
The greatest loss was to have Maureen
Jewell loose her wonderful horse Andy after this ride. Maureen is an excellent
horse woman and a very unfortunate incident was her loss. A small group of
Mountain Region riders support our rides and each other and we are very proud to
offer some of the most beautiful rides any where. The Big Horn is really the
epitome of endurance; challenging, beautiful and a test of horse and rider
alike. To do this ride is to love the country, appreciate a wonderful horse and
fellow endurance riders. Dorothy Sue Phillips
