Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

One year at Tevis the head veterinarian and his committee decided that none of the Top Ten horses were deserving of the Best Condition Award (The Haggin Cup) so it was not awarded. Some applauded this and felt it sent a strong message to the riders that they must take better care of their horses.   Others on the Board of Governors decided it was disgrace and a blot on the ride to advertise to the world that all the Top Ten horses were lame or weary.   So the next year they decided that as the horses completed the vets would then and there decide which could or could not stand for BC so they would take the first ten horses in good condition even if it meant they had to go through 20 horses to find the ten they wanted to represent the ride publicly the next day at the BC judging.   Mainly they were judging for soundness.   They just did not want an ouchy horse being shown. As it worked out I think they went through the first thirteen in order to find ten they thought should show. Others felt that this was a terrible idea and you took the Top Ten only and if of three or four of those should not be shown, then you just judged the remaining six or seven.   
 I think the way it worked this year was that a top ten horse was disqualified at the finish line and the 11th   place horse was then allowed to move up to Top Ten and show for BC.   If there was grumbling about this, I did not hear about it.   If you Top Ten Tevis it is not mandatory that you show your horse   for BC.   Julie