[RC] Hotter Than Hell Summer Series results - Katrina Mosshammer
The 2009 Hotter
Than Hell Summer Series was a complete success. However, a lot of people
wondered what weatherman got paid to give all three rides unseasonably cool
weather. The most wonderful part was that no horses were treated in any of
the rides--a truly epic feat in July/August Oklahoma weather.
The
first ride was moved from Lake Oolagah to Jim Baldwin's ranch near Chelsea,
OK because of damage to the Lake Oolagah trail. Jim did a fantastic job
getting his training trails marked in time for the event. Watch words for
the day were "No horses in the swimming pool" and "A mowed trail is a marked
trail". 19 horses started the ride with only 5 pulls. Jim pulled early on to
help keep everyone straight on the looping trails. 14 horses finished and
everyone cooled off in the pool after awards.
The second ride was at
Pushmataha Wildlife Management area near Clayton. Everyone prayed for rain
and we really got dumped on. 13 riders started at 4:00 a.m. and about 4:20 a
big thunderstorm rolled in. Torrential rains accompanied by lightening
strikes made everyone miserable for about 45 minutes to an hour before the
storm blew over, but the day remained drizzly until about 4 that afternoon.
The vets and timer certainly appreciated OCER's big canopy (donated by the
Burton's last year). There were no vet pulls on this ride!!! 11 horses
finished and one rider optioned and another was overtime.
The third
ride at Bell Cow Lake was almost picture perfect. 14 horses started. Gunn
Dale's stallion saddle slipped and after a wild race through the woods and
getting a foot through one of the stirrups, came up lame, and was the only
pull of the day. The most stressful part of this ride occurred in camp
where only Dr. Self, Ann's husband, Earl McFarland, and Mary Mosshammer were
the entire ride staff. Riders were wonderfully patient. Earl kept the water
tanks on trail filled and helped vet scribe, Mary handled both timing and
PR's, and Doc Self did the rest.
There were 6 riders who initially signed
up for the whole series and one rider opted to join the rest of the series
after the first ride. Of those 7 riders 4 completed all three rides in the
series. The 4 completers were Ann McFarland, Lucy Estabrook, Annetta
Tinsman, and Alicia Peerson. The overall series winner was Ann McFarland who
won two of the three rides. Overall series BC was Lucy Estabrook whose BC
score was over 700 on all three rides.
Series Placing 1 - Ann
McFarland - Total time: 21 hours 54 min. 2 - Annetta Tinsman - Total time: 22
hours 34 min. 3 - Lucy Estabrook - Total time: 22 hours 48 min. 4 - Alicia
Peerson - Total time: 23 hours 30 min.
Series BC - Lucy Estabrook -
Smokin' Walor SWA - Scores - 701, 701.5, 715
We would like to thank the
following award sponsors:
Gulf Coast 4 Star Horse
Quencher Stablegear Tack Tractor Supply Co. The Dale
Family
Vondale Joslin-Erwin donated hand made trophies to the overall
series winner, overall series BC, and series completers. Kristen Lacy of
the Distance Depot sponsored the awards for the series completers. The 4
completers will receive an embroidered cooling vest.
We would also
like to the thank the following people who also made contributions to the
series:
Pete Harper Barry Cole Hank Jann Beverly
McDaniel Eric Nelson
Without these
sponsors and donors the series would not have been possible so THANK
YOU!!
