Events
Groups
Rider Directory
Market
RideCamp
Stuff
I started not sleeping on Wed before the ride. Not a good sign. . I just
knew that we were going to have no one show up, no volunteers, no horses,
no nothing!! I couldn't have been more wrong. thank goodness.
We had over 70 pre-entered, and had a full contingent of volunteers. This
was good. 80 horses started on Sat morning, and for most of the day, I had
people begging for jobs to do!! How often does that happen?
The trail was changed up a bit this year from last year. Stagg Newman
rode both years, and last year he said it was the hardest 100 he had ever
done. This year, all 7 100 milers were done before dark!! I think it was
somewhat easier. We had a 100% completion on the 100, only 2 pulls on the
50, and 4 pulls on the 25. Most of the pulls were for lamenesses, and a
couple of those were rider options that could have gone on to probably
finish with no further problems. There was only 1 metabolic horse, and
that was a very novice Jr rider's horse. The gelding had to be treated at
the finish line. They didn't ride fast or hard, but the poor fellow just
wouldn't recover. He didn't require much treamtment, only a little
something to get him over the hump.
all in all, a very happy crowd. We received many, many positive reports on
the trail being well marked and on the vets and how helpful and
friendly the spotters on the trail were. It certainly made my day to have
so many people coming into camp SMILING!!!!
The vet checks may not have been the most efficient, but as someone
pointed out, they were the happiest place many riders had seen in a long
time!!!
I did very little to organize this ride. There were way too many people
in our organization that did all the work and all the sweating. I did help
with a lot of the worrying, so I guess I did my part.
I also water-proofed my tent a week before the ride, so that helped with
the weather!!:-) Had I not water-proofed, it would have rained, so I feel
that I did help greatly there!!
We had way too much food, but as someone wisely pointed out---better too
much than not enough!! OK, I guess that's true.
The competitors were also very gracious in being patient while we figured
all the paperwork so that the 100 miler could participate in the awards
with everyone else!!
This was truely a club ride. without all the help from many of the club
members, we couldn't have had such a successful ride. We even had two
non-horsey husbands that showed up WITHOUT their wives just to help!!!
Now if that ain't good help, I don't know what is!!!
The grounds for the ride were at Sunburst stables. The Finlays/Elliots
were the gracious hosts for our event, and they were so wonderful in all
the work they did to make everyone feel at home. Without their
hospitality, this wouldn't have worked. Thanks guys!!
Sunburst is a great place you can actually go and camp, ride, and just
visit. They are very versed in endurance riders needs, having been avid
riders/competitors before acquiring this business that now takes most of
their free time. If anyone is interested in going and riding/conditioning
some AWESOME hills and training grounds, please e-mail me and I will send
you thier number.
thanks for the help everyone, and we hope to see you all next year at the
Gold Rush ride in NE Ga.
APPY TRAILS
SAMM C. BARTEE
Auburn, Al. SE Region
with
SIR REVEL--1305 miles and........!!!
B JETS WAR EAGLE--endurance wannabe
Events
Groups
Rider Directory
Market
RideCamp
Stuff