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Interactive Trail Map
Previous Years
20032004
2005
2006
2007
2008 Day 1 - Castle Creek
Images by Merri Melde
Day 4 Results and Images || Day 5 Results and Images
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New! all 50, 55 mile distances are AHA recognized. ~ 5 Days of Endurance Rides- 50, 55, 50, 55, 50 ~ 5 Days of Limited Distance - 25, 25, 30, 30, 25 ~ 2 Days of Trail Ride (Saturday and Sunday) Come ride the historic trails of Southwest Idaho's rugged Owyhee country! Ride all day and come back for a hot shower, happy hour in the shaded yard, and a hearty Idaho dinner by Blue Canoe Catering. Sleep under the starry skies, and ride again the next day! (or maybe just relax and enjoy the late summer sun...) This year we'll be offering Limited Distance rides every day, and also a 2-day Trail Ride on Saturday and Sunday. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner will be available all week! Dinner is free with ride entry, breakfast and lunch may be purchased. Blue Canoe Catering. Ride Managers: Steph & John Teeter Ride Vets: Michael Peterson, DVM (head vet) Robert Washington, DVM (treatment, control) Gene Nance, DVM (control) Assistant Manager: Regina Rose |
50 Mile Results25 Mile Results |
2008 Photo Galleries by Merri |
Day 2: 55 Mile Results
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2008 Photo Galleries by Merri |
Day 3: 50 Mile Results
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2008 Photo Galleries by Merri |
Day 4: 55 Mile Results
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2008 Photo Galleries by Merri |
Day 5: 50 Mile Results
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2008 Photo Galleries by Merri |
Images by Karen Bumgardner
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5 day overview mapTrail Summary
2008 Trails Description
Castlecreek photos 2007
Day 1, Wednesday. Castle Creek Canyon. 50 miles and 25 miles. download/printable map:
trail map || trail map and google earth topo
50's: Very scenic, fairly rocky overall. Moderate to easy in difficulty. There are a few very rocky technical sections in the morning. Otherwise, decent footing, some short rocky stretches, ranch roads, single track through canyon area. One out vet check half-way. Ride through Browns Creek Canyon, above Castle Creek Canyon, and through a short section of the canyon above the TX Ranch (Collettes).
25's: Fairly easy trail, with minimal rock, but some sections of sand wash. One out vet check. You will cross Hart Creek and ride the trails on the south side of Triangle Road. .
Wildhorse photos 2007Day 2, Thursday, Wild Horse Butte. 55 miles, 25 miles. download/printable map:
trail map || trail map with google earth topo
55's: Mostly good footing. Some sandy stretches, minimal rock, some single track through badlands, lots of dirt road (Oregon Trail) with good footing. Single track trail along the Snake River, around Wild Horse Butte. Two out vet checks, both in same location.
25's: Fairly easy trail, good footing, single track and dirt roads, one out vet check
Sinker photos 2007Day 3, Friday, Sinker Creek Canyon. 50 miles, 30 miles. download/printable map
trail map || trail map with google earth topo
50's: Moderate to easy trail, very scenic! VERY rocky as you ride through canyon for 5 miles. Cows/calves and low branches in canyon - no trotting through here! But take your binoculars and camera - raptor nests in canyon walls, great rock formations, pretty trail! Please walk through ranch area. Two out vetchecks in same location (5 miles from camp up Bates Creek Rd)
30's: Ride through Sinker Canyon, one out vet check on Bates Creek Rd.
Hart Creek photos 2007Day 4, Saturday, Hart Creek Canyon, 55 miles, 30 miles and Trail Ride. download/printable maps:
trail map || Trail map with google earth topo
55's: All vet checks in camp. Moderate trail, some climbs and rocky sections. Ride through the old homestead on Hart Creek, and along the rim above Hart Creek Canyon. Very scenic. Mixed footing - some sand, a rocky climb out of the canyon, fairly technical trail in places.
30's: One vet check in camp. Fairly technical trail, some climbs and rocky sections. Very scenic.
Trail Ride: Ride the 15 mile loop down into Hart Creek and through the old Homestead. Moderately difficult. Or ride the 10 mile rim trail above Hart Canyon for an easier, but still scenic, ride.
Day 5, Sunday - Picket Creek Canyon: 50 miles, 25 miles and Trail Ride.download/printable map:
trail map || trail map and google earth topo
All vet checks in camp. All distances wil ride through 'the narrows' at Picket Creek Canyon, a short rocky section along the creek bed where you can touch the rock walls and see bird nests in the rock cracs - very scenic! Additional loops for 25's and 50's with good footing and minimal difficulty. Trail ride will follow rim trail above Hart Creek and return via 'the narrows'.
Average Weather Conditions
National
Weather Service: 7 day forecast for Murphy/Oreana, ID - 83650
Normal high temperatures (for Boise) are in the mid 70's. Normal low temperatures are in the lower 50's. It is typically dry and sunny, though showers are possible.
This page will give you the daily averages for the month of September in Boise. Oreana can be a little warmer and drier on average than Boise.
Details, Details - by Tamara of In The Night Farm
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The 2008 Owyhee Canyonlands Pioneer started yesterday. Alas, I spent the day in front of a crowded meeting room, trussed up in a suit and heels, earning a living while all those other riders were out there living! Ah well, Saturday will come...and next year, between Aaruba and Consolation, I'll do some multi-day rides myself.
This year, I'll ride on Saturday, then stick around to volunteer on Sunday. The ever-organized folks in Oreana have posted trail maps for each day's ride at endurance.net, giving me plenty of opportunity to examine the Day 4 map. It seems that Aaruba's and my 55-mile race will consist of a 17-mile loop, then 22, then 16. All holds will be in camp, which is a blessing because I'll be riding crewless unless some generous soul steps in. (Somebody? Anybody??)
The Trails - by Old Motown Primetime (Timer) - a Tennessee Walker
On rides like this, the endurance horses go either between 50 and 60 miles depending on the day. The limited distance horses go from 25 to 30 miles in a day. The really smart horses go on trail rides. Teton and I went 30 miles but we were smart enough to take two days to do it. Phil talks about doing a limited distance ride some time but I can't see the advantage of more miles before getting back to my hay bag. Can you?
Saturday the four of us, Teton, his human, John, Phil and I did a 17 mile clockwise loop across a couple of ranges of hills down to a beautiful canyon that you'll see in the pictures but that we didn't have to go through and then back to camp. The neatest trail was one offering acrophobia on both sides. Of course, we saw spectacular views to both sides. One picture show Teton starting on this trail but once we started up it the camera went in the horn bag so Phil could help me keep us safe with both hands.
On day two we did a shorter loop (good idea!) that was inside the big one and went counter clockwise along the ridge we crossed the first day. This was neat because we could look down on the day one trails. On this ride the humans made us go through a pretty little canyon with high sides. Phil took pictures for you most of the way through.
We think it's sort of neat that we can trailer a couple of hours north or east and ride in Ponderosa Pine forests and about the same distance south and take humans on rides on the desert mountains and through neat rocky canyons.
Since I'm only a horse, my vocabulary isn't big enough to give the scenery justice so please look at the pictures in our website. Razi put the websites in her article but just in case.
http://carrollscorner.shutterfly.com/
www.endurance.net/
The Equestrian Vagabond
On the Trails Again - by AW Habod, 27-year-old Arabian
This spring I found myself filling in as Mom's main riding horse, apparently Tempo got injured and is in short term(?-HAH) retirement. I am now on my way to being 28 years young. Back in the 80's I used to do endurance riding, but self retired in the winter of 94, when I broke a coffin bone at home.
Pam Davenport and her fun little SSH, Apache, needed a riding companion. Pam would get off work in the evenings, and didn't want to ride alone. It was at this time Mom decided to try Adequan IM to help me be more comfortable while riding. Boy howdy did that stuff work! Within 48 hours my appetite, attitude and athletic abilities all took a 180 degree turn. Mom and I would join Pam and Apache for their workouts, Mom would tell them what to do, where to go (she is good at that-bossy ya know), and we would just meet them at different places. As time went by I felt good enough to start doing more and more with Apache. I must say my work ethic isn't the best so Mom does carry the "flogging" stick, NOT that I listen to it anyway, but it seems to make her happy-whatever. By August we started doing slow long training rides of 12 miles, and that was the begining of it all.
September found me going off to see a Dr. Robert Washington, where I THOUGHT I would get some Chiro care (he said I needed NONE...hrumph), and a check-up to see if I was okay to start a "ride???". I thought we had been riding, and this made me a wee bit suspicious. Mom had said something about doing a "test" ride of about 20 miles, after seeing the vet. Test, test for what?? That weekend found me showing Carrie Johnson's new horse, Adhim, how you go out and just get the job done. Okay NOW I got it, I was needed to help teach Carrie's horse about distance riding, good enough, job done and I was rather proud of myself.
Mom had been doing alot of "stuff" over a week later, with the camper and horse trailer, Tempo says "HE" is going to go get to play again. This is fine with me, when Tempo leaves I get to relax and eat all I went in PEACE! Next thing I know I'm getting a mini bath, stuffed into the horse trailer and off we go to pick up my friend Apache. This time Apache's Mom is following us with her trailer, I'm a little confused, but am looking forward to another little ride. We drive, and drive, and drive, and then HORROR of all horrors we are going out into the middle of BF NOWHERE! I KNOW she is taking me out here to shoot and then bury me, I just KNOW IT! Rattle, bang, bump, clatter, slam we go, then hey look at that, there's a "ride camp". Gosh I haven't seen a ride camp in a long time, wonder what's up?
Mom sets up my yummies and puts me on this "Hi-Tie" thing, which suits me fine. Apache gets a nice corral right next to me, and there is another horse named "Gil" right by me too. I guess Gil belongs to Karen Steenhoff, whom I know and remember from the 80's, I used to love riding with her horse Thorn (who has over 7000 miles....YOIKES!) So far, so good, then the strangest of all things happen, Mom drags me off to see the ride vet. I get the usual poking and prodding, while they discuss "where and how" to do a skin pinch test, seems I have something called "Shar Pei dog" skin? Must be some kind of royalty thing? Then the vet insults me by asking IF Mom could get me to trot just a few steps to check my soundness, a FEW...HRUMPH! I know how to trot out better then 80% of those "endurance" horses! I took off and left a cloud of dust, the entire area was laughing and hooting out loud. Guess I showed that vet something! "Could I trot a few steps", HOW insulting! I get a passing vet card to ride the next day. It was about this time I figured out what Mom was up to, she never did tell me about "her" plans.
RIDE DAY Owyhee Canyonlands 30/day two Wildhorse Butte
Apache told me he was there to make sure I stayed happy and healthy, and if at anytime I didn't feel good he would RUN off and get help. He said that the human's aren't smart enough to take care of us, so "us horses have to look out for each other". That made me feel pretty darn good, as I know Apache has watched out for me ALL summer, and is fit enough to "run" get help if I didn't feel so good. We headed out right as they said trail was open, Apache and I both slogging along on loose reins. I was always such a good boy at the start, and Mom was SO pleased that I still remembered. Horses kept passing us by, and I just did the slow trot Mom said was to be our gait for the day. After we grunted (okay "I" grunted) our way up the last climb from the start, and began the long ridge road, Apache forgot all about OUR plan to go slow. Pam kept telling me I had to stay in front, Apache needed a road block. So for a few miles I did just as I was told, and tried very hard to assure Apache it was NOT a race and just to follow my lead. He finally decided I was right, and that he DID promise to take care of me, which he couldn't do if he went chasing off after all those other horses.
Once Apache relaxed I let him go in front, I set the pace but he kept it going. Away we went, and then there was some guy standing out in the sagebrush, pointing something at us. Mom made me back off so Apache and Pam could have space for a good picture. Okay, I know about pictures, so I made certain to show how "young" I am, I do the "wind in the hair look" very well! Then we stopped and got some pictures together, which I can't wait to see. Then back to work, me setting the pace but Apache leading us on. We jiggity jog along and are keeping a pace my Mom is very pleased with, I am very pleased with myself for doing it so well. We pop out on a gravel road, and shortly after our riders get off and start leading us. Oh my gosh look at that! Look at all those horses! Oh boy, I start puffing up then start "blowing", whoof, whoof, I go, Mom says something about being SOL on getting my pulse down? I didn't like upsetting Mom, so as we get into the vet hold I relax and pulse down just fine. We eat, and eat, and eat, I go show that same insulting vet that I can still out trot everyone! All the vets laugh and comment on how great I look (like there should be any doubt, hrumph). Off to eat some more, get some cleaning up, and eat some more, oh how I like this vet hold idea!
Time is up, and we head off into the desert to finish our last leg. Apache thinks there are wolves out in them thar bushes, so I lead until he feels safe again. We head up a long very gentle climb, Apache and I both aren't really happy with it. Mom says the footing is too good, the slope to flat to warrant walking, so she tells us to try a canter. WOOOOWEEE, we gallop along, me in front and Apache behind, both of us just smiling and enjoying the change of pace! Our Mom's had to remind us from time to time "it is NOT a race between you two!", hee, hee. Back to the slow trot, cross the big hard road where lots of cars went by, and off through the desert again. Stop at a water tank and drink, drink, drink, oh that was SO nice of them to put that in just the right spot! We got to meet the front runners on the 55 miler, which looked like they were having almost as much fun as us. I really thought I should follow them, but I guess our way home was different, which was disappointing for a few minutes.
Finally we come to this drop, where Mom starts telling me we are done with all the long miles of trotting! She gets off and walks me on the downs, and we work our way back to the trail/road we started out on in the morning. True to my old self, I knew we were finishing, and I was in full steam ahead mode. Apache was wandering what the heck I thought I was doing, after all these miles I was going to run off and leave him?? Mom made me slow it down, and come into camp like a nice respectable horse...hrumph. Apache pulsed right down, and I was very shortly after him. I was SO greatful for his watchful eye all day, without him I would not have enjoyed this. We went back to our trailers, got a snack and a quick light shower, then off for the vets to look at us. I got a royal completion as did Apache!! He was to get to go out and play again the next day, as for me-once was enough. I had way more fun at this ride then I ever thought I would again. Mom says I can almost out eat Tempo, which I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not? The next day I found out I had won a 20 minute massage!! Wow, there is something about being this "mature", everybody seems to want to fuss all over you, and everybody has a smile for you.
On my trailer ride home, we stopped off at Karen's house, Mom gave her a ride home. I was reunited with Thorn and we posed for some pictures together. After a nice break, I was headed off home again. Once home all I could think about was eating!! It was such a great couple of days. You know maybe someday I would think about trying another ride, I'll have to think about it. Mom says I look great, and can have ALL the food I want....yeah!
Hope you all have wonderful rides and that your riders treat you as well as I was treated!
Sincerely,
AW Habod
AERC# 4037
(owned by Skyla Stewart)
2008 Owyhee Canyonlands 5-Day Ride - by Merri
Tuesday September 23 2008
Another fall arrives and with it, another renewal of the Owyhee Canyonlands 5-day ride in the high desert of southern Idaho, and another gathering of a great fun group of endurance and trail riding friends, and a diverse group of horses (and 2 mules).
It's starting to get a bit harder to justify driving anywhere to endurance rides nowadays, but they came anyway: from Canada, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, and California - many of them took two days to get here - and of course Idaho. Attendance was down a bit, but the enthusiasm was high. There was the regular jovial Northwest group that comes year after year, and there were some newcomers, some of them part of a big group of Gaiters - riders on gaited riding horses, Tennessee Walkers and Paso Finos.
Not only was the unusual gait of those horses evident (they pace instead of trot, a sort of rolling motion interesting for the vets to watch 'trotting out'), but the presence of the riding group was conspicuous by the rousing cheers every night at the awards dinners: "Go Gaiters!"
2008 Owyhee Canyonlands Day 1 - Castle Creek - by Merri
Wednesday September 24 2008
Day 1 was the traditional loop southeast out to Castle Creek Canyon and back for the 50 milers, and a shorter loop in the same direction for the 25 milers. I spent the day helping at the out vet check for the 25 milers. Neighbors Linda and Mike set up with horse trailer, hay, gear bags, hot dogs, and water near an old homestead, and were then joined by rider-but-not-riding-today Neil, Dr Robert Washington and me. We passed our waiting time by exploring the buildings that were still standing. One was occupied by a screech owl, who almost stole Dr Robert Washington's tiny dog off his leash, and who fluffed up to look as big as a great horned owl by the time a few of us peeked in and bothered him. It's probably the busiest he'd ever seen his quiet little spot in the desert.
Excitement on today's trail included a quite deep beaver pond on Castle Creek that riders had to wade through (or jump - hold on!). Steph had warned riders of it at the previous night's ride meeting, saying it was up to her hips when she went through it. "Were you on foot or on your horse!?" Then there was the rogue rattlesnake or two that more than one horse was surprised by and jumped over.
2008 Owyhee Canyonlands Day 2 - Wildhorse Butte - by Merri
Thursday September 25 2008
While the ride down to the Snake River petroglyphs was left out this year, riders still got a chance to ride along the Snake River, along the old Oregon Trail, and around the base of Wild Horse Butte, 300 feet high and almost a mile in diameter.
And I was one of them!
Connie rode Rushcreek Mac, and I rode my pal Jose Viola, (with Raven in Bag), on the 55-mile ride, and we picked up Helen Bonner on the way out of camp under cloudy skies with an orange strip of sunrise slicing the eastern horizon. Same ol' trails I've done at least 4 times now... up onto the north flats, across the highway, through part of the 485,000-acre Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area, through a deep wash that gets so narrow you can touch the sides as you canter along if you dare to let go of the reins, on a big loop around Fossil Butte, into the vet check at 18 miles, back out on a big 38 mile loop to the Snake River and back to the vet check, and 12 miles back into camp.
And they never get old.
2008 Owyhee Canyonlands Day 3 - Sinker Creek Canyon - by Merri
Friday September 26 2008
Another day on the trail! This time it was the 30 mile ride through Sinker Creek Canyon. And it was on 18-year-old Quickie. Quickie is not too excited about anything but eating any more, but, since she didn't want to get pregnant this summer, she went back to work. (I bet now she was rethinking spurning the advances of that gorgeous Cremello stallion, LJ Owyhee Moonstone next door.) Today Quickie and I escorted Suri on his first 25 mile ride with Connie aboard.
Now, while ride manager Steph Teeter did rake miles and miles, and miles, of trails (did anybody notice?), Sinker Creek was R-O-C-K-Y. Pure rock, in fact. Which you pretty much had to take at walking speed, which was a good thing, because it was so scenic.
Two-track roads and cross-desert trails over BLM land led us to where the out-vet check would be at about 5 miles from camp. We stopped for a good drink and leisurely munch of hay that was already set out, and as we continued on over the flats toward Sinker Creek...
2008 Owyhee Canyonlands Day 4 - Hart Creek Canyon - by Merri
Saturday September 27 2008
Ride manager Steph had originally planned to ride her favorite horse Rhett the first 3 days of the ride... but she soon realized that would be tough, even with Regina Rose helping day-manage the ride. But this weekend there would be plenty of volunteers, and Regina had everything under control, so not only did Steph get to ride, but I got to ride again too!
And it was one of the prettiest days of the 5 days - if one can really be chosen over the other - the 17-mile loop 1 for both the 55-milers and 30-milers led to and through Hart Creek, right up to the base of the Hart Creek Canyon notch, with a climb above it onto a steep and thin ridge; the last loop for both distances followed the Hart Creek Rim Trail - a beautiful view looking down on the morning's trail.
Today I rode Rushcreek Mac and Connie rode Jose...
2008 Owyhee Canyonlands Day 5 - Pickett Creek Canyon - by Merri
Sunday September 28 2008
It was another ride day for me, and another ride for Quickie - 50 miles, gasp! Loop 1 started with a short but steep climb up onto the northern flats, and I left the starting line a wee bit early, leading Quickie up on foot, laying hoofprints along a new trail I'd flagged a few days earlier. Halfway up the hill, where the trail became obvious, I peeled off my jacket (warm from the climb) and waited for all the 14 other 50-mile riders to follow wo I could point the way. I climbed aboard Quickie and followed the last two in the golden sunrise, and I had the great pleasure of spending most of the day with Jacinta Denton and her gorgeous gelding Krasniy Kumeer.
The perennially-hilarious Jennifer LeBlanc was in our company for half of the first 19-mile loop, out on the northwest side of Pickett Creek, to the base of the Owyhee mountains, past "Booby Rock" (a tamer name than what we normally use), where Jennifer took a picture of 4 of us, across Pickett Creek, and back toward home on the southeast side of the creek. Going out we used a new trail I'd never been on, or even seen - an old canal that was probably dug in the 1800's and that provided some nice footing.
Post-Ride Comments
Dot Wiggins Haven't seen much feed back yet, guess everyone is tired.
Lots of people, quite a few from out of area. I won't try and list winners,
etc., plenty of pictures and results on Endurance Net. More pictures on Steve Bradley Photography web site.
Steph and John and all their wonderful crew put on the usual great event. Some new, some old, trails. Plenty of water on the trails, lots of ribbons and signs. Food was super good.
I've been waiting at least 5 years to ride the Picket Creek Narrows again, it's a cool litle canyon. It was on the trail the very first year of the Owyhee rides, then a high water year made it impassable. Now it's fixed! (Any chance Hart Creek Narrows will ever be ridable?)
Good horses. good friends, great trails, fun crews, nice weather, what more could anyone wish for?
Pam Davenport - Hey Guys!
I finally have some time to comment on OCL ride this last week.
It was a awsome time I felt like I was somewhere in the twighlight zone. Big reality check when I got into town.
Steph thanks for the hospitality I think even my husband enjoyed it in fact so much he is writting a song about Oreana. Hope to be able to have you all hear it in the near future.
I was so proud of Apache completing the 4 days we rode and still going strong. We rode with different people each day some we have rode with at other rides and some new ones this time.
Apache has decided that he likes doing endurance he has got the gist of how it works and that is to catch up to the horse that is in front. Even though his owner says no. There was some discussion on this but owner won the fight sort of.
Thanks so much to Skyla and Habad for helping us get ready for this multi-day ride. I don't think we could have finished all 4 days without them they were very patient and demanding (haha) not really I took in all the advice they could give in such a short time.
Looking forward to next year and hope it will be better for everyone and their horses.
Wishing well to all and see ya soon!!!!!
Pam D.
Jennifer LeBlanc -
I just wanted to publicly thank Steph and John Teeter for yet again putting on an incredible ride! Their wonderful neighbors, the Brands, did a fantastic job keeping all the water troughs filled with clean, cool water - I never saw one that was even close to empty! The Blue Canoe Restaurant did a great job catering the ride - the food was great, and there was plenty of it. Two words: HOT SHOWERS!!! J There was also a masseuse there who did both people and horses. I had him do my ponies (I wanted to get one myself, but like any good mom I sacrificed for my 'kids'!) and they sure seemed to appreciate his ministrations. All of the volunteers were fantastic and much appreciated by the riders. The vets were fantastic - it sure was nice to see Gene again. He looked great - Arizona seems to be agreeing with him! Dr. Peterson entertained us on the fourth night with a rousing recitation of a great poem about the wilderness that really hit home with me - in the end, the wilderness will always win! The weather was 'Goldilocks approved' - not too hot, not too cold, just right!! O.k., it did get a little teensy bit warm in the afternoon, but after riding in the past in the freezing cold and the boiling hot, I'm certainly not going to complain too much about the 70s and 80s this year! Plus, in many places you got a nice breeze that felt really good. There were thunderstorms just a few days prior to our arrival at ridecamp, so there wasn't nearly as much dust as there could have been. The canyons were beautiful - and I won't even complain about the rock in the canyons, because it just gave us riders a good excuse to slow down and admire the beauty and enjoy the cool air in the canyons!
I really enjoyed riding with some new and old friends - Shyla, Craig (remember, you'll always be #1 with me, haha!), Kim, Merri, Jacinta, and Charmaine to name a few! Sitting with the 'gaiters at dinner was a superb experience - what a great, fun group of crazy people you are - I fit right in!! You'll never think of the term 'triple crown' the same way again, I guarantee it! J (I told them what you said about me getting a gaited mule, Charmaine. They almost choked on their dinners!!) Carol and Craig Savidge are two of the greatest people I've ever met, and my only regret is that they live so damn far away from me! I would love to spend more time with both of them - maybe I'll have to vacation in Priest River, ID next year. Happy Birthday to Barbara Holmes-Balmer who celebrated her birthday on the 4th day. Thanks to Grant Balmer and my hubby for putting the roof on the outhouse and making it sturdier so a stiff wind wouldn't make you wonder if it was going to blow over!
I saw so many amazing horses - I'll never forget how amazing Kim Black's Smooth was on the last loop of the last day after doing all 5 days (260 miles). Tom Noll's horse Frank hit his 4000 mile mark at the ride - another amazing horse, but we already knew that, right?! Jan Marsh from Alberta won the 50 on day 1 in 4:29 - I swear, that horse must have wings! Young Barrak Blakeley had a bit of bad luck on day 1 when his pretty gray gelding was pulled, but he made an amazing comeback, coming in 3rd overall on day 4 in 5:30! Way to go, Barrak! You are one tough kid, and you've got one tough little horse! Truly, every horse and mule there was amazing, whether they did one day or all five.
For those of you who are interested, David's horse Laser is fine - he went to the vet today and was pronounced sound. We'll give him a couple of weeks off to be sure, but all looks good. Reno took a curative trailer ride and was fine too - better safe than sorry. I'm pretty sure it was gas and that washboard road jittered it right out of him! J I am also happy to report that after 3 days the human body gives up on trying to get you to stop by causing you pain and just feels better. Well, at least my body did . . . J
A great big huge thank you to my husband David who crewed for me days 2 through 5 after his horse fell and injured himself on day one. He also crewed for Carol and Charmaine, who rightfully tagged him 'a prince'! He is, and I really don't think I could have ridden all 5 days without him. I know crewing wasn't nearly as much fun as riding, but he did it with a good attitude and a smile. We lucky ladies wanted for nothing, and we felt truly pampered. Thanks, honey - I love you!!
If you missed this ride this year, do whatever you can to make it next year. You won't be sorry - it's a great ride!!!!
Take care,
-Jennifer LeBlanc
Tracy Kasten
This ride should have a slogan... "So much fun, it ought not be legal!"
This ride was everything I'd hoped it would be.
I've had a very time-consuming year with a new baby, the girls' various activities, and a wonderful hubby whose professional travel requirements aren't quite as wonderful. Summer came and went without a single endurance ride since Klickitat. When I learned that Jeff was actually going to be around for the week of the ride, I started doing some daydreaming about dry days, nice trails and even better views... and started to realize that if I didn't act on this now, that I would most certainly be regretting it in a couple of months as I stare out at the never-ending RAIN that's around the corner. This tired, frazzled mom needed a break, and that break had "Owyhee" written all over it!
Next thing I know, I'm scrambling for Coggins paperwork, searching for long put-away camping gear... it was officially "Owyhee or Bust". I was a mom on a mission... to RIDE! :-)
Five full days of SUN, nice panoramic views, trails with good footing, and arguably the most laid-back ride I have EVER been to. No "hot shoes" racing up behind and cursing at us (literally!) to get out of their way like we had happen to us one year at Prineville, no lofty attitudes to deal with, just honestly NICE people, super-polite riders, and an air of sportsmanship that every sport would be privileged to have. This was my "vacation", and it was worth every cent that was poured into the local economy in order to make it happen.
And then there's the showers... mmmmm! And the wireless internet... and the gracious ride management... and being surrounded by fellow "Gaitors" that took the place by storm...! All things factored together in such a way that we have now declared this as one "not-to-miss" ride. John and Steph, a million thanks for putting on some spectacular riding and for ordering in that rain before we arrived... we WILL be back.
Tracey Kasten (and my wonderful Paso Fino mare, Kate)
Lynn White
It is such a blessing to have Steph and John put on these rides. I live 100 miles away from their place and feel ever so lucky to be so close. They have enabled me yet another year of getting to and from rides with a truck that's older than my high school diploma and on almost bald tires. The Teeters always put on safe, well marked, well watered rides with great vets, help, and amenities. Their ride camp is the five-star equivalent of ridecamps. One gets spoiled really fast. I am ever so thankful for the excellent farrier skills of Bruce Worman, whose willingness helped me to realize my goal if riding three days. Just knowing that there is a farrier at a ride is comforting.
The ever repeating thought in my head is the people that I meet on these rides. It's the wide variety of people and their equines that I meet in camp and on the trail that keeps me in this sport.
Well, guess I better get "de-horsed" and start thinking of winterizing and financing new tires. Thanks again everyone. It was my best season ever.
-Lynn White
Skyla Stewart
Come ride the Owyhee Canyonlands....
where time stands still! That is what I find, the quiet is deafening, the sky is endless, and time stands still, this is where trail/horse/rider all truly become one. :o)
Skyla