Follow this link for USET Riders List

Gulf News Article: Al Hammadi does Al Reef proud"

News from Ridecamp...
(these are correspondence posts sent to ridecamp@endurance.net, and do not necessarily represent factual events)

"I heard from my husband Steve this morning in the UAE. He has been helping Cia & Catch A Wave. I thought you'd like to hear the updates that I recieved regarding the race.
Valerie finished on Emphatic in 9th place and both looking very good. (My husband owned Emphatic till recently, he's pretty proud of how he performed under Val's riding) According to Steve, he believes Val is the only Masters Series rider to finish the race since Sheikh Mohommed and his sons had been withdrawn earlier in the race. Cia was withdrawn at the 3rd Vet check as was Steve Rojeck. The news I recieved on Rita was that she had an accident on trail when the borrowed horse she was ridding tripped. She was taken to the hospital for a checkup and xrays. Steve said the day was very challenging for the riders as it was 100 degrees and high winds, you couldn't put anything down since it would just blow away. He said most of the riders were looking pretty sunburnt by late afternnoon. When he last called, Bev and Meg were expected to finish soon and were doing well as of the last check.
Steve was in the endurance (vet check) compound waiting for the horses to come into the first check when the helicopter crashed this morning. He said it was pretty scarey and quite dramatic. Everyone at the endurance compound watched the helicopter start to come apart in the air (lost parts or something) and then it just fell to the ground like a stone and burst into flames no more than an 1000 feet from him. He sounded pretty shook up about the whole thing, his comment was that "it was really horrible to watch". I think this is the last type of experience he expected to have during an endurance race."
Betty Baker


"Next bit of news, gleaned from Philip Hirsts sister, who is looking after everything at home..
From what have heard recently, 120 horses started the race and last time I heard anything only 23 were left in. I have also been told that the leaders finished a while ago, with the last loop being ridden at about 30km/hr with the last few kms being ridden at 50km/hr!!!!!
Philip has been spun at the third vet gate on pulse."
Cindy

"Bill just called. Valerie finished 9th. Only non-UAE person to finish in the top ten. He is busy out on trail crewing for Meg Sleeper right now. Meg is about to finish - he thought somewhere around 20th. Bev Gray is ahead of Meg, but Bill didn't know exactly where. Steve, Cia, and Deb were pulled. He didn't mention Rita Swift, so I'm not sure if she is still running or pulled.
Other than that, he really didn't have any 'news'."
Jan Stevens

"I just got off the phone with Bill. Valerie had just finished her second loop (I believe). All the US riders were riding very smartly-no one was going too fast-'nothing fancy' as he put it. He is out on trail following Valerie and the other riders crewing as they go.
The wind is blowing the sand around (he understood that there was a wind storm headed their way from the direction of Qatar) but the riders were somewhat 'unaffected' because they were 'riding' above the wind (must be quite low on the ground). He hadn't heard of the terrible wind storms that Iraq had been receiving in the past 12-24 hours.
He told of a terrible event that occurred right before the 1st check (I believe). A helicopter crashed right in front of him as he was going into the Endurance Village for the check. He said that he watched it for about 30 seconds as it fell to the earth right inside the compound. It really shook him up, as Bill is a pilot too.
He said that he would call back in a few hours to let me know how things were going."
Jan Stevens
...
"I have had a phone call from Beccy Broughton in Dubai. I do not have any news on the US riders, but Jane James (UK) was lame at first vet gate, Beccy Broughton with Rawnq was lame at second vet gate (40 miles) Philip Hirst with Chahalam still going. Irish rider Bernie Leadon Bulger fell from horse at the start and the horse bolted 10k down the Dubai road, so she had to withdraw. A Dubai film crew in a helicopter crashed near the vet gate, and the crew were killed.
Thats all I have so far, but I will send you updates if you want. One day I will get my postings to Ridecamp sorted and post there direct!"
...
Cindy Russell
Editor, Distance International Magazine

2003 World Cup - Worlds Most Preferred Endurance Race
March 26, Dubai, UAE USET Update

US Riders Competing:

  • Debrah Foti
  • Bev Gray
  • Val Kanavy
  • Cia Reis
  • Steve Rojek
  • Meg Sleeper
  • Rita Swift (on a borrowed horse)

    Each rider Is allowed to bring 3 other support people. Some of the people attending in support are: John and Sue Greenall, Dave Augustine, Linda and Bill Howard, Todd Howard, Alex Reis, and Steve Baker.

    USET is sending Art Priesz as Team Leader, Ann Stuart as Chef d'Equipe, Jeannie Waldron as Team Vet and Julie Bullock as all purpose helper.

    We don't know the exact date of their return to the states, typically, the horses leave within 2 or 3 days. Riders and support staff around the same time. The USET staff returns on March 28.

    While it is understandable that people may be nervous, Mary Lutz/USET will not force any of the staff to go if they are nervous, Mary has been in touch with Grace who is over there. Grace says there are no tensions whatsoever. Even the US Ambassador stated that they have complete confidence in their safety there and no one from the Embassy has left.

    Lori Stewart, AERC I Secretary