Tevis 2001 - a Tough Ride for Many

This years Tevis had beautiful weather - lots of volunteers - the same beautiful
scenery - but the lowest finish rate in history - just 91 out of 225 starting
finishing for a 40% completion rate.  The previous record low finish was 1990 when
only 43% finished. The average for 44 years is 56.4%.

QSER members pulled or RO include Jennifer Kurtzhall, Robert Oram, Mike Maul, Kirsten
Berntsen, Jan Jeffers, Steve Lenheim, Kathy Thompson, Becky Glaser, and Mark Falcone.

Finishers include Nancy Twight, Barbara White(25 buckles), Robert Ribley(with 7 minutes
to spare), Rick Gomez,  and Mike Tracy(at 13th - the highest placing QSER member).
Usually QSER members do very well but it was only a 30% completion for Tevis.

Crewing were Scott Sansome, Hillorie Bachmann, Bing Voight, Heather Bergantz, Julie
and Bob Suhr, Traci Falcone, Eric Thompson, Judy Etheridge, and Joyce Gomez.

Volunteers - Pat McKendry

Attending - Connell & Kay Allison, Ken Cook, Peggy Bullock.

Vetting - Mellissa Ribley and Nancy Elliot

Photos from the ride can be found at  http://www.quacky.co.uk/~elsie/Tevis-2001/
by Lucie Trumbull.  QSER members can be seen in some of these.

The winner was Marcia Smith on Saansom - at 10:20 with almost a 2 hour lead over the
second place finisher - Potato.  A complete list of starters/finishers can be
found at

http://www.foothill.net/tevis/riders01byplace.htm

The Haggin cup winner was Cathy Rohm riding one of Potatoes mares Fayette de Cameo
and was the third place rider.  The mare was really energetic during the
exam on Sunday morning and looked like it had not done a ride at all the day before.

The ride was extensively covered by three Japanese camera crews - none of which
apparently knew the others were coming.  One was doing the coverage of Japanese
women doing the Tevis - showing the change in Japanese society that happened
in the US 80 years ago.  Others were apparently doing another video(hope
this one has subtitles).  The camera people were everywhere - even at ground level
taking pictures of just the hooves of horses crossing the swinging bridge.  One
group wanted to identify Pat McKendry as the "watermelon lady" at the Deadwood
stop where she was handling all the refreshments.

The ride start was at 5:15 with sections identified by red and yellow flags
indicating front runners section, upper third - so that you had a feeling of
where you were in the starting lineup.  Everyone was spread out over a long
section of road and the start seemed to be much more orderly than when I did the
ride in 1999.  But the dust was still there and as bad as always...The full moon
initially helped see where we were going.

The ride up Squaw was spectacular - seeing the lake spread out behind us
on the long climb in the sun.  No snow this time at the top - in fact the whole
Granite Chief area was drier than 1999.  But it was still tough.  Lots of rocks
and slick places - slow going for us.

The long stretch from Red Star into Robinson seemed longer than before - we passed
Kathy walking Zane in after pulling at about the same spot where Ken Cooks Rocky
did the only serious spook he has ever done in 1999.

Robinson was crowded as usual but everyone seemed to know what to do.  We had a
great crew in Scott, Hillorie, and Jackie Bumgardner.  I was riding Jackies
great horse Zayante so she was also crewing for us.

There were a number of horses from the XP 2001 doing the ride - Zane was the
only QSER horse but there were 4 or 5 others doing the ride too.  Amazing
that these horses and riders can do a substantial part of 2000 miles and then
go for more at Tevis.

This second time through for me - I felt that I knew when to get off for the
steep downhills - more about where the water is - what was going to happen at
the vet checks. But regardless of of what you know - there is still a strong
element of luck in this ride.

I was riding Jackie Bumgardners/ex-Julie Suhrs fantastic horse Zayante because both
my guys were off - one horse just recovering from a respiratory infection picked
up at Swanton and the other slightly short in the rear from a conditioning
ride the week before. This was unfortunate for my horses but it gave me a chance
to meet the best horse I have ever ridden or ever likely to ride - Zayante.
He is 21 with 10,000 miles in competition.  Zayante behaves and moves like a horse
of 10.  He has immense power and is all business in competition.  He was nominated
for the AERC Hall of Fame last year - and will be again this year - Nick Warhols
nomination letter is at http://www.nickwarhol.com/zayhalloffame00.htm . Everything
Nick says in this note is 100% on - I have not seen a better horse for endurance
anywhere.  He is a very smart horse and takes care of himself well - when we would
hand walk into the vetchecks on gravel roads - he would pick out the smoothest areas
and have me walking in the rougher areas...And a tremendous walk - he would tow
me into the vetcheck and I'm a pretty fast walker.

We got into Deadwood though and that was it for us - the vet said that there was a very
slight but consistent left front problem that would have been OK at Lower Quarry but
not for 40 miles to go.  It could have been anything - from a bad step on
a rock to the new shoes with a new farrier that we had to do on Friday at the ride.
Nick Warhol on Warpaint got the same diagnosis from the same vets there so we were
both out.  While we were waiting to get hauled out - Zayante wandered around getting
treats from the volunteers and eating from everyone's hay and mash.  Nobody would
believe he was 21. And I know he certainly doesn't think so - there wasn't a horse on the
trail that he din't want to catch.

We were greeted coming into Deadwood by a 4 ft rattler and one more that size while
staying there.  Bees a few places on the trails but the rocks were our biggest challenge.

We got back to Forest Hills - took care of our horses - and then watched the other
riders come thru and either get pulled or go on.  In other rides when I have pulled
or been pulled -  it didn't seem such a big deal but it was here.  Tevis can be
an all year goal and when you don't make it - it seems different.  Well - we had
lots of good company - and there is always next year.

At the Haggin cup judging on Sunday morning - Julie Suhr told us about  the
awards banquets from the past - the hot indoor closed room banquets where many
smoked, the women wore heels and fancy dresses, the men sometimes wore ties
and jackets - then compared it to today with tanktops, shorts, eating on the grass.
Sounded like she thought we have more fun today...

Talking to some of the vets about the low completion rate - they said few metabolic
problems - mostly lameness.  And a number of overtimes.  It certainly wasn't
the weather - it was great.  Some experienced Tevis riders who had not done the ride
since the changes at Squaw, Pucker Point, and after the river - believe the trail
is longer than it used to be.  They said that they had to ride faster to get into vetchecks
later than they had in previous rides.

Observations:

Sleeping under the pine trees in the mountains is different - mostly it's quiet - but
then the wind comes thru and you hear this noise that sounds like whole trees are
moving.  This happens for 20-30 seconds - then it's quiet again for a long time.

I see riders/crew sleeping near their horses after the ride to make sure they are
Ok through the night after the ride. Everyone is up the next day walking their horses
around to make sure they are OK.  Even with all the discussion on ridecamp about
people not caring enough about their horses - I see a lot of it here.  I saw
at least 4 riders with passing vet criteria to leave say - my horse isn't right
and we are not going out.  Two of those crashed soon after and would have been
in real trouble down the trail.  In the other two cases - the horses were fine
and will be ready to go soon.

I hear riders on the trail say - "if I get through it this time - I won't do
it again...  But I would bet they will be back in the future.  I talked to a rider
who has done Old Dominion a number of times - he just made it in with a few minutes
to spare -  he said "this in one tough ride".

Riders share on the trail or in the vetcheck - someone is short an easyboot or
electrolytes or a rear boot - someone has one you can borrow.

Tevis is a place where you come not only to ride - but to see people you know from
all over the country.  You get there early and  socialize - meet new people -
and enjoy the time together - as well as possibly attaining that goal of the year.

I personally find Tevis to be my toughest ride of the year - some people say "I just go to
have fun - and if it's not fun I pull".  For me - it's the toughest test of horsemanship
and endurance that I do in the year.  I hear it's a large part horse,  a large part of
luck, and some part rider.  I certainly had the horse this year - there couldn't have been
a better one and I wish we had both made it thru.  But there is still the rest of the
season.

Next year - perhaps - on one of my guys this time,

Mike