These are the creme de la creme of endurance horses and riders here to compete in the world famous Tevis Cup, a rugged, challenging 100 mile ride through mountains, canyons and forests that is sanctioned by the AERC (American Endurance Riding Council). They will go from 45 degrees to 100 degrees in one day. They will ascend a total of 18,000' and descend a total of 22,000'. There are trails so narrow the horses must put one foot in front of the other over rocks with drop offs hundreds of feet below. There are giant rock croppings like Cougar Rock that the horses will leap to scale. Riders and horses must be nimble and fast and strong: they have only 24 hours to ride this tough technical 100 miles to Auburn, the route of the old Pony Express riders.
In fact, that's how Tevis started a half century ago. Wendell Robie, a Western horseman and banker, admired the Pony Express and Long Distance riders so much, he had a vision of making it a competition for those who liked to ride - and ride and ride. He also wanted to recognize the remarkable horses who did it. Thus began Tevis, born out of a Western tradition.
But it wasn't to be just a race. The riders couldn't come in with a half-dead horse: that was not the point. They had to come in with a horse in great shape, one that met veterinarian criteria as being sound and healthy. They had to ride as one with their horse, learning how to tune in as if they were the horse, so they knew when to slow down, when to lean and not lean, when he needed drink and grass and rest to get a second and third and fourth wind. Riding so balanced it made it easier for the horse to cover this amount so fast. Riding so well that the two of them made it 100 miles in good shape. Robie created what has become such a legendary endurance ride that riders come from all over the world to participate: this year there were two from Japan, three from Australia, some from Great Britain and one from Switzerland, Esty Sanger, who came in 4th with her horse.
Just to be at this 5 a.m. start of Tevis is an accomplishment. Entrants have already ridden 300 miles of recorded endurance to qualify, usually six 50 mile rides. Their horse will have been vetted in able to make the ride. Endurance levels the playing field between men and women, in fact, women may be at an advantage with their lighter weight and sensitivity to their horses. The qualities I saw in both men and women were courage, patience, willingness to take risks, trust in their horse, mental and physical toughness no matter what their age, and high observational ability of what was going on in their surroundings and with their horse. And of course, it goes without saying, love of the horse and riding.
People return year after year for this event. The community is loyal, caring, and connected. They are top notch equestrians who love their horses and the sport. The air at the vet checks is cheerful and laughing like a family reunion. It takes a huge effort to put it on: thousands of hours of planning and work, 700 voluteers, a staff of seven vets, a Cup Committee, publicists, office workers and park rangers all coordinating for one extraordinary day. The atmosphere gets electrically charged when the front riders enter the first vet check. But all that is changed by the end. Front runners may not pace their horses best for endurance and others may come from behind. Or bad luck may occur: Tevis riders say there may be a rock out there with your name on it and if the horse steps wrong... pulled.
Then there's the last hours in the dark, dog tired, having to have complete trust of your horse and his surefooted ability. Tevis is always held at full moon so riders can see the trails better, but in the forested areas, the moon doesn't penetrate the deep canopy. This was when one rider's horse took a mis-step and went over a cliff, falling some 40 feet. The rider was airlifted out and is in the hospital with broken ribs, punctured lung and other serious injuries. People can actually hallucinate on the trail in the night hours after 16 hours of riding. I was told they saw skyscrapers, trucks and wild horses where there were none.
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