Sunday, August 1, 2010

2010 Tevis Wrap-up



Sunday August 1 2010

Tevis: It is just another hundred-mile trail.

But there are some things about it that make you gasp and grab at your heart, clutch at your throat as the words choke off, and squeeze the tears out and make even a grown man cry.

Things like:

Watching a phenomenal horse like Heraldic float above the ground at the vet in.


The flowers someone put out on the trail where the horse died last year.

The horse who gave all she had on her first 100 mile ride, but was pulled at 94 miles.


Watching someone with so much drive that she is able to plan to ride Tevis before she can walk on a shattered leg, and watching her ride across the finish line, and still be more proud of her horse than she is of herself.


Watching someone with so much drive and passion for this ride that she comes back year after year after year, cross the finish line once again with a big smile on her face at 4 in the morning.

Feeling the staggering amazement and rush of gratitude you feel for a horse when he crosses the finish line at 4:58 AM, looking like he could go on, and the vet says he is fit to continue.

More things like:

Bill Patrick, one of the 5 finishers of the very first Tevis ride in 1955, a guest of honor at the awards ceremony, receiving his first Tevis buckle from Mike Pickett: "They didn't give silver buckles back then, so we're giving you one now."




Julie Suhr, the 'First Lady of Endurance' (and 22-time Tevis finisher) presenting to her daughter Barbara White her 3000-mile Tevis buckle with diamonds (!!!).


Garrett Ford, who first finished the Tevis when he was 13 years old, now 26 years later choking up during his Haggin Cup speech.


Tevis: it is just another hundred miles of trail...

...but then it's not.

7 comments:

  1. I love these stories. You could easily write a very entertaining book.

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  2. Gorgeous photos of an obviously magical event! I love your descriptions!

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  3. Amazing stories every one...but the horse pulled at 94 miles has to be a heartbreaker and yet....it speaks of Tevis more than anything. The horse is more important than finishing.

    I honor them all. You are awesome...in the real sense of the word.

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  4. Sniff, sniff....oh I hate u for making me cry....again.... but thanks for posting!

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  5. So many heroes both horses and humans...it's truly amazing the effort put fourth to do the Tevis! Thanks for taking us on your journey!!

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  6. Endurance Nut SibyllaAugust 8, 2010 at 8:25 AM

    A good cry can be very therapeutic. Just as long as you suck it up - get up - and get on with it...your allowed to cry all you need to.

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