National Championship Trails

[renegade12@juno.com]

In response to Barb Thomas' post:

I will let the riders describe their experiences, but here is how I
viewed the ride;

Vetting was the best I have seen at a ride.  Barney Fleming was Head  Vet
and did an outstanding job.  Jamie Kerr (W), Susan McCartney (W), Gail
Conway (CT), Sid Zarges - Treatment Vet (SW) and Jim Baldwin (CT)
volunteer.  Criteria was 60 pulse with exit CRI when the Vets felt it was
necessary.  60% of the 100's finished the ride and 72% of the 50 milers
finished the ride.  There were no metabolic treatments.  The completion
rate was phenomenal for the level of competition and the difficulty of
trail.  The lack of metabolic treatment is testimony to the quality of
horses, riders, and vets.

At the very last minute (as riders were arriving) the contracted water
trucks never appeared and we were informed that we would have to find
replacements.  The BLM provided a 350 gallon water trailer and the
Ruidoso Downs Race Track provided a 1000 gallon water trailer.  After
much searching I located a water tanker used to fight forest fires and
contracted for it and 8000 gallons of water.  That trailer did contain
water with a strange odor, but horses did drink it and Jerry Fruth -
winner of the HWT 100 mile Championship - drank it himself to show that
it was ok.  The other tanks were filled several times a day from the Fort
Stanton hydrants and the water was clear and good.

As to the "challenging trail"...it was just that.  The 100 milers
traveled over a more difficult downhill trail than the 50 milers. 
Perhaps some riders thought it was "too much, but this was a championship
event and many of the SW, NW, and MT riders did not think it was overly
difficult...we can wait to see what they have to say.  If you were not
ready for it then you would have trouble, but every rider and horse made
it and none were treated, and the completion rate for both events was
higher than Tevis or any of the ROC's (I don't know the OD completion
rate).  Based on that, I would have to say that the trail worked just the
way it was supposed to...it gave those who were better prepared to be
Champions on that day the advantage.  We had radio crews placed on the
mountain and most of those who won made their moves on the mountain and
downhill...some riders left the Vet Check 10 to 20 minutes behind and
completed the loop being 30 to 50 minutes ahead.

The ride provided completion mugs for awards, as well very nice  Weight
Division BC Awards,  Our Sponsor, NHSF Explorer/Biolan provided wool
coolers to the winners of each division and to the overall BC Winners. 
We had 100+ excess mugs that had the 2000 date etched on them along with
a logo and we asked the riders that completed if it was ok to give all
entries a mug as a memento and they agreed.  Shirts were sold to help
fund the event...even with the sale of shirts, the final cost of the
event is, at best, a break even.  AERC/Ride Management provided many
extras including a private reception at  Museum of the American West (the
finest museum in the country in regards to the American West and the
Horse), private guided tours in the Fort Stanton Cave which is a "wild"
cavern...truly an experience for those who got in on the tour...ask the
McAfee's.  Musical entertainment was provided on two of the nights.  

Hay at Vet Checks?  We have well over 20,000 AERC sanctioned miles in
many different regions and have never attended a ride that had hay at the
Vet Checks.  In fact, I would not want my horse eating strange hay during
the ride.  The Vet Checks did have an abundance of grass, as did the
entire 100 miles of trail.  

I rode in three ROC's and got a belt buckle for the two I was fortunate
enough to complete.  I had to buy my ROC shirts, sweatshirts, and
windbreaker.  I got a memento award at the Brian Head Utah ROC that I did
not complete.

Lets wait an hear from the riders.  I think most of them are going to say
it was a tough, challenging, championship level trail and the event was a
blast.