WEC race

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Lari Shea larishea@yahoo.com
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Hi folks,

The race started at 6:00 AM on the racetrack, with 142
horses from 35 countries roaring once around the track
and out into the surrounding forest trails.  Khruschev
was awsome... and Steph is following a plan to
maximize his chances.  She's literally walking him from a mile out, bringing him into the vet check with his pulse already down, so he can walk right into the vet area.  The
strategy worked great at the first check....he passed
about 15 horses in the vet check....others who came in
before him, but who took up to 10 or 15 minutes longer
for their pulses to come down.  He ate ravenously in
the check, as usual, and looked hot to trot when he
left.

Darolyn Butler had some bad luck, and was vetted out
lame horse at the first check.  The mare had had a bit of swelling on that leg earlier in the week, but had been sound, and Darolyn was expected to do well.  Our other alternate horse, Charbiel, ridden by Valerie Kanavie, was badly kicked while in the vet check.  Turkmenistan has an Akhal Teke stallion in the
race, who kicked at a very unruley Polish Arabian stallion,
who fired back and hit Charbielle in a hind leg by mistake.  Charbielle had already passed the vet check, but his leg was bleeding, and it looked like it hurt. Very bad luck any time, but unexusable to have such a dangerous horse in a championship race.  This (magnificently gorgious looking) grey stallion had been striking and kicking and threatening to mount everything in sight both at the vettin in yesterday, and in the vet check today.  It was no surprise that he finally connected.

Now for some more good news!  Aside from Steph and Khruschev, who are riding their own race, the U.S. team has three
great horses in the top few at this point.  Marsha Smith on RamsZ, Connie Walker on Smoke Silver, and Rita Swift on Just Cass were all frontrunners, with horses who recovered immediately and trotted great. All we need is three horses to complete a team, so we're still looking good.  

Henrique Garcia from Brazil came into the first vet
check all smiles, about 5 minutes before Steph...she
said he had been very friendly on the trail.  Of
course, he rode Khruschev's brother, Nikita, in last
year's Pan Ams.

That's all the news for now....we on Steph's teqm are very excited that they are doing so well.  But there's 80 miles left to go, so we'll have to keep up our cheering!

(I think I just heard over the loudspeaker that Jan is now in the lead....  I've got to get back to crewing, but I'm sure Teddy will keep you updated.

Ciao !

Lari