Liberty 100

[Rides 2 Far <rides2far@juno.com>]

Well,

Back from Liberty, the weekend wasn't a *total* loss, but I sure didn't
have much reason to cheer on my own account. :-P

Should have paid attention to the signs I guess.  First, Kaboot & I were
supposed to do Old Dominion as our 2nd qualifying ride for Pan Ams, but
at the last minute plans changed.  Word was that since so few horses had
finished at Biltmore, many had suddenly change their minds and were going
to Liberty.  Since the way the East selection criteria is set up says
that you get 20 points for finishing and 20 for each East nominated horse
you beat, there's no use doing a ride where others aren't going.  I
*knew* that 3 weeks was way too close together to do 2 100's. But people
would say, "You're doing a 100...just THREE WEEKS after Biltmore?" and
I'd say, I can do Liberty after 3 or OD after 5". They'd stop, think,
then say, "You're right, do Liberty and go slow".  

Josie just needed one more 50 to nominate for the National Championships
so I wanted to go anyway. Joe Edwards from North Carolina said he'd
sponsor her at Liberty for me...one of the few people in the world I
trust to stay *totally* sane on the trail.  That was another good reason
to go there. 

So, at the last minute we're loading everything up in my neice's *good*
trailer.  I ran to the store for last minute necessities, bought some
anti-perspirant solid, came through the house, started a load of ride
clothes in the washer as I brought in the groceries.  Put the clothes in
the dryer later after the whole family is in bed and I'm desperately
trying to get ready to leave in the morning.  Then, when I took them out
they looked horrible! Looked like I'd spilled bleach in there and had
white areas all over my tights...then I ran across a very empty holder of
the anti-perspirant.  I had dropped it in the dryer with the clothes and
it was melted all over everything. :-PPP  Just a sign of my weekend to
come.  

I was supposed to cover this ride for the Chronicle.  Bill (husband)
happens to be a pretty good photographer and would be taking the photos
for the article so  I made sure I didn't wear anything too "white trash"
looking.  Then, as I saddled up at 4:30 AM, my perpetually moving horse
swung his rump around, knocked my helmet off the tack box and "crunch"
destroyed the visor.  I really hate helmets without visors but it looked
like I'd be wearing one today.  

The ride started quite nicely, 20 horses at very nice extended trots
doing the lake loop.  This was the same loop where last year I did the
dumb move of reaching down in the dark and turning the flourescent light
attached to his breastcollar off at a flying trot and he'd slammed on the
brakes breaking my little finger.  This time, he was really trotting out
beautifully, catching horses and passing them, then he got out in front
and saw...oh my gosh!... a *dark* spot on the dirt road.  He instantly
went from an incredible power trot to slamming on the brakes and leaping
backwards.  I executed a perfect leap over the pommel of my saddle and
gave him a big hug behind the ears, and managed to stop my forward
progress by slamming my upper lip and front teeth into the bone between
his ears.  Definately a Kodak moment for Mary Yeagar and Steve & Dinah
Rojek who were just behind me.  The ground seemed like the next place to
stop, but since my right elbow had somehow managed to put pressure on the
left rein, Kaboot completely froze and I managed to sort of shinny back
into the saddle.  It only took a second for the whole thing to take
place, but now my "look" for the day was complete.  Picture a goob with a
Lexington helmet with no visor and a great big fat lip sort of sagging
down on one side.... and even better, a person who tends to smile a lot
which accentuates the effect. I had a nice little strip of lip hanging
down which I concentrated on chewing off for the next mile or so, and I'm
sure the blood around my teeth was attractive.  Wasn't really painful,
but oh what a picture. >g<

Jaye Perry has taken Kaboot on as a client and had put the most
incredible set of shoes I've ever seen on him for this ride.  They were
really wide web, aluminum bar shoes with all sorts of pour in and drop in
pads and extras, squared off rolled toes and who knows what else.  Scarey
to look at. They looked so fast that if I got pulled they might just
finish the race without me.  Kaboot was really loving them on that first
loop and giving me one of the biggest trots he's got.  We trotted the
first 10 miles in 45 minutes and off we went on the 2nd round. When we
came in at the 20 mile mark I was shocked that he was actually 60 with no
waiting.  He usually takes a little while.  To make a *long* story short,
we had a great 50 miles with cloud cover and good footing...then we
headed out at 1:30 on the dreaded Orange loop.  It had been in great
shape the first time around (when we were on it before the 50's and 25's)
but after 180 horses had plowed it with their hooves it was awful.  Mary
Yeager and I knew we had to walk every inch of the soft stuff to have a
chance to complete and it was tough.  The sun got hot, the shade was
scarce, the sand reflects the heat back up and bakes you from top and
bottom.  We took 3 hours to do a loop we'd done in 1:30 that morning,
then we both came in and had our horses trot lame. :-PPP  I felt awful,
like I was the only person dumb enough to nominate a lame horse.  I knew
I'd asked an awful lot of him...he did a 50, then 2 weeks later another
50, then 2 weeks later a 104, then 3 weeks later 65 miles at Liberty.  I
guess that's a good enough excuse to trot a little off.  After the ride I
felt better.  Out of 20 entries in the 100, only 7 finished. 11 were
lame.  The vets were happy as could be that there were no horses treated.
My theory was that they went lame before they got to that point. >g<  The
trail was really in good shape and I don't blame it.  I think if anything
the other horses were probably in the same boat as mine...they'd been
sort of forced by the situation to do too many races too close together. 
We had no swelling, no apparent permanent damage, he just needs a little
rest. >sigh< Harry Parker does the best job in the world putting out
water. He not only puts out enough, he puts it in all the right places. 

Josie did a great job in the 50 and finished 18 out of 77.  Ben looked
great.  We seem to have solved the stomach problems she was having by
getting her a waterbottle holder for the front of her saddle. More fluids
seemed to be the answer.

Bill and Bonnie were amazing as crew.  They had to handle me, and Josie
coming in at staggered times, then Bill had to photograph the ride. 

Val & Bearcat O'Reilly won the 100, same as last fall. The horse is a
real threat on flat sandy courses and is being primed for Spain in 2002. 
Dinah Rojek was 2nd on Phoenix, a horse she has bred and raised.  For
those who don't know, Dinah has had 3 hip replacements in her lifetime,
after a bad riding accident at age 22.  It is a wonder to watch her ride
100 miles when she has to walk so slowly and carefully.  At her horse's
post ride trot out the horse looked so good that the vet asked her "Just
which loop did you skip with this horse?" He ended up getting BC. 
Somewhere I have the list of the finishing order and if I can get the
trailer unloaded...(got a ballgame in 15 min) I'll post it.  From
memory...not necessarily in the proper order, but maybe the finishers of
the 100 were Becky Harris, Brenda Baird, Debbie Bullis, Stagg Newman,
Flynn ?? 

If you want a hard luck award, hows about Julie Bullock. She and her
horse have done 180 miles in 3 weeks with no credit...or Cheryl Newman
whose horse passed his vet check but at his exit CRI (to be done before
going out on the next loop) his CRI was 56/72...then after he was pulled
he had a real good pee and it returned to normal...I think that was at 80
miles. :-((  I guess everyone has a story.  I really don't know any
inside stuff about the 50 or 25. I was trying to catch interviews for the
article while they were giving out those awards.  Do know very few pulls,
no horses treated at all.

Angie 
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