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>From - Mon Mar 10 20:33:59 1997
Message-ID: <3324E0B7.3AC3@aiinc.com>
Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 20:33:59 -0800
From: Reynolds <jakar@aiinc.com>
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Hi Tracy,
Lisa Dawes Brown wrote an article for "The File" in the September 1987
issue of EQUUS magazine concerning that ride (pg 29). She reported that
the ride was called the Oklahoma Spring Ride, (June 13, 1987), and was
near the town of Catoosa in the northeast corner of the state. The
distances were 15, 25, 50, and 100 miles and there was an advertised
purse of $20,000. There were 32 entrants.
For five weeks following the event, state law enforcement combed the
territory surrounding the Chouteau National Recreation Trail for the
bodies of horses that had died and been buried during the course of the
event. The ride was held in 94 degree heat with 70 percent humidity.
Carcasses were exhumed near the trail used by the two shorter races.
AERC pulled it's sanctioning the day before the event because the race
promoter allegedly refused to abide by the organization's rules for
monitoring the condition of the equine participants. His reported words
to AERC officials were: "It's my race and I'm going to run it how I want
to. If you don't like it, you can get the *&#^ out."
AERC members then made plans to run a sanctioned ride 20 miles away at
the Will Rogers Centennial Trail at Oologah Lake. There were no
injuries or deaths at that ride.
At Catoosa, however, the riders were mostly young kids, going for the
money, being cheered on by family members. One young girl in the 25
mile ride was reportedly being screamed at to bring her horse in at a
gallop under the whip, even though her nearest competitor was a mile
behind. That horse later died.
In all, seven carcasses were found buried and other horses probably
died in transit home or in the days following. This ride was dubbed
"The Disaster Ride" by the media and film footage of the backhoes at
work digging up bodies was broadcast worldwide. It was one huge black
eye for distance riding and AERC did a good job of standing up to answer
the questions that followed. The point that those "jackpot races" were
not endurance rides by AERC standards was driven home to the general
public.
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