Spongeless in Michigan: Tin Cup Springs Ride (very long)

[Glenn Foster <gfoste19@idt.net>]

There is a very popular saying in Michigan: "If you dont 
like the weather just wait five minutes, it'll change".

In response to the predicted heat and humidity at 
Tin Cup Springs last saturday, ride management had 
trucked tubs of drinking water to two points on the
25 mile loop.  The "no spongeing in camp" rule was
suspended.  And Bonnie Tobias (who has done this before
I believe) loaded a truck with umpteen buckets and
got ready to "crew" for all the competitive riders
I awoke from a deep sleep at 5:00 am to the sound of
the alarm clock and ... what's that ?  Distant 
thunder !  Got Dominic's food and water done and 
ducked back in the trailer just as it started to
rain.  This is my second season and Dominic's first.
We would be riding the 25 mile CTR.  I wondered if 
it would still be raining at the start.

The rain let up about 6:15, just in time to get 
Dom saddled and head over for a 6:40 start.  On 
the way I heard the latest report was that it would
just clear right on up, so we jogged back to the
trailer, dumped the raincoat in and back to the 
start.  At 6:40 we were off into the cool morning.

By 7:15 the rain poured down with enthusiasm.  8:00 am
found us alone, trotting and dodging on one-track
through the the oaks.  It just seemed to get darker
than dark in the woods.  Overhead it was booming 
and flashing. Young Dominic just kept trotting forward.  

By about 9:00 am we were in the mid-point check.  We
were very soggy and a even a little cold.  I was 
actually a little stiff for the trot-out, but Dominic 
just give it his usual eagerness and general joy 
in movement.

The second half of our ride was a pleasant frolic
while clothes and tack dried out and momentary
flickers of shadows began to appear on the forrest
floor.  We met Bonnie with her truckload of drinking
buckets and "downy bottles", stopped for a drink
and another batch, then jogged on to the finish in 
pleasant sunshine.

At least for the 25 mile riders, on this particular day,
I guess the "sponge quiestion" was temporarily 
settled by a  "higher authority".  Becke rode (and won !)
the 50 CTR.  Maybe she'll give us a report from the
perspective of those who were still going in the afternoon
when things were warming up.  I dont think it ever got
as hot as originally expected, but I did hear the 50 was a
real challenge.

By the way, some of you may remember a while back I was
asking about the competitiveness of small (14-1 hh) arabs.
Following all the responses from ridecampers who had
been successful with these "ponies", of course I kept him.
When the scores were announced, Dominic "the diminutive" 
was first lightweight.  

By the way, thanks to Amy Sherrill for the 
"good luck smiley face" under his number.  With his "purdy
face" and forelock reaching to the tip of his nose,
Dominic does seem to attract a certain kind of attention.
We arrived back at the stable in the middle of a 4-H 
show.  Katee and Mindy, two young girls who work and 
take lessons at the stable, immediately took him in hand. 
Between classes there was a brief announcement and they 
led Dominic into the ring for his "victory trot".  Actually 
he decided to canter in hand and generally act like a 
fractious if pint-sized racehorse.

Highlights of the results from Saturday, with profound 
apologies for any errors in transcription, spelling, etc. were:

50 Endurance - Ltwt

1. Sue Herrick
2. Julie Roe
3. Katy Byrne
4. Shelly Drake
5. Myra Fleming
6. Barb Marcius
7. Gail Otto
8. Carol Ann Beckner

50 Endurance - Hvywt

1. Guy Worthington
2. Jim Harris
3. Ted Klopstein
4. Dan Lake
5. Gene Dake

50 Endurance - Junior

1. Ashley Worthington
2. Tessa McAfee

50 Endurance - Overall

1. Ashley Worthington
2. Guy Worthington
3. Jim Harris
4. Sue Herrick
5. Julie Roe
6. Tessa McAfee

50 Endurance - Best Condition:

Gene Dake

50 Competitive - Ltwt

1. Becke Grams
2. Charles Phillips
3. Denise Phillips

50 Competitice - Hvywt

1. Beth Yerrick
2. Richard Van Gessell
3. Daryl Yerrick
4. Jeffy Phillips

25 Competitive - Ltwt

1. Glenn Foster
2. Marcia Koster
3. Angel Williams
4. Betty Dykstra
5. Colleen ODonnell
6. Lori Royhurst

25 Competitive - Hvywt

1. Cindy Osborne
2. Marge Bullard
3. Linda Sherrill
4. Fred Bukland
5. Lori Hilyard
6. Jean Williams

25 Competitive - Junior

1. Amy Sherrill
2. Elise Royhurst
3. Mike Howe
4. Zack Worthington


Glenn Foster
from Michigan
(where planning on the weather means getting ready
to improvise.)