20 Mule Team (more specifically)

[Salim Nice <snice@premhealth.com>]

Posted For:  Jennifer Oltmann

> Steve Shaw, thanks for giving your two bucks about the dogs. I saw one 
> horse standing in line to vet out at check #3 actually strike out at a 
> loose dog. 
> And as for your account of the finish--John DiPietra and I chose to ride 
> the last part of the ride together, as our horses were performing much 
> better as a pair than they would have individually--at least that was the 
> case with my horse, Al Baraaq. I was on a quest for my third consecutive 
> 100-mile BC (you said two), and so I was not interested in racing to the 
> finish and possibly jeopardizing that award. John's mare may have appeared 
> sluggish in the vet check, but she was eager and motivated to move down 
> the trail. I was not under the impression that she was noticeably 
> fatigued. We had a great ride together and our horses finished well. To 
> clarify things, John and I did not intend to ride for a tie, nor did he 
> inch ahead at the finish. I had made it very clear that I did not want to 
> race in. Al was a little tired, but still steady and motivated. I knew 
> that if I kept my same pace the last 15 miles, that we would finish with 
> good marks. Had I ridden more aggressively, John would have, too, and in 
> my opinion, won anyway at the expense of both our horses. As a 
> featherweight rider, I have to be strategic about how I ride if I'm going 
> to show for BC, as I don't have any extra weight to factor into my score, 
> and I've been beat in the past by heavier riders. 
> 20 Mule Team was a great experience for all of us, and I couldn't have 
> done so well without my awesome crew: Salim Nice (aka Crew Master Fresh), 
> equine massage therapist Ella Bittel; and Jon Priest and Debby Lyon, who 
> both rode the 60 and then showed up at the last vet checks. 




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