Crossing the 20,000 Mile Threshold: Celebrating Kevin Waters
Kevin Waters and Tahoe’s Thunder won first place and Best Condition at the Virgin Rim ride when they crossed the finish line in Nevada on September 20. Kevin also reached the noteworthy 20,000 AERC career mile marker.
Kevin and Tahoe at the National Championship 100 in 2009. Photo © by Merri Melde & Endurance.Net.
Kevin and Ali 'Palomino' at Tevis.
Originally from Chicago, Kevin is not really sure why he started in endurance – or what keeps him in it. “You do get to see a lot of country,” he said in his characteristically ironic way. He started riding horses when he was three and took on his first endurance ride at the Black Hills ride in South Dakota. When he crossed the 10,000 mile mark, he was sure he would quit riding endurance. Now that he’s doubled that mileage achievement he says he hopes he won’t make it to 30,000 miles. We’ll just have to see about that.
Kevin has been using Easyboots regularly for more than 20 years now – mostly the Original Easyboot, and mostly over shoes when the trail dictated it. In some years he was able to get as many as 1,000 miles out of a single Easyboot. In 2002 alone, Kevin accumulated more than 2,000 miles. In that same year he rode all five days on the same horse at each of the New Mexico Renegade; Fort Stanton Pioneer; Outlaw Trail and Owyhee Canyonlands Pioneer rides. He did it all in Easyboots and managed to take home five BC awards in the process.
Like an old friend: the Original Easyboot.
At his 20,000 mile mark, none of Kevin’s competing horses are in shoes. He made the leap to barefoot almost 12 months ago. He was riding the horse he affectionately refers to as Palomino at the Las Cienega Pioneer Ride southeast of Tucson in December 2008. “The steel shoes wore out before the three days were over, so Garrett helped me pull them and we used a set of Gloves so I could finish all three days. I haven’t looked back since.”
Read the full story here
Kevin and Tahoe at the National Championship 100 in 2009. Photo © by Merri Melde & Endurance.Net.
Kevin and Ali 'Palomino' at Tevis.
Originally from Chicago, Kevin is not really sure why he started in endurance – or what keeps him in it. “You do get to see a lot of country,” he said in his characteristically ironic way. He started riding horses when he was three and took on his first endurance ride at the Black Hills ride in South Dakota. When he crossed the 10,000 mile mark, he was sure he would quit riding endurance. Now that he’s doubled that mileage achievement he says he hopes he won’t make it to 30,000 miles. We’ll just have to see about that.
Kevin has been using Easyboots regularly for more than 20 years now – mostly the Original Easyboot, and mostly over shoes when the trail dictated it. In some years he was able to get as many as 1,000 miles out of a single Easyboot. In 2002 alone, Kevin accumulated more than 2,000 miles. In that same year he rode all five days on the same horse at each of the New Mexico Renegade; Fort Stanton Pioneer; Outlaw Trail and Owyhee Canyonlands Pioneer rides. He did it all in Easyboots and managed to take home five BC awards in the process.
Like an old friend: the Original Easyboot.
At his 20,000 mile mark, none of Kevin’s competing horses are in shoes. He made the leap to barefoot almost 12 months ago. He was riding the horse he affectionately refers to as Palomino at the Las Cienega Pioneer Ride southeast of Tucson in December 2008. “The steel shoes wore out before the three days were over, so Garrett helped me pull them and we used a set of Gloves so I could finish all three days. I haven’t looked back since.”
Read the full story here
posted by Kevin Myers | 11:27 PM
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