2016 Owyhee Tough Sucker
Images by Merri
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The 12th Annual Owyhee Tough Sucker
Endurance Ride
April 7 at Teeter Ranch!
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2018 Tough Sucker - And The Band Played On
by Merri Melde
April 9 2018
Seriously - does nobody read the weather reports? Who would even want to come for an endurance ride with a deluge and a hurricane in the forecast? The weathermasters have been pretty inaccurate with the precipitation this winter, but they've been spot on with the wind, and we were in for a big blow on Saturday, if not at least some of the 100% chance of rain they predicted Friday night and Saturday morning.
But 42 riders still showed up for the first Owyhee ride of the season. Some were here because they haven't been able to ride much elsewhere (I've been riding most of the winter, but not everybody else has), or they have just been itching to get going, and weather simply didn't factor into it. But mostly we're all here to ride because we're all, in some form or another, Tough Suckers.
The live band booked for entertainment arrived with instruments in one hand and horses in the other. Endurance rides are really the excuse that gets the bluegrass Pickett Crick Ramblers together. Friday night audience included 2 members who stayed till the very last song, and even clapped after a couple numbers!
It wasn't till morning that I finally decided on a plan for myself: get Hillbillie Willie a good training ride in the 25, and finish before the hurricane hit. (And we timed it just about right; when we rode down that last draw for home we were in strong a wind tunnel, and when I was bandaging Willie's legs up in camp afterwards, the gale force gusts hit.)
You know how it goes with the rain: if you're already out riding when it starts raining, it's not so bad, but it's a shade short of miserable if you have to saddle a wet horse up in the rain. But the overnight and morning rain never materialized, so that was an added bonus to the day. Dark skies glowered over the 14 riders who started the 50. The forecasts were right about the wind though; it started picking up around 10 AM (and there were even some spots of thick fog that we rode through), and the wind was strong and hurling some mean gusts by the time the 50's started arriving at the finish in the early afternoon.
The race for first place in the 50 was a tight one, but Dean Hoalst and Pay Attention were familiar faces who got the win in 5:20, and Best Condition. The actual first place finisher was eliminated when the horse didn't pulse down. Kristen Maholland and Two Carat Diamond ended up with second place in 5:44.
Connie Holloway on DWA Saruq and (first Junior) Sarah Holloway aboard Noble Desperado finished 3rd and 4th in 6:35. 11 completed the 50 mile ride, with the turtles, Roz Cusack on DA Nejwah and Heidi Skerratt on Gold N Beaudayshus squeezing every bit of enjoyment out of the hurricane ride, finishing in 10:05 while the Pickett Crick Ramblers were in the middle of their Saturday evening concert.
28 riders started the 25 mile ride with 27 finishing. Long-legged Hillbillie Willie won the 25 in 2:59, with Karen Steenhof and WMA Proclaim finishing 2nd in 3:05 and getting Best Condition. Linda Kluge and Ted, and Abrie Church (one of our fiddle players) on Ultra Sonnic finished right with Karen in 3rd and 4th. There was only 1 pull in the 25.
The riders out on trail survived the winds and hurtling tumbleweeds just fine (really, the wind was worse on Sunday), and the band played on in the evenings, and we've decided that in 3 years of jamming together, we've gotten good enough that we sometimes sound pretty darn good! Anybody need to book a bluegrass band? Our next gig is City of Rocks on June 7-8-9.
Trail Map, click for larger jpg
Come join us for the first ride of the Northwest season! We'll have an easy/moderate trail since both riders and horses have had a slow start getting in shape (the Winter From Hell). Single track trails, decent footing - though there will be some sand washes and a few rocky stretches. We’ll be riding north of basecamp and across Hwy 78 - for the best footing, and the fewest cows. Registration and vetting will start some time Friday afternoon (probably around 4:00). We'll have a ride meeting and snacks Friday evening to describe the trails, vetting, etc. If this is your first ride, be sure to let us know and we'll give you some extra tips.
We will have dinner (chile and chips) after the ride with awards. And probably some music by Picket Creek Ramblers afterward! (we tried to book the Rolling Stones, but they had other obligations). If you play an instrument, bring it along and join us.
See you there! be sure to call or email (contact info below) with questions. Steph
Watch the Tough Sucker Video
Ride Managers: Steph Teeter & Regina Rose
Head Veterinarian: Robert Washington DVM
for more information, contact:
Steph@endurance.net
Regina Rose
Driving Directions to Teeter Ranch
2017 Owyhee April Fools Tough Sucker - Merri Melde
April 1 2017
It was the first endurance ride of the season for most of the riders, and many came with horses who were not dead fit and were still winter-hairy. 20 started the 50-miler, 19 started the 25-miler, and they all finished! No lamenesses, no metabolic issues - good, smart endurance riding out here in the Owyhee desert.
Several first timers and it's-been-a-whilers to the sport showed up to ride. A newbie (and new endurance addict) came from as far away as Seattle; and veteran Tennessee Lane, who's putting on the AERC National Championships this August in Colorado, popped in during the middle of a horse-delivering walkabout and galloped off with the 50-mile win and Best Condition on Bluff in 4:34.
The April Fools ride also saw the return of the Church kids after a several-year hiatus from riding. Former Junior Abrie was now the sponsor for 3 of her Junior siblings, and the youngest one on the smallest pony won the 25-mile ride, pulsing down first in 3:10. Best Condition went to Simone Mauhl and Dudley's friend Boogey.
The weather was PERFECT, which we all deserved, since we all suffered through a terrible hurricane/typhoon/rain/sleet/snow/windstorm on Thursday and Friday (and Sunday was not particularly lovely with the rejuvenated cold wind). Saturday was 60* and sunny, with only the slightest breeze. Trails were in perfect condition, with lots of grass on trail and flowers just beginning to emerge.
a long inviting trail
Since Junior Sarah couldn't ride, her aunt Connie sponsored me on Sarah's horse Dezzie.
Connie showing off
Connie falling off
I found my sheriff's deputy badge out on trail!!!! Dudley and I lost it in the November Halloweenies ride, when he and I were the sheriff's deputies. I stopped and picked it up out of the sand, put it on, and Dezzie and I were sheriff's deputies for the ride! For about 30 seconds… at which time I noticed it had fallen off my vest again. I guess Dudley and I will have to pick it up again in our November ride…
There's a newly named trail somewhere out here. Not saying exactly where, or who of the three of us it's named after, but this new spot is called Pee-In-Your-Pants-Point-Because-Your-Horse-Got-Its-Foot-Hung-Up-In-The-Reins-While-You-Were-Squatting-In-Mid-Stream
The Church kids are back to riding after a couple of years respite! Abrie is old enough now that she's sponsoring her own siblings!
Lots of grass on the desert to provide snacks for our hard working hungry steeds
Lots of human snacks when you ride with Connie… she's handing me Gummi Bears here!
The Raven had a great time on Dezzie!
The Pickett Crick Ramblers played some fine music afterwards, both Friday and Saturday nights. Abrie Church, who masterly plays both the piano and fiddle, and who had never touched a mandolin in her life, borrowed a mandolin and jumped right in and started playing with us. Sure, mandolin and fiddle are tuned to the same strings, but - still! We were all astonished and delighted she made us sound so good! A younger brother banged on the drums, then dad stepped in and really meshed us all together. We were rather impressed with ourselves… we sound a lot better than we did 2 years ago!
Owyhee April Fools (Tough Sucker) - Pam Haynes
Thirty-nine entered and FINISHED the LD and 50 yesterday at Owyhee April Fools. There were also several trail riders. While Steph entertained sending the riders up Toy Mountain, she eventually decided that the several feet of snow and assorted raging creeks might be a bit much for the first ride of the year, so instead the trail stayed away from creeks and snow and down in the lower country.
The weather could not have been better, with little wind and lots of sun and blue skies. Absolutely perfect.
One of the more entertaining obstacles around camp was the washed out creek crossing by the house, which has been filled in with a lumpy mix of dirt and rocks, but still has a pretty good stream cutting across the top.
It's always interesting to work at these rides, you see a lot of things, such as someone with multiple Tevis completions doing an LD because, like everyone else, conditioning this winter was an extraordinary challenge, but she still came to support the ride. One entrant drove all the way from the Seattle area to do his first 50 on a draft cross and although he got swept up in the excitement of staying with the front runners on the first loop, he listened thoughtfully to advice at the 25 mile point, slowed down and successfully completed his first 50 (a new endurance junkie!).
We are now officially off and running for the 2017 season!!! Wahoo!!!
Owyhee April Fools (Tough Sucker) - Steph Teeter
March 21, Update: Here's the trail map (click for larger version)
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An easy 25 mile loop for the 50 milers - it will be repeated twice. And easy 15 and 10 mile loops for the 25 milers. A nice 20 mile loop for the Trail Riders.
It's pretty nice out there right now! Wildflowers are out, getting green, the trails are actually in great shape - Oreana has been missing most of the rain that's come through. The creeks are HIGH but you won't be crossing them during the ride.
Tentative start times: 8:00 for the 50 milers, 9:30 for the 25's and Trail riders.
We'll have chile for after riding meal and awards. Ride meeting Friday evening, with some snacks.
Come on out and join the fun, even if you're not riding. It's the first of the season, and even if we're not really ready, we are ready!
Steph
March 15 2017
Time to get ready for the first ride in the Northwest. We've been doing the Tough Sucker ride for many years - it's always fun, always a challenge because ya never know what the weather is going to be like in April. And this year we had the Winter From Hell with snow and ice all winter long. Record snow levels and low temperatures. And of course all that snow has to melt at some point so we've been having record water flows too. Our bridge is sort of hanging in there - under water for several weeks, hauled some new gravel, it is tenuous though.. So our ride is in (gulp) 2 1/2 weeks - the horses are still fat and furry, it will be a long slow ride. but hey, it's a ride, and the first ride of the year so it will be awesome no matter what. But since we've been doing this same trail for so long, we decided to spice it up a little this year, a little different scenery. The desert is rather boring. We're going to take the first loop for the 50 and 25 mile riders up Toy Mountain. (optional for trail riders). There's still a bit of snow, but we've been able to find the original trail. It should be fun and beautiful up there.
Loop 2 for 50 and 25 milers will drop down into spectacular Sinker
Canyon (optional for trail riders) - it's so gorgeous this time of
year with all the rapids.
We've also decided to up our game with a dinner catered by Pierre Le Chef, coming all the way from France to cook his specialties for us.
And! we found a great deal on awards. Solid gold trophies made in Slovenia, very affordable and so lovely!
We hope you can join us for the ride! Steph & Team Tough Sucker
2016 Tough Sucker - Merri Melde
April 2 2016
For the first time in recorded history, winners of the glorious* Idaho Owyhee Tough Sucker endurance rides of 25 and 50 miles were awarded 4WD vehicles. Linda Kluge and Ted won the grueling** 25-mile ride and Best Condition, and Tamara Baysinger and HMR Jammazon won the grueling** 50-mile ride and Best Condition.
The Top 5 finishers in each distance also received 4WD vehicles - though there was some horse trading going on, when a few were not present to receive their great awards, and another lady not in the Top 5 had a grandchild who really wanted a 4WD.
The fierce competitors were well-dressed, including Mike Cobbley in
bright blue and black Crazy Legs tights, which I complimented as we
passed each other on the trail. (This must be the only sport where you
can go up to a guy and say, "Hay, I really like your tights," and he
says, "Hay, thanks" without either of you thinking the other is
totally weird.)
Read more at:
http://merritravels.endurance.net/2016/04/2016-tough-sucker.html
Let It Be Spring - Steph Teeter
April 2First ride of the Northwest endurance season today - based out of our ranch (The Teeter Ranch) in Oreana. This was the 10th running of the Owyhee Tough Sucker ride. The trails aren't really all that tough - some sand, some rock, some climbs, but the weather... can be anything! We've had wind, rain, snow, hail, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes... it can be Tough out there! Our Tough Sucker Mascot has been Yosemite Sam, he's pretty tough, right? Ride awards are usually coffee mugs with the mascot and a few other silly things printed on it.
Well this year we decided to have a little fun. We're just a small ride, but we have big ambitions. The really big rides in the Middle East, where Sheiks and Royals compete, have grand prizes - typically shiny new 4WD vehicles - Toyota or maybe even Mercedes rigs. So what the heck. We advertised 4WD trucks for the winners of the Tenth Annual Tough Sucker ride. We even let folks pick their preference when they registered online - Toyota, Jeep, or Mercedes.
Read more at:
http://stephteeter.endurance.net/2016/04/dear-diary-let-it-be-spring-april-2.html