Monk and Lindsay Fisher Awarded Haggin Cup at 2019 Tevis

TheHorse.com - Posted by Marsha Hayes | Aug 19, 2019

The 17-year-old gelding finished ninth in the 100-mile Tevis Cup. This was his fifth consecutive Tevis, and he’s never finished out of the Top 10.

At the conclusion of the 2019 Tevis Cup, head ride veterinarian Mike Peralez, DVM, named ninth-place finisher Monk, ridden by Lindsay Fisher, DVM, of Napa, California, and owned by Chris Martin, of Penn Valley, California, the recipient of the Haggin Cup. The Haggin Cup is awarded to the finishing horse with the best condition during the Tevis awards banquet, in Auburn, California.

Peralez, who practices at Foothill Equine, in Arcadia, California, explained how the entire Tevis vet crew evaluated the Top 10 finishing horses. Each horse trots out and back, and then the rider or a designated handler runs alongside the horse around a chalk outlined 60-foot circle, allowing veterinarians to judge their impulsion and gait. The setup allows for spectators to view the judging, as well.

“We looked at soundness, metabolic recovery, and condition, and then we gathered and discussed our findings,” Peralez said The panel relayed their opinions to members of the Cup Committee. Committee members had also observed the horses and riders in action along the 100-mile trail.

Monk finished one hour and one minute behind Tevis Cup winner Sanoma Blakeley on RA Ares Bay. After trotting a small section of his first circle, Monk increased his speed and attempted to outpace his presenter, Ann Hall.

“I am definitely surprised and overwhelmed,” Fisher told the cheering crowd. She thanked Martin for pairing her with Monk back in 2008 when she was still in veterinary school. “I will always remember the first time I saw Monk, tied to the trailer, head down,” she recalled. “I had no way of knowing Monk would carry me all over the world competing in FEI endurance events.”

Now 17, Monk has completed five Tevis events in a row, always finishing in the Top 10. Monk’s ride time in 2019 was identical to his time in 2018, when he finished fourth. “Monk is a really special horse,” Fisher said. “I can’t describe what he means to me.”

The 2019 Tevis ended with a 53.8% completion rate, slightly better than most years. Peralez theorized that the ride’s later date this year might have given riders more training time, especially in a year with erratic weather.

The 65th Tevis will take place Aug. 1, 2020.

Sanoma Blakeley and RA Ares Bay Win 2019 Tevis Cup

The 18-year-old and her Arabian edged Jeremy Reynolds and RTR Rimfires Etta to win.

Posted by Marsha Hayes | Aug 18, 2019

Eighteen-year-old Sanoma Blakeley of Terrebonne, Oregon, and 10-year-old dark bay Arabian gelding, RA Ares Bay, crossed the 2019 Tevis finish line at 9:27 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17, in Auburn, California. They were just feet ahead of three-time Tevis winner Jeremy Reynolds to claim the Tevis Cup.

Both RA Ares Bay, aka “Goober,” and Reynold’s mount, bay mare RTR Rimfires Etta, pulsed down quickly (heart rates recovered) and vetted out sound after the 100-mile journey, which Blakeley said involved some intense racing during the last several miles.

“I left Lower Quarry (six miles from the finish line) first, but Jeremy and I leapfrogged a couple of times before the finish,” said Blakeley...

Read more here:
https://thehorse.com/177577/sanoma-blakeley-and-ra-ares-bay-win-2019-tevis-cup/

Volunteering for Tevis

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Tevis Cup Ride. About 800 people participate each year on Ride Day – more than four per rider!

If you know what you'd like to do, or if you just want to help wherever needed, fill out our Volunteer Signup form. Our Volunteer Coordinator will respond and try to place you appropriately according to the needs of the Ride and to your needs and skills.

For help volunteer on trail maintenance contact Nicole (Chappell) Wertz or go to http://wstrail.org/.

Go here to get more information about volunteering with Communications or complete the Communications Signup Form.

To participate as a Sweep Rider, check out the S.O.S. website: http://sweepriders.org/

Please Note:
As you might imagine, the Ride is a huge effort that relies completely on volunteers. There are Head Volunteers who provide the leadership for each of the many vet checks, as well as other areas of Ride activity. These "HV's" necessarily operate with a good deal of independence, but under the overall guidance and coordination of the Ride Director and the Core Ride Committee. The need for volunteers in some areas may not be known until late in the weeks leading up to Ride Day.

More information at:
http://www.teviscup.org/how-to-help/volunteering-for-tevis?fbclid=IwAR2A6FWCo0n2scs7g8q3e-wFU9Pv6mNjZqwwFIR2gh3Xv27zPcyBeRxe0Wg

Monk: Another Tevis Finish Means Robie Cup

I first saw Monk during the Haggin Cup judging a few years ago. It was a year I had not finished the Tevis Cup myself and so I was rested well enough to enjoy the judging. His rider, Lindsay Graham Fisher, was a fit and young 30-something. She trotted him out with grace and ease, but he didn’t show as well as the other horses. “He doesn’t trot like a normal Arab, but that’s just him,” says Lindsay. Those who know him best call his trot the “Monk Shuffle.” According to Lindsay, there is no wasted movement in his gaits.

Lindsay first began riding Monk about 10 years ago. The now 17-year-old CMK Arab surprised his rider and owner when he casually trotted to a first place finish at the 2009 AERC National Championship. “We just cruised to first place completely by accident,” said Lindsay. “It was a very humbling experience. That was when I knew what kind of horse I had underneath me.”

Since 2009, Monk has completed several AERC and FEI rides. In 2012, Monk finished strong after 100 miles at the President’s Cup in Abu Dhabi. “He looked like a million bucks.” But then he went off to Texas and injured his suspensory. Monk suffered a 50% tear in the ligament, an injury which should have been career ending. However, Monk’s owner, Chris Martin, sent him to UC Davis for stem cell therapy. He was off the rest of 2012 and 2013, but came back strong in 2014.

Since recovering from his injury, Monk has finished the Tevis Cup with his rider Lindsay four consecutive times. Four consecutive times, all in the Top Ten. This year, Monk could not only earn the Robie Cup honor, awarded to those horses who have five Tevis Cup finishes, but if he also finishes in the Top Ten again, he could be the second horse to earn this honor five consecutive years all in the Top Ten, after the horse Wetezarif.

When asked about their secret to success, Lindsay replied, “He gets to just be a horse. He has intense training, but he also gets to just be a horse. He is always ready to go all season. He is always moving, he is always fit.” Owner Chris Martin has Monk living out on several acres and he carefully monitors his weight. He also incorporates a lot of hill work into Monk’s training and does a lot of conditioning miles without the weight of a rider. All of this has proven to work for Monk in the past, and hopefully, his ride through the Tevis Cup this coming August will be another success and earn him the honor of the Robie Cup award.

Regardless of whether or not Monk finishes the Tevis Cup this year, however, he will always hold a permanent place in Lindsay’s heart. “I just feel really lucky that he came into my life. I thought it was going to be a short one or two year thing and even though he’s not my horse, he feels like my horse. [One day] He will get to live out his life with me and get to be loved on by my kids. He’s a very special horse.”

Tevis: The Road to the Start

Posted Monday, May 27, 2019 8:05pm

Ride Director Message

Tevis training is in full swing. It is always enjoyable to see riders training for Tevis at the west region 50-mile rides. Weather has been cooler than normal here in the west. All of us on the ride committee watch snow levels in the high country and continue to compare year-to-year numbers for patterns in snow melt for planning purposes.

This year’s snow levels, while significant, are behind those of 2017. The ride date has been pushed back to August 17, which in one of the latest dates we have used for running the ride. Therefore, I am confident we will start at Robie Park in August.

Please note that the Western States Endurance Run is happening on Saturday, June 29 and avoid training rides on the trail during that time. If you are in the area, I would encourage you to go to the Placer High School Stadium to watch the runner arrive. The bond between the runners and the riders continues to grow stronger as we support each other. We actually have WSER participants and Board members managing some vet checks and stops at the Tevis this year.

It will be a great year to ride, so please remember the ride date is one month later than previously published, and ride your horse accordingly for the longer season. If you are leasing a horse to ride in the Tevis, we strongly recommend that you check the horse’s record on the AERC website and do your due diligence in selecting your mount.

The Tevis committee does everything it can to make Tevis as safe and enjoyable as possible while maintaining the challenge of crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains in 24 hours.

The opportunity to support trail maintenance and development is a huge benefit to the organization and is achieved by participation in the Signature Rider Program. Signature riders receive an $800 tax-deductible donation letter in addition to some amazing, high quality swag. If you have questions regarding this program, please email Linda Glazier at lglazier@gtdivide.net. We encourage you to be part of this program.

Much more information at:
http://www.teviscup.org/roadtostart

Teviscup.org - More news

April 8 2019

Ride Director's Message

chuckOld man winter blasted us again in 2018-19, and I am sitting here looking east to very snow covered mountains. Spring is arriving ever so slowly and that snow just keeps building rather than melting. As a result, the 2019 Tevis has been pushed out a month to August 17. However, the weather can change at any time, and we are looking forward to some warm weather to help us out. As of now, it looks like our trail will be “traditional.” We will ride from Robie Park to Auburn.

You are encouraged to participate in trail work days and help WSTF/ WSER trail groups get the trail ready for the 64th running of the Tevis Cup. The joint WSTF and WSER trail committee has scheduled work days between now and the end of June, and we welcome your participation on the trail teams. You would need to go to WSTrail.org and click on the “sign up---be a trail volunteer” tab. No matter your conditioning or skill level you will be welcome to join and participate. Everyone learns something they did not know when they work on trail days.

Many times foreign riders lease local horses to make the 100 mile ride. If you are interested in that program, please notify the office, and someone will get back to you with updates and options. We have a link on the Tevis website. Just click on the “links” tab, and you will find “Rider Resources.” You can contact Linda Glazier who will help you by posting that you are interested in a horse or you have a horse to lease. The sooner you monitor that site, the better your chances of getting a good match with your goals. As always, you are encouraged to look up the AERC horse record for the horse you are considering leasing to verify the strength of the horse’s finishing record.

As of now, we are planning to stay with the new location for the first full vet check at Red Star. The layout there handles the large crowd that comes through early in the race. Many positive comments were heard from the 2017 & 2018 riders about the ease of the traffic flow getting through this location. I would like to welcome John Catts of Western States Endurance Run (WSER) fame to the Head Volunteer team. John will be heading up the crew at Red Star this year and will be joined by a few of his running buddies to get the job done.

This is also the time of year for vendors and sponsors to sign up to participate at Robie Park, Foresthill, and/or Auburn. Information about these two programs are also on the website. If you have questions about the vendor program, you can email Pam Stalley at pstalley@yahoo.com or for sponsors please contact Pam Bailie at pbailieequestrian@gmail.com.

I often get asked the question, "How many 50-mile rides should I do with my horse in the year I want to complete Tevis." I have heard Tevis Veterinarian Jamie Kerr recommend, that in a perfect year, you want to finish three 50s before Tevis. In a year with warm dry weather, we see success from horses in that type of program. However, this year has been extremely wet all over the state of California and many of us are way behind in getting our horses out to train nevertheless getting them to a competition. Just be patient and careful as you cannot make up for lost time by just going faster. Ride long and slow for success at Tevis.

I would like to acknowledge Brad Weston (of API Printing and Marketing) for heading up the 2019 horse transport team. Brad has lots of experience with the Tevis ride having served at Lower Quarry for the past several years. He’ll do a fine job getting those horses to safety if they need a trailer to Auburn. We are excited to have him in this critical spot as he has great skills in this area.

Happy Training,

Chuck Stalley

2019 Tevis Ride Director

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2019 Tevis Cup Ride Date Change

TevisCup.org

TEVIS RIDE DATE CHANGE

The Western States Trail Foundation Executive Committee, the Tevis Ride Director, along with other key Ride personnel have had discussions over the past week to evaluate the current snow and weather impacts to the 2019 Tevis Cup Ride. Based on the snowfall water content, and comparing current conditions and forecasts to past historical records, the decision was made to postpone the 2019 ride date from July 20 to August 17, 2019. We expect changing to this later date will allow us to use our traditional trail and make the necessary improvements and annual seasonal cleanup efforts before the ride. We appreciate the support and understanding of our riders, volunteers, sponsors, and the Tevis community as we move forward with this new date.

The WSTF

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