Re: Accident at ride this weekend in Montana...???

["Karen Steenhof" <steenhof@cyberhighway.net>]

Jennifer-

Some of your friend's facts are correct; some are not.  I witnessed the
accident at the Posse ride.  First of all, the 2 people racing were on the
50 not the 25.  I'm not sure they were "spurring" their horses.  They were
racing to the finish and it was difficult for them to stop their horses,
going full speed.  I am not making excuses for what they did.  I don't
believe Jim was not breathing for 2 minutes.  I saw him groaning within a
minute after it happened.  I believe he was conscious most of the time.  I
know several people talked to him.  I personally saw one of the racers
walking towards Jim asking what she could do, and someone told her in a
scolding voice to get as far away from him as she could.  They did life
flight Jim out.  I don't know how extensive the injuries are--but at the
ride meeting, they told us he would be ok.  It was still awful and an
extremely difficult situation for ride management.  There is no rule against
racing in, but this time due to the truck being an obstacle, it was reckless
behavior in most people's opinions.  Everyone at the ride was concerned.
After a very serious meeting and at the suggestion of Sarah Metcalf, DVM,
the two racers agreed to voluntarily reliquish their placings and accept
completion only.  Everyone thought that the gesture was important and
meaningful.  If ride management had disqualified them, there might have been
a protest and ugly implications for insurance and the future of endurance
racing.

Karen Steenhof
Boise, Idaho
steenhof@cyberhighway.net

-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Hixson Layman <jlayman@leland.Stanford.EDU>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Monday, September 20, 1999 3:49 PM
Subject: RC: Accident at ride this weekend in Montana...???


>I am probably stirring the pot by bringing this up, but it really disturbed
>me and would like to know if anyone knows what really happened.  My
>understanding is basically that two 25 milers galloping accross the finish
>line ran over a spectator that was not on the course.  All I know is it was
>at a ride in Montana this past weekend.
>
>The below is a note from a non-endurance friend, and she is friends with
>the victim, and a mutual friend of theirs notified her of the accident.  I
>don't know more than this, but hate to hear of stories such as this in our
>sport.
>
>>Hey, I know I left you a message on your phone, but I was really blown
away
>>about what happened to our friend, Jim Ourey. He's a heart surgeon and
ownes
>>the big ranch where Malissa works and he has pulled out of the ride. He
was
>>hanging out by the vet station near the finish line waiting for some of
his
>>friends doing the 50 (Mel Sherman - riding his stallion Willy was doing a
>>100) and two girls came around the bend on the road finishing up the 25
and
>>they just spurred their horses into a wild gallop. Unfortunately a truck
has
>>just moved onto the road to cross and rather than slow down the riders
>>went up >on the hillside heading straigt for Jim. He got up and turned
>>around to go
>>farther up hill out of their way...but there wasn't time. They hit him at
>>a >full gallop.  He was thrown several feet in the air and they thought he
>>was >dead. He didn't breathe for about 2 minutes and has a fractrured
>>neck, back and
>>sternum. They had to air lift him out of there. The stupid girls just kept
>>going. Neither one of them even came back to see what they'd done. It's
just
>>awful. Everyone's so upset. I just can't even believe it. I hope he's
okay.
>>Have you ever heard of anything so awful? I hope there's some sort of
>>discipline applicable to these two thoughtless, carelss riders.
>
>
>Jennifer Layman
>
>
>
>Jennifer Layman
>Planner/Scheduler
>Housing Maintenance Services - Stanford University
>jlayman@leland.stanford.edu
>
>"The best thing for the inside of a man is the outside of a horse."
>
>
>
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