Why You Should Consider Adopting a BLM Mustang for Your Next Horse

1. Over 100 Federal Border Patrol Agents Use BLM Mustangs.
   Southern and Northern U.S. Borders are patrolled with BLM Mustangs.
2. America’s Favorite Trail Horse for 2011 is a BLM Mustang.
   Mary Miller Jordan and her wild mustang mare Lindsay’s Faith.
3. Dressage at Devon 2010 Competitor is a BLM Mustang.
   Patti Gruber and Padre, Reserve Grand Champion, Stallion In Hand.
4. U.S.M.C. Mounted Color Guard Unit Uses BLM Mustangs.
   If you watch the annual Rose Bowl Parade, you have seen them.
5. 2010 AERC Hall of Fame Horse is a BLM Mustang.
   Robin Hood has competed over 10 years, completed over 10,000 miles, and received over 10 “Best Condition” awards. He has completed four Tevis Cup rides.
6. BLM Mustangs are Loyal, Strong, Intelligent, and TRAINABLE!
   Ask the adopters of more than 230,000 wild horses and burros from the BLM’s adoption program. Check out their stories at FaceBook.com\BLMWildHorseandBurro

BLM holds satellite adoptions year-round throughout the United States. Additional opportunities are available at permanent short-term corral locations and via the internet. To learn how a trained or untrained BLM Mustang can become your next horse, call 866-468-7826 or visit blm.gov.

National Wild Horse and Burro FY 2012 and FY 2013 Adoption Schedule

Note: The Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) National Wild Horse & Burro Adoption Schedule is tentative.

Contact the BLM's national toll free number, 866-4MUSTANGS, (866-468-7826) to ensure the adoption date and location site is accurate.

Contact the BLM's Eastern States Office, 800-370-3936 for details on internet adoptions or visit the Internet Adoption web page.

August 2012

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September 2013

“Sara” covered 1,675 competition miles in 2011, completing 31 of 31 rides with 10 overall wins and 9 Best Conditions. The 7 year-old mare won two 200-mile rides, one 165-miler, one 155-miler, and finished all but one of her rides in the Top Ten. Coupled with Distance Horse of the Year honors, Sara was named the AHA High Point 50-99 mile Endurance horse. The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) awarded Sara the War Mare Award and the Belesemo Arabians Pioneer Award for the Heavyweight Division. Lastly, Sara was awarded the Drinkers of the Wind performance award by the Institute of the Desert Arabian Horse.

“Well everybody thinks their horse is the greatest horse in the world,” says Crockett Dumas. “But she is really a great all-around horse. I bred her and her mother and father … after riding 37,500 miles, I don’t spend a lot of time on good horses. She’s a great horse.”

Dumas has been breeding for excellent endurance horses since the late 70s and has been successful, producing several champions over the last 30 years. “She’s no accident,” he says about Sara, but Dumas noticed a spark that made her standout in his eyes in 2011. While competing in multi-day races, scheduled one after another, other riders slots games chose to ride a combination of horses, while Sara rode on through. “When you have fresh horses thrown at you every day; for a horse to do what she did--complete, run up front, and win--that’s really something very, very special. And carry more weight at the same time,” says Dumas referring to the heavyweight division (when tack and rider weigh over 211 lbs. combined) in which they ride.
“She’s got a great mind. She really likes people. I don’t pay much attention to what they look like, but she happens to be really pretty--she looks like her foundation mare.”

Dumas plans to continue to use Sara in endurance races and might add to the one foal she has had, but his breeding has slowed in recent years due to the poor economy. He has no doubt in her ability to continue on the path she’s on now. “At this age, I’m the one that gives out. I’m the weak link! Sara has no trouble at all.”

"My sister Kirsten won this award in 2007 and I've always looked up to her. When she won, I decided 'That's my next goal!'" Kimbler related. "It has been a whirlwind experience."

The 17-year-old high school senior has shown an unwavering commitment to her sport. As a young child, she started in the show ring with walk-trot. Soon after, she continued her riding with endurance and has never looked back. Kimbler has won the AERC Junior National Hundred Mile Award twice in its four years of existence. This award is given to the junior rider who completes the most 100-mile rides in one year. Kimbler holds the record for being the only junior to complete five such endurance rides in one year. She also has represented the AHA Youth Association as her region's delegate and through involvement in 4-H events with her Arabians. She was nominated by both the Arabian Horse Association (AHA) and the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC).

Her commitment does not stop with her horses, and as Kimbler can attest, she's used to balancing quite a hectic schedule. She tested for the first professional level in ballet in the fall, and hopes to teach younger children, to fund her college education. In addition, she is a member of the Keystone National Honor Society which requires her to complete 30 hours of community service along with maintaining at least a 4.0 grade point average. She is also an active member of her school's cross-country team and Students Against Destructive Decisions club (SADD).

Kimbler plans to attend university near home next year, pursuing a degree in biology. While other future plans aren't yet set in stone, she's already sure of one thing: horses.

The Ruth O'Keefe Meredith Trophy was established in 1985 to honor a junior equestrian who has made outstanding contributions to equestrian competition while exemplifying exceptional talent, sportsmanship and dedication. After reviewing the many candidates nominated for one of the USEF's highest honors, the Awards Committee selected the young equestrian who exceeded the demanding qualification criteria.

To qualify, a young equestrian must have competed at USEF-recognized shows over the past year while displaying good sportsmanship and integrity. The winner is also someone who has excelled and has willingly given back to their sport.

Kimbler will be honored during the 2010 Pegasus Awards on January 22 in Lexington, Ky. as part of the 2011 USEF Annual Meeting. She was nominated by both the Arabian Horse Associaton (AHA) and the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC).

Also winning one of endurance's top prizes, the Pard'ners Award, was Robert Ribley and his endurance horse, Tari.

Hall of Fame Person: Dave Rabe
Dave Rabe, a retired postmaster from Carson City, Nev., is currently third on the list of high-mileage riders in the organization's 38-year history, with 46,512 miles through 2009. Those numbers include 862 ride finishes--200 of them in the top 10, with 55 completions of 100-mile, one-day rides.

"I guess I like to ride more than most of you," said Rabe to the hundreds of endurance riders assembled at the national awards banquet, held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno.

Rabe is as well known for his typical riding outfit--a tank top and cut-off jean shorts--as he is for the miles and miles of trails which he marks before most rides. "Dave is the only person I know who will get to a ride early to mark trail for the ride managers, ride the ride, then go around helping people and filling water troughs in camp, then go out and mark more trail for the next day of the ride," said Stephanie Palmer-DuRoss of Queen Creek, Ariz., one of the many people who nominated Rabe for the Hall of Fame award.

An exemplary rider, Rabe is often trusted to ride other people's horses. As the award presenter, Ride Manager Dave Nicholson, DVM, said, "He'll ride anything." Rabe answered back, "I like a horse to buck and run away once in a while."

"Dave is one of the few people I will trust with one of my own horses," said rider Karen Chaton, of Gardnerville, Nev. "I know that Dave will always have the horse's best interest at heart. He can take horses that nobody else can even stay on and turn them into incredible athletes."

He is also known for helping out riders along the trail, even risking his own placing to do so. "On the trail during a ride he slows to help any lost, beginning, wayward or worried riders and horses," said Kevin Waters of Rimrock, Ariz.

Hall of Fame Equine: Tulip
The invincible Tulip, Dr. Les Carr's half-Arabian gelding, finished the 2009 endurance ride season with 21,155 miles. As the first endurance horse to surpass 20,000 miles, the 21-year old equine athlete's Hall of Fame induction was well-deserved.

Since Tulip's first endurance ride in 1993, he has averaged more than 1,200 miles of sanctioned endurance rides every year, an incredible average considering the minimum length of these rides is 50 miles. More than 25 different riders have contributed to Tulip's mileage, although Dr. Carr, of Somerset, Calif., has taken over exclusively since 2001 (except one ride where Dr. Carr's wife, Jill, rode Tulip).

"Tulip shows no sign of aging when I see him on the trail and looks like he will go on forever," said John Parke, who nominated Tulip for the year-end award. "Tulip is amazingly tolerant of quirky people and ponies, and is a true character in his own right. We have ridden so much together that I always relax a little riding next to him out of some inner recognition that I am really out on the endurance trail where I belong."

Pard'ners Award: Robert Ribley and Tari
A coveted AERC award, the Pard'ners award, named in honor of the late Mae Schlegel and her horse Pard, honors the horse and rider team that exemplifies friendship, enthusiasm and sportsmanship. While Tari is now deceased, he and Robert Ribley, a longtime endurance rider from Grass Valley, Calif., had a long and storied career together that made them deserving of the award.

Tari, a 3/4-Arabian, 1/4-Standardbred gelding, started 116 rides with Robert between 1985 and 1994, and finished 116 times, an amazingly difficult feat. Of those, 25 rides were 100-mile, one-day rides.

Tari's last ride was the 20 Mule Team 100, when Tari was 27 years old. "To get a 27-year-old horse through a tough 100-mile takes teamwork. That's why Robert and Tari are Pard'ners," said nominator Mike Tracy of Hollister, Calif. "However competitive they were, they always had good sportsmanship. As a rookie myself, back in 1989, I was always asking Robert questions during a ride. Even though we were competing against one another, he never failed to give me good advice.

Lindsay Graham and Monk, owned by Chris Martin, winners of the AERC 100-mile National Championships.

© Bill Gore, Gore-Baylor Photography

The 100-mile championship ride, held September 11, was won handily by Lindsay Graham, a fourth-year veterinary student at the University of California at Davis. Riding Chris Martin's 7-year-old chestnut Arabian gelding, Monk, Graham finished the technical course in nine hours and 58 minutes, 35 minutes ahead of second-place finisher Brad Green of Auburn, California, riding Pawnee, his 10-year old Arabian cross gelding.

"I was planning on just finishing in the required FEI COC time," said Graham, referring to the Fédération Equestre Internationale's certificate of capability time of twelve hours and twenty minutes. "We passed people in the vet checks as Monk pulsed down immediately at every check.

"I kept a very steady pace all day. People always passed me downhill, but I passed them uphill, and let him canter on the flats," said Graham. "He has a very easy big canter, and his heart rate drops significantly."

The win came as a surprise to the 27-year-old with 2,275 AERC miles to her credit. "The day just came together the way people dream of," she said. "The 'Monk man' never slowed down. He gave me an incredible ride."

A total of 61 horse-and-rider teams started the 100-mile competition at 5:30 a.m. on September 11. The 2009 ride site was in Greenville, California, midway between Redding and Reno in Northern California. The championship trail, which varied from 3800 to 6100 feet elevation, included spectacular views of Walker Lake and Lake Almanor. When the 24-hour time limit was up early the next morning, 42 teams had crossed the finish line.

"A 69 percent completion rate for such a high-level competition means that riders were really taking care of their horses," said AERC Executive Director Kathleen Henkel. "It was a hot day but the horses did great."

At the best condition judging on Saturday morning, Monk was awarded top honors by the team of veterinarians who examined the top 10-placing horses. "Monk looked great," said Graham, "bright-eyed, eating and drinking well, and just looked like a happy horse. I am on Cloud 9."

Graham was the first featherweight rider (under 160 pounds, with tack) to finish. Other teams topping their weight division were Brad Green of Auburn, California, and Pawnee (first lightweight, second overall), Elroy Karius of Kelowna, British Columbia, and Apache Eclypse (first middleweight, third overall), and Crockett Dumas of Escalante, Utah, and OT Gunplay RSI (first heavyweight, seventh overall).

Aboard Rushcreek Lance, Colton Medeiros was the first junior and 11th overall. The National Championship ride was the fifth 100-mile ride for the 10-year-old from Rescue, California, who rode with his father Matt as his sponsor.

Kenneth Keele and Ravenwood Shahbar, winners of the AERC 50-mile National Championships. They completed the 50-mile course in four hours and three minutes.

© Rene Baylor, Gore-Baylor Photography

On September 13, 89 riders set out on the 50-mile competition, with 73 completing in times ranging from four hours and three minutes to nine hours and 27 minutes. First to finish were Kenneth Keele of Greenwood, California, a middleweight rider, and Ravenwood Shahbar. They actually were second over the finish line but the first team to cross was eliminated when the horse's pulse didn't meet the 64 beats per minute criteria within the required one-hour time period.

"Shahbar is a very fast horse. He's been fast all his life," said 50-mile winner Keele. Speed and toughness come naturally to the 11-year-old chestnut Arabian gelding, whose mother was a straight Egyptian imported out of Egypt in the 1970s. "He's structurally sound, with good feet and good angles, and he has a naturally good heart rate that always comes down right away."

After a short break, Keele and Shahbar plan to head to Oklahoma for the Arabian Horse Association National Championship 50-mile ride in late October.

Other top weight division finishers in the 50 were Becky Spencer of Greenwood, California, and Alchemy LR (first lightweight, second overall), Cheryl Dell of Springville, California, and TR Reason to Believe (first featherweight, seventh overall), Dian Woodward of Moab, Utah (first heavyweight, 11th overall), and Kadee Felton of Pilot Hill, California (first junior and 28th overall).

July 2, 2009 -- Teamwork proved key to the successful running of the 35th Old Dominion Endurance Rides, held this June in the Appalachian Mountains along the Virginia/West Virginia state line. Throughout the ride, teamwork made the difference: between horses, riders and crew, between ride management, veterinarians and farriers, and between radio operators, drag riders and emergency rescue personnel.

By June 12, 158 horse and rider teams had arrived at base camp outside Orkney Springs, a quaint little town located at the foot of Great North Mountain, part of the George Washington National Forest. Of the 33 100-mile teams who started on the humid morning of June 13, 24 completed. Of 69 55-mile teams who started, 56 completed. And the 25-mile limited distance ride had 43 starters and 40 finishers, a 93 percent completion rate.

Since its evolution from the U.S. Calvary Mounted Service Cup, the Old Dominion (OD) endurance ride stands out as a true test of teamwork between horse and rider on a spectacular, but undeniably difficult trail. In addition to the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) and Eastern Competitive Trail Ride Association (ECTRA) sanctioning, the 55- and 100-mile distances of this year's event also served as the Arabian Horse Association Region 15 Championship.

By June, the spring rains had pelted the Virginia landscape for several weeks, so trails were muddy and footing was slippery. The rain held off most of ride day, and ominous clouds rolled across the sky, bringing cool breezes and keeping temperatures in the low 80s. The air was thick with humidity that made pulsing down tough.

Trailmaster Gus Politis, assisted by several OD members, marked this year's trail. Old Dominion Endurance Rides, Inc., board member John Marsh said the 100-milers faced three major climbs: a 1500' climb to the top of Great North Mountain at mile 6, a 1600' climb to the top of Devil's Hole 40 miles into the ride, and a 1000' climb up Little Sluice Mountain 70 miles into the ride.

Claire Godwin, DVM, and EH Ahmose make their way along the ridgeline that separates Virginia and West Virginia on her way to first place in the Old Dominion 100-mile ride.

© Hugh Mac Donald

Marsh noted that the majority of trail consisted of rolling, forested terrain over a combination of trail and Forest Service roads with frequent elevation changes of 300 to 400 feet. Riders enjoyed the display of mountain laurel in full bloom, along with ample streams for drinking and plenty of grass on trail for horses.

Veterinary checks at five locations revealed scene after scene of the incredible synchronization between riders and crews, as well as ride management, station heads, timers, volunteers, vets, farriers, and traffic control.

Shortly after 9:30 p.m., OD member Claire Godwin, DVM, on her 10-year-old Arabian gelding EH Ahmose was first to finish the 100 miler in 12 hours and 17 minutes. "Ahmose is a cantering horse, which held him in good stead on this ride," said Dr. Godwin, who was thrilled with her first 100-mile win on a horse who had never before done a 100.

Dr. Godwin added, "The trail was challenging, but doable--a blast. The miles melted away since the scenery was so gorgeous." The Godwin family epitomized teamwork: daughter Katie crewed for her mom and husband Pete assisted with trail marking and filling water tanks at key points along the trail.

Stagg Newman and Ruth Anne Everett rode with Godwin most of the day, with teamwork and sportsmanship going hand-in-hoof. All three watched each others' horses for problems and Newman even lent Dr. Godwin an hoof boot when Ahmose lost a shoe.

Everett's Anglo-Arab Razz crossed the finish second and earned the best condition award. Katherine Shank on WindDancer-Bey was top finisher in the 100-mile Calvary Division, which precludes receiving any outside assistance. Shank also received the Old Dominion Trophy for the team that demonstrates optimum performance based on the horse's post-ride recovery and condition.

The first junior finisher in the OD 55, 11-year-old Hunter Green makes his way along the Virginia/West Virginia stateline aboard Gotcha Covered PW, owned by Deborah DeShon.

© Hugh Mac Donald

In the 55-miler, Bonni Hannah finished first on Rezus Respite. Kara Lee Thomas finished second on AF Big Bucks. And junior Hunter Green was third on Gotcha Covered PW. Veterinarian Meg Sleeper's horse Syrocco Gabriel received best condition.

Les Carr and Tulip at the March 2008 Cuyama XP Pioneer Ride, where they completed rides of 50, 55 and 50 miles over three days.

© Lynne Glazer

Tulip's name? The rumor, according to Dr. Les Carr, Tulip's owner, is that a bed of lovely tulips was nearby during Tulip's birth. The 15.2-hand Tulip, registered as a half-Arabian by the Arabian Horse Association, is by the Morgan stallion Calamity's Pizzaz, whose sire is from the Kingston line. His dam, Belif, is a granddaughter of Bu-Zahar, a son of Ferzon-Hall of Fame sire of National Champions.

Carr, of Somerset, Calif., has amassed 46,460 miles of his own during his 24 years of AERC competitions. Both Carr and Tulip exemplify AERC's commitment to valuing equine longevity.

Although he has completed four 100-mile rides, Tulip's specialty is the 50-mile endurance ride, especially when combined into AERC Pioneer Rides, which include at least three consecutive days of 50- to 55-mile rides. And the grey gelding's not burning up the trail; he and Carr tend to finish towards the back of the pack in most competitions.

"The AERC motto is 'to finish is to win'," noted Carr. "However, winning can be accomplished in different ways. One way to win is for the rider to make the decision to ride the same horse over a long period of time and place at the middle or tail end of the ride. This approach has been my choice."

Carr's horse philosophy has have evolved over the years, and Tulip is his third horse to go over 10,000 miles. Carr credits starting slowly and carrying a lightweight rider--in Tulip's case, junior Lainey Porter rode Tulip for his first few thousand miles of competition. "I sponsored and accompanied Lainey who rode Tulip slowly and followed my strategies and lead," said Carr.

A pace of 5.5 miles per hour is another of Carr's tenets. By not galloping or cantering, Carr plans to take nine to 10 hours to complete a 50-mile ride. To make that trail time easier on Tulip, Carr spends most of his riding time standing up in the stirrups. He allows Tulip to eat and drink pretty much continually along the trail, and carefully watches both Tulip's intake and outgo which, Carr says, "provide significant clinical signs as to the condition of Tulip along the endurance trail."

Carr isn't willing to take risks with his high-mileage horse. "If Tulip is even slightly off in his gait--even if the judges say Tulip could continue in the ride--Tulip and I load up and go home. Any sign of colic results in my immediately pulling Tulip from the ride and requesting immediate vet treatment," said Carr. "My operating philosophy is that there is always another endurance ride to do, but not another Tulip."

Most years, Carr and Tulip would complete around 1,000 miles of competition a year. Their highest mileage year was 2006, when the completed 1,970 miles. Along the way, the pair have picked up numerous awards from AERC, including regional mileage championships and Pioneer Awards, even a couple of national mileage championships when he was ridden by junior rider Lainey Porter back in the mid-1990s.

At age 74, Carr keeps himself in shape with bodybuilding and weightlifting when he's not riding. At 5'8", he keeps his weight at a trim 148 pounds. A practicing clinical psychologist, Carr considers riding "a mystical and spiritual experience."

A stairway fall back in 1999 looked like it was the end of Carr's riding, according to his team of doctors. But after a full year of recovery, he's been back standing in the saddle for miles and miles every month, although his left leg remains slightly weakened. "I'm appreciative of Brent and Cheryl Johnson, who pitched in and rode Tulip for nearly 1,400 miles during my year off," said Carr.

Carr has no plans to retire Tulip. The pair have already completed 670 miles in the current ride season. But Carr said that he and Tulip will no longer be doing as many five-day Pioneer Rides (250 miles over five days), instead focusing on one-day 50s and the three-day, 155-mile Pioneer Rides.

"Life along the endurance trail is unpredictable, in line with our universe that is inherently chaotic and unpredictable," said Carr. But the septuagenarian, who rides along with his wife Jill and her trustworthy mule, Walker, at his side, Carr hopes to ride Tulip as long as possible along the endurance trails. For more information about AERC or endurance riding, visit www.aerc.org.

With a combined 46,000 acres of rolling hills, long-leaf pine forests, and open fields, Sand Hills State Forest and H. Cooper Black Jr. Memorial Field Trial and Recreation Area is a top Southeast destination for trail riders. Located in north-central South Carolina, between Hartsville and Patrick, the H. Cooper Black in particular is the ideal staging and camping spot for your horseback excursion.

"You can ride all day and not see a human being, just forest creatures - beautiful black fox, squirrels, deer, turkey, and, if you have a keen eye, the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker," says Patsy Gowen, an endurance rider and American Endurance Ride Conference ride manager who developed a unique trail system there.

"The entire area is beautiful," Gowen continues. "In the spring, iris, dogwoods, yellow jasmine, and other wildflowers are in bloom. Sand Hills is also a working forest, with logging pine-needle harvesting. With the underbrush cleared out, you can see far into the forest."

The South Carolina State Park Service, which is extremely horse-friendly, manages H. Cooper Black. There are three entrances, and you can arrive anytime; there are no gated entries. And you don't need a permit to ride on its 7,000 acres and 20 miles of marked trails. But you will need a permit to ride in the Sand Hills State Forest.

The best time to ride is September through May, although June can be mild some years. The summer months, especially July and August, can be uncomfortable due to heat, humidity, and flying pests.

Marked Trails
Gowen discovered Sand Hills State Forest when she was scouting endurance-event locations. At that time, very few trails were marked, and the land was used primarily for hunting-dog field-trial competitions. Working with State Forest Ranger Forest Murphy, now retired, Gowen and several friends rode the area, marking trails for the first endurance event, held in 2002.

"When Forest Murphy retired, [Sand Hills State Forest director] Brian Davis took over, and he's just as enthusiastic to allow us to develop and use the endurance-event trails," says Gowen, who gained approval to permanently mark six color-coded trails that recreational riders also appreciate.

"The Red Trail is 22 miles long and runs east-west," Gowen explains. "The Blue Trail is 19 miles long and runs north-south. The Orange Trail, 22 miles long, also runs north-south. The Green Trail is 17 miles long and is located primarily on H. Cooper grounds. The Yellow Trail is 13 miles long and is mostly alongside paved roads. The newest trail is the Navy Trail, which runs southwest and is 17 miles long."

On all but the Navy Trail, letters indicate trail distances. An "A" denotes five miles into the trail; "B" 10 miles; "C" 15 miles; and "D" 20 miles. There are no other mileage markers. The trails interconnect, so you can make short or long loops, depending on your and your horse's abilities.

Ranger Bonnie Lewis emphasizes that these trails aren't part of the H. Cooper Black trail system, which are marked with white blaze paint on trees and are the only trails shown on the park map. By prior request, you can obtain a photocopy of the endurance-trail map to use along with the park map and the Sand Hills State Forest map.

"Sand Hills has approximately 30 miles of riding trails, excluding Patsy Gowen's trails," says Davis. "We also have 130 miles of state forest roads, known as truck trails, which are open for riding. These are noted on maps as, for example, TT-16 or TT-127."

"The only reason the ride took place was because of the nearly 300-plus hours in manpower it took to get the trails in excellent condition," said co-ride manager Cindy Young. "Few people realize what a mess those trails really were and without some key people working diligently on some 35 miles of trails, the championships would probably not have happened."

For a sport where weather can make for precarious conditions, especially this late in the season, this year's national championship was nearly perfect. The ride had 45 starters in the 100-mile event and 114 starters in the 50-mile event.

"The level of competition and the caliber of riders truly made for a national championship on all levels," said Young. "We had competitors from 26 states as well as Canada, Switzerland, Holland and Namibia."

100-Mile Competition
The winner of the 100-mile contest was AERC Hall of Fame inductee Valerie Kanavy with King Ali Gold. With a time of 9 hours and 53 minutes, they were 45 minutes ahead of the next competitors. Best Condition went to Hot Desert Knight, ridden by Farzad Faradyi, who was the second-place finisher.

Top weight division finishers: Joni Buttram and Cash Bonus (Junior), Kirsten Kimbler and Cody Canuck (Featherweight), Valerie and Ali (Lightweight), Farzad Faradyi and Hot Desert Knight (Middleweight) and Ed Kidd and Merlin (Heavyweight).

There were 31 completions out of the field of 45 starters in the 100-mile event, held October 16.

50-Mile Competition
Teresa McCarty and Spectacular Gold were first to finish the 50-mile event, with a time of 3 hours and 58 minutes, and they also won Best Condition.

Other top weight division finishers were Austin Shaffer and Pearl Jam (Junior), Katherine Shank and Wind Dancer-Bey (Featherweight), Deb Shaffer and Sheik Abu Galihad+ (Lightweight) and Roger Barrett and Blueberry Bey (Heavyweight).

There were 114 entrants and 98 completions in the 50-mile event, held October 18.

The prestigious endurance ride was held in conjunction with the Arabian Horse Association's Arabian and Half-Arabian Endurance Championship. Next year's AERC National Championship will be held in Northern California on September 11 and 13. For more information on AERC and endurance riding, visit www.aerc.org.

Becky Hart was born loving horses and started riding lessons shortly after she started kindergarten. For the past 30 years, her passion has been endurance riding, and she's become one of the top competitors - not just in this country, but in the world. Many times, Hart has represented the United States, and many times she's made us proud.

She's traveled more than 20,000 competitive miles en route to the American Endurance Ride Conference Hall of Fame, and twice won both the grueling Tevis Cup: 100 Miles-One Day Ride and the Race of Champions. Hart was also the AERC National Champion twice and is the only rider to have won the prestigious World Endurance Championship three consecutive times. Her many accomplishments earned her the United States Equestrian Team's Equestrian of the Year title.

In addition, Hart has a penchant for teaching. She's a Level III Centered Riding instructor, and for more than 20 years she's shared techniques for balanced, natural riding, and ground work at clinics and seminars across the country.

Having achieved so much, is she ready to slow down or rest easily on her laurels? Not any day soon!

"I'd like to compete in at least one more World Endurance Championship, perhaps in Kentucky in 2010," Hart says with a smile. "I have a terrific horse named II Damb Much, a.k.a. Buddy, who has the talent to do it. Ultimately, I'd like to have a multidiscipline facility, and incorporate TTeam work, natural horsemanship, and Centered Riding to teach riders of all abilities and disabilities. I really enjoy teaching. And there are books to write, and a website to develop."

Read on to meet an extraordinary trailblazer, Becky Hart.

TTR: What was your first up-close-and personal experience with horses?

Hart: I started riding lessons at age 6, with a patient and willing school horse named Lucky. At my very first lesson, the kids in front of me got to trot, and I remember wanting to trot, too! My first trail ride was onboard Lucky, into the Santa Cruz Mountains of California. At one point, a car came around a corner, scared my horse, and I fell off. I wasn't hurt or afraid, but my instructor, Mrs. Knight, yelled at the driver, and that made an impression.

TTR: Tell us about your first horse.

Hart: When I was 11 years old, my parents bought me a Quarter Horse gelding named Tiberon. He was patient, although certainly had his own opinions. He loved dashing under low-hanging tree branches, and he tested me at first. Tiberon taught me lots, especially that I needed to provide clear intention in what I asked of him. During the summer, my cousin and I would ride him from morning till night.

TTR: How did you become involved with endurance riding?

Hart: When I was 14 years old, I fell in love with a three-quarter Arabian that boarded at the same stable where we kept Tiberon. His name was Nusan, and he was just 2 years old when I got him. Eventually, he went to a trainer, and then I showed him successfully in just about every class possible: English and Western pleasure, equitation, Arabian costume, and trail.

In time, I met a rider at the same stable who owned a Tennessee Walker and rode endurance. I crewed for her at the 50-mile Castle Rock Ride, and afterwards I loaned Nusan to another endurance rider for a competition. They finished respectably, which made me think that perhaps I should give endurance a try.

TTR: What about endurance captured your imagination?

Hart: The next spring, I entered the Castle Rock Ride with Nusan, and finished 68th - using a Western saddle! Even though I couldn't walk for three days, just making it to the finish line felt really great. AERC has a saying, "To finish is to win." My horse was completely happy throughout that ride, and I discovered that I enjoyed going fast, too. It opened up a whole new world for us, and our show days came to a screeching halt.

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