Overview:
Western North Carolina's dry spring held over the Biltmore Challenge this year, with predicted rain by-passing the region. So trail conditions were dry and fast; the day started off cool and cloudy, eventually clearing off in the afternoon with a hit of humidity. The temperatures peaked around 70 helping keep the horses cool while working.
A total of 119 horses started: 83 in the 50 mile ride; 36 in the 100 mile ride.
We had our second year of team competition at Biltmore this year, available to both the 50 and 100 mile riders. And it seems to have struck a resonance: about 75% of the riders in the 100 were on teams; and a similar degree of participation among the 50 milers. Teams consisted of between 3 and 4 riders with the best three times being considered to determine team placings.
Photos: contact the ride manager.
AERC 50 Results:
83 horses and riders started the AERC 50 mile ride, with 56 completing the 52.3 mile course, a 67% completion rate (compared to 73.6% in 2007). Completion awards were custom trailer mats donated by Ken Feagin Truck and Trailer.
The winner of the 50 was Kara Disbrow on her horse, Veinte Corona, in a ride time of 4:41:24. They won a beautiful gilt-framed with horse pattern mirror donated by Ann Pfeiffer. One second behind, and second to finish was Gary Sanderson on Galapago Amigo. They won a TackyTack saddle pad donated by Shorty Grey of Shorty's Saddles. Third place was won by Jeanne Clark on Psyches Traveler. They won a water bottle donated by EasyCare.
Best Conditioned was won by Mike Bostic on Moonshine. The BC award was a beautiful bridle and rein set, plus gift certificate, donated by Amanda Taylor of Taylored Tack. Sue Mullen on Forever Noel won High Vet Score, an 8" x 10" portrait photograph taken at a ride of Sue's choice by Genie Stewart-Spears.
The 50 mile ride had 7 Juniors competing, with Maggie Becker being the smiling winner of the Junior Champion award, a bling-enhanced halter donated by Kristen Lacy of Distance Depot.
The Back of the Pack award, a TackyTack saddle pad donated by Shorty Grey of Shorty's Saddles, went to Whitney Wright on WS Aligence (Traveler). Another TackyTack saddle pad, donated by Shorty Grey of Shorty's Saddles was the Middle of the Pack award, won by Barbara Hershberger riding Tsunami Storm.
Top ten awards were captain chairs, with a dramatic gold-on-black custom design, donated by BlueSeal feeds. Awards for placing between 11 and 20 were Fortified ABCs, donated by Advanced Biological Concepts.
Complete AERC 50 mile results are available here.
AHA 50 Results:
The 50 mile AHA local competition required explicit entry, AHA competition card for owner and rider, and Arab, Half Arab, or AngloArab registry. The competition drew 21 entries, 17 Arabs and 4 Half-Arabs.
Hernan Barbosa won the 50 mile Arabian competition riding Steve Rojek's horse Sey Enuf Proof (SoHo) with a ride time of 5:26:39. The prize for first place Arab was a bas-relief ceramic tile of an Arab donated by Nan Jacobsohn of Wild Horses. Foster Olson took first place in the Half-Arab division on his Rockette Survivor in a ride time of 5:51:31. Foster won a $50 gift certificate donated by Amy Cieri of Cadence Farm.
Full results for the AHA 50 are available here.
Team 50 Results:
12 teams were assembled in the 50 to compete for awards offered for the top three teams. The first times of the fastest three riders out of three or four counted. While the primary sponsor of the team awards was Teddy Lancaster of Running Bear, other prizes were donated by APEX (one year associate membership plus a hand-crafted horse-head hoof-pick made by Jeff Pauley) and double bottles of ProBis donated by Advanced Biological Concepts.
The top three teams all had 4 riders completing, so the slowest time was ignored. The first place team was "Team Longshot" consisting of Kara Disbrow, Gary Sanderson, Jeanne Clark, and Gunnar Palm. With the first three finishers, they were the clear winners with a combined best-three ride time of 14:11:34. The "One Lucky Guy" team finished second with a combined best-three ride time of 17:14:43 posted by Theresa Carroll, Wesley Crowe,Susan Kain, and Nancy Schneiter. The third place overall team consisted entirely of Junior riders, the "Rising Hell's Angels", with a combined best-three ride time of 21:19:18 posted by Maggie Becker, Morgan Cooley, Taryn Lorey, and Jennifer Sine.
Full 50 mile team results are available here.
AERC 100 Results:
36 horses and riders started the AERC 100 mile ride, with 18 completing the 98.6 mile course, a 50% completion rate (compared to 54.2% in 2007). Completion awards were custom trailer mats donated by Ken Feagin Truck and Trailer.
The winner of the 100 was Lisa Williams on Rita Swift's horse, Midnight Revelation. They won a beautifully embroidered, waterproof blanket donated by Mary Coleman of CountryAire Farms in memory of Maggy Price. Second to finish was Ruth Anne Everett on her AngleArab, Royel T Razzmatazz. They won a TackyTack saddle pad donated by Shorty Grey of Shorty's Saddles. Third place was a photo finish tie between Heather Reynolds on Cal Flaming Emit and Jeremy Reynolds on Sir Smith. They won a water bottle donated by EasyCare.
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Both Best Conditioned and High Vet Score were won by Tom Gower on his HalfArab, JG Saqr. The BC award was an Equine First Aid Kit donated by Brittany Hazzard and her vet practice -- full of good thing that we hope never to have to use; and the High Vet Score award was an 8" x 10" portrait photograph taken at a ride of Tom's choice by Genie Stewart-Spears. |
| Meghan Delp was the sole Junior entrant, and completed, winning the Junior Champion award, a bling-enhanced halter donated by Kristen Lacy of Distance Depot. Meghan also won the Back of the Pack award, a TackyTack saddle pad donated by Shorty Grey of Shorty's Saddles. |  |
Middle of the Pack was won by Leigh Ann Pauley riding her mare, Blizzard Bey. The award was a framed, 8"x10" portrait photo taken at a ride or Leigh Ann's choice by Genie Stewart-Spears.
Top ten awards were captain chairs, with a dramatic gold-on-black custom design, donated by BlueSeal feeds. Awards for placing between 11 and 20 were gift bags of products for horse coat enhancement, donated by Shapley.
Complete AERC 100 mile results are available here.
AHA 100 Results:
12 riders on Arabs and 5 riders on Half Arabs entered the 100 mile AHA Region 12 Championship competition (required explicit entry, AHA competition card for both rider and owner, and Arab, Half Arab, or AngloArab registry). Region 12 donated the awards for the placings: wooden plaques and ribbons for top five in each division, plus garlands of roses for the winners in each division.
Farzad Faryadi won the 100 mile Arabian Championship riding Hot Desert Knight with a ride time of 10:49:20. Ruth Anne Everett won the Half-Arab Championship on her AngloArab, Royel T Razzmatazz in a ride time of 10:06:38.
Since this was a championship ride, Arab and HalfArab Best Conditioned awards were also given, with the BC Arab going to Farzad Faryadi on Hot Desert Knight, and the BC HalfArab going to Tom Gower on JG Saqr. The prizes for the BC were lovely hand-embossed mirrors donated by Ann Pfeiffer.
Full results for the AHA 100 are available here.
Team 100 Results:
Team competition had 28 of the 36 riders participating in the 100 mile ride on 7 teams. The first times of the fastest three riders out of three or four counted. While the primary sponsor of the team awards was Teddy Lancaster of Running Bear, other prizes were donated by APEX (one year associate membership plus a hand-crafted horse-head hoof-pick made by Jeff Pauley) and Advanced Biological Concepts.
The top two teams had three horses finishing, so all finishing times counted. The third place team had only two horses completing, so they were chosen from among the teams with two completions. The winning team was "Virginia Reunited", consisting of Lisa Williams, Lisa Green, Nicki Meuten, and Mary Howell, with a combined riding time of 31:38:17. Following them, with a combined riding time of 31:54:34 was the team of "Three Chicks and a Dude" consisting of Heather and Jeremy Reynolds, Farzad Faryadi, and Daryl Downs. Third place prizes went to an unnamed team with the members: Tom Gower, Leigh Ann Pauley, Alison Bailey, and Jonie Brucker.
Full 100 mile team results are available here.
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