Gate 1

It's a steady drizzle, but not too chilly at the Biltmore this
morning. A 6am start in the dark. Angie and Josie have made it in to
the first vet gate - and all is well (as there was no lightning!:)

More in a bit. Angie (or Bill) will keep us up2date as the day flows
on. The river is running high and the vet gate/crewing area is a sea
of umbrellas (well tents - which work as well in the rain as the do
in the sun!)

jt (aka Angie while she's riding:)

Wet and Ready ....

Well, I'm here at Biltmore> Teddy at Runningbear has Wi-Fi so we can
post from here complements of Teddy. THANKS TEDDY!

So far the weather is hanging in there. It's COOL for here, a breeze,
actually chilly. They said it POURED last night so the FEI people who
got here early had it rough. The field was 4X4 material this morning
but has dried well. Though they called for rain today, nothing but
sprinkles since we've been here, thunder in the distance though.

The 100 has 59 entries, the 50 has 103. LOTS of vendors, great
atmosphere so far but the weather forecast is BAD as of now (makes my
stomach hurt to think about it :-( Calling for AM thundershowers,
1/2" rain, 60% chance. PRAY FOR US!!!

At the ride meeting they told how they're running things. There were
some grumbles (was that me? >g<) They're doing the little paper
slips for arrival & departure time which is kinda irritating. Can't
figure out why FEI can't afford a set of walkie talkies like SERA
uses that eliminates all that bother. Then the kicker...though
there's just 162 entries and looks like a dozen vets, they said that
if you present for pulse and your horse is not down you get ONE retry
then you're outa there. Why? Has that been a problem? (no) Why even
do it then? Just risking some kid's horse jumping up when another
departs (departure is right by the vet check) and ruining somebody's
day. I didn't hear anyone who thought it was necessary, helpful or
useful. Next they said the FEI folks have to get their completion
within 30 min. of finish even though the finish line is a 20 min walk
from camp...and I happen to know that their timer takes his sweet
time getting the card back to you (likes to review his film first and
WON'T be rushed). Glad I'm not FEI.

The tent situation has expanded. There's been so many years of rain
that people are now putting them in the vet check *and* their
corrals. Should get exciting if some extra strong winds kick up.

The rain yesterday must have been the real deal. The river is running
very high and muddy. Man, I hate the idea of 100 in the rain. PLEASE
let it not rain!!!

OK, through whining. I've gotta go mix electrolytes. If it's really
wet I'm not sure we'll be wanting to get the laptop out tomorrow, but
if it's not too bad I'll get someone to update.

I'm going to try to send a few pictures to John he can put up. Got a
new camera and don't know how to set resolution yet (though I read
the pamphlet on the way here) Good luck John,

Angie (who wants to stay dry SOOOOOOOO bad!

Julie Jackson and Nitro

Name: Julie Jackson
Weight Division: FW
Home:Geneseo, IL
How many hours away from Biltmore? 12-13 hours. I will leave about 4:00AM Thursday and hopefully be there about 6:30PM

Help us identify you: I am riding a small flea bitten grey Arabian gelding (surprise!). He has a navy/white overlay biothane bridle and breast collar. I use a blue rump rug and vet card packet. I ride in a black Orthoflex Endurance cutback. We use splint boots (black or white) and ankle boots (black).I wear a dark grey low profile helmet and my hair is usually sticking out attractively in all directions.

Background info: I've been riding all of my life - did my first LD ride about 7 years ago in Texas. Had to get divorced before I could really commit enough time to it, and am now thoroughly addicted. I have competed about 2600 miles in LD and Endurance combined and use Competitive Trail to start young horses. I have all Arabians at this time and Nitro is my second (and best) endurance horse and I have two coming along that are getting ready to start their first 50's. Then there are the three and four year olds.....>

How many 100's have you done? I have done three "one day" and two "two day" 100's, all on Nitro. My toughest one was the Wildcat 100 which we completed in 2006 BY OUR SELVES (it was very hot and everyone else bailed). It was a great experience. This will be my first FEI ride.

Total Mileage: 2600
Why do the 100?: I guess it is an ultimate test of partnership, trust and strength for me and my horse. I love the time on the trail together and I am constantly amazed at what he will do - what we can do together. I always said I was not interested in 100's but, here I am.

Your background with horses: I begged for a horse until my Dad wore down when I was 12. We had 5 by the time I was 13. My 13th birthday present was a 6 mo. old, wild, 1/2 Arab colt. I trained him and it just cemented my love for Arabs. I did some barrel racing and western pleasure as a teenager. Arabians have always been my first love, along with riding the trails.

Profession: VP Operations - Heavy Equipment Manufacturing

Horse's name: Nitro.
How did he get that name? Have you ever seen a bronc come out of the chute? Well, that was Nitro the first time I got on him when I went to look at him. The next 4 times were about the same. Hence, Nitro. he was 6 when I got him and had obviously been mis handled terribly. I started over and it took 4 months of just taking him where ever I went, conditioning my other horse (ponying Nitro). I spent hours and hours just gaining his trust.

Owner: me
Age: 12
Breed: Arabian
Bloodlines: unknown - he came from a racing stable without papers
Sex: Gelding
Height: 14.2
Weight: 875

Type shoes: Lateral clips in the back. He will be re-set on 5/2 to ensure a tight shoe. No pads, Nitro has good feet.
Shoe or easyboot size: 00
Miles: 1800
Years competing: 5
Type of saddle: Orthoflex
Type Pad: wool booties
Kimberwicke bit, Breastcollar, splint and ankle boots
Type girth: Orthoflex urethane and leather

Will you be riding with a heart monitor? yes
What is this horse like? Nitro is a very sensitive horse and prone to anxiety trailering, in hand, etc. Perfect manners but always on guard. Under saddle though he is one of the most confident horses I have ever ridden. He trusts me and will do anything I ask unless he is convinced it is too dangerous. He is competitive but controllable. Does not get too concerned with his place in the ride (front, behind) but is an excellent lead horse. He has a huge trot for his size (9-10MPH) but his favorite speed is all out. As I said, he was unridable when I got him. My friends bet me money I would never ride him. A few months after I bought him, the previous owners called to ask if I had him put down. I was proud to send them a picture of Nitro in his 1st LD at Spook Run. Nitro has finished in the top 5 of every endurance ride he has completed 31`out of 34 rides and has 5 BC's. The last 3 years he has won a regional top ten placing, last year 4th overall in the MW.

Goal for the ride. I have never ridden the Biltmore. I want to complete at a pace that is consistent with his conditioning.

If you want, explain your electrolyting proceedure...brand, frequency. I electrolyte about every 1.5 hours.
What do you feed? 50% beet pulp and 50% 12% sweet feed.
What will you be feeding at the vet check? What ever he will eat. I hand feed him carrots and he will go thru 10-20 pounds in 100 mile competition. He likes slurries. He also loves applesauce and especially other peoples hay.

Carter Wiecking on Pandor

Carter Wiecking managed to get through the first 37 years of her life in complete ignorance of the endurance riding world. She is grateful to the Kanavy family for undertaking to correct that unfortunate condition, and is now delightedly looking forward to riding in the Biltmore Challenge, her first 100-mile race. She is excited to be riding Pandor, an 8-year-old chestnut Arab bred by the Kanavy’s and owned by their good friend Kim Orr. Pandor is a wonderful gelding with a lot of heart, and Ms. Orr and the Kanavy’s have been working hard to develop his talents. We are all on the edge of our seats waiting to see how he performs at Biltmore.

Wendy Benns and Supreme Justice

Name: Wendy Benns
Weight Division: FEI (when not riding FEI, I am a featherweight)
Home: Sunderland, Ontario, Canada
How many hours away from Biltmore? When will you arrive? 15 hrs I plan to
arrive on Tuesday

Help us identify you: Bay gelding, star strip and snip, left hind white to fetlock
I will be wearing a red shirt and red black & white helmet.

Background info:
How many 100's have you done? 14 (3 were Pan-Ams on my mare "Flirt with
Ecstacy" who has been off on maternity leave!)
Total Mileage: Just over 4000. (Includes CTR mileage )
Why do the 100? My favorite distance. I love the planning, pacing.
management and strategy required to ride 100 milers. I find 50's too
rushed!!
Your background with horses.
I have been riding since I was 8 years old. All I ever wanted was a pony and
all I ever talked about, read about or watched on TV was horses. On my 1st
pony I moved up through the levels of Pony Club competing in gymkhana, show
jumping, foxhunting, hunter and dressage shows. With my 1st horse I moved
into the Eventing world and was extremely successful in Ontario for Pony
Club horse trials and show jumping up to the 3'3" level. I began eventing
horses for their owners and was named to the Young Riders 3-day team to
compete in the Championships. At a training clinic with Lucinda Green my top
event horse "Top Brass" had a horrible career ending crash which made me
reconsider my choice of equestrian sport for the welfare of the horse. I
felt terrible for what had happened to "Topper" (back injury) and decided to
give thoroughbred racing a try! After one year of breaking, training and
galloping I was feeling even worse for the young horses I was race riding
and felt there had to be a more natural and humane, but challenging
equestrian sport for me. I found my sport in Endurance.

Profession: Animal Control Officer

Horse's name: (possibly explain how he got that name if it's relevent)
Supreme Justice
Owner: Wendy Benns
Age: 8 yrs
Breed: Egyptian Arabian
Sex: gelding
Height 15.3hh
Weight 1000 lbs
Type shoes:Light steel shoe, front pads. 2 1/2 weeks old on ride day.
Shoe or easyboot size: Shoe 0 Easyboot 1
Miles 850 total, 19 rides total, Interesting to note: 12 of those rides
were CTR's and only 7 were Endurance,
Years competing: 4
Type of saddle: Reactor Panel
Type Pad Equipedic
Bridle/bit/hackamore? Myler bit (hackamore/bit combo)
Crupper or breastcollar? no
Protective boots? hind
Type girth: Reactor Panel!
Will you be riding with a heart monitor? Absolutely always
What is this horse like? Supreme Justice or "Jay" as he is better known has finally mellowed a bit the last 2 years. He always thinks he should be going faster. I purchased him from LindaTownsend (Quebec) as an unbroken 4 yr old. I started him myself and have done extensive classical dressage work with him. I really don't enjoy riding any horse that doesn't have the basics done on moving in proper balance, responsiveness or softness; regardless of what sport I'm competing in. Jay has had several years of slow CTR's to calmly introduce
him to the sport before he seriously started his Endurance career. He is a really enthusiastic and sensitive horse to ride and needs a calm quiet rider, but on the ground he is a doll. He is very good at vet checks and seems to really like his job!

Goal: To earn his COC.
I LOVE this ride. It's my absolute favorite 100 miler. The trail, scenery
and setting is unmatched! I've done the 100 twice here.

If you want, explain your electrolyting proceedure...brand, frequency.
Perform N' Win. If really hot and humid I could be dosing up to an ounce
a mile. I dose small amounts often. I carry it premixed with me and dose
every time my horse drinks.
What do you feed? High fat, high fibre pelleted ration and beet pulp.
What will you be feeding at the vet check? Grass, soaked hay, carrots,
apples, sloppy beet pulp with high fat high fibre pellets or maybe what
the horse next to him is eating!!

Leigh Ann Pauley and Blizzard Bey

Name: Leigh Ann Pauley

Weight: Lightweight

Home: Burnsville NC

Miles from Biltmore: 50 miles north of Asheville

How many 100's: BB and I have completed one.

How many miles: 825 185LD

Why 100's: why not?

Profession: Stay at home mother to our 13 year old son Mckenzie (Thank you Jeff)

Horse: Blizzard Bey (BB)

Age: 11

Sex: Mare

Height: 15.1

Weight: 980

Miles: 1340

Breed/Bloodlines: Anglo/Bay El Bey

Type of shoes: We are trying a shoe called EZ Stepper. Depends on the weather how Jeff sets her up.

Shoe size: O

Years competing: This is BB's 5th year.

Saddle: I ride in a Lowriche saddle that previously belonged to a great horse we all know and will miss very much Ramegwa Drubin, owned by Stagg and Cheryl Newman who are great mentors.

Pad: I use a Toklat pad with a Thin line underneath to help keep the saddle in place.

Breastcollar: YesCrupper: No -BB told the previous owner that she wanted no part of that.

I use a hackamore No boots

YES I use a heart monitor.

Feed at home: Triple Crown Complete and Ultium half & half, grass forage, hay, Hoof Power

Goal for the ride: Complete

Have you completed this course before: Yes in a 50

Electrolyting: I start on Thursday night with a does of Perform & Win mixed with apple sauce. I dose Friday morning and night. During the race I double dose once an hour or hour and half.

Background with horses: My first love was a very special dapple gray pony named Stormy Weather who we took to many open shows. She was a better teacher than any lession instructor could have ever been. My background includes a wide range of riding styles Saddleseat, Team Penning, Westeren Pleasure, Reining and now best of all Endurance.

Kristen Howard and Quicksilver Destiny

Name: Kristen Howard
Horse: Quicksilver Destiny
Owner: Ruth Sturley (this is her alternate horse)

"Quicksilver Destiny" an 11 year old Egyptian Arabian. He is being ridden by a fellow Canadian Kristen Howard" She will be travelling down from Canada with her crew to compete at the Biltmore. This will be Kristens first 100 outside of Canada.

Quicksilver completed his first 100 mile F.E.I course at the Fun in the Sun in Florida this March. He was sucessful in obtaining his C.O.C. with an hour to spare. He is an easy horse to work around & ride but really gets into his competitive mode when racing. Quicksilver and Sport (Ruth's horse) will be doing the course together. I hope to secure a place for Silver on the Canadian Team this year.

Alison Bailey and K-Zar Emmanuel

Name: Alison Bailey
Weight Division: MW
Home: Waxhaw, NC

How many hours away from Biltmore? We are only 3 hours from Biltmore and will arrive by noon on Friday after dropping my son off at school. He gets to ride up with his grandparents Friday evening.

Help us identify you: K-Zar has bright blue biothane tack. He is a flea bitten grey Arab around 15.1 hands. His mane is long except for a few inches of shorter mane behind the bridle path. That section of mane is with my husband Mike forever.
I will probably wear blue and black and have a blue helmet. If I need inspiration, I may change into a yucky grey t-shirt that has the Apollo 13 logo and the saying “Failure is not an option” on it. My husband and I have worn those old shirts on many a ride when we thought that we needed a reminder that finishing is the goal.

Background info:
How many 100's have you done? This is my first. This is also the horse’s first. He has done 75 carrying Mike.
Total Mileage: 680 with almost that many LD miles
Why do the 100? I am riding this one for my husband Mike. Mike passed away in November just after winning the national HW 50 mile championship. He was in peak health and died very suddenly. He knew that K-Zar was ready to do 100, and was planning to do this ride with him. I am going to try to do it for him.

Your background with horses. I have been riding since I was 10. My parent’s are British and all of the kids in my family learned how to ride early on. My sister and I both ended up getting our own horses and I have not been without one since I was 15. My first endurance attempts were some LD rides back in the mid-1990’s on my mare Breezy. I have had her since she was born and she just turned 27 in March. She and I did a couple of rides, but I didn’t have my own trailer and then I had a kid, so I didn’t show up at a ride again until Mike started riding with me in 2002. He had no riding experience at all when we bought K-Zar for him, but he was extremely determined, fearless and just a little bit competitive!! After he got hooked we got all the stuff- nice truck, big trailer, etc. Funny how that works!

Profession: CPA, Mom, farm manager, animal caretaker, etc.

Horse's name: K-Zar Emmanuel
Owner: me now, but really Mike
Age: 13
Breed: Arabian
Bloodlines: I am not familiar with the breeding, but he had a half sister that was very successful in endurance. Her name was Corona and her second endurance ride ever was Tevis. She came in 22nd with Claude Brewer riding.
Sex: Gelding
Height 15.1
Weight 980
Type shoes: K-Zar will be shod with pads on the 3rd. My farrier, who is the person that we bought the horse from is coming to crew for us. He had promised Mike the day that we bought K-Zar that when he got ready to do his first 100, he would be there. I asked Carl if that applied to me and he said that he had already scheduled the time off.
Shoe or easyboot size: 1
Miles 1325
Years competing: This is his 5th.
Type of saddle: Passier dressage
Type Pad Toklat Woolback
Bridle/bit/hackamore? snaffle
Crupper or breastcollar? breastcollar
Protective boots? none
Type girth: Wintec dressage
Will you be riding with a heart monitor? You bet

Background info: What is this horse like? I have had to work at slowing K-Zar down. He loves to race and puts his heart into it. He will give his all for 50 miles, but he has had to learn a slower pace to prepare for this 100. The first ride that I rode him at was Carolina last fall and we were first. After that, our next ride was Far Out Forest in Florida and we proudly got the turtle. We have now inched our way back up to respectable finishes without some of the race mentality. He seems to be over being mad at me, so I think we have come to an understanding.
I think if there is one thing that people should know about K-Zar it’s that he has the biggest heart that I have ever known. He seems to live for being out on the trail for miles and miles. I have horses that run and hide when they see the trailer being hooked up. Not K-Zar. He comes running. That is what makes this horse so special.

Goal for the ride. K-Zar and I have each ridden the 50 at Biltmore multiple times, just not together. My goal is to complete.

Explain your electrolyting proceedure: I dose before the ride with Perform N Win in the feed and am now using Lyte Now during the ride. It is convenient and seems to be more palatable for my horses. I get much less resistance during dosing from any of my three horses.
What do you feed? Ultium plus beet pulp and a variety of hay (timothy, fescue and alfalfa)
What will you be feeding at the vet check? All of the above, plus carrots and Purina Race Ready

photo credit Genie Stewart Spears

Troy Ball and WMA Rattler (Willy)

Name: Troy Ball

Weight Division: Lightweight

Home: Asheville, North Carolina

History: I have been riding horses most of my life and have a history of showing hunters, jumpers, dressage, reining, cutting, and even side saddle. In2003 I won the triple crown in the Arabian show world; The Canadian NationalChampionship, the US National Championship and Scottsdale, riding a Show Hack half Arabian. I have over the past ten years bred and raised both Quarter Horses for reining, and Arabians for the show world. I have had the very good fortune to train with Robert Rust, a multi world champion cutting horse trainer and Erika Burmeister, the Hunter trainer of the year in AHA in'04. After moving from Austin to Asheville, I met Stagg Newman and he quickly became my mentor and friend. Offering his Hall of Fame horse, Drubin, as a tutor, I began to learn about and genuinely admire the endurance world. With Stagg's direction I planned my first year of rides, challenging myself in a new way at each event. I also purchased my first endurance horse, WMA Rattler, who I call Willie. His conditioning allowed me to challenge myself from my first ride at Biltmore in 2006. Although I started at the end ofthe field in the 50, we finished in the top ten in our weight division.

Our second ride was the Moonlight in Vermont ride, where we finished 2nd in the fifty and rode for the first time at night. Summering in New Brunswick, Canada, allowed me to learn to train alone, for the first time ever.

This sport like no other has challenged me to learn many new things, both about my horses and about myself. I went to the Hot Toddy 50 on my birthday in August, finishing second once again, and won my first BC. My goal for the summer of '06 was to ride my first hundred at the Northwind Challenge Canadian National Championships in Quebec.

With Stagg's continued support, and the help or advice of many others including Dr. Jeannie Waldron, Dr. Ann Stuart, Jeff Pauley, Cheryl Newman, Roy Drennan, Dr. Rob Arnet, and Atlantic Canada team member Bob Gielen, I completed, finishing in sixth place, and was the first Canadian team member to finish, assisting in winning the gold medal for the Atlantic Canada Team. Willie finished the ride in remarkably good form, considering his rider's inexperience with 100's, finishing with the third highest vet score. Willie continues to be more fit than I am, recently winning BC at Sandhills in a 55. I purchased Chlosta Moondanse from Kathryn Downs in the fall of '06 and have been putting him back to work alongside Willie. They are a well matched training pair and I'm growing in both knowledge and feel, riding more than one horse. Despite my newness to the sport I'm very motivated to meet my personal goals and do what I can to assist others in their endurance careers.

I'm proud to be a founding board member of APEX, A Partnership in Endurance Excellence, an organization dedicated to "Partnering in training and academic advancement to achieve the highest performance levels for endurance horses, riders, and teams." With the combined knowledge of John Crandell III, StaggNewman, Dr. Ann Stuart, Jeff Pauley, Dinah Rojak, Cheryl Newman, Ann Ayala and the participation of many equine industry leaders, we plan to offer critical support and education.

photo credit Genie Stewart Spears

Ruth Sturley and RBF Super Sport

Name: Ruth Sturley
Horse: RBF Super Sport
14 years old
Polish Arabian


The Biltmore was the first 100 mile competition I did back in 1999. Since then it has always been on the top of my list of favorite competitions.

The horse I will be competing on is RBF Super Sport purchased from Teddy Lancaster when he was 8 years old. He is a 14 year old Polish Arabian. This is the same horse I rode for the Canadian Team at the World Equestrian Games August 2006. He is a tough competitor and loves to run. He knows his job and does it well. Sport has a long list of 100 mile competitions to his credit as well as many 50 milers. We spend the winters in North Carolina and travel back to Canada to continue our training and compete in Ontario. Sport has been on the Canadian Team since 2003. We hope to use the Biltmore as a conditioning ride to prepare for "The Spirit of Excellence" 100 FEI/CEI *** being held on Ontario Canada mid July of this year.

Vickie Crance and Naibara Grand

Name: Vickie Crance/ FW
Home: Irvine, Ky.
5 hrs. from Biltmore, will arrive Thurs. afternoon
Mostly black biothane with florescent on it. Big Horn endurance saddle.
Boots on all 4.

I have 2860 miles & have done 7 100's. Including winning the individual
bronze medal at the 2003 Pan Am.
Was really enjoying the 100 mile rides, then broke my leg real bad in 2004.
Just now trying to get back in full swing.

Horse: Naibara Grand/11 yrs. Gelding
Miles: 1055/ 22 rides/ 21 completions
This will be his second 100
Bought Grand as a 5 yr. old. Was out of racing bloodlines. Never broke. Out
to pasture until I bought him.
He was the wildest horse I have had. After a 2 month stay with a good ole
cowboy & a few years of wet saddle pads, he has turned out to be one of the
best. He has brought me back after my accident.
He wears size 1 shoe & 2 easyboot
I use perform & win for the most part, & endure max.
I feed southern states, Triple Crown 10/10. Plus beet pulp. On rides, what
ever I can get him to eat.

My goal is always to complete first & if possible top 10, but we all know
how that goes!!

Beverly Brock on Jayel Super

Name: Beverly Brock
Weight Division:LW
Home: Asheville, NC
How many hours away from Biltmore? 30 minutes When will you arrive? Taking Friday off of work to prepare

Help us identify you: Horse is a bay, no protective boots, english huntseat saddle, hunter green bridle

Background info: How many 100's have you done? this is my first 100 Total Mileage: 275

Why do the 100? Because Stagg Newman said I should, and when it comes to endurance riding, I do whatever he and Cheryl tell me to do ;)

Your background with horses: I started riding horses when I was 8 years old. I grew up riding hunter/jumpers. I also spent a year of my childhood riding with a group of crazy trail riders in a small town outside of Sacramento, CA. We moved to Salt Lake City, UT and I went back to hunter/jumpers and the show ring. My experience in Northern California in 1978, is what brought me to endurance 25 years later when my husband and I moved from Atlanta to Asheville.

Profession: Trust Administrator for Boys, Arnold Trust Company

Horse's name: Jayel Super
Owner:Stagg Newman
Age: 15
Breed: Arabian Bloodlines: Zambizy, Jayel Surpirze
Sex:Gelding
Height: 15 hands. He gets taller throughout the race. I can't explain it, I just know it is harder to get on him after 40 miles?
Weight: 925

Miles: Started competing when he was 4 (ctr), endurance at 5.Miles -- depends CTR or Endurance. Not sure about either. I do know he received his AERC 2000 this year. He has done many 3-day 100 CTRs, too. Composite miles is tracked by ECTRA, but doesn't apparently exist on line.
Years competing: 9
Type of saddle: huntseat
Pad: Sheepskin
Shoes: steel all around. May have front fill in pads. Will have clips on his rear, may on the front. He will be shod 2 May.Size 1.

When we left Atlanta 3 years ago, I had not been on a horse for over 10 years. Moving to a smaller community gave me the opportunity to explore riding again. I really didn't want to go back to the hunter/jumper world and I goggled endurance riding. AERC's website came up and I clicked on the mentor link. Stagg and Cheryl Newman were listed as mentors in the area, and I contacted them. The rest is history. My husband started a business in Asheville 4 years ago and we have 2 sons in elementary school. This doesn't leave much time for Mommy to buy her own horse. Stagg and Cheryl have been a huge blessing for me. I help them condition and ride their "kids" and they have given me the opportunity to ride again. In addition, my human kids have been bitten by the horse bug, and I plan to put them in riding lessons this summer to see if they are truly interested. I do hope to have my own horse in the next several years and I LOVE endurance. The community of horse people in endurance is such a wonderful contrast to the show world, and I can't imagine doing anything different.

As you know Super does not have any handicaps, however I have Multiple Sclerosis. I am fortunate to have a mild case of the disease and endurance riding has been a wonderful form of therapy and motivation for me. People, including my husband, ask why would you want to ride a horse for 50 or 100 miles? My answer is always, "Because I can." My disease is very unpredictable, and while my prognosis is good, I might not physically be able to do this one day. I was also blessed to have ridden Ramegwa Drubin in several of endurance rides, including his last ride at Sand Hill in Patrick, SC. I tell Stagg and Cheryl they are my mentors, but really Drubin and Super are ;) Drubin was such a special horse for so many reasons, and I will always treasure my time with him.

I don't have any lucky Cheetah panties like Lynne Kennely, but I my goal for the 100 is to complete with a sound happy horse, have fun and be able to at least hobble into the office Monday morning!

Roxanne Ciccone and FM Spirit Wind

Name:Roxanne Ciccone
Weight Division: FW
Home: Micanopy,FL.
10 hour drive to Biltmore, I will arrive on Thursday.

Black and Purple biothane tack,horse is bay with white star and 2 white socks on the diiagonals
I will probably wear purple also my favorite color, depends on weather.

I have started 17 100's and completed 11. I have about 9000 endurance miles.

My friend Susan Kain wanted company trying to complete the Biltmore 100, so being the good friend I am (ha ha) Seriously the 100 is the ultimate challenge and it gives you a chance to really bond and appreciate these wonderful horses that give it all, so we can keep ourselves out of trouble.

Profession: Registered Nurse in the Operating Room, Circulator and Scrub for 23+ years.

Horse: FM Spirit Wind
Owner: Self and if anything happens to me he goes back to Full Moon Arabians, his breeders Beth and Tom Vedder.

Bloodlines Polish/Domestic Bey Shah grandson, lines to Bask and Kaiyoum
Age: 13
Breed:Arab
Sex: Gelding
Height: 14.2
Weight: 985

I use steel shoes with clips and plastic pads at rocky rides. Mostly ride barefoot in Florida or just front shoes.

Spirit has been competing for 9 years and I have for 15.

I will use my Big Horn Endurance saddle and my Courbette Dressage saddle.
Equipedic Pad
Pelham Bit with double reins.
Crupper and Breastcollar
fleece girth
Heart Monitor and GPS and flask.

Spirit started his career in the halter classes and was Reserve High Point Yearling Colt 1995 in Florida. But he is not just another pretty face, my new nickname for him is cement truck.
He is very very tough and very pushy, he finally has decided to let me be boss at least half the time. He flies down the trail and I am always trying to slow him down. He is excellent in the Dressage ring and also competes at Fun Shows, Hunter Pace, Fox Hunting and Team Penning.

My goals for this 100 are to finish and have fun with my friend Susan and hopefully she won't whine too much and we can finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. Spirit has finished this course once before and I have 2 times.

I use my own mix of electrolytes and usually dose before ride and at each vet check, if a long loop will dose on trail.

Feed is Seminole Perfect Ten sweet feed, also beet pulp, whole flax seed, carrots, and any hay that he wants. He loves Peanut.
He can have anything he wants at check, its usually not what I have.

photo credit: Becky Siler

Lisa Delp and Sonata Al Deus (Fancy)

Lisa Delp
Weight Division: LW
Home: Westminster, MD
How many hours away from Biltmore? When will you arrive? 8 or 9 hours Thursday afternoon May 3rd

Help us identify you: Zilco colors are navy blue, Horse color is gray.

How many 100's have you done? We have just done 1 one day hundred and 1 three day hundred

Total Mileage: I have about 1300 AERC miles and over 2000 ECTRA competitive miles.

Why do the 100? Doing 100's has always been my goal. I have always wanted to do the Biltmore 100 and after many miles with Fancy I feel like this is the year to try.

Horse's name: Sonata Al Deus (Fancy)
Age:13
Breed: Arabian
Bloodlines:Egyptian/Russian
Sex: Mare
Height:15.1
Weight 1100

Type shoes: St Croixs with clips. She will be shod about 11 days before the ride.

Shoe or easyboot size: 0
Miles: Fancy has 920
AERC miles and has also competed in competitive trail with a combined total of about 1400 miles. Years competing: This is Fancys 4th year competing

Type of saddle:Wintec pro endurance saddle w/ cair
Type Pad: Toklat woolback
Bridle/bit/hackamore? Pelham bit
Crupper or breastcollar? Breast collar
Type girth: Pro choice

Will you be riding with a heart monitor? no

Background info: I got my first horse when I was 9. I started showing in backyard shows when I was about 14 and then worked my way up to training and showing at a regional and national level with Arabians. I moved to Maryland after I got married and started galloping steeplechase horses, lots of fun but decided to start a family so took a few years off. I had always wanted to do endurance riding, so when my daughter started school I started to pursue a goal that I had as a teenager. I was very lucky to be given an amazing horse that my husband found by chance and that is Fancy. I cannot imagine ever riding another horse that I am so connected with. She is great to ride most the time, serious about her job when she does it and she takes very good care of herself. She will get a little crazy if there are a lot of horses running past her in a ride. She can be too competitive.

Goal for the ride. I have never ridden here before and my goal is just to complete this ride.

The electrolytes I use are Acculites and Perform and Win. I dose about every 10 to 15 miles depending on the weather and how the ride is going.

I feed Equitek 10/10 and beet pulp at home and 3 kinds of hay. Fancy likes to have choices! At the ride Fancy wants anything I did not bring so I pretend we are stealing food from other horses by bringing something yummy that she doesn't get at home all the time.

photo credit: Carien Schippers

Nicki Meuten and Fury

Name: Nicki Meuten
Weight Division: Featherweight
Home: Zebulon, NC - 20 miles east of Raleigh, NC
How many hours away from Biltmore? When will you arrive? 5 hr drive, should get to ride by early afternoon on Friday.

Help us identify you: Biothane colors, protective boots,: Horse color &
markings, Describe what you wear, (color of helmet, etc)
Grey horse - about 15.1H, bright blue Biothane, back fetlock boots. The biothane tack is falling apart - It use to belong to a retired mare of mine - Jezie - before using on this horse. For some reason I think it is lucky and won't change it. Don't know why I think it is lucky - the first horse to use it was a complete runaway! I wear black pants and a white helmet.

Background info:
How many 100's have you done? about 16 one day 100 completions
Total Mileage:around 5600
Why do the 100?I love 100s. The pace is so much saner. It is also just such a great challenge and a sense of accomplishment to finish, no matter what place. The best for me though is to get to 70,80,90 miles and have my horse still want to head out of camp or to catch the horse ahead or just pick up a nice canter on his own while we are riding alone - to still have that desire after so many miles is a wonderful feeling.

Your background with horses. always wanted a horse as a kid but didn't get my own until I bought one myself at 21 - now my husband and I own about 25. Most of the horses we are riding now are ones we bred and raised ourselves.

Profession: Veterinarian

Horse's name: (possibly explain how he got that name if it's relevent) Fury - just Fury. He came with the name and I have been told it is bad luck to change a horse's name. He is probably the only horse with a FEI passport with such a plain name. A friend had told us about Fury being for sale. We had too many horses already but stopped on the way back from vetting a ride to look at him. We agreed before we pulled into the farm that we wouldn't buy another horse but would look anyway. As we pulled in, we saw a horse in a pasture and both turned to each other and said "if that is the horse then let's get him". We just liked the way he looked.

Owner: my husband, Don Meuten and myself. Don really should get all the credit as he does all Fury's conditioning. I almost never ride him at home - I am usually riding one of the others. When I get on Fury at a ride he is carrying almost 100# less. I get to have all the fun and Don does all the work!

Age: 9
Breed: grade - told he is Arab but doesn't look all Arab
Bloodlines: unknown
Sex: gelding
Height 15.1
Weight 1050 - he is usually the fattest horse in the 100

Type shoes: pads? clips? How old will the shoes be on the ride day? steel shoes with clips behind No pads. Shoes will be either new or 3 weeks old depending on how they look the Weds before the ride.
Shoe or easyboot size: 1

Miles 1000 - 700 of those are one day 100s
Years competing: 3
Type of saddle: thorowgood english saddle
Type Pad woolback
Bridle/bit/hackamore? roller bit snaffle, I use to be able to take the bit out and ride in a halter after 50 miles or so but now he is too competitive for that

Crupper or breastcollar? both - I keep the girth very loose. I had to do surgery on Fury soon after we got him to remove a foreign body from his left girth area. The area will swell if we have the girth too tight so you can usually see daylight between Fury and the girth.
Protective boots? hind fetlock - he interferes
Type girth: woolback fleece girth
Will you be riding with a heart monitor? no - keep the girth too loose for it to pick up

What is this horse like? Fury is the easiest horse in the world to ride for a good rider - eats, drinks, comfortable gaits, easy to rate at the start of a ride. Only issues are Fury likes to buck a bit at a canter (big bucks!) and later in a ride, if he knows there is someone in front of him, he is determined to catch them. He can be perfect for the first 80 miles and then be a complete handful for the last 20 miles! He keeps it fun. Hundreds are definitely his thing. Great work ethic, doesn't mind going by himself, doesn't wear himself out etc.

Goal for the ride. Possible top 10? First completion? Possible time
frame? Have you completed this course before?
Fury has done this ride once before and I have finished the 100 here 3 times. Our goal is to get to 10 completed 100s with Fury - he has completed 7 so far. Not sure how fast we will go - depends on the weather and the footing and what Fury wants to do. Fury has done 100's in 10 hrs and in 18 hrs so we will see. There will be lots of people wanting to top ten, we just want to finish another ride.

If you want, explain your electrolyting proceedure...brand, frequency. Try to elyte every 10-15 miles

What do you feed? pasture mainly at home - handful of grain and hay before a ride to get him use to it.
What will you be feeding at the vet check? whatever he wants - usually alfalfa hay, oat hay, some beet pulp and grain, lots of carrots both at the checks and on the trail

photo credit: Genie Stewart-Spears

Susan LaBrush and Skye's Kahlil

Name: Susan LaBrush
Weight Div. MW
Home: Fayetteville, PA

This is my first time to the Biltmore, which is about an eight hour haul. It is only my third 100. I competed in two last year, but only finished one. My good friend Lisa Delp talked me into doing 100's. We did our first one together and plan on doing all the rest together. Our horses are crazy about each other and make a great team.

As a child I showed horses and foxhunted. I broke yearlings and galloped race horses for fifteen years. I started endurance in 2002 and have 2000 miles.

Horse's name: Skye's Kahlil
Age: 12 years
Height: 15.2
Sex: gelding.
Color: Flea Bitten gray
Breed: Arab
Miles 910

Bloodline: by Csardas Jemil out of IL Habiba.

I purchased sky in 2004. Sky and his previous owner didn't get on well, actually he bolted when spooking from a loose horse and fell and his owner had to be hilovacted from the ride. Nobody wanted him and I wasn't even sure I wanted him because he kept throwing me off. I ended up buying him and after many battles we are a team. Sky is really a good horse and takes good care of himself.

I ride him in a hackamore with a breastcollar and tie down. He wears rear ankle boots and steel shoes with clips.

I use a royal blue Zilco tack, a Synergist saddle, Skito pad and string girth.

When we do the Biltmore it will be for a completion.

He eats a ten-ten sweet feed, beet pulp, carrots, apples and peppermints.

I use Acculytes and I dose the night before, morning of the ride and at the holds.

Meg Sleeper and Shyrocco Troilus (Troy)

Name: Meg Sleeper

Weight Division: lw

Home:Frenchtown, NJ

How many hours away from Biltmore? 12-13 hours When will you arrive? Thursday

Help us identify you: Describe what you wear: Biothane colors are red, white and blue and horse is black bay with a blaze and 2 socksI usually wear a long sleeve shirt and a white or red,white and blue helmet.

Background info:How many 100's have you done? 49

Total Mileage: 7,000 endurance (including outside USA); 12,000 endurance and competitive trail riding

Why do the 100? I adore the 100s. It requires teamwork with the horse. I breed and train the horses I compete, so we have a close relationship anyway, but nothing compares with the feeling of finishing 100 miles on a horse that would willingly continue down the trail.

Your background with horses. Did my first CTR in 1980 and my first endurance ride in 1986. I wasn't able to do many during school and specialty training, but I did what I was able to do and have been fortunate to be able to spend more time competing since finishing my cardiology training in 2000. My husband also rides and competes, in fact he learned to ride on the horse I will be riding at Biltmore. He started riding in 1997.

Profession: Veterinary cardiologist

Horse's name: Shyrocco Troilus (Troy). All the horses I breed are Shyrocco or Syrocco (the "h" is if they are not pure arab, ie Troy is a half arab). I did that because I thought it was so cool that you always knew where the Ramegwa or the Rushcreek horses came from.

Owner: me and my husband

Age: 15 yearsBreed: 1/2 arabian

Sex: gelding

Height 15.2h

Weight 950#

Bloodlines: His sire, Shah of Giseh, is owned by Dr. Janey Fassinger. His mother was an appendix QH jumper.

Type shoes: steel pads? yes clips? yes How old will the shoes be on the ride day? 2 weeks

Shoe or easyboot size: 2

Miles 2760 endurance (including overseas); over 4000 including CTR

Years competing: 11 years (CTR and endurance)

Type of saddle: Stubben Athos I

Type Pad HAF pad

Bridle/bit/hackamore? Will start in Tellington-Jones bit and switch to a Boucher snaffle when possible:)

Crupper or breastcollar? Breastcollar and running martingale; no crupper

Protective boots? not usually

Type girth: fleece

Will you be riding with a heart monitor? yes

What is this horse like? He is very competitive, but is pace-able (with help from the bit). However, he takes very good care of himself in general. He usually recovers very well and he is a stellar camper.

Goal for the ride. Possible top 10? Hopeful top ten.

Possible time I refuse to guess:) it all depends on the weather!frame?

Have you completed this course before? Yes, I have done this ride 4 times, I think.

Electrolyting proceedure: I use northern lytes if I have them (my favorite!!!!) or enduramax. One dose per hour to hour and a half. If I will be out on a loop longer than that I take along a lyte now syringe.

What do you feed? Usually enduro eventer by pennfield and beet pulp.

What will you be feeding at the vet check? Mostly alfalfa, but later in the ride he usually starts eating beet pulp and grain.

Susan Kain and Excalibur (Cal)

Name: Susan Kain,
Weight Division: MW
Home: Candler, NC

How many hours away from Biltmore? 20 minutes
When will you arrive? Friday

Background info:
How many 100's have you done? Several two day and three day 100’s…have tried a one day 100 three times..rained out once………got sick once, pulled RO and then got pulled once for metabolics
Total Mileage: 1200

Why do the 100? Crazy, I guess

Your background with horses: Ridden off and on, most of my life..endurance for about eight years now

Profession: nurse for pharmaceutical company

Horse's name: Excalibur…”Cal”
Owner: same as rider
Age: 14
Breed: Arab
Bloodlines: red
Sex: G
Height 15
Weight 970 on a good day

Type shoes: pads? clips? How old will the shoes be on the ride day? regular shoes with clips, no pads, shod week before the ride. farrier will be at the ride.
Shoe or easyboot size: 1

Miles 1100
Years competing: 5
Type of saddle: Desoto
Type Pad: Skito
Bridle/bit/hackamore? Nylon sidepull
Crupper or breastcollar? Crupper…are you kidding me! he’d be in the next state…..but yes, breastcollar..biothane
Protective boots? None…great legs
Type girth: Neoprene
Will you be riding with a heart monitor? Absolutely

What is this horse like? This is a little horse with a BIG heart. Over a 1000 miles before he got pulled for metabolic at JD’s ride. He has incredible legs and goes like the energizer bunny. Just finished 5th at Leatherwood(25 miles in 2:55 this past weekend and he looked great.

Goal for the ride. I am just going for completion. I’ve done the 50 here a number of times and ride the trails at Biltmore almost every weekend

What do you feed? equitech 10/10 and Complete
What will you be feeding at the vet check? anything he will eat, usually whatever somebody else has!

Kara Thomas and Teese

Name: Kara Thomas
Weight Division: FW
Home: Medford, NJ

Background info: I have been doing long distance riding since the age of eight and I will be turning nineteen in September. I have been riding since the age of two. I am very active in 4-H with community service as well as showing and doing club, county, state, and national projects. I will be attending Johnson and Wales University this coming August to obtain my bachlor’s degree in culinary arts.

How many 100's have you done? Seven one-day 100’s and seven three-day 100’s.
Total Mileage: 1200 endurance miles and about the same in competitive trail riding.

Horse's name: Teese
Owner: Yvette Vinton
Age: 7
Breed: Arabian

Sex: Gelding
Miles about 400
Years competing: 2
Type of saddle: Desoto
Type Pad: Cloud Nine
Type girth: Mohair

Will you be riding with a heart monitor? Yes

Background info: What is this horse like? Teese is a very easy horse to ride. He gets a little forward in the beginning but soon settles and is a pleasure to ride.

Goal for the ride. It is Teese’s first 100 and my first time riding him. I have ridden the Biltmore before and we are just going for a completion and his COC.

Adri Dinkelman and Lucius (Mustapha)

Name: Adri Dinkelmann
Weight Division: Light weight
Home: HOTlanta. Atlanta, GA

We are about 4 hours from Biltmore. I will leave May 3rd, the Thursday. Unlike my dad, who would like to leave this afternoon.

I ride with neon green biothane bridle set. I might have to get a new set, since my dad lost half my gear at the FITS 100 mi.
I would like to tell you what I wear, but I change shirts with every loop in a 100mi. It's a mental thing I guess, helps me stay fresh and clean.

Background: Born and raised in South Africa. Have been doing endurance since I was 6 years old, and have always been around horses. Did my first 100 mi at age 9. I Have done 5 100 mi in the States, over 12 in South Africa. I have 2735 competition miles in the States.

I do the 100 cause it is a greater challange. I have done plenty of 50's and always will. But the 100 mi is more mental.

Profession: Manager at a Marble and Granite fabrication shop. I design kitchens and bathrooms all day long.

Horse name: Registered name -Lucius. His stable name- Mustapha, and race name - Reddog
I am the proud owner of this Bay 11 year old Arab.
His sire. ZT Ali Baba
Gelding, thank goodness. 15.1
Size 1 foot.
Competing for 5 years now.
I use a South African saddle, with my neon green breastcollar always.

Yes, I will be riding with a heart monitor. Thank you Stagg.

This horse has a lot of heart. He is hard to handle, but I love him for it.
I am riding a nice easy pace. Actually we are taking two horses up to Biltmore to do the 100 mi, so we will take it nice and easy. It's the only way on that trail
And I don't change anything during a ride. He will eat what he is use too, and some extra back up stuff if he wants more to choose from.

Tom Gower and JG Brandy

Name: Tom Gower
Weight Division: MW
Home: Madison, WI
How many hours away from Biltmore? When will you arrive? 16 hrs, Wed

Help us identify you: Biothane colors: purple,
protective boots: purple
Horse color: very light grey
markings: none, Describe what you wear,
(color of helmet: tricolor (black, dark grey & silver) L.A.S. helmet

Background info:
How many 100's have you done? 5
Total Mileage: 2500
Why do the 100? It is so challenging
Your background with horses.grew up on a horse farm in KY
Profession: forest ecology professor at UW-Madison

Horse's name: JG Bandy, barn name is Puppy, short for mudpuppy because he
always rolls in the mud

Owner: Cathy Gower (my daughter)
Age: 12
Breed: 1/2 Arab
Bloodlines: nothing special
Sex: Gelding
Height 15 h
Miles: 700
Years competing: 3

Will you be riding with a heart monitor? yes

Goal for the ride. Attempt to get C.O.C. (<>

List of Entries for Biltmore 100 2007

1. Alison Bailey riding K-Zar Emmanuel
2. Troy Ball riding WMA Rattler
3. Wendy Benns riding Supreme Justice (FEI)
4. Abby Bozard riding Hassan
5. Claude Brewer riding Sahbadi
6. Marion Brewer riding That Boy
7. Beverly Brock riding Jayel Super
8. Jonie Brucker riding Indian Halo
9. Kathy Brunjes riding Theatric (FEI)
10.Joni Buttram riding Cash Bonus
11. Roxanne Ciccone riding FM Spirit Wind
12. Sandra Conner riding Elegant Pride (FEI)
13. Vicki Crance riding Naibara Grand
14. Lisa Delp riding Sonata Al Deus
15. Adri Dinkelmann riding Mustapha
16. Kara Disbrow riding Veinte Corona
17. Ruth Anne Everett riding Royel-T Razzmatazz (FEI)
18. Mary Farris riding Mojo
19. Tom Gower riding JG Bandy (FEI)
20. Shana Hall riding Jamal Tali
21. Sharon Hinshaw riding Dio Renegade
22. Norma House riding ?
23. Kristen Howard riding Quicksilver Destiny (FEI)
24. Julie Jackson riding Nitro (FEI)
25. Jesse Jarrett riding Be Dazzzled (FEI)
26. Susan Kain riding Excaliber
27. Valerie Kanavy riding ?? (FEI)
28. Lynn Kenelly riding Reminisonce +/
29. Susan LaBrush riding Skye’s Kahlil
30. Debra LaComette riding Copperhill Playboy
31. Doug Lietzke riding Sham Felek Iman
32. Wendy MacCoubrey riding Mariah (FEI)
33. Lois McAfee riding ?
34. Angie McGhee riding Gunner McGhee
35. Josie McGhee riding Jets Irish Rose
36. Danielle McGunigal riding ? (FEI)
37. Nicki Meuten riding Fury
38. David Owens riding Tweetie Man
39. Leigh Ann Pauley riding Blizzard Bey
40. Jennifer Poling riding WP Front and Sinter (FEI)
41. Pete Ricci riding Mossimoe
42. Jody Rogers-Buttram riding Petit Jets Aries
43. Jennifer Sapira riding RClaim Tu Fame
44. Debbie Schultz riding TK Notablymishaah
45. Lisa Sendecky riding Inconclusive (FEI)
46. Lori Shifflett riding Dazed and Amazed
47. Paul Sidio riding KMA Chazz Piper
48. Meg Sleeper riding Tyrocco Troilus (FEI)
49. Vicki Stanislawski riding Muhulisfire (FEI)
50. Pattie Stedman riding Breezewood Nevarre
51. Vickie Stine riding Commanche Warwind
52. Ruth Sturley riding RBF Super Sport (FEI)
53. Rita Swift riding Midnight Revelation (FEI)
54. tbd on Kruzan Missle
55. tbd on ?
56. Kara Thomas on Teese
57. Cheryl Van Deusen on DA Al Capone (FEI)
58. Yvette Vinton on Faras Fali (FEI)

Patti Stedman and Breezewood Nevarre (Ned)

Name: Patti Stedman
Weight Division: MW
Home: East Otto, NY (about an hour south of Buffalo, where there is still a foot of snow in mid-April as I write this)

Background info: Embarrassed myself telling tales of urinating at the VT 100 a couple of seasons back in Endurance News. With my husband, Richard, I manage the Allegany Shut Up and Ride (NE). A total "finish is to win" sort of girl. I got into the sport by crewing for my husband and doing some ECTRA CTR, then was bitten by the bug. I am a worrier by nature and love the 100s because they give me almost a full 24 hours of ride time to worry myself into a puddle.

How many 100's have you done? Started 4, completed 3
Total Mileage: (Had to go look) ~1400
Your background with horses. Been riding since 6. Became a riding instructor/trainer after college but was broke and had no health insurance so they're now my passion rather than my livelihood. Former dressage queen and still torture all of my boys with lots of dressage.

Profession: Own a safety consulting business, and specialize in creative and FUN safety (OSHA compliance) training, and I consider this to be marketing, so contact me if you can give me some work.

Horse's name: Breezewood Nevarre (aka "Ned")
Owner: Me (bought him as a 4 y.o. with the famed "30 days" on him as a dressage prospect that could also use to go out on conditioning rides with my husband and his horse)
Age: 13
Breed: American Warmblood (Trakehner x Arabian)
Bloodlines: Out of an Egyptian halter-bred mare (eek!) and by a local Trakehner stallion named Kedar
Sex: Gelding
Height: 16+ hands
Weight: ~1120#

Type shoes: St. Croixs with clips, EquiPak pour in pads all around, Ned is a little unusual as he grows foot fairly slowly and very evenly, so he'll actually be at about 3 weeks by the ride date
Shoe or easyboot size: 2

Miles: ~ 1400 AERC plus ~200 ECTRA CTR miles Years competing: 7 in endurance; 8 if you include CTR
Type of saddle: Arabian Saddle Company Solstice and a BMSS
Type Pad: Mattes sheepskin for the Solstice; Skito for the BMSS
Bridle/bit/hackamore? Little S Hackamore, Running Bear halter bridle in fire engine red overlay (a psychic in New Orleans told me RED was my power color)
Crupper or breastcollar? Zilco breastcollar
Type girth: Mohair string
Will you be riding with a heart monitor? No, I can only handle one high tech gadget at a time and that will be my GPS. I've learned to read Ned pretty well over the years without a HRM.

Background info: What is this horse like? Ned looks like an Arabian crossed with a giraffe and it has taken a long time for him to come into his own mentally. He's become a very business-like horse with (now) rare moments of exuberant silliness. When he was six, he jumped OFF a trail and down a steep bank on a conditioning ride and I can recall seeking advice on Ridecamp, with many of the responses similar to this -- "Find another horse. This is not an endurance prospect. He clearly has no sense of self-preservation." Now people talk about how lucky I am to have such a quiet and steady horse and they cannot figure out why I giggle at that. He has nice big gaits, which is great when he can move out, but more challenging to collect and compress on more technical trail. He does not have a jog. Great uphill horse, but given the giraffe build, downhills are not his thing. I'm far more inclined to dismount and lead him DOWN than to need to tail him UP. Has a tendency toward scratches, so will be watching his pasterns like a hawk and Desitining him like mad -- his only 100 non-completion was from his first case of scratches. Very good eater, takes great care of himself, not a speed demon but his big gaits seem to eat up the miles even when he doesn't appear to be pushing. He is content alone and would rather be alone than be with a horse who is a mismatch. Ned is thermostatically challenged so if it is hot and humid, we'll be slowing down to keep his core temp down, and working hard with ice water at the holds. He spends 90% of his time in a vet check with his penis dangling, so that's how we can be picked out of a crowd. :-)(Yesyesyes, even while vetting IN and we've had him checked six ways to Sunday on this -- it is just one of the charming things that makes Ned, well, Ned). He is missing part of his left ear where one of his barnmates, higher on the pecking order, protested vehemently Ned's attempt to sneak some of his dinner. He's strong and typically cheerful, and gets stronger and stronger as the ride goes on, and at every hundred, his ears have still been up and his eyes bright as we head out at 80 and 90 miles, which is such a gratifying and comforting thing. He is the most extraordinary and complex horse I have ever come to know.

Goal for the ride. This will be our first 100 of the season, and the weather has not been cooperating with conditioning here in WNY, so we'll just ride our ride. My goal this season is to complete 100s a little faster than we have in the past, if all is going well.
Possible time frame? Have you completed this course before? Never been to Biltmore. Would like to be done well before dawn. Would like to not have to wake up a vet for final vetting. Would reallyreallyreally like to ride those last couple of dark loops with just my Ned, as I find that time to be absolutely magical and Ned is grand company. Those last miles make it all worthwhile. I'm in it for the magic.

If you want, explain your electrolyting proceedure...brand, frequency. Perform N Wins in his slushies. LyteNow on trail about every hour or so.

What do you feed? Beet pulp, 12% sweet feed, hay stretcher, wonderful orchard grass mix hay, dengie sometimes. We avoid alfalfa because that seems to bring on/aggravate the scratches.
What will you be feeding at the vet check? Above.

Paul Sidio and KMA Chazz Piper

Name: Paul Sidio
Weight Division: MW
Spokane, Missouri

I grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles. I loved watching Roy Rogers, Zorro, The Lone Ranger and the other western stars. There was a guy there who brought his rental horse string down from the Sierras for the winter and kept them in a field about 1/2 mile from our house. That field is all 3 story apartment buildings now of course. He used to charge 50 cents per hour and 75 cents to ride on a weekday afternoon. I would mow lawns, clean garages etc to get money to go there after school and mess with the horses. Of course that was mostly just walking around a dusty 10 acre field. Then we went on vacation to Yosemite and took a trail ride outside the park. On the way back to the barn, the horses all started running to get home. My parents were terrified, but I thought it was the most fun thing that I had ever done ( obviously this was pre-puberty). This was like Roy and The Lone Ranger type riding. Years later after owning horses and doing lots of trail riding I was introduced to endurance.

As a fairly new rider, to this sport, I only have completed 310 miles of Endurance, and 320 miles of LD. All but 100 LD miles have been on my horse KMA Chazz Piper. He is a 10 year old , 14.2 tall failed hunter jumper show horse Arabian Gelding. He weighs about 825 pounds when full. Size 00 shoes in front and 000 in the back give him the nickname "Twinkle toes". Of his 825 pounds, probably 500 is heart, and 200 is brains. This doesn't leave much weight left for other parts, but he doesn't seem to need it. We do not race, but have completed very well in the rides we do with 4 BC's in 14 rides . We usually finish in the top 5 or 10 if the ride has technical trails. He goes pretty much at the same speed over rocky single track as he does wide open groomed trails. He is competitive, but quickly settles back down after a horse has passed us. The thing I really love about him is that he doesn't fight to go faster until he passes a horse, then immediately slow down. He just keeps a steady pace.

We have used a little S hackamore since we started, but now we start the ride with a little S hackamore for the first loop, and then usually switch to a regular nylon halter with reins clipped on for the rest of the day. He is the bravest horse I have ever had the pleasure to be on. He goes as boldly when alone as he does with a herd leading the way. (I can tell you about him leading the lead horses past Buford the Enraged Bison Bull at LBL last year if you want). He drinks very well on trail, and takes good care of himself on tough trail sections. I do get off him to tail up steep hils and jog alongside him down steep hills.

One special thing we do relates to me being a lazy person. I wanted to keep the trot outs at the vet checks as simple as possible. He didn't do great last year in this, as I would be pulling on his headgear to trot out, and he would pull back on the pressure to stop. So over the winter we worked on this ,and now he trots at liberty next to me. I don't have to hold his reins or anything.
I just clap my hands, snap my fingers and take off jogging to the trot out flag. He follows along (so far).

We used a Tucker saddle last year, but at the end of the season, as his body changed, I saw fitting issues. We bought a Specialized Saddle International model this winter, (off Endurance.net classifieds) and it has done very well so far this year. One of my goals from last year was to actually tack out as a middle weight at a ride, like my AERC card says I am. Last year I tacked out between 215 and 225. So by changing saddles,quitting soda pops, and exercising, At City Slicker, I tacked out at 197. The hope is to get that down to 190 by Biltmore.

This will be my first 100 mile ride. If it goes well, We are wanting to do the Old Dominion and Tevis this year too. By doing well, I mean that we are looking for a ride time of around 14-15 hours. So the odds of us winning this Derby are in the 1000-1 range. Odds of top tenning are slightly better, but with all the FEI hotshots that will be riding, our top 10 chances there still pretty darned slim. (100-1?). When I get there and see the terrain, I may alter my ride time estimate somewhat. But in any case, I will not push him. He rides at his own rythmn, and my job is to take care of him in that tempo and make sure he does not get caught up in the testosterone of racing.

Oh that leads to what we do for a living. Realtor/Investors, in South west Missouri (The Ozarks)trying to semi-retire this year. I am 57 years young. My wife is a wonderfull woman who thinks I am crazy to want to do this sport, but accepts it just fine. She does a little crewing for me when I need it. (I ususally go crewless)

Josie McGhee and Jets Irish Rose

Name: Josie Shannon McGhee
Weight Division: FW
Home: Wildwood, GA near Chattanooga, TN (5 hrs. from Biltmore)

Background info: 17 years old, high school junior, 3rd in her class, plays 3 sports: Volleyball (voted all district) Basketball (team captain) and softball.

How many 100's have you done? 0
Total Mileage: 1325

Your background with horses. Mom sat me on a pony when she brought me home from the hospital at 3 days old. The old pony was in the front yard, so she put my leg across her so I could say that was my first ride. She managed a 25/50/100 mile endurance ride with me in the truck at 10 days old. Dad had to tote me to the vet checks when she started back competing. I was riding by myself at age 2, did Pony Club at age 5, my first endurance ride (50) at age 10...I've never done an LD. I really love dressage...I'm extremely eager to learn it and I take lessons as much as I can...but the price of it is quite limiting! My horse now is TM Cade. I bought him (with my own money...that way no one can use the "who's money was it" stuff on me!) as a "halter broke but still doesn't understand the 'pull means walk forward' concept" 4-yo and trained him myself (I was so stingy with him that I didn't let mom even sit on him for a year. When I was ready to do his first ride and found myself so busy with school I couldn't condition him enough...I gave in.) This is only his second season and he just has 250 miles, so he's not ready for a 100, but that's my goal. I'm just glad Jody's providing me with a horse to ride for Biltmore so I can finally do this long-anticipated first 100!!

Profession: Student...cave guide during the summer

Horse's name: Jets Irish Rose
Owner: Jody Buttram
Age: 11
Breed: 1/2 Arabian and 1/2 Paint
Bloodlines: Very solid CMK breeding on the Arab side.
Sex: Mare
Height 15hh
Weight 950

Type shoes: pads? clips? How old will the shoes be on the ride day?: St. Croix Eventer with clips, full Luwex pads packed with Equipak firm on all four feet. Shoes will have been on about 4 days.

Shoe or easyboot size: 0's on the front, 00's on the rear

Miles 2715 career miles
Years competing: 6
Type of saddle: Orthoflex
Type Pad: booties
Bridle/bit/hackamore? Hackmore
Crupper or breastcollar? Both
Type girth: Wool fleece dressage girth
Will you be riding with a heart monitor? Yes

Background info: Jody purchased her from the man that owned the Petit Jet stallion for many years until the horse died at the age of 30. She was from a neighbor that bought a Jet mare to raise 1/2 arab/paint crosses. They found that they couldn't sell the horses, and sold her to the breeder. Jody went to look at another Jet horse he had, and saw her and fell in love with the spots. Bought her at 2 yrs. old, started her and she began in endurance as a 5 yr. old.
What is this horse like?: Well...I will only have ridden the horse once before the ride...but according to Jody she is very strong and dependable. Always gets the job done. She says she is really a mean horse, can't be trusted, but you have to like her for what she can do (is this at all reassuring?). Extremely pretty, has great legs and build. Not the best hot weather horse because of cooling issues, but can and has competed in very hot/humid conditions. Great on hill rides and technical trails, makes up on the trail easily any time lost in VC's due to slower recoveries.
Goal for the ride: Completion
Possible top 10? No
First completion? No
.
Possible time frame? No clue. I'll be riding with my mom(Angie), and with it being Gunner's first 100 there's really no telling.
Have you completed this course before? Rose has...I've only done the 50.
If you want, explain your electrolyting proceedure...brand, frequency: She gets Lyte Nows, and will also get BCAA's at VCs (That's Jody's electrolyting procedure)
What do you feed? Rose is fed Omelene 100, beet pulp. Turned out on grass at home, with Coasta Burmuda hay, feed choice salt and minerals, Vitamin E/Selenium supplements and MSM. Legend injection the week of a ride.
What will you be feeding at the vet check? Dumoor Horse cookies, carrots, Apples, raisins, grain, grass, grass hay and Alafalfa hay, beet pulp mixed with warm water and anything else she will eat.

photo credit: Jody Buttram

Angie McGhee and Gunner McGhee

Name: Angie Creswell McGhee
Weight Division: LW
Home: Wildwood, GA just outside Chattanooga, TN

Background info: Married to Bill 25 years this May, two daughters, Bonnie 20 and Josie 17.

Why do a 100? Because they scare me. Also, I think the 100 is a way for the cautious non-risk takers to excell.

How many 100's have you done? Started 11, finished 8.
Total Mileage: 4830 (AERC page doesn't show Pan Am 100)

Your background with horses. One of 6 children, only one with the horsey bug. Got first pony at age 10. Bareback neighborhood terror. Parents didn't keep up with me much so long as I made it home for the head count at night so I got to have some pretty extreme adventures for a kid (like figuring out how to get my horse off a ledge he couldn't turn around on) First Appaloosa at age 15. Barrelracing, brush track, trail riding. First endurance ride at age 27.

Profession: High School Art Teacher, Writer, Free lance artist, cartoonist, speaker, video editor, chair caner, author, dog breeder, if I can make honest money at it, you name it and I'll try it. Gotta support my habit!

Horse's name: Gunner McGhee. When I bought him he was covered with scars and bite marks from sharing a field with a stud, so since he looked like he'd been through a war, "Gunner" came to mind.

Owner: Me
Age: 12?
Breed: Looks like an Arab, trots like an Arab, endures like an Arab, but that's all the proof I've got.
Bloodlines if you're in to that: One of those "Out of Alabama by Truckee" supposedly was bought through an auction, then went through 3 more owners before I got him Feb. of 06.
Sex: Gelding
Height 14.3
Weight 844 lbs.

Type shoes: He's pretty basic. No clips, no pads. They'll be on 2 1/2 weeks before the ride.

Shoe or easyboot size: Front Easyboot size 1.
Miles 450
Years competing: 1

Type of saddle: Old 1990 Ortho-flex Express, EZ ride stirrups with cages.
Type Pad: Toklat wool
Bridle/bit/hackamore? Biothane halter bridle, nylon reins, full cheek snaffle & running martingale. Might switch to a hackamore really late in the ride just to get the bit out of his mouth but he dislikes leverage, it makes him toss his head.

Crupper or breastcollar, boots? Biothane breastcollar and Ortho-Flex crupper.

Type girth: Mohair with pads under the buckles.
Will you be riding with a heart monitor? Not unless I buy one very soon, but I would like to ride him with one at least for a while.

What is this horse like? He's tough. He spent last 7 or 8 years being ridden on long hard trail rides with some folks in Alabama who just go trail ride hard. They didn't like him much because he wouldn't get tired and stayed ahead of the crowd. He had also been in small horse shows in trail classes so did the taking on and off raincoats & crossing little bridges, etc. He's just not surprised by much. He reminds me of a jeep, nothing fancy but *rugged*. They told me he wanted to go too far too fast and that sounded good to me.

I will be riding with my daughter who will be riding an experienced 100 mile horse, Jets Irish Rose. It will be my daughter's 1st 100 so we've got lots of variables going. Hopefully I'll mentor Josie, and Rose will mentor Gunner. Rose will need to take it easy during the heat of the day since she's a fairly strong built Paint 1/2 Arab, but she's known for really coming on strong in the evening and I hope will inspire Gunner, assuming we're both still in it at that point.

Goal for the ride. To get his first 100.

I have finished the 100 here 4 out of 4 times that I've entered.

Electrolyting proceedure...brand, frequency. One dose before I start, and maybe every 12-15 miles or so (depends on weather). I use home made and mix with yogurt.

What do you feed? 10 % protein 6% fat Legends 10 sweet feed and all the Tifton 44 Coastal Bermuda he'll eat. He gets a little alfalfa now and then just so he'll be used to it at a ride.

What will you be feeding at the vet check? Beet pulp mixed with grain (which he'll pick the grain out of) Alfalfa, Coastal, grass, carrots & apples . (all of which he'll eat)

Photo credit: Becky Siler

Jody Rogers-Buttram and Petit Jets Aries

Name: Jody Rogers-Buttram
Weight Division: Fat LW
Home: Hillsboro, Alabama

Background info: Graduated highschool in 1984, attended The University of North Alabama, graduated with a degree in Professional Geography and minor in Marketing. Graduated with the highest GPA for my major. Worked for a software company doing computer utility mapping (GIS) for 6 years, then moved to the City of Moulton as their GIS mapping manager and Building Inspector. Recently became certified in Building Inspection.

How many 100's have you done? Started 38 and finished 30 to date.Total Mileage: 12,035 miles

Your background with horses. Been riding since about 3 yrs. old. Grew up showing hunter/jumpers, trail riding and fox hunting. Starting endurance as a jr. in 1979. Started training horses as a teenager, trained for other people, and have started/trained all the horses that I have ever competed on, and raised most of them. Attended Oklahoma Horseshoeing School and worked as a farrier for the public for roughly 15 years, beginning around 1986. Been doing nothing but endurance since.

Profession: GIS mapping manager and Building Inspector

Horse's name: Petit Jets Aries
Owner: Jody Buttram
Age: 17

Breed: Arabian
Bloodlines: Very solid CMK breeding.
Sex: Mare
Height 15.1
Weight 920

Type shoes: pads? clips? How old will the shoes be on the ride day? St. Croix Eventer with clips, full Luwex pads packed with Equipak firm on all four feet. Shoes will have been on about 4 days.
Shoe or easyboot size: 0's on the front, 00's on the rear

Miles 1705 career miles
Years competing: 6
Type of saddle: Orthoflex Type Pad None, only booties
Bridle/bit/hackamore?Hackmore

Crupper or breastcollar? Both

Protective Boots: Brush boots.

Type girth: Fleece backed dressage girth
Will you be riding with a heart monitor? Yes

Background info: Didn't start endurance until the age of 11. What is this horse like? Poor dumb thing, she is very willing to please, but no fun at VC's. Likes her buddies way too much. Very smooth, and has an awesome reaching canter. This canter is a hand gallop for most other horses.
Goal for the ride: Completion at least middle of the pack.
First completion? No, this horse has done this ride twice, once with me (win and BC last year) and once with Angie McGhee.
Possible time frame? ?
Have you completed this course before? Yes, twice

Explain your electrolyting proceedure...brand, frequency. She gets only Lyte Nows, and will also get BCAA's at VCs.
What do you feed? Omelene 100, beet pulp and this horse gets Purina Senior feed too. Turn out on grass at home, with Coasta Burmuda hay, feed choice salt and minerals, Vitamin E/Selenium supplements and MSM. Legend injection the week of a ride.

What will you be feeding at the vet check? Dumoor Horse cookies, carrots, Apples, raisins, grain, grass, grass hay and Alafalfa hay, beet pulp mixed with warm water and anything else she will eat.

photo credit: Genie Stewart-Spears

Joni Buttram and Cash Bonus

Name: Joni Buttram
Weight Division: Junior
Home: Hillsboro, Alabama

Background info: Student at East Lawrence Middle School--7th grade, honor student and member of BETA club. 7 year pianist

How many 100's have you done? Started 9 and finished 6 to date.
Total Mileage: 3375 miles

Your background with horses. Been riding since 1 yr old (my pony named Cookie). Attends horsemanship camp each summer where lessons are on equitation and jumping.
Profession: Being a good kid

Horse's name: Cash Bonus
Owner: Joni and Jody Buttram

Age: 9
Breed: 1/2 Arabian and 1/2 TWH
Bloodlines : Polish breeding on Arab side.
Sex: Gelding
Height 14.1Weight 825

Type shoes: How old will the shoes be on the ride day? St. Croix Eventer with clips, full Luwex pads packed with Equipak firm on all four feet. Shoes will have been on about 4 days.

Shoe or easyboot size: 0's on the front, 00's on the rear
Miles 810 career miles
Years competing: 2

Type of saddle: Orthoflex or a wintec all purpose with Cair panels
Type Pad None, only booties on the Orthoflex, and a closed cell insert in a fleece pad with the wintec.
Bridle/bit/hackamore? Short shank, mullen mouth pelham with running martingale.
Crupper or breastcollar? Both
Type girth: Real Wool Fleece tube over english girth.

Will you be riding with a heart monitor? Yes

Background info: Cash was a rescue horse, paid $150 for him, he was still a stallion, unbroke and never had his feet picked up. He was purchased on April 10th, 2005, he did his first ride that Sept. placed 12th in a 50, 4 weeks later did back to back 50's at a pioneer ride, and 3 weeks after that did his first 100 placing 5th overall. Since then he has completed the OD 100 placing 10th, and the NC 100 on the OD trail. He has only been ridden by a junior.

What is this horse like? A monster. NOT a kid horse, but a superior athlete. Huge ground covering gaits, good recoveries and NEVER been tired at a ride. Literally drags you during final trot outs.

Goal for the ride: Completion
First completion? No
Possible time frame? ?

Have you completed this course before? Yes

Explain your electrolyting proceedure...brand, frequency. He will get Lyte Nows, and will also get BCAA's at VCs.

What do you feed? Omelene 100, beet pulp. Turn out on grass at home, with Coasta Burmuda hay, feed choice salt and minerals, Vitamin E/Selenium supplements and MSM. Legend injection the week of a ride.

What will you be feeding at the vet check? Dumoor Horse cookies, carrots, Apples, raisins, grain, grass, grass hay and Alafalfa hay, beet pulp mixed with warm water and anything else he will eat.

photo credit: Genie Stewart Spears

Kathy Brunjes and Theatric

Name: Kathy Brunjes
Weight: AERC FW (of course, I ride at 165 lb in FEI division)
Home: Bethel, Maine
Background info: 24 completed 100s; 4710 lifetime recorded endurance miles (plus another 4,000 miles Competitive Trail)

Background with horses: grew up on dairy farm, have had horses all my life - first remember riding at age 4 on a little white pony called Dolly - it's been downhill ever since ...4-H horse club member and then became a 4-H leader in my early 30's; belonged to my University (of Maine) horse club; rode saddle-seat equitation until I turned 20, along with trail riding (on the side) - my mother has been a ride manager for competitive trail rides since 1964 (that's right - 1964....I rode in my first 3-day 100 when I was 14) - I moved from saddle seat equitation to dressage in my late teens-early 20s, riding under Thomas and Michael (and their brother William) Poulin for many years.
Unless I buy a horse already under saddle, I have put all the horses I have ridden under saddle myself -
Profession: Medical Librarian


Horse's name: Theatric
Owner: me
Age: 9
Breed: Arabian
Bloodlines: Asgard Arabian; Russian/Crabbet breeding
Sex: gelding
Height: 16h
Wt: just a tad under 1,000 lb
shoes: flat steel, no pads, no clips, shoes will be approx 1 week old on the day of the ride
Shoe size: 1 Easy Boot size: 1
Miles: 960 endurance miles recorded; 50 LD miles; 350 CTR miles
Year Competing: 3 years endurance; 4 years CTR
Type of saddle: I use two saddles: Sports Saddle (treeless) and Valerie Kanavy saddle (heavier for the FEI rides)
Type of pad: Wool Back and Cool Back for the Kanavy - Skitto for the Sports Saddle
Bridle and bit: Kimberwicke snaffle, with curb; I use two types of bridles (depends on the day): Zilco red/white/blue biothane OR Taylored Tack PrymTym model in caramel beta biothane with Santa Fe overlay (you asked!)
Crupper: No
Breastcollar: yes (again, Zilco padded for the Zilco set; Taylor Made padded for the Taylor Made set)
Girth: good grief...it's fleece and I buy them from Teddy - I don't know the brand! I use both 28 and 30 inch girths - depends on the time of year/season and what he weighs
Heart Monitor: yes
GPS: probably (sometimes I use it, sometimes not...I'm not too gadget oriented...)

Background info on horse: he likes to go alone...he's better alone - he doesn't mind company/other horses, he just likes to do his own thing. He's very competitive - I always know when there are horses behind me and in front of me....and the ones in front don't stay there too long.. He does NOT take care of himself...he's too busy at holds gawking around to see who may be leaving...he is very dependent upon me to take care of him - he was started under saddle late in life (5 - he came out of a herd at 4 ½ years, so was a little late in getting started - physically he's mature, mentally he's still a tad behind the curve) - he does not want to be fussed with at holds...just leave him alone - on trail, he prefers to be a "come from behind" horse - he needs time to settle and get his mind wrapped around the day before I let him move out
Goal: my goal is always to get around the safest way possible, with a successful outcome. This year, we have had a late start (due to poor weather conditions) so I expect not to be "fast" - we always WANT to be top ten...he's done this ride before so we know the course - I've completed this course 5 times. I've done this course in as little as 10 hours, and as long as 16 hours - the Biltmore always depends upon the weather conditions (and you had better pretty well pay attention to the temps/humidity and plan your time accordingly)

Electrolytes: I use a concoction based on terrain, temps, humidity, speed, etc: Perform n Win, EnduraMax, supplemental Potassium and LyteNow on trail -

Feed: concoction (again) - he gets what he'll eat at rides...I will bring 4 types of grain with me, two types of hay plus alfalfa and peanut hay - because it's anyone's guess what he'll want to eat on any given day. Plus wet beetpulp (that's the only thing I know he'll eat anytime, anyday) and plain oats -

Theatric will mainly want just grass and hay - he rarely eats grain at holds...he'll eat apples but not carrots...he'll eat horse treats but not grain...it's always an interesting first hold to determine what he'll want for that day - and it won't matter if he is standing beside another horse who is eating -
ok, now I'm depressed about how much work he is - thanks, Angie
Kathy

Lynn Kenelly & Reminisonce+/ (Sonny)

Lynn Kenelly
Lightweight(most days)
Anderson, SC---about a 2 hour drive to the Biltmore, in the northwest
corner of the state.

Background info: I grew up riding NATRC as a kid, moved to Clemson for college and met Faith Connelly, got my first horse from her when I was 21 and tried some endurance, LOVED it, got married and stayed in the area with my own farm but my riding horses still live at Faith's because she is backed up to Clemson Univ property where we have 25 miles worth of trail ranging from flats for speed work to tight single track technical trails with some hills(No trailering to condition unless we want to). I have ridden endurance since 1996 and got serious in 2001. I have 3 children ages 10, 7, and 2 and an awesome husband that lets me go off while he keeps the kids and critters at home. God Bless Him!!

I have started 9 1-day 100s and finished 5
total mileage for me 2185, and my horse 2090 endurance miles, about 300 LD miles

Horse background: My parents could not afford to buy me a horse but I took lessons from the time I was 6, 2x a week, grew up at a hunter jumper lesson barn, the owner, Mildred Porter, rode NATRC and took along the kids that had the desire to do so. I had a good basic education but really learned the finer points of equitation and dressage from Faith Connelly when I met her in college in 1988. Now I breed a little, train other people's horses a little and compete my
horses.

Profession: Uhh--I am a kept woman(luckily enough) not wealthy by any means but I keep shoes on my riding horses and kids, too. Guess I am a professional horse lover and mom and wife.

How can we spot you in the Biltmore photos? I will be wearing my favorite cheetah panties that nobody will see, but I have never gotten rubbed from them so they are a critical piece of
apparel, Black tights and hopefully a bright neon yellow collared polo shirt unless the FEI people have a hissy fit, so my backup option will be a navy USA east shirt. And a Tipperary helmet in carbon gray.

Reminisonce+/ is my main ride, I bought him from Faith who bred him when he was 3 and did all the training/conditioning myself, he is a grey purebred Arabian gelding that will be 10 the end of May.

He is by Patrolon, a straight Russian(very similarly bred to the Asgard stallion *Statistic) and out of a pure polish *Naborr daughter. Patrolon stands at public stud and is Sweepstakes nominated if anybody out there is interested, he has several offspring doing quite well in endurance and show horses to boot. Offspring also for sale, some riding already and plenty of grow them up and train them yourself.

Reminisonce's+/ barn name is Sonny, he is 15.1 and weighs about 870 when he is fit, up to 930 when he is on the chubby just got off vacation size.

He got his name because he was the very last foal out of Jane Deere a great broodmare for Faith, you are supposed to look at him and Reminisonce(correct spelling was taken already) fondly about his dam, Jane Deere got her name because her dam died before she was weaned and she went running and hollering after the John Deere that hauled her mama off to her burial site hence the name Jane Deere.

How can we tell this gray Arab from the others? Sonny wears multi colored biothane, a turquoise and pink headstall, halter is purple, pink, orange, and yellow, breast collar is orange with purple overlay and I use purple split reins.

Sonny will be wearing Natural Balance lite steel shoes with their new perforated pad on the front and clips and a tiny trailer on the rear and my farrier will shoe him 10 days before Biltmore. He is a small 1 to large 0 shoe size.

Sonny has 2090 endurance miles, 165 LD miles, 5 1-day 100s under his belt, 2-3 day rides and 3-2 day rides. We were inducted into the SERA 100 mile club last year(3 100 mile completions in a year) with a 1st/BC, 2nd, and 3rd place finish and also were 5th for the AERC 100 mile award.

He started his career in 2001, record of 38 finishes 44 starts, 3-honest to goodness rider is puny pulls, 1 lameness pull(sore on a popped splint), 1 pull at 86 miles because the rider(me) didn't clean his back well enough after he rolled which made his back sore SF pull, and
1 RO-lame at 70 miles last year at Biltmore, still sound with 52/52 exit CRI but getting inflamed high up on the right front and a puffy pastern on the left rear, 30 more miles in the slop was not going to make that any better!!!

I use a cheap synthetic circle y western saddle, full quarter horse bars with the horn sawed off and DeSoto leather fenders with EZ ride stirrups. Wish I had a DeSoto but he has always had great back/withers scores except for the one rider error sore back.
Skito pad with a Dixie midnight under it
Sonny starts the ride with a double broken mouthpiece western curb type bit, if he is being nice(rating easily) at some point later in the ride he has a S-hack with biothane nose piece.
Biothane breast collar with matching add-on halter/bridle in multi bright colors with running martingale attachment, no crupper.
Girth: A neoprene roping girth, fat on the belly, narrow in the elbows.
Yes, I ride with a heart monitor.

Sonny is easy to rate and very responsive, he would like to run to the front but is mannerly when I say "no", he generally eats well and we bring a wide assortment of feed and hay and are always willing to share!!! He doesn't normally drink until about 25 miles in and then he drinks like a fish the rest of the day, he is happy to go alone or with company, he is very talkative and usually nickers and talks to the horses we catch but doesn't offer to slow down and stay with them, just greets them as we go by, he also has to watch the vet check area and make sure nothing needs his attention, he LOVES to watch other horses get in trouble for whatever reason, I think he is glad it is not him though he does get cussed sometimes. While he does make a lot
of chit chat it has never affected his recoveries so I have basically quit fussing at him for hollering, put it this way---he is the only gelding in a pasture of 12 or so that whinnies as they run and play in the pasture, his Mama was chatty, too---he must of gotten it from her.

Ride goals: To FINISH, maybe towards the front if the pace is not unreasonable but I always adjust my ride plan to Sonny and ride MY ride. Would love to do a 10 1/2 to 11 hour ride if all goes well and it is not muddy--then there would be a major pace reduction(Please let it be dry, pretty please). This will be our FEI debut if our passport is approved in a timely manner. We have finished the spring 50 and the fall 55, did not complete the 100 last year.

I make my own electrolytes with salt, potassium chloride, calcium and magnesium mixed according to what his blood test results have shown me, about every hour to hour and a 1/2 after the first loop, he gets a dose in the morning before we start and I do preload. After the
first loop I do dose on trail after a good drink as neccessary.

At home Sonny gets Southern States Senior feed that is beet pulp based and Legends 12 sweet feed, in addition he get soaked beet pulp before the ride along with his daily supplements---MSM(discontinued on Tuesday before a Saturday ride) 6500 mg Glucosamine a day, Vit E, flax
seed, yeast and B-1.

Vet checks: We offer Omolene 200, the senior feed we use, cheap sweet feed, plain oats, dry COB, soaked beet pulp, carrots/apples but if he wants what your horse has I will gladly switch with you---try to have a many hays as possible: alfalfa, oat, coastal, timothy, peanut, chopped hay and a mixed grass, once again---we will share if you
do:-)) and even if you don't.

photo credit: Genie Stewart Spears