AERC National Awards

Endurance riders and horses honored at the 2016 AERC Convention.

Awards Awards

by Genie Stewart-Spears “I don’t know where his kind awareness comes from, but he remains the safest horse I’ve ever ridden, stallion or not.”

T

he American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) Convention was held March 10-11 in Grapevine, Texas. About 500 endurance riders, along with their families and friends, gathered to enjoy the camaraderie, shopping, eating, dancing, celebrating, and presentations of regional and national awards, lectures and learning from one another.

Board of Director meetings were held and M. Paul Latiolais was elected as the new president of AERC. “I didn’t choose the position, the position chose me,” said Latiolais, who has been an AERC member since 2003 and on the Board of Directors for the last three years. “The person who had been tapped to do the job didn’t want it. At last summer’s mid-year board meeting in Dallas, I was asking several board members who would you chose to be the next president. Several times they would pick somebody and I’d say, ‘Nope, that person doesn’t want to do it.’ It finally came down to me and it seemed to be the right time to step in.

“While I have a fair amount of leadership experience, I’m not a top endurance rider. I enjoy riding the long distances,” said Latiolais, a math professor in Oregon. And although he competes on Paso Finos, he confirmed, “If I wanted to be competitive, I would ride an Arabian.

“The first year (as president) will be a learning year,” Latiolais admitted. “You can’t count on me accomplishing a whole lot, as I will be learning the job.

My initial goal is to increase communication among the board members and between the board members and the membership.

Whatever troubles we’ve had in recent years has largely been due to members not understanding what was happening and why it was happening; why we were making the decisions we were making.”

Susan Kasemeyer, Tennessee, is the new vice president; Sue Keith, Indiana, was elected secretary; and Mollie Krumlaw-Smith, Ohio, was re-elected as treasurer.

While there are regional award ceremonies for the nine regions

(including Canada), the convention ended Saturday evening with the highlight of the National Awards Banquet. There are many notable riders and horses throughout the regions, but the following are some of the National Awards.

National Best Condition Award The National Best Condition Award is presented to the horse that has earned the most Best Condition points during the ride season (any number of riders). Top Ten placements are awarded.

Eleven-year-old Dorudd (*Doran SBFAR x Viroudd), aka Trinity, earned the National Best Condition Award with 12 starts, 12 completions and 10 Best Condition Awards in 2016.

To say that Trinity’s owner/heavyweight division rider Gunnar Frank is an overachiever is an understatement. Mostly drawn to expeditions on boats and exploring underwater, in 2007 he got into the sport of endurance riding. Although a perfectionist in all he does, in 2012, Gunnar, from Sweden accepted this free horse, Trinity, even though he was a known cribber.

Nevertheless, in 2014, Trinity had earned the most Best Condition Awards (13) but was shy on points and was second place. That same year he won the National 50-Mile Heavyweight Championship and the Best Condition Award for that distance.

The 15.3-hand Trinity has a career of 48 starts and 46 completions, 33 Best Conditions, 29 firstplace finishes, 2,370 miles and one 100-mile ride.

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According to 61-year-old Gunnar, who resides in northeast Oklahoma, “Trinity is not flashy or showy. But, when he trots out, he keeps his head level and has conservation of movement. And he doesn’t get excited during the ride, except near the end when he insists on being first. He is a point-and-shoot kind of horse; he is easy to ride, easy to manage, and just a perfect horse.

“Well,” added Gunnar, “perfect except for the cribbing. He cribs on anything, hay bags included. Despite that, he is a fantastic horse and we are lucky to have him.”

Gunnar Frank’s wife Alanna clarified, “The cribbing is not a big deal, and just a little hang-up that in no way affects his performance.

He’s a tough horse and the only thing special we do for him regarding the cribbing is put the hay on the ground at the trailer.”

National 100-Mile Award Honoring the Top Ten Senior horse/rider teams with the most points accumulated on one-day rides of 100 miles or more.

has over 32,000 career miles and 1,900 of those are on Annie since 2014.

“Annie is not an easy horse to ride,” said Christoph, who also won the 2016 AERC Middleweight Championship on Annie. “She has a great mind, is tough and loves to go, but as the rider I have to stay focused and work with her mind all the time. You can’t just be a passenger. With her random spooks, she keeps you alert. She also likes to be in the lead. She can be opinionated, and enjoys bucking if we do not go fast enough, corkscrewing her head to show her disapproval when I say no.

“Annie does have great conformation, and I love her ‘Go Get It’ attitude,” added Christoph. “And, she seems to get better every year.”

War Mare Champions

Junior National 100-Mile Award Winners

Based on the most points accrued by the same mare/rider team during one season (Senior riders only).

GE Pistol Annie, owned and ridden by Christoph Schork, Global Endurance Training Center in Moab, Utah, earned both the National 100-Mile and the War Mare Award. The pair also took Reserve for the year in National Best Condition standings. Annie, as the mare is called, is a nine-year-old, 15.1-hand Half-Arabian. Her sire was Sulte (Noble Legend x Daaladdinn) and her dam was a grade Quarter Horse. Schork

Honors junior riders who complete the most one-day 100-mile rides in the ride season. Minimum of two 100mile rides; based on mileage only.

With 805 miles, 16-year-old Anya Levermann, British Columbia, started 10 and completed eight 100-miler rides on four different horses, to earn the Junior National 100-Mile Award. In 2014, Anya and her sister Katya tied for this award.

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JON CHAKERES PHOTO

aerc aerc Nati Natioonal nal

Dorudd (*Doran SBFAR x Viroudd), aka Trinity, owned by Gunnar Frank, won the National Best Condition Award which is given to the horse judged fittest, freshest, and soundest (as defined in AERC “Rules and Regulations”) at the end of 50 plus miles among all regions.

aerc National

Endurance riders and horses honored at the 2016 AERC Convention.

by Genie Stewart-Spears

“I don’t know where his kind awareness comes from, but he remains the safest horse I’ve ever ridden, stallion or not.”

T

he American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) Convention was held March 10-11 in Grapevine, Texas. About 500 endurance riders, along with their families and friends, gathered to enjoy the camaraderie, shopping, eating, dancing, celebrating, and presentations of regional and national awards, lectures and learning from one another.

Board of Director meetings were held and M. Paul Latiolais was elected as the new president of AERC. “I didn’t choose the position, the position chose me,” said Latiolais, who has been an AERC member since 2003 and on the Board of Directors for the last three years. “The person who had been tapped to do the job didn’t want it. At last summer’s mid-year board meeting in Dallas, I was asking several board members who would you chose to be the next president. Several times they would pick somebody and I’d say, ‘Nope, that person doesn’t want to do it.’ It finally came down to me and it seemed to be the right time to step in.

“While I have a fair amount of leadership experience, I’m not a top endurance rider. I enjoy riding the long distances,” said Latiolais, a math professor in Oregon. And although he competes on Paso Finos, he confirmed, “If I wanted to be competitive, I would ride an Arabian.

“The first year (as president) will be a learning year,” Latiolais admitted. “You can’t count on me accomplishing a whole lot, as I will be learning the job.

My initial goal is to increase communication among the board members and between the board members and the membership.

Whatever troubles we’ve had in recent years has largely been due to members not understanding what was happening and why it was happening; why we were making the decisions we were making.”

Susan Kasemeyer, Tennessee, is the new vice president; Sue Keith, Indiana, was elected secretary; and Mollie Krumlaw-Smith, Ohio, was re-elected as treasurer.

While there are regional award ceremonies for the nine regions

(including Canada), the convention ended Saturday evening with the highlight of the National Awards Banquet. There are many notable riders and horses throughout the regions, but the following are some of the National Awards.

National Best Condition Award The National Best Condition Award is presented to the horse that has earned the most Best Condition points during the ride season (any number of riders). Top Ten placements are awarded.

Eleven-year-old Dorudd (*Doran SBFAR x Viroudd), aka Trinity, earned the National Best Condition Award with 12 starts, 12 completions and 10 Best Condition Awards in 2016.

To say that Trinity’s owner/heavyweight division rider Gunnar Frank is an overachiever is an understatement. Mostly drawn to expeditions on boats and exploring underwater, in 2007 he got into the sport of endurance riding. Although a perfectionist in all he does, in 2012, Gunnar, from Sweden accepted this free horse, Trinity, even though he was a known cribber.

Nevertheless, in 2014, Trinity had earned the most Best Condition Awards (13) but was shy on points and was second place. That same year he won the National 50-Mile Heavyweight Championship and the Best Condition Award for that distance.

The 15.3-hand Trinity has a career of 48 starts and 46 completions, 33 Best Conditions, 29 firstplace finishes, 2,370 miles and one 100-mile ride.

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According to 61-year-old Gunnar, who resides in northeast Oklahoma, “Trinity is not flashy or showy. But, when he trots out, he keeps his head level and has conservation of movement. And he doesn’t get excited during the ride, except near the end when he insists on being first. He is a point-and-shoot kind of horse; he is easy to ride, easy to manage, and just a perfect horse.

“Well,” added Gunnar, “perfect except for the cribbing. He cribs on anything, hay bags included. Despite that, he is a fantastic horse and we are lucky to have him.”

Gunnar Frank’s wife Alanna clarified, “The cribbing is not a big deal, and just a little hang-up that in no way affects his performance.

He’s a tough horse and the only thing special we do for him regarding the cribbing is put the hay on the ground at the trailer.”

National 100-Mile Award Honoring the Top Ten Senior horse/rider teams with the most points accumulated on one-day rides of 100 miles or more.

has over 32,000 career miles and 1,900 of those are on Annie since 2014.

“Annie is not an easy horse to ride,” said Christoph, who also won the 2016 AERC Middleweight Championship on Annie. “She has a great mind, is tough and loves to go, but as the rider I have to stay focused and work with her mind all the time. You can’t just be a passenger. With her random spooks, she keeps you alert. She also likes to be in the lead. She can be opinionated, and enjoys bucking if we do not go fast enough, corkscrewing her head to show her disapproval when I say no.

“Annie does have great conformation, and I love her ‘Go Get It’ attitude,” added Christoph. “And, she seems to get better every year.”

War Mare Champions

Junior National 100-Mile Award Winners

Based on the most points accrued by the same mare/rider team during one season (Senior riders only).

GE Pistol Annie, owned and ridden by Christoph Schork, Global Endurance Training Center in Moab, Utah, earned both the National 100-Mile and the War Mare Award. The pair also took Reserve for the year in National Best Condition standings. Annie, as the mare is called, is a nine-year-old, 15.1-hand Half-Arabian. Her sire was Sulte (Noble Legend x Daaladdinn) and her dam was a grade Quarter Horse. Schork

Honors junior riders who complete the most one-day 100-mile rides in the ride season. Minimum of two 100mile rides; based on mileage only.

With 805 miles, 16-year-old Anya Levermann, British Columbia, started 10 and completed eight 100-miler rides on four different horses, to earn the Junior National 100-Mile Award. In 2014, Anya and her sister Katya tied for this award.

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JON CHAKERES PHOTO

Awards

Dorudd (*Doran SBFAR x Viroudd), aka Trinity, owned by Gunnar Frank, won the National Best Condition Award which is given to the horse judged fittest, freshest, and soundest (as defined in AERC “Rules and Regulations”) at the end of 50 plus miles among all regions.

MELDE PHOTO

Winner of the Junior National 100-Mile Award (which honors the horse and rider team completing at least two one-day 100-miles rides), Anya Levermann is pictured here with Monk (unregistered Arabian), who she rode at the AERC 100-Mile Championships last year and placed first junior and third overall in 10.5 hours. She rode Monk on two of her eight 100s last year. Monk is owned by Chris Martin of Penn Valley, California.

Anya’s 100-mile mileage was highest yet recorded as most juniors typically ride two or three 100-milers. Endurance News quoted her as saying, “As my last year as a junior, I had one big goal, to win the Junior National 100-Mile Award.”

She credits the owners of the horses for entrusting them to her and thanks the sponsors who rode the miles with her to achieve this lofty goal.

Kathy Brunjes Young Rider Award Honors the top ten high-mileage senior riders between the ages of 14 to 21 on any number of equines (minimum mileage requirement: 300 miles). Awarded in honor of the late Kathy Brunjes of the Northeast Region, a strong advocate for young riders.

Sixteen-year-old Annie Whelan has been competing since she was nine years old. She has 3,300 career miles with 1,025 miles in 2016 on 11 different horses. She is a wisp of a young lady whose quick smile and joy of life captures the hearts of those around her. She helps her mother, Amy Wallace-Whelan, train endurance horses near Louisa, Kentucky. Since school is out, she has been averaging four or five horses a day in addition to the many weekend competitions.

Due to her abilities as a young horsewoman, she is fortunate to be offered some very good endurance horses to ride in competitions. Says Annie, “I ride other peoples’ horses to help gain experience, and help me become a better rider. I also make new friends that way too! Riding horses other than my

own has let me go to new places around the country and the world.”

Besides competing in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia, Annie has even competed in Australia. After hosting some junior Australian riders who competed on U.S. horses, four U.S. young riders reciprocated by going to Australia to compete.

Annie says, “I had the amazing opportunity to go and compete in a 50-mile endurance ride in Queensland, Australia. All four American girls finished in flying colors. I rode an awesome little mare named Silver (registered name is Larabi Rummanni, owned by Shelley Chapman). And was in awe of the beautiful landscape — especially all the kangaroos. We were there ten days and had an incredible time experiencing their culture and their style of endurance, which includes starting rides as early as 4:00 a.m. in the morning. I can’t wait to return someday.”

When asked if she had horses of her own, she replied, “I compete on several of our horses, but due to expenses of hauling all over the country, riding other owners’ horses lets me ride more. I am really honored that people are entrusting me with their mounts now.”

Annie started and completed all 19 rides in 2016. About the sport, she says, “I love the friendly atmosphere, and seeing different places on a horseback.”

News Flash! On June 10, Annie Whelan and Bryn Stevenson tied for first place in the Old Dominion 100-Mile Ride. They were riding Stevenson’s horses; Annie was on Whisperstreams Atropine, an unregistered Arabian, and Stevenson was riding TEF Lunar Eclipse (TEF Sunflash x TEF Roxtiki Rain).

Bill Thornburgh Family Award Winners Family (father and/or mother and one or more dependent children) with the most miles completed. The miles applied are those where at least

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one parent and one child start any sanctioned distance at an event.

The Blakeley family, Wasch and Gabriela and their children, Barrak, 18, and Sanoma, 16 years old, have earned this award four times! This year they rode 2,465 miles.

“To be honest we don’t ever go for the family award, it usually just happens,” says Gabriela. “We ride as much as horses and time permit, and see how it ends up. The year before, we missed the award by 30 miles — one more ride would have cinched it for us but that wasn’t our focus.

“This last year was a great season. The horses were fit, our varsity (seasoned horses) was going strong, juniors (inexperienced) growing up and starting their first rides — it all came together.

“We rode a lot of horses last ride season. Although we had 17 horses (downsized to 12 this year), we primarily rode eight different ones. We were focusing on getting our young horses started, but thoroughly enjoyed our last season with our veterans and really going for it with them, so we ended up with a lot of miles,” Gabriela adds.

How do they get and maintain that many horses in similar condition to compete together? “It can be hard to get the horses in similar condition, since some are easy to over train and others need more training to be in the same condition,” she says. “We try to ride each horse according to their particular need, which can be hard since we don’t have as much time to train, as we would like. We divide our horses in groups of four, riding the ones in most similar condition together. When we feel one horse is getting over-trained or could step up the training, we switch them out into another group.”

How do they coordinate training rides? “We have our set riding days and everybody tries to work their schedules around those days. Sometimes we have to go riding with three horses and possibly pony the fourth horse, or maybe one will benefit from skipping a training ride.”

Nevertheless she says, “All rides are fun and rewarding. It is always a

GLAZER PHOTO

Dave Rabe pictured here on Rushcreek Okay (Shalimar Pima x Rushcreek Follies), won the Bill Stuckey Award given to the rider 65 years of age or older who completed the greatest number of miles on any number of horses in one season.

great feeling to get a young horse through his first race or his first 100-miler, but Tevis is always special for us.”

Jim Jones Stallion Award Winners This award is for the stallion with the most endurance (50 plus) miles completed.

With 1,005 miles in 2016, SFF Pyro (*Pepton [by *Bandos] x *Pobudka) owned and ridden by Patty Bratsberg, Oregon, earned the Jim Jones Stallion Award.

“SFF Pyro came to us through George Altenberg, breeder and importer of Old World Polish Arabians. Both his parents, *Pepton and *Pobudka, had sterling pedigrees in Poland, from the revered *Bandos and *Piechur dating back to the legendary Ofir and Abrahim,” explained Patty Bratsberg.

“Even as a young stallion, he was easy to handle and train, affectionate, sensible, and considerate of his rider,” said Patty, who has competed on him since 2005. “He rides as well with mares in heat as he does geldings, often with riders not even knowing he is a stallion.

“To be honest we don’t ever go for the family award, it usually just happens. We ride as much as horses and time permit, and see how it ends up.”

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GLAZER PHOTO

Jackie Bumgardner, pictured here on Fire Mt Zane (LS Zane Grey x Fire Mt Odyssey), was inducted into the AERC Hall of Fame.

“His only downside was that he is competitive and, in the beginning, as a novice rider, I spent years holding him back because I was intimidated by his speed, enthusiasm, and energy. That changed last year, when he turned 17 and I felt I had a good enough seat to let him set our pace. It’s also when I discovered that his smooth, effortless trot could escalate to 17 mph and carry him handily past much larger, leggier horses,” she said with obvious pride.

“By the end of 2016, he not only won the Jim Jones Stallion Award for most mileage but also took first-place Pacific Northwest Overall Points, first-place Northwest Featherweight Division, Arabian Horse Association High Point Purebred Arabian, and earned the second highest point score for the year in all of AERC while earning his AHA Legion of Supreme Honor. Not bad for a 14.1-hand, 17-year-old stallion!

“But his best quality, the reason I love riding him, is that he actually takes care of me. When I’m strong, he fights me to go faster, but when I have been weak with heat exhaustion, he was docile and mindfully walked me back to camp while ignoring other horses trotting by. When he shies, which is rare, and I go sideways, he gets right back under me and when we pass through narrow gates, he leaves room for my legs. I don’t know where his kind awareness comes from, but he remains the safest horse I’ve ever ridden, stallion or not.”

“The thing that defines Jackie was her love of riding. Endurance requires a love of being in the saddle, and Jackie had it, bad. She would ride whenever, wherever, as often as she could. She Hall of Fame Equine and Member is responsible for helping The AERC Hall of Fame honors lifetime achievements by recognizing outstanding many riders get into the performances or outstanding contributions to the sport or to AERC. sport. She would find Member: Although the 75-year-old Jackie Bumgardner, California, passed away in people, invite them to come January, her long-time friend Nick Warhol confirmed, “She was told about the honor of winning the Hall of Fame Award before she passed away.” riding on conditioning Jackie was an icon in the endurance world. “She was one of those handful of people whose life is defined by the sport,” said Nick. “She started riding endurance in the early rides, and help them enter 80s, and between 1985 and 2015, she never missed completing a ride. She amassed 30,205 and complete their first miles, placing her 15th on the all-time high mileage rider list. She had 12 years with at least a thousand miles annually, and her highest mileage in a year was 1,510. She was a endurance ride.”

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Ann Kratochvil’s horse GF Brazils Envy (Brazil DWF x LL Jealousy), was inducted into the AERC Hall of Fame.

GLAZER PHOTO

“When she was good, she was really good, but when she was bad, she could be really bad.”

dedicated ride manager, having started some of the best rides in the West and Pacific South regions. She founded the 20-Mule Team, Eastern High Sierra Classic, and the Death Valley Encounter over 30 years ago. (All three rides still thrive today.) She was an Arabian breeder, owning Sierra Fadwah (Fadjur x Judhi), a sire of countless horses that excelled in the sport covering thousands and thousands of miles. She has won the Pard’ners Award (1998) with Sierra Fadwah, and two of her horses, Sierra Fadwah (1992) and Zayante (*Zaydoon x Bakit) (2002), were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“The thing that defines Jackie was her love of riding,” says Nick. “Endurance requires a love of being in the saddle, and Jackie had it, bad. She would ride whenever, wherever, as often as she could. She loved multi days, and would attend every one she possibly could. She never got tired of riding. She also realized the value of good equitation, taking continuing lessons over the years to improve her riding and horsemanship. She is responsible for helping many riders get into the sport, probably as many as anyone ever has. She would find people, invite them to come riding on conditioning rides, and help them enter and complete their first endurance ride.

“Jackie had a pretty incredible presence in the saddle; she was well over six feet tall, thin, athletic. You would not forget her when you saw her riding with such grace and posture. She was a very good rider, well balanced, secure and confident.”

But, says Nick, “Her health started to be a problem several years ago when she found out she was diabetic. It certainly did not slow her down at first, but time has a nasty habit of moving forward. Over the years she began to be more and more affected by it, but continued to do rides as best she could. Many of her friends helped her get through rides, but it became increasingly difficult for her to keep going. In 2015 it started being too much, and all she did was a couple of LD rides. Although 2016 started out okay, near the end of the year she became sicker, and as a result needed to stop riding. That was hard for her, as hard as anything you can imagine. In December she needed to be in an assisted living center, and we lost her in early January 2017 at the age of 75.

“I can’t think of anyone who deserves the honor of being in the Hall of Fame more than Jackie for all she has done for the sport, and for all the countless people she has helped, influenced, trained, mentored, and was nice to. The sport of endurance is better for having known her.”

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Equine: To the delight and surprise of owner/rider Ann Kratochvil, her horse GF Brazils Envy (Brazil DWF x LL Jealousy), was inducted into the AERC Hall of Fame. Envy, as the 19-yearold, 15.1-hand mare is called, is now retired with 10,135 career miles garnered between 20062015. The mare started 204 rides (primarily 50-mile events with one limited distance, one incomplete 100-miler), with 199 completions, 15 first-places finishes and 18 Best Condition Awards.

“She is now in foal to SFF Pyro, who won the Jim Jones Stallion Award,” Ann says happily.

Seventy-year-old Ann, who herself has over 25,000 career miles, says, “I’ve had Envy since she was seven years old. Although I was in need of a hip replacement, I kept riding until she got 10,000 miles before I had the surgery. I retired her in 2016 and I had the hip replacement surgery.

“I came off that horse so many times because she would spook,” Ann says laughing. “But that

PEARMAN PHOTO

Heather Reynolds on Indian Lucy (Haffir El Rimal x ES Samborsta) and Jeremy Reynolds on RB Code (*Calin du Loup x Burning Firestar) won the Bob and Julie Suhr Husband and Wife Team Award, as the husband and wife team with the most points accumulated on any number of horses.

happened more in the beginning until I learned to ride her better and she also spooked less. When she was good, she was really good, but when she was bad, she could be really bad.”

Envy was previously firstplace AERC War Mare for three years (2015, 2013 and 2012) and placed in the top ten six times. She also ranked second place twice in the National Mileage standings.

And, she achieved the Perfect 10 honor in 2015. There are only nine horses in the history of AERC to achieve the Perfect 10 and she is one of them. This honor goes to the horses that have completed 10 years, 10,000 miles, 10 first-place finishes and 10 Best Conditions.

Pard’ners Award Rider and horse perform together as a mutually bonded team. Rider and horse engender a spirit of friendship, enthusiasm, and championship that makes those around them glad to have attended

the ride. However competitive they may be, good sportsmanship remains their first priority. Horse and rider take care of each other. Together horse and rider personify the prevailing and abiding goal of AERC “To Finish is to Win.” This award was established in honor of the late Mae Schlegel.

Recipient receives keepsake plaque and name of horse and rider engraved onto perpetual trophy.

This year’s winners of the Pard’ners Award were Don Bowen, 58 years old, and Willy.

Willy, a 27-year-old purebred Arabian gelding, bred by Kit Hall and registered as Wild West (Fliston x *Wiluna), is also known as the Flying Horse. Although he was retired from endurance at age 21, he still goes on trail rides.

“Willy came to live with us in 2002,” explained Pam Bowen, Don’s wife. “It was my friend, Laurie Ridgeway, who arranged it. Willy belonged to her mother, Kathy Rutsky, and wasn’t being used, as she didn’t care much for his antics. Willy had been purchased as a trained English show horse, but he obviously didn’t care for the idea, as he turned into a dead runaway in the arena. Kit Hall told my friend that he knew Willy would be really good at something, he just wasn’t sure what. As it turned out, what Willy loved was the trail; he has always been solid on the trail.

“A huge part of Don and Willy’s story is their fall off the Tevis trail, the ensuing helicopter rescue (thus the Flying Horse nickname), and rehab back to training and competing again,” she explained. Competition included the pair going back and completing the Tevis Trail in 2006.

Don works for the National Park Service as Chief of Maintenance at Lava Beds National Monument in California. To date, he has a lifetime 4,395 career miles and Willy has 3,155 miles, with all but 200 miles being after the fall.

The accident occurred June 1, 2003, in El Dorado Canyon (between Deadwood and Michigan Bluff ), at a place they call Kaput Springs along the trail. Don stopped to let Willy get a drink. After he drank, Willy stepped back and the trail collapsed. “We found out later that Willy was the fifth horse to go off that spot, Kaput was the first. Also,” added Pam, “we were told that this has been a hard spot to maintain because of the spring.

“When Don went to pre-ride the Tevis trail, he was hauling our then young mare to Patti 64 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b JULY 2017

Sixteen-year-old Annie Whelan on the 10-year-old Half-Arabian gelding, Wallace Hill Sundance (The Sundance Boy x Teena), won the Kathy Brunjes Young Rider Award.

PEARMAN PHOTO

“I ride other peoples’ horses to help gain experience, and help me become a better rider. I also make new friends that way too!”

Bailey to be bred to Remington Steele. Patti escorted Don the first day on the trail, then they took a day off to go to the horse expo where Patti convinced Don to buy his first helmet. The next day they went out again and that is when Don and Willy fell. Don’s head smacked a tree hard and destroyed the new helmet. Patti packed Don out with his broken leg on her horse, Ribbons Of Steele. A friend took Don to the hospital, and Patti went back to Michigan Bluff to help with Willy’s rescue the following day. Patti was stationed at the top by the spring and was filling water buckets that were taken down for Willy. She knew the people were going to be getting thirsty too, so she was dropping tablets into the water to prevent Giardia. When we spoke later to Leigh Bacco Scribner, a nurse who assisted with the rescue, she said she couldn’t believe she wasn’t sick because she, as well as others, were drinking from the bucket. Then Patti told her what she had done.

“It was a long day for all the volunteers; they tried to cut a trail but couldn’t convince Willy to go up that steep trail. During the tumble down, Willy went off two 20-foot drop offs. He ended up standing on the last ledge; the next drop would have been certain death. The rescuers found that Willy had pawed all night; they also found a stomped rattlesnake.

“The story is on a DVD produced by U.C. Davis as they were called to assist with the rescue,” said Pam. “The harness was a new design and Willy was the guinea pig. The incident was filmed for training purposes for the new harness. As far as I know, the same harness is in use today.”

In conclusion: The outgoing president, Michael Campbell, had a few words to say about his term, and the great work of the AERC. “I was president for three years. Most AERC presidents serve two years although Connie Caudill was president for four years. It’s a very time consuming job, but very rewarding. Because it is time consuming, I neglected my business and my poor wife. I thought it was time for a change.

“Being elected President of the Board of AERC was one of the finest honors I have had. I was especially fortunate to work with such a competent and motivated board. I learned over and over to trust the collective wisdom of that wonderful group. They took a 65 b ARABIAN HORSE WORLD b JULY 2017

strong stand for fair and honest international competition. They repeatedly supported welfare of the horse issues, especially through passing motions from the Veterinary Committee. As with most things, the real work is done by committees and their chairs. In particular, AERC made tremendous strides in education and trails development and support. I am especially grateful for the counsel and support of the Executive Committee — Vice President Lisa Schneider, Secretary Dr. Susan Garlinghouse, Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair Molly Krumlaw-Smith, and Trails Committee Chair Monica Chapman. We (the board) accomplished a lot. All AERC members can be proud of the hard work that their board members put in over the past three years.”

AWARD DESCRIPTIONS COURTESY OF AERC WEBSITE.