2021 Tevis Cup

TevisCup 2021

by Darice Whyte photos by Lynne Glazer

Tevis winnners Jeremy Reynolds and Treasured Moments (DA Adios x Hidden Treasure).

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n July 24, 2021, 133 horses galloped out of Robie Park near Lake Tahoe in the 65th running of the 100-mile Tevis Cup. The vivid orange sunrise tinged with smoke from the California forest fires was the backdrop for the early miles as riders settled their horses into steady rhythms that would carry them towards Auburn.

So many riders return year after year to ride this spectacular trail. Some are contenders for the win, some are happy to get their completion within the allotted 24 hours, and some fall victim to this highly technical trail. This year’s completion rate of 47% was lower than normal. This could be attributed to the abundance of smoke in the area, a hold up coming through the canyons that put some riders who were already pressed for time behind even further, or it was just not that horse or that rider’s day. Even the best laid plans as far as pacing, time spent at the vet gates, or strategies to get through the canyons can bite you and your day is done. Why do people come back year after year? Well, I know far too well the lure of Tevis and how much one wants to be a part of the excitement. It’s hard to resist the challenge of the Tevis Cup! We talked with two winners of the Tevis trophies as well as the breeder of the Tevis Cup winner. Here are their stories.

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Tevis winners Jeremy Reynolds and Treasured Moments Jeremy Reynolds, the winner of The Tevis Cup for 2021, is no stranger to the Tevis trail having started it 11 times, finishing seven of those starts with four wins and three Haggin Cup wins for Best Condition. He has now won the most cups of any rider who has traveled that trail.

About seven weeks prior to this year’s Tevis, Jeremy was selected to take part in the World Championship in Pisa, Italy. His Tevis mare, Treasured Moments (DA Adios x Hidden Treasure), made the long journey overseas; however, it was not to be. One of the American horses developed a viral infection and, as all horses were stabled together, a decision was made to pull the whole team. All was not lost though, as Jeremy was able to travel to Verona, Italy with Treasure where he won the Fieracavalli Endurance Cup 100-mile ride.

Second place finishers Christoph Schork and VA Blizzard Of Oz (Blitzen Of Pico x Cavu Elana).

Jeremy didn’t grow up riding horses. None of his family were equestrians, but Jeremy had an affinity for horses. By chance, at age 13, he met another kid on a ski hill whose family had horses. Jeremy helped with sleigh rides out of Truckee, California, and then went on to leading trail rides in the area. From there he ventured into fox hunting and show jumping.

Later he worked with Terry Kaufman who taught Jeremy her methods for what she termed proper horsemanship in starting young horses. At 20, he got his start in the endurance world with Jackie Bumgardner, helping her condition young stock for endurance.

At 21 he entered his first 50-mile endurance ride at Hog Wild in Southern California. His second endurance event was in Fort Schellbourne, Nevada, a five-day ride where he rode a 50-mile ride each day on the same horse. At this ride he met his future wife Heather, who is also a successful endurance rider, having also won Tevis three times and the Haggin Cup twice. One year later, they were married and Reynolds Racing was created.

Along with their own horses, the Reynolds routinely train for others and will have 12 to 20 horses in training

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Vicki Holzer and SW Majestica (*Granizar x EC Oral) finished in third place on the same minute as Susan Kramer and Suzanne Huff.

Susan Kramer and A Ali Aseel (Ali Reshan x Zeena Z), a straight Egyptian mare, finished in fourth place.

Suzanne Huff and SD Expressa (Expressive LP x Barbarella FF) finished fifth.

each year. They divide their time between their farm in Ocala, Florida, and their ranch in the Auburn, California, area.

Winters are spent in Florida and, as the days become warmer, they head north to the larger rides, such as Biltmore NC, and then over to Fort Howes Montana before heading to California.

Jeremy’s ride strategy for this year’s Tevis with his mare Treasured Moments (DA Adios x Hidden Treasure) was basically to ride his own ride. He didn’t worry about what the other riders were doing or where he was in the pack. He kept her to what he knew she could do and rode her in her comfort zone. If he felt she needed to stay longer and eat at a vet gate, that’s what they did. Her biggest strengths are she stays calm and does not waste energy. Jeremy rides her in a string halter. Even if other riders gallop by, she listens to her rider.

This year at Tevis, Jeremy ran about 18 to 20 miles of the trail on foot. For those of you who have never seen the Tevis trail,

Seventh place finishers Reyna Mero and Chndakas Eklipse SWA (Chndaka x FMR Ozark Eklipse).

this is fairly amazing. The trail is by no means level, so not only does your horse have to be sure-footed, you need to be as well!

As he is often competing against lighter riders, he tries to give his horse an edge by running most of the canyons and any steep downhills.

For Jeremy, the most difficult portion of the trail was the canyon coming into Michigan Bluff, as he had already run about 12 miles by then. When he got into Michigan Bluff, he proceeded to stick his head in the trough and then douse himself with cold water to cool down. He sat in the shade while Treasure ate before proceeding down the trail again.

This is the first year he has made it to Lower Quarry, about 94 miles into the ride, in the daylight. He knew he had a significant lead, so he hand-walked her some of the remaining six miles and then trotted in for his win.

Treasure has 11 100-mile rides and has completed Tevis four times. She was third with Jeremy aboard in 2017 and won the Haggin Cup that year.

“Of all the memorable moments with Treasure,” says Jeremy, “that final lap in the stadium, with Treasure trotting so willingly with her ears up after 100 miles has to be the best.”

Jeremy found Treasure when he was shoeing horses for her owners, Deborah Mihaloff and Alan Kirshner of Cre Run Farm. He fell in love with the mare, and since the Kirshners were downsizing, Jeremy who was thrilled to purchase her.

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Danta LaPierre and MS Dennie MHF (Oman De Blaziet x MS Benz), finished in eighth place.

Treasure was about four when Jeremy took ownership and she started her endurance career; however, it was put on hold while she had a year off to have a foal.

Treasure’s foal, RR Super Cool (x TH Richie) is now five and has been started under saddle. “She has the same attitude as Treasure so I have high hopes for her,” says Jeremy. “She definitely has huge shoes to fill.”

We asked Jeremy what he believed his friends thought of what he did for a living. He said, “Most of them are amazed. My twin brother, who is also my lead crew person, rode Tevis once and, apparently, once was enough for him.”

Earlier in life, Jeremy envisioned a life of crime fighting as a lawyer, a police officer, or with the FBI; however, the love for horses led him down a very different path. When you do something you love, it’s never work, is it?

type, not just creating a racehorse, but one that could easily be identified as an Arabian – Arabians that you would be proud to own.

Treasured Moment’s dam, Hidden Treasure (RD Five Star x Ambers Treasure), raced successfully at Delaware Park. Treasure’s sire, DA Adios (*Wiking x Sanibel IA), was also raced and earned

Breeder of Tevis winner, Cre Run Farm, Deb Mihaloff and Alan Kirshner Behind every successful horse, there is a breeder who carefully chose a stallion to breed their mare to. In the case of Treasured Moments, her breeders were Alan Kirshner and his wife, Deborah Mihaloff, from Cre Run Farm of Virginia.

The couple has been raising and breeding horses since 1986.

They started off in the showring; however, Alan wanted to be involved in something a bit more exciting, so they began breeding racing Arabians. They have been a leading breeder of Arabian racing horses in the U.S. for decades.

Through her line of work in equine insurance, Deborah traveled the world, enabling her to view many different mares and stallions in the racing world. They chose not to focus their breeding on just one name. They diversified their breeding using many different stallions, while still staying true to the Arabian

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In July 2021 Jeremy and the Cre Runbred mare Treasured Moments traveled to Verona, Italy where they won the Fieracavalli Endurance Cup 100-mile ride.

Ann Hall and Greenbriar Al Jabal (WW Sun Dancer x Go Tiger Go [Thoroughbred]) were ninth place finishers..

over $600,000. He was the leading money winner in the U.S. until last year.

Treasure was also raced at Delaware Park with seven starts earning one win and three second-place finishes.

Treasure was Moment’s final foal. Her dam was approximately 15.3hh, and Treasure inherited her length of leg. Although she has fine features, she does possess good bone. It is probably her kind and gentle attitude that Deborah was most impressed by. A calm and trainable filly who carried on those traits under saddle.

After their racing career is finished, the Cre Run horses are often naturals for endurance. The Cre Run website is filled with accolades for their horses who have transitioned very well from the track to the trail.

Treasure has a number of half-siblings that have gone on to successful endurance careers. Her full brother, Hidden Assetts, has over 1,600 endurance miles.

Deborah and Alan have now semi-retired, if you can call 50 horses semi-retired, but I guess when one has had up to 200 horses, that number would seem significantly less! As with the rest of us Covid has waylaid some of their plans. They are breeding fewer mares these days, but hope to breed a handful of mares next year.

Treasure was sold with the expectation she would go on to do great things with Jeremy. A breeder couldn’t be any more proud of what they have produced and what Treasure has accomplished. Treasure is a true testament to their thoughtful breeding program.

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Courtney Kizer and Vegas (*Sanadik El Shaklan x Vafa AASA) won tenth place.

Haggin Cup Winner Jean Mero with Ozark Kaolina SWA (Kaolino x FMR Ozark Eklipse).

“I am overwhelmed with gratitude and thankfulness for what we accomplished.

Reyna Mero and I finished 6th and 7th on our two half-sisters - Ozark Kaolena SWA (Kaolina x FMR Ozark Eklipse) and Chndakas Eklipse (Chndaka x FMR Ozark Eklipse). And then on Sunday, Lena gave me the dream of a lifetime when we were awarded the Haggin Cup for the best condition.

“Long ago when the sport was first beginning, it was acknowledged that horses shouldn’t be ridden to within an inch of their lives. The founders of our sport realized that to safeguard and promote the welfare of the horses, the horses should be ‘fit to continue’ to earn a completion at the finish, no matter what placing the horse and rider achieved. This philosophy is the essence of U.S. endurance, a concept we export and promote worldwide. Winning is nice, but it isn’t everything. And eventually it came to be that the Best Condition award, given to the one horse from among the top ten finishers

Jeanette Mero DVM and Ozark Kaolena SWA (Kaolino x FMR Ozark Eklipse), finished in sixth place and won the Haggin Cup for Best Condition. who looked the soundest, was judged to be the fittest, who in essence who could go back out on trail the next day and do it all again, came to be as coveted as a win.

“It has long been a goal of mine to win the Haggin Cup, as many of us longtime endurance riders consider it the pinnacle award in our sport. A horse and rider can still somewhat unexpectedly top ten at Tevis. But to either win and earn the Tevis Cup, or to win the Best Condition and the Haggin Cup – well, there are no higher honors in U.S. endurance. That takes a whole other level of preparation, dedication, attention to detail, owning/ riding a talented horse, and above all having a deep support

system around you and that horse.

“Lena and I, and our whole family, have been working toward this goal since I bought her in March 2018. She is a once-in-a-lifetime horse. We have more miles together than any other horse I’ve owned. She has blessed me with that unexplainable partnership a rider can only hope to experience – complete trust, respect, grace, heart, will, and want to. She carries me at speed in the dark on the toughest endurance trail in the world, where riders and horses have gone over edges, fallen off trail, and been swallowed by deep crevasses, and we do it together with no head lamp, no glow sticks – just our faith and trust in each other. When I ask of her, she gives.

She has never quit on me and I, in turn, am mindful of the incredible gift these creatures bestow on us when they allow us to partner with them over these long miles. It is a heavy responsibility to care for your mount and be mindful of their welfare and comfort. It leaves one with a deep sense of humility.”

2021 Tevis Top Ten Finishers 1. Jeremy Reynolds

Treasured Moments (DA Adios x Hidden Treasure)

10:03

2. Christoph Schork

VA Blizzard Of Oz (Blitzen Of Pico x Cavu Elana)

11:13

3. Vicki Holzer

SW Majestica (*Granizar x EC Oral)

11:13

4. Susan Kramer

A Ali Aseel (Ali Reshan x Zeena Z)

11:13

5. Suzanne Huff

SD Expressa (Expressive LP x Barbarella FF)

11:15

6. Jeanette Mero DVM Ozark Kaolena SWA (Kaolino x FMR Ozark Eklipse)

11:42

7. Reyna Mero

Chndakas Eklipse SWA (Chndaka x FMR Ozark Eklipse)

11:42

8. Danta LaPierre

MS Dennie MHF (Oman De Blaziet x MS Benz)

12:35

9. Ann Hall

Greenbriar Al Jabal (WW Sun Dancer x Go Tiger Go [Thoroughbred])

1:09

10. Courtney Kizer

Vegas (*Sanadik El Shaklan x Vafa AASA)

1:09

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