Hilda Donahue and Rictik around mile 54 of the Tevis Cup, looking relaxed and happy! Photo courtesy of Hilda Donahue.
We’ve followed Irish eventer Hilda Donahue’s foray into the endurance world for the last few years and we are so proud that this past weekend she completed one of the toughest endurance races in the world — the Tevis Cup. Riding Reynolds Racing’s Danzig and Rictik, Hilda and her husband Ken struck out for an adventure in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Ken and Danzig called it a day at 28 miles, but Hilda and Rictik forged ahead, climbing 17,000 feet and descending 22,000 in extreme conditions for a total of 100 miles.
Hilda wrote on her Facebook page: “Rictik was a superstar negotiating the many technical challenges on the trail. She climbed the rough mountain trails, marched enthusiastically down into the rocky, hot canyons, crossed the swinging bridge and the American River in the pitch dark. With the help of Reynolds Racing’s excellent crew led by Lynn Sparks Kenelly, and my awesome sis-in-laws (Sharon Finston & Karon Dutcher) & of course Kelli (Philpot Langton), Rictik crossed the finish line sound, happy & looking quite fresh.”
Hilda is now qualified for the World Equestrian Games on two incredible horses including her own Al – Marah Speed, who doubles as an eventer! Well done, Hilda! Go you!
National Holiday: National Avocado Day
Tuesday News and Notes:
Today is your last chance to enter the 8th Annual EN Blogger Contest! Your Round 1 entries should include a short bio (name, age, background, character-defining qualities, embarrassing tidbits, etc.) and a 300- to 600-word sample of your best eventing-related work. Email your entry to [email protected] with the subject “EN Blogger Contest Entry.” [Reminder: Tomorrow Is Last Call for 2018 EN Blogger Contest Entries!]
Heather Reynolds and Cayucos were the winners of the 2018 Tevis Cup, coming in 18 minutes ahead of second and third place finishers Gabriela and Wasch Blakeley. The Haggin Cup, awarded to the best conditioned horse, was awarded to a mustang named MM Cody, and a 27-year-old horse called PL Mercury finished 13th! [Tevis In the Books]
Lisa Takada and Wishbone represented Area VI at the 2018 FEI/Adequan North American Youth Championships at Rebecca Farm and were part of the bronze medal winning CICO2* team in Lisa’s last year of eligibility. She’s been blogging about the lead up to the event and now looks back on the experience of a lifetime. [The Road to NAYC]
The UK just can’t catch a break this year. After many cancelled events due to rain in the spring, very hard ground has lowered entries this summer and organizers continue to make tough choices. Bicton Arena and Horseheath both pulled the plug and refunded entries for their August events. [Hard Ground Claimed Second Event in a Week]
Noticing teeth marks on stall walls or tree bark eaten away in the field? Your horse may be supplementing for a fiber deficiency or simple boredom. Consider the horse’s individual circumstances and a possible diet change. [Why Does My Horse Chew Wood?]
Tuesday Video:
