T & I went to Reno for a couple of days to the AERC Convention (American Endurance Ride Conference). I've been about 4x's now, the first one in maybe 1993. It's like going to the Collie Club of America but for endurance riding, except it's just pretty much a trade show, seminars, the banquet & a Friday night dance. I signed us up for 1 night away (from all the animals), seminars & the dance.
We had a room that looked out over Reno and my favorite mountains ~ the High Sierras. There is a lot of snow in those mountains. Hopefully we have a nice spring and don't lose all of it with an early, hot summer.
The vendors are always fun to go look at. I went with one goal: Buy front EasyBoot Gloves for Summer. That was it. I have everything I need, and boots are like steel shoes in that they do wear out.
On the way, we stopped to say hello to Kevin Myers at the EasyCare booth. He's the one who glued on Ali'i's boots for Tevis as a last ditch effort to see if it would make him sound for the race.
He's a great guy!! A huge marketing force behind EasyCare. Their Glove has kept me on my path of keeping my horses barefoot, which has been a goal for many years. My love for their product (aaawwhhhh....and them) is huge.
Here is The Fury's actual glue-on boot from Tevis, the winner of the Haggin Cup. Only a barefoot freak like me would blog this. But I know there are others out there who are secretly impressed I AM blogging this.
A side note to trying to take this photo, I went to use my little Canon camera and all of a sudden it was on video mode. I tried for 10 minutes to make it go back to picture mode. Finally a girl named Leslie handed it to an 11 month old infant in a stroller and he fixed it. I swear kids nowdays are born with that knowledge. I felt like a complete idiot.
With the camera fixed, I went to my favorite local vendor and even though she has no idea why anyone would keep a blog ~ I still purchased my boots from her. I will even remind you all that her link (Australian Connection) is in my sidebar.
Isn't T handsome?????? I like Janet's apron ~ like she should be cooking us dinner instead of selling cool endurance stuff! I would like some Merlot please with those boots!!!
Here is Amanda Taylor of Taylored Tack at http://www.tayloredtack.com/
Amanda was a little shy about me taking a photo of her, but I'm not sure why. She is a very attractive woman and again, I love seeing women out of all ages doing what they love. And, I just love her work and of course, how it looks on my horsey. I get more compliments on Summer's tack and I am a little vain........but I figure if I'm going to be out for hours riding I want to see beauty, which I do all around me, but the tack really is a bonus.
Oh my gosh I love this blue one! And, even though I'm not a fan of red on most things, it's gorgeous on this headstall. Both are stunning!!
We also stopped by the booth of a local photographer of wild horses and I put a piece on layaway. His name is Mark Terrell. His website is: http://wildhorsesofnevadaphoto.com/default.aspx
The piece I am getting is a paint foal laying in the grass (on canvas). His work is incredible to say the least. These horses know him and he also knows them quite well. Terrell knows the stallions and who their offspring are. I spoke with him at length last year and the fact that he can get these gorgeous photographs shows that these horses are very trusting of him. The detail in his work is impeccable.
T & I went to two seminars. The first one was yesterday with Jan Worthington. She was one of the WEG riders (World Endurance Games) in KY this last summer. She is 70 years old and was quite interesting to listen to. Her theme was "Never Give Up" and she has plenty of stories of how she could have given up, but didn't. One in particular was riding a 100, I believe in Malaysia. Since it's so hot there, the rides are started after 5 pm and ridden at night with glow sticks. I might want to ride at 70 still, or 80, but I don't think I want to do that. It sounded horrendous.
Anyway, this particular ride, it had started to rain hard. The horses were sloshing thru 6" of water and her horse got hit by lighting. Or, the bolt hit next to the horse and because he was in water, he got the voltage. Of course he freaked out, tossed her and then started a series of running in circles around her and over the top of her while she still held on. She got bruised, cut up but was able to get back on and finish the race. This horse's name, by the way, was Golden Lightning. (I always say "Words are things"! Hahaha!!!)
Jan also currently has some 47 horses and numerous cows. She lives on quite a bit of property and bales her own hay, so she is quite active, taking care of all these animals in all kinds of weather (snow).....She looked fabulous and seemed like she had no intention of slowing down.
Friday night was the dance and T & I were on the floor for several hours. Way fun and I could dance EVERY DAY!!! He is very good at it, and I know shit, but don't care. I just love it and fling all over the place. Just play the music!! Anyway, I have not danced with many men who know what they are doing, so I kept asking T if I was "leading". What a dumb question. He said "You couldn't lead if you tried". He's strong. And he's handsome. And he knows how to dance. Funnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The main attraction going to the AERC Convention was to hear Julie Suhr and her daughter Barbara White speak. When Julie started to speak I got all teary-eyed. I don't even remember what she initially said, but she comes from the heart and has such a great wit, it reminds me again of how incredible she is. And I might remind you all to read her book ~ it is listed in the sidebar.
Julie has some 22 Tevis buckles, if I remember correctly and Barbara just got her 30th this last July.
They talked about how the endurance community is really just a big family and spoke of their lives together. Julie is 86 now and still rides several times a week with her daughter Barbara (who's 63). She also just crewed at 20 Mule Team (100 Miles) last weekend. Julie lost her husband this last year and I know her loneliness in losing a spouse, but they were together for years, so it's gotta be so devastating. I am so thankful to have my life to share with Tony, that we found each other. I imagine Barbara is such a great comfort to her mother. But loss of a spouse is so different.
Tony really enjoyed hearing both women speak also, and since he's not a reader, I might read Julie's book to him on some of our RV trips. She was talking about a ride she did about 6 years ago and had started out alone but hooked up with another rider. She said this rider and her had the same goals, wanting to finish with sound horses, within time, etc. She said they experienced the same things; crossed the same creeks, climbed the same hills, saw the same views, the same coyote, the same hawk, but that her friend was only 10 years old. Tony was sitting behind me and I looked around as I was crying and he had these big soppy eyes. 70 years apart in age and they can compete side by side. She's a living legend and truly is an idol of mine. To have health of mind and body and still out riding is so inspirational and I don't just see it in only her. This whole endurance community is filled with woman (and men) like Julie. Living life to the fullest and at ages when a lot of people are convinced because they are so old, they are too old to do this sport (or whatever gives them passion.) Barbara had a quote and I hope I can remember it correctly. It was "If you think you can, or you think you can't ~ you're right". Love it.
