Poetry Fantasy Flight 25/50/100

George McGraw (georgem@ctinc.com)
Mon, 13 Oct 1997 15:28:10 -0500 

Poetry Fantasy Flight 25/50/100 
Poetry, TX - September 20, 1997

Erma Cook and the Poetry gang pulled off another great ride. This is the
fourth year for this ride which once again set a record for the most
riders at a Central region event. There was a special treat for the
riders at the pre-ride meeting. The Trinity Riding Center Singers of
Aubrey, Texas, entertained the group with their "fight song". Head
Veterinarian Dane Frazier mandated a 60 criteria to set a slower pace
on what was to be a hot and humid day for both horse and rider. 

The 100 mile ride, which was also the AERC Central Region Championship
Series event, started with six horses at 4 AM. It was late evening
before Betsy Reeves and Karazanns Karisma +/ won their 6th 100 mile
event of this ride season with a time of 16:19. The remaining three
finishers all came in with a time of 18:17. The order of finish was
Darolyn Butler - Marcos, Genie Wunderlich - Twister and Doyle Carraway -
F.O. Sundance. Best Condition was awarded to Karazanns Karisma +/ with
a score of 695.

The Trinity Riding Center "fight song" appears to have had a positive
effect as Center owner, Shelley Bridges, won the ride on Windswift Barak
in a time of 6:23. Windswift Barak was also scored Best Condition with
an combined total of 726.5. Not to be out done, song writer Bridgett
Cavanaugh was second by two lengths riding Karronick. The Top Ten was
rounded out by; Russell Broussard - Werbors Sensation, Bobbie Barber -
Kash, first junior Hillary Zeigler - Bab Terah, Lynn Zeigler - Bab
Sheeba, Lisa Skalski - Forward Motion, Jim Matthess - The Silver Sabre,
Paulette Brehob - Kache and Gail Fiebelman - Obysyssion. There were 28
finishers, 11 rider option pulls and only 3 metabolic pulls as riders
paid attention to the weather conditions and their horses. 

Ride Manager Erma Cook achieved her goal of 100 riders when 101
twenty-five mile horses started this year's event. First to reach
criteria was Little One's Cheyenne ridden by Teresa Moore in a time of
3:11. J.Y. Black Sheik, ridden by Cordelia Gardner, was awarded a
Poetry Fantasy Flight director's chair as Best Condition with a score of
720. Fire Pony, ridden by junior Khristin Seymore, received a 480 vet
score to top the day. There were 56 riders who finished inside the 6
hour time limit, another 11 riders finished but were over time as they
slowed down to deal with the heat. Of the remaining riders who did not
finish all but 6 pulled themselves in recognition of the hot humid day.