Feature Article July 11, 2001
LAND O'LAKES NewsWeb HomeContact Us
Endurance Riding champion Wendy MacCoubrey
Rick and Elaine Steele host 30 mile horse endurance ride
by David BrisonRick and Elaine Steele of Lost Creek Farm are members of the Ontario Competitive Trail Riding Association (OCTRA). Elaine and her horse, Fleetwood Shadow, compete in rides sponsored by OCTRA. Rick has become well known in the Association for the pit crew work he does during the rides watering the horses and feeding them carrots (donated by Harveys Valu Mart).
This Sunday, backed by OCTRA, they hosted their own ride at a site near their farm east of Hwy 509 on the Bell Line Road. There were 35 horses in the ride, of which 11 were novices. The horses, their riders and owners, showed up on Saturday night and camped out in their trailers in a field just off the Lewis Road (these new 911 road signs certainly make reporting easier!). Participants came from all over Ontario, and there were six horses from Quebec.
"Finnerty"
The ride is not a race; everyone is given six hours to complete the 30-mile course, and horses are scored on how closely they recover to the original shape they started the race. A vet, Dr. Maria Koller from Ottawa, and a lay judge, Di Regendanz, who has been active in these events for over 30 years, inspect the horses before, at the mid-way point, and after they have finished the ride. They do what is known as a PR (pulse and respiratory) check on the horses. They also look for any cuts or scrapes, and for swelling of joints. They rate the general recovery fitness after looking at the horses being led on a trot by their riders.. A final score is given each horse points are subtracted if they dont come in within five minutes of the allotted six hours.
The horses, riders, their friends and family, Rick and Elaine, and scores of community volunteers all seemed to be having a good time. In fact these OCTRA people have found a recipe for a pleasant weekend, and many of them participate in almost weekly rides from spring to fall. The horses, mostly Arabian with a few Morgans and Morgan-Arabian crosses, are gentle and well-behaved. For the enjoyable four hours that I covered the event, I did not see one horse show any sign of irritation, even though they had just been six hours on the trail and were being probed and poked by the PR team, and were surrounded by admiring spectators. The riders for the most part all know each other, and there is a lot of friendly banter and exchange of horse talk. Everyone supports each other novices on their first ride and juniors (up to 16 years) get advice from the experienced riders, and everybody pitches in when help is needed. A real sense of community is evident. After the race, everyone gathered for a relaxed dinner, catered by Leanne Hawley. Ricks mother, Vera Steele of Arden, prepared strawberry shortcake for dessert.
The ride was an opportunity to return to Sharbot Lake for Larry McMaster, who was with the Sharbot Lake OPP from 1969 to 79. Larry timed the race, compiled the final scores from rating sheets, and presented the awards at the end of the event. During the awards, he was teased for using the photos as an opportunity for hugging the winners. However, they seemed to be enjoying it more than Larry.
Wendy McCullough
Dr. Wendy McCullough, who practiced a few years ago at the Sharbot Lake Medical Centre, also returned with her horse, Raseem Shadow. It was a return home for Ras too he is a full brother of Fleetwood Shadow, and was born at the Steeles. Wendy purchased him from Susan Tanner, a Frontenac News staff member.
Several of the horses also take part in endurance timed races sometimes 100 miles. Red Express, owned and ridden by Teresa Finnerty, and Kelly Corbyns Rigs, have been chosen to represent Ontario East at an 100 mile race next weekend in Vermont. Kellys daughter, Jenna, age 15, rode Saturday as a junior and finished first in the junior category.
The overall champion was Wendy MacCoubrey from Shelburne, Ontario, on her horse Mariah. This was a first for Wendy, and she briefly entertained the idea of throwing her T-shirt to the crowd (like victorious soccer players) but quickly reconsidered.
Everyone was full of praise for Elaine and Rick and their families and friends. The course was well laid out Rick brushed much of it himself by hand; the site was pleasant (there were some complaints about our mosquitoes); and the volunteers, recruited largely from the horse community in the area, were suburb.
The Champion MacCoubrey
