by Char Antuzzi
I can now say I am the proud owner of a Tevis buckle. I got my first buckle this last Sunday, riding the best horse I've ever had the honor to ride, Sir Galahad, a 16 hand, 1000 pound bay, blm mustange stud. We crossed that finish line at 3:28am after a very long hot 22 hour ride along the Sierra Foothills.
Last year this great horse and I gave it a shot. We had won our Tevis entry at the AERC Convention, so what did we have to lose? We crossed the finish line at 5:38am, Sunday morning. In my heart we finished, but just too late to get a buckle. This year I wasn't about to let the clock win again, if I had anything to do about it. At the same time I wasn't about to hurt my horse to beat a clock. The entire day I was sponging Gali, throwing water on him, giving e-lytes and just really keeping an eye on him through the ride.
I had a schedule in my head of where I wanted to be and what time, but for anyone that rides Tevis you now how that goes out the window. There were a few parts of the rides I was worried about. The Bogs and the canyons. We beat both of them. I was so thankful that I had equithotic shoes on going over all the rocks, not one time did my horse slip on the granite!
We got into Robinson's at 10:30am, got Gali vetted on in, then before I knew it I was being shoved back on him by my crew and told to get moving. Gali was hot at this point and the going was slow. A few miles just down the road there appeared to be a Tevis Oasis. A private family had hoses, water, gatorade for us. Talk about neat people! They took a lot of time and hosed Gali, got him cooled off and we had a great conversation with me telling them that Gali used to be wild, he was captured, adopted and now here he is and yes he is still a stallion. (They asked what the brand was on his neck, they got the long version of what it was, lol).
I head off to the canyons, somewhere in here is where I met the most wonderful lady, Bobbie Pomroy whom was riding her sisters horses, Hopper. Turns out Bobbie and I were both riding for our loved ones that were taken with cancer. We both made a promise to our loved ones that we would do what ever we could to get through that ride in their honor. And by gosh, we did!
Bobbie and I rode through the darkness of the canyons together. It was so dark we couldn't see the ears of our horses. I didn't want to snap glowsticks unless I had to. So we rode that trail,
just trusting our horses. They never let us down! Her little mare and Gali my wonderful stud did so well together. I am sure that Hopper earned a whole lot of respect from Bobbie that night on the dark trail.
Before I knew it we came into Fransicos'. I have never ate a better tasting peanut butter and honey sandwich. But, Gali ate mine! I had to go back and get another one, mmmmm yummy. Gali trudged onto the river crossing, me talking the whole way. I am sure Bobbie was about ready to shoot me, shut up CHAR!!! We step into the river and swoosh, my calves are wet and I ride a 16 hand horse. I hope Bobbie has a snorkle.
We cross the river, climb up the other side and Gali knows one thing, HOME... He wasn't about to let the clock get him this year either. I cover his rump at the Quarry, we sure don't want to have him stiffen up here of all places. He grabs some food and off we go, back into the darkness, heading for home. We trot most of the way in and before I know it, there it is the lights of the Overlook. I have tears in my eyes. I can't not even begin to tell Gali how brave and gallant he is. I bend over and hug him, pet him, tell him how good he was for me, he never quit and I could never be more proud of him.
We head off to take our victory lap around the stadium. There is a bond that I share with the speical horse that no one will ever know. I can't imagine my life without Gali in it. He isn't an arab, he isn't small and sleek, but he is a proud 16 hand, 1000 pound mustang stallion that had something to prove and he did!
Gali... thank you for giving me a gift, my first Tevis buckle.
Your human,
Char
