THE 30th BIRTHDAY OF THE MOUNTAIN REGION ENDURANCE RIDERS
1978 to 2008
By Bob Atherton
What’s the meaning of life? Easy, “It’s making
great memories with family, loved ones and friends, that’s
all”! Since memories are in the past, and the past is history, it’s
time to start recording the history of what’s been happening
for the last 30 years of
MRER in the Mountain Region. Besides, who wants to
dream about their careers in
the retirement home?
In the summer of 1977 early discussions were held at Bonnie
Rose Sehlmeyer and Lorna Lincoln’s tack shop, “Horse of a Different Color”. As
the sport expanded a nucleus of riders in the Mt. Region formed a club (MRER)
that reflected their interests. A
formal meeting occurred in September of 1978, including Jim Larsh( deceased);
Bonnie Rose Sehlmeyer; Lorna Lincoln (deceased); Sue Kalamen; John and Andrea
DiPietra,; and Steve and Peggy
Matthews. In attendance was John Cody, the great great grandson of Buffalo
Bill. John DiPietra was elected MRER’S first president.
MRER was
incorporated in the State of Colorado in September of 1978 as a non-profit
service organization. The corporate
purpose as stipulated on the corporate report is ‘to promote endurance riding’.
The organization is managed by a 9 member Board of Directors, and governed by
established by-laws. The initial thrust of the MRER was to get people along the
Colorado Front Range interested in endurance riding by supporting AERC/MRER
sanctioned rides and publishing a newsletter promoting endurance rides and
providing ‘local’ awards for those in the region. The club continues to
publicize, advertise, and educate the public and horse people in particular
regarding the enjoyment and fulfillment of endurance riding. The organization
has expanded to incorporate board members and officers’ from Wyoming with
members living in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Montana, and
Kansas. By 2006, MRER sponsored 59
rides, but within a ride “week end”, there were 76 different events, by year’s
end over 160 MRER members and nonmembers rode 76,735 miles, all between snow
storms. The following events by our
founders will give you a snapshot of why the success of MRER continues.
MRER 50
SHAR Ranch. Larkspur Co. (John
Dipetra). In 1978, Singing Hills Arabian Ranch (SHAR) moved to Larkspur, CO and
became the official site for several years of what became known for awhile as
the annual MRER Endurance Ride. The first 2 rides were 50’s. Then the ride
escalated to an elevator ride of 50, 75, & 100 in ’81.
LORNA
LINCOLN rode Saud Rauj (a Crabbet Arab) between 1974 & 1978 to
become our first 1000 mile Medallion Horse.
Lorna grew up on the grounds of West Point where her father was a General
and served on numerous cabinets; several buildings at West Point are named
after him. Her family came West in the
summers where Lorna wandered the mountains on Rauj and learned to barrel
race. A month after her father died,
her mother worked as her crew and they started to train for
the Tevis. She finished well in '75 and '76, the two years she rode the
Tevis.
STEVE
MATTHEWS was an alternate for the Marathon in Mexico City Olympics in
1968 with a time of 2:15. Riders often complained of his winning BC’s because he
would run half the distance and still finished in the top 10! Steve Matthews and his wife Peggy wrote a
300 page document on how to put on an Endurance Ride.
SUE
KALAMEN is credited by many as marking and unmarking more trail than
anyone else, besides being a wonderful rider!
She found for Karen Kroon “The Wizard” who retired with 24 wins and one
of the highest winning percentages. Sue
and Jerry were always up to something.
At a Ft. Laramie ride, Sue, Jack Evers, and Sue Basham decided to have a
party. Maybe because Jerry was at home. Sue Kalamen immediately ordered 7-UP
for Jack…this is the first and last time Jack was ever a designated
driver! Jerry is the only person in
MRER who won a buckle without a horse. At one of the Virginia Dale rides, Dave
Nicholson said if a horse vetted out, you could still get a buckle if you
convinced the vets the horse was ok and you could run. When Jerry vetted out he
ran the last 25 miles for a finish.
JIM LARSH was loved
by everyone and a friend of Wendell Robie.
Jim went to Australia in '69 and did the Tom Quilty on Ibn
Zata in 17 hrs. and 33 minutes. As he got older he needed oxygen, so
Karen Kroon took his Moyle horse ‘True Grit’ and trained it to carry the oxygen
bottles so Jim could start the Tevis one more time. Unfortunately he did not finish the last ride. The Tom
Quilty ride in ’07 was won by Christoph Schork in 16:30 (see EN, Dec 07).
BONNIE
ROSE SEHLEMEYER taught Karen Kroon to
ride at the tender age of 13. Later
Karen rode “Pretty Boy Moyle” in the 70’s. Bonnie Rose Sehlemeyer is an
excellent event rider and was one of the founders of both USDF and MSCTA. She now races her
2 vintage Porsches and Jag in local events. She drives horses and
hunts with Sue Kalamen, with whom she still has a close relationship. So what’s a Moyle horse?
MOYLE
HORSES Prior to the formation of MRER and during our early years,
Rex and Margie Moyle of Idaho bred and rode some truly extra ordinary endurance
horses which became known as the “Moyle” horses. The story of this family and
their Moyle Horses is one of the great western adventures, with links to the
LDS Church and long distance trips between St. Joseph Missouri and Salt
Lake. Some of these horses had horns,
but what this really meant was that the horses had small frontal bosses
(extra bone) above their eyes that stood out ~ ¾ inches, and covered with hair.
These horses are included in this history because they played such a major role
in linking the older events of MRER to our current events. Some of the Moyle blood lines are still present in current
Endurance horses. Matthew Mackay Smith, DVM knew the family well and rode a
Moyle horse in the Tevis to 5th place in 1964 and wrote an article about them in the 1964 “The
Chronicle of the Horse” documenting these marvelous and special horses of the
west. A copy of this issue would be a
treasure. At the first Virginia Dale
ride hosted by Dave Nicholson, DVM.
Matthew Mackay Smith, DVM was one of the first, if not the first, to
have a heart monitor. Its electrodes were the size of your hand.
Between 1978 and 2008 several MRER members and horses earned
AERC Hall of Fame honors: 1996 Horse
AA Omner, owner Bev Gray; Dave Nicholson, DVM; 2000 Horse, OT Kid Curry, owners Crockett and Sharon Dumas; 2001 Kathy Arnold; 2004 Dean Jackson; and in 2005
Crockett Dumas.
MRER members are proud of their Rocky Mountain endurance
heritage passed down by our original
members, veterinarians, outstanding horses, ride managers, and riders. Our
newsletter maintains records for MRER Endurance and LD riders. Our convention in February is a legend with
Susie Schomburg and Holly Ulyate arranging stick horse races and betting on
Friday night. Grandchildren always seem
to win! This year Susie and Holly are
introducing Horse Bingo! Saturday
includes vendors and at least two lectures, with one speaker from outside the
Mt. Region. Saturday night? Keep your billfold and hands in your pocket! Holly, Susie, and Linda Fisher run door
prizes and auctions. A very special
prize item raffled off is a large package of ride entries. There are
usually over 100 door prizes, including ride entries, 15 or more auction items
including horse art and quilts. One year a complete 12 x 12 redwood deck was
bought and installed well below price! The final event is a slide show with
music to honor our horse and member of the year.
At
MRER.org you will find our MRER Hall of Fame; membership forms; seasonal ride
calendars,
and classifieds. I am responsible for
all errors and omissions. If you have
corrections,
more details, or pictures of interest email atherton@uwyo.edu. All materials
will be credited and returned. Finally,
to the other AERC regions, do you know your
history? It’s not too late, so get with it!