October 13, 2011

The Tevis Cup that Almost Didn’t Happen

by Genie Stewart-Spears
Photos by Lynne Glazer

The 56th running of the Western States Tevis Cup on October 8, 2011, will be remembered as the race that almost didn’t happen. Traditionally run in July, the race was postponed until October due to record snowfall in the High Sierra range, between Truckee and Auburn, California. However, just 36 hours before the scheduled October start, an early snowstorm made the high altitude trails impassable, and the start at Robie Park inaccessible for the many rigs and campers already en route. Management had a major decision to make — cancel out on the nearly 200 entrants or make drastic and monumental last minute course changes. They elected to move the start to the finish line in Auburn, routing the riders out and back and thus avoiding the high mountain snow.

Jeremy Reynolds, 31, riding seven-year-old Riverwatch (Baywatch V x Dana Cheyenne) and Rachel Shackelford, 19, on 17-year-old Cody De Soi (Tiki Tessar x Sans Cie) gained the lead after 61 miles. They were together till after the 80-mile vet check when Reynolds pressed on and Shackelford backed off Reynold’s pace, happy to be in the top ten.

“I had a ton of horse under me,” said Reynolds, after finishing the revised course in 10 hours and 31 minutes. Riverwatch was awarded the coveted Haggin Cup as judged the best condition of the Top Ten finishers the next morning. This alone is remarkable because only seven times has the first-place finisher earned this award; and three of the seven times it was Jeremy or his wife Heather winning both!

Shackelford, who completed 27 minutes later, said, “This was Cody’s last race as I am retiring him from endurance. I was just so happy to have ridden with Jeremy, whom I’ve known since I was nine years old, and to finish in second-place. Top Ten had been my goal but this was sweeter.”