Your Roving Reporter
12
Housewife , 30 , on Tennessee Walking Mare Wins 100-Mile Trail Ride In California
A 12-year-okl Tennessee Walking Mare ridden by a 30-year-old housewile from Poway , Calif ., won die 100- mile competitive trail ride staged recently from Lemon Grove to Borrego Springs , Calif .— in a “ great victory ” for the breed as a trail and pleasure horse .
This victory brought for Mrs . Ilse Haywood a top prize of § -100 cash for her elapsed time of 14 hours , -18.7 minutes .
This event was sponsored by the International Trail Riders Assn .
The horse was identified as Bill Allens ’ Delia , registered with the number 620144 . The mare had just passed her 12lli calendar birthday .
Howard Abernathy of 4394 Louisiana St ., San Diego , Calif ., sold Delia to Mrs . Haywood in February , 1963 . Abernathy had bought the horse two and one-half years before from Bill Rogers , who bred and raised her .
First Walker Victory
Howard tells us he has discussed this trail ride victory with Bill Rogers and George Hill — who know a great deal about the history of Tennessee Walking Horses in California . They believe this is the first time a registered Tennessee Walking Horse has won a 100-mile trail ride in that state .
Mrs . Haywood told a San Diego Evening Tribune reporter that she bought the horse especially for the Tevis Cup 100-mile trail ride scheduled Aug . 3 for its 10th annual competition . She entered the Borrego Springs match for practice , and paid her § 75 entry fee with borrowed money . There were ten entries in the long ride , and all three women who entered rode to the finish . Four of the seven men competing dropped out .
Mrs . Haywood said she had her horse newly shod the night before the ride . And the next morning she had difficulty getting Delia into the trailer . She was the eighth rider to leave Lemon Rod and Gun Club at 6 p . m . Riders left there at 2-minute intervals .
Riders went as far as Guyamaca before camping out overnight , this being the halfway point .
25 Miles Across Dessert The 100-mile route was completed on Saturday . Horses were checked before they climbed the steep grade and a half-hour rest was taken by all after they completed crossing 25 miles of dessert .
Mrs . Haywood told a reporter that she had conditioned her Tennessee Walking Mare on three long rides , beginning shortly after she bought her . She look up Idyllwild to make sure she could stand a high altitude where the air is thin .
She also told how she kept the mare standing — and noL lying clown at all — on the day following the 100-mile ride . She explained that if the horse lies down after such an exertion its muscles may be injured .
Mrs . Haywood was born in Germany , but later lived in Canada and rode horses regularly . She has two children and works for an electronics company .
She has competed in many gymkhanas , winning some 200 ribbons and trophies .
In the High Sierra ride to Lake Tahoe , scheduled for Aug . 3 , the trip is 100 miles straight , but a one-hour rest is required after each 25 miles . Humane Society rules will not allow a contestant to finish in less than 15 hours .
Howard Abernathy says Mrs . Haywood ’ s victory “ is a great triumph for the Tennessee Walking Horse breed as a pleasure and trail horse here in Southern California since the opinion of a vast majority of horse people is that ‘ our ’ breed is not suitable for the rough and difficult terrain encountered ."
Placing second to Mrs . Haywood was Reg Little of San Diego on a Thoroughbred . His elapsed time was 14 hours , 50.5 minutes for a § 200 prize . Robert Hamilton of Lakeside placed third and Roberta Gibbens of San Diego fourth . The two other finishers were Mr . and Mrs . Don Blackburn of San Diego .
‘ You Have To Have Them ’
“ There ’ s just one trick to this business ( of appreciating the Tennessee Walking Horse ),” writes Bonnie Ann Pyles of Route 1 , Chapel Hill , Tenn . “ You have to have them to appreciate the wonderful work they give you . As you can tell , I love them because my mother used to show and that makes me want to show also . I think it ’ s marvelous how you and Mrs . Green have improved peoples ’ thinking of the Tennessee Walking Horse .” ( We just reflect thoughts like your , Bonnie Ann . People who love the Walking Horse and tell the world about it ).
Your Roving Reporter
July , 1963
By CHARLES R . GOLDSWIG Route 1 , Clayton , Ohio ( summer address )
“ This is an open letter to those requesting my services as a guest speaker . I am not particularly interested in a lee . I have accepted my actual traveling expenses . However , in a few instances where organizations insisted on making payment , I have and will continue to turn the proceeds over to charity . Am trying to make the Tennessee Walking Horse better known to more people and in my small way hope to develop interest through writing and talking about horses .
To E . K . L .; Cincinnati , Ohio : I heartily agree with you that we have not , as yet , been able to convince sports editors generally that saddle horses and horse show activities rightfully belong on the sports pages but will continue in my small way to work on this project . By now you must have heard the new game “ Tom Swifties ” that is sweeping the country . Now it is time that the adverbal pass-time be given a warmup in the sports section .
To A . R . J ., Cleveland , Ohio : Sorry I failed to see the item you say appeared some months ago in this magazine from a lady in St . Petersburg , Florida . It is true that I did own a horse registered as Midnight Joe . If you want any further information about this horse , or any other horse , just drop a note to the editor and he will do everything in his power to help you . His name is Ben A . Green , ( Continued on Page 13 )