Two time Endurance World Champion Valerie Kanavy of Ft. Valley, VA won the 75-Mile United States Equestrian Team (USET) Endurance Championship Ride and FEI/Emirates Endurance World Masters Series Ride, riding Hott Property, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, UAE, with a ride time of 9 hours 14 minutes and 31 seconds.
Meg Sleeper of Frenchtown, NJ was just ten minutes behind on her mare Syrocco Blair in a ride time of 9 hours 24 minutes and 30 seconds. Yvette Vinton of Ontario, Canada, riding EH Malachi nosed out Cia Reis on Coeur-D-Wave by one second to come in third with a ride time of 9 hours 47 minutes and 31 seconds.
"It was hard," said Kanavy. "The last loop was long, 18 miles, but my horse did an outstanding job. It's such beautiful country here and the landowners are so kind. Some of them even let us ride into their yard! I couldn't believe it."
Kanavy is no stranger to the winner's circle at the USET. She won the 50-mile USET Championship in 2001. There were 20 starters in the competition and 11 completed, which is impressive considering the high temperatures. USET Endurance Director Mary Lutz credits the trail.
"Several of the riders commented that the trail was very technical and challenging, which may have slowed them down," said Lutz. "There were no metabolic problems and more than half the field finished, which is great."
The coveted Best Condition award went to fourth place finisher Coeur-D-Wave, owned and ridden by Cia Reis of Pennsdale, PA.
