Back when the pandemic first started, the Tevis Cup was cancelled--as so many things were. The people who put it on decided to have a Virtual Tevis Cup, instead. Ellen and I signed up for it, and we had a great time. So did a lot of other people, and it was a good fundraiser, too, so last summer, they did it again. It started on the first day of the real Tevis Cup.
The Tevis Cup is a 100 mile endurance ride that is completed in a day over some very rugged trails in California. How do I know they are rugged? Well, as you ride the Virtual Tevis Cup, you pass numerous landmarks. They send you a badge and a link to information on that landmark--and this is really cool--you can virtually travel down the trail and look 360 degrees at any point. It is nothing like the cushy trails here in Cleveland.
For the virtual ride, we have 100 days to do 100 miles. That's not challenging at all for us. As long as our horses stay sound, we accomplish it with weeks to spare.
So you may wonder, what is the point of doing it? Well, it is hard to explain, but it is fun. We share our experiences with other riders from all over the world on Facebook. For some, it is much more challenging. They might be starting a young horse or nursing an older horse along who can only do light riding. Some people drive their horses, and others lead them. Unlike a real endurance ride, there are all sorts of horses--not primarily Arabs. (And what lovely Arabs they are.)
This year, they are doing something different. Instead of starting on the day of the race, they are starting now and finishing on the day of the race. I know I will be on the computer that day--watching the live coverage of the horses competing; knowing that in my little way, I was part of it.
If you would like to sign up for it, here is the link:
https://runsignup.com/Race/CA/Auburn/TevisCup?remMeAttempt=
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