Ride and Tie Memories

While running this morning on my 10 mile training run, I thought about the loss of four men associated with the sport of ride and tie. Jim Steere died on August 3, 2010, Jonathan Jordan passed about six months ago while both Bud Johns’ and Chris Knoch died recently. I heard about Chris’s passing from ride and tie  Paul Klentos  a good friend and Bud’ s passing from one of  my ride and tie partner’s Susan Smyth .  My memories recalled many individuals including ride and tie partners Bob Edwards and Steve Anderson along with the monumental impact of this sport.

 Jim Steere DVM competed in the first ride and tie with partner Mary Tiscornia on Mary’s horse, Theban Prince, whose sire Swaps, had won the Kentucky Derby in 1955. He also competed in the 40^th ride and tie championship; and has the distinction of being the oldest to have completed the Tevis Cup. This Fulbright scholar had many stories including his veterinary experience with the Tevis founder Wendell Robie. Whenever, I had an equestrian question, Jim was there with an answer. I interviewed him for my book “It Has Nothing To Do With Age” just a few days before his passing in 2010. He was beloved by all as evidenced at his memorial service. Incidentally, Mary had a best condition or Hagen Cup award on one of her Tevis rides.

Thank you, and my gratitude goes to Bud Johns who has been called the Father of Ride and Tie. At one time, Bud was a freelance writer who came across a newspaper article about an incident that took place in the late 1800s. Briefly, a father and his son with one horse hunted and tracked rustlers who had stolen their horses. That trio was victorious and recovered the rest of the herd. In 1969, Bud, the communications director for Levi’s, came up with the idea of a horse, rider and runner event to promote the rough and tough image of Levi jeans. In 1971, Levi’s sponsored the first championship ride and tie event held in St. Helena, California.

Ride and tie attracted numerous and highly competitive world-class runners and world-class equestrians. Gordon Ainsley the first individual to run what is now known as the 100 mile Western States ultra run came in fifth place in the Alturas Championship 1972 Ride and Tie. Other world-class athletes that I met through ride and tie but not limited include Western States winners Tom Johnson, Jim Howard and Tim Twietmeyer; world-class runner phenomes Mark Richtman, Dan Barger.and Meghan Arbogast. Tevis Cup winners, included Cathy Rohm Richardson, Becky Spencer, Marcia Smith, Lari Shea, Kathie Perry, Julie Suhr, Jeremy and Heather Reynolds.

I met Chris Knoch, a two-time Tevis Cup winner, at the 1997 Fort Bragg Ride and Tie Championship on the second loop of a 38 mile competition. That race was won by Brian Purcell [a Western States winner] and Mark Richtman [came in third in 2002 Western States]. My partner was Paul Robinson who told me that I wasn’t going to get off as easy as I did on my first ride in tie held at Quicksilver a month earlier. At Quicksilver, I teamed up with Russ Kiernan known as the Dipsea Legend. Russ was a three-time winner of that race which is the third oldest trail race in the United States .Russ, did most of the running.

To Be Continued