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Monday, June 23, 1997

Two endurance races, quarterhorse race attract 60 Pony Express riders

ROARING SPRINGS, Texas (AP) - After eight hours, two riders crossed the finish line inches apart in a 60-mile Pony Express Days endurance ride that attracted about 60 competitors.

Thomas Booth, 20, of Canton was declared the winner in Saturday's competition even though he crossed the finish line behind Cecilia Butler-French, 15, of Humble, because his horse was in healthier shape.

Ms. Butler-French's horse, Conquistador, had a bleeding right foot.

As each horse and rider crossed the finish line, a veterinarian checked each horse to ensure compliance with a rule that says the horse must be healthy for the rider to keep his finishing status.

"I had no idea his foot was like this," Ms. Butler-French said.

It wasn't a career-threatening injury, but enough to give Booth the victory.

"I was in the lead most of the way," the girl said.

Two endurance races and a quarter-horse race attracted about 60 riders from all over Texas and some from New Mexico.

Booth, a 13-year veteran endurance rider who rode his Arabian stallion named Ibn Taam-Rud, said he was happy to win.

"This is the first year I've been going real hard, so I'm pretty happy about it," he said.

Three-time endurance-riding national champion Darolyn Butler, Butler-French's mother, also participated. But her horse fell ill midway through the ride.

The last of the 60-mile riders came in 12-1/2 hours after the race began at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, a race spokeswoman said.

Tracy Webb-Hoskins of Dallas took the 25-mile limited-distance ride. Mike Short of Post won the quarter-mile race.

Events were spread out among three towns all about 80 miles northeast of Lubbock - Roaring Springs, Matador and Flomot.

Riders were awakened at 4:30 a.m. Saturday with the trumpet blast of "Reveille."

Shop owners and vendors lined up booths around the square in Matador.

Children got $1 rides on a train of metal oil drums converted into two-seater cars and pulled by a small tractor.

In Flomot, a Pony Express rider delivered a bag of mail to the U.S. Post Office there. Those interested could get their mail canceled with a commemorative postal stamp that read "Shannon Davidson Pony Express Days."

Davidson, a long-distance horseman from Flomot, won a commemorative Pony Express race in 1939 at the age of 23. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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