Tevis Cup
The Western States Trail Ride, popularly called The Tevis Cup, is a 100 mile endurance ride. The amateur event has been held annually since 1955. The ride is sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) which has recognized Tevis as the founding ride of endurance riding. Much of modern endurance is based on the pioneering efforts of the Western States Trail Foundation which sponsors the Tevis Cup.
The ride is held in Placer County, California, starting at 5:15 a.m. at Robie Equestrian Park (39°14′20″N 120°10′39″W / 39.23889°N 120.17750°W) near the town of Truckee, across the crest of the Sierra Nevada near the Squaw Valley Ski Resort, traverses through El Dorado County and ends at 5:15 a.m. near the fairgrounds in Auburn. There are two mandatory 60-minute holds for rest and veterinarian evaluation, one at Robinson Flat (~30 milepost) and the other at Foresthill (~70 milepost). There are many other points along the trail where veterinarians evaluate the condition of the horse including the finish. Each rider who completes the 100-mile course within the 24-hour limit and whose mount is judged "fit to continue" can elect to receive a silver Completion Award Buckle.
Some historical ride statistics as of the 59th ride on August 9, 2014: There have been 9,659 starters and 5,259 finishers, with an overall completion rate of about 54%. The average first-place time is 13 hours and 50 minutes (9:05pm). Winning riders were divided between 30 men and 31 women (counting three years when there were ties). Of the winning horses through 2014, 74% have been geldings, 20% mares, and 6% stallions. The average age of the horse to complete the ride first is 10 years old, with the oldest being Hadji Halef Omar at 22 (2014) and the youngest was Chief at 6 (1962).
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