Kate Denisar and Donovan
Fairfax, Virginia

"Donovan"
(click on picture to enlarge)

My name is Kate Denisar and I have been riding endurance for eight years.  I was introduced to the sport when I crewed for my dear friend, Debbie Bullis.  I was immediately hooked!  For the first five years, I rode a game little Arab / Paso Fino cross named Spanky.  While Spanky considered himself a fierce competitor (in a chubby, 14’2 frame), he really was not a good fit for endurance and we struggled with metabolic issues.  About the time we got everything figured out, Spanky tore a suspensory and earned a year of rest.  

My friend Vickie Croney had purchased a strong-willed  15’2 Arab? / Quarter Horse? / Thoroughbred? / Appaloosa? named Donovan for her daughter.  He was a bit of a problem child, so they offered to let me do endurance with him, figuring that the miles might settle him down.  

Donny originally trained to be an eventer, but quickly adapted to the world of endurance.  His first endurance ride was a 50.  I was worried for him, but he actually out-pulsed the Arabs that were traveling in our group.  When I took him to the Old Dominion 50 and he pulsed through at 48 after 25 miles, I knew he had found a new job and I had found my 100 mile horse!  I convinced Vickie to sell him to me and started planning his first 100 – Fair Hill, 2003.

Donovan can be rambunctious at home, but when you load the trailer and head out to a ride, he transforms into a quiet and unflappable horse.  He is very easy to handle during the rides, focusing on food and water at each vet check.  Donovan usually gets stronger as the ride progresses – sometimes it seems like the first 50 miles of a 100 is just a warm up for him!  He has really matured during the past year and I am looking forward to many more years of endurance with him.

Back to top of page

Betty Baker and Synematic
Honey Brook, Pennsylvania

I am 46 years old and have been seriously riding Endurance for 15 years. I started riding in California , where I grew up, at the age of 12 with my first horse, a 14.2 hand grade horse named Banner that I rode everywhere. I rode the hills around San Jose , CA . I remember during the summer days riding with my friends and every once in a while a rider would go by that was trot-trot-trotting. They would say “there goes one of those endurance riders, all they do is trot!” Ughh, how boring is that, we would all say.  Well little did I know that I was right in the hot bed of the beginning of endurance in the United States . And yes, I did learn to trot-trot the day away to cover a trail and finish a ride but not till I was in my thirties.

My husband and I have been working with a breeding farm in West Virginia named Asgard Arabians for the last 7 years. We came together over the search for very exclusive bloodlines. Since then we have formed a very strong partnership with Dr. Tom Sayvetz and his performance breeding program. From this program came the gelding we now own, Synematic, an 8 year old, grey gelding. Synematic raced for 3 seasons in Delaware and Florida and did a good job of paying his keep by winning 1, 2, or 3^rd place finishes in most races. This was a very determined horse. Tom retired this horse sound in 2002. My husband and I were very excited that Tom agreed to sell Syn to us. Since then we have brought Syn along in a slow methodical manner, as methodical as you can for a horse that has raced for 3 seasons. He is quite a challenge as he does think he knows how to do most things without our input. There is always some discussion with this horse as to whose schedule is paramount, but once we get to work this horse is all business. If I could give a human personality to this horse, I would call him “The Marine”. This horse doesn’t know the meaning of say die. You point him at a task and he attacks it body and soul. He is one of the toughest horses I’ve ever ridden. Not necessarily the strongest, but definitely the toughest.  

Synematic and I are very excited about representing the USA East Zone and hope to do it proud.

Back to top of page

Dinah and Steve Rojek
Phoenix, Smokerise Finally, and Rocky
South Woodstock, Vermont

(Read the 2003 biography of these great competitors while Dinah finds time to write a new one)

Kathryn Downs and Pygmalion
Somerville, Maine

Kathy Downs and "Harley"
(click on picture to enlarge)

Nina Barnett and K F Zorro
Mocksville, NC

"Chewy"
(click on picture to enlarge)

Rider
Nina Barnett (age: over 21).  I have been doing endurance since I was a junior rider. Mom got me started! About three years <g>.  I have over 4,000 Endurance miles. Did the show ring thing, but love this. What other sport will people help you beat them? Live in Mocksville North Carolina with my wonderful hubby Duane, 2.5 cats (hubby just took a cat someone wanted put to sleep, amputated it's leg and it is now a clinic cat) and, of course, the horses. I work (when Duane can get me to) as a nurse, for a temp agency. That lets me have time to do my obsession. I am thrilled to finally get a chance to go to one of these rides as a rider. Gone and helped many times, been to two Worlds, and two Pan Am's. The East rocks, if you haven't been, get ready for a good time.

Horse
KF Zorro is his registered name. But he is a horse of many names, most printable, although some not. He picked up the nickname Chewy after his first winter with us. He looks like Chewbacca, very long hair, dreads, and occasionally whatever is in the pasture hanging somewhere on him. Looks much better in the summer. Chewy is 8. We bought him as an unbroken 3 year old from a nice older gentleman in Virginia. He was "halter broke", barely. So he has come a long way. Was pretty easy to start, and his 3rd, 4th and 5th Endurance rides were a multi day. Chewy has around 1300 miles. He would probably climb a tree if asked. Very pleasant, although a very noisy horse. Also very intelligent, for a horse of course! Probably smarter than me. I took him to the nursing home where I was working when he was barely 5. He handled the walkers and wheelchairs with style. Peed and pooped in the grass in the front of the building, would have walked in the door and visited with the residents if I had let him, all the employees wanted me to let him in, but I tried to explain that his mess would be way worse than the cats and dogs that visit. He has been all over the country, already. New Mexico, Maine and now to Idaho. Thank goodness he is a good traveler.