Pre-Ride Information
Welcome to the Shamrock Rides. We hope you have a great ride and we will do everything we can to make sure that happens. Please read the following information before the start of the ride. (It will serve as your ride meeting) You are responsible for knowing this information!
BASECAMP: There is water in camp for horses and people. The spigot by the old stone house has potable water. (The spigot in the barn is not potable but can be used for horses.) We will have ice available for sale at the ride office (big white barn) on Saturday and Sunday. (We provide this as a courtesy to help riders who are staying for several days and to supply the needs of the ride. Please do not show up at the ride expecting an ice machine to meet all your ice needs. We have to haul it in everyday so please bring enough ice to meet your initial needs.) If you are coming from the north, Wheatland is the last food/gas/supplies stop. If you are coming from the south, Cheyenne is the last stop unless you want to drive north of the turnoff and go to Wheatland. THERE IS NO GAS IN CHUGWATER. If you are coming from the West, Laramie is the last stop for gas. If cows come into camp-run them out. It is also a good idea to keep hay and grain in your truck or trailer as the cows, deer and elk might find them to be irresistible treats resulting in late night “visitors”. There are porti-potties in camp and there is also a functional outhouse up by the vetting area. The weather can change dramatically in this part of the country. It can be hot-high 80’s and we often get afternoon thunder showers so be prepared. Cell service is sketchy at best in camp. There is a phone at the ranch house that is available in the event of an emergency.
TRAIL- The trail consists of three loops. It is marked with pie plates, pin flags, ribbon flagging, and fiberglass posts and painted arrows on the ground. There is a combination of pink and orange flagging. (Color means nothing). The 55 milers will do loops 1, 2, & 3. The 30 milers will do loops 2 & 3. We are going to do things slightly different this year. On Friday and Saturday, you will follow the loops in a clockwise direction. (The trail will be marked as such) and you will follow the white arrows on the ground. On Sunday, you will ride the loops in counterclockwise direction and follow the orange arrows on the ground. We are going to do it this way so that the Friday-Sunday and Saturday Sunday riders will get to see the trail in both directions. There is a large map of the ride in the ride office if you want a “visual” of the layout of the trail. I do not do individual maps-THE TRAIL IS VERY WELL-MARKED SO YOU DON’T NEED THEM! (Stevie Wonder could find his way on this trail!)The trail is mostly single track, fence line and two-track jeep trail. There is plenty of water on the trail especially on loops 2 and 3 so take advantage of it. There is abundant wildlife on the ranch. Watch for them. There are rattlesnakes on this ranch also so, look before you step off your horse or go to open a gate.
(Due to some past problems, “Pleasure riding” during the ride will not be allowed without the specific consent of the ride manager. However, we will be having a fun ride on Friday, Saturday and Sunday so if you have a young horse or friends who would like to come and ride but aren’t up to LD, they can enter this ride.)
START TIMES: The 55 miler will start at 6:30am on Friday and at 7:00 am on Saturday and Sunday. The 30 milers will start at 7:30 am on Friday and 8:00 am on Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully the earlier start will help you beat the heat and the occasional afternoon thunderstorms. I will call roll at 10 minutes till the hour and give any last minute instructions. We will start in the open area down by the trees and the old stone house just outside of the vetting area. It will be a semi-controlled start. The fun/intro riders will start at 9:00am.
CONTROL CHECKS: The head control judge for this ride is Max Smylie, DVM and he will be assisted by Tom Currier, DVM and Glenna Hopper, DVM. Tom Currier will serve as treatment vet as well. He is an experienced equine vets who is licensed in Wyoming and can provide treatment to horses should the need arise. (Let’s hope it doesn’t but if something isn’t right-the sooner your horse gets veterinary care, the better the likely outcome. Remember, you are responsible for your horses safety and well-being, so seek help immediately! ) Colorado State Veterinary Hospital is also within a 3 hour drive (mostly interstate) of the ride site and there are also two vet clinics in the town of Wheatland. We will vet the 55 mile horses on Thursday at around 5:00 pm. The remaining horses will be vetted in the morning starting at 6:00 am. (If you are riding the 55 and need to vet-in Friday morning, you may present your horse for vet-in with tack. ) 30 milers will be vetted once the majority of the 55 milers have been vetted. All horses will be vetted in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. The 55 milers will have two 1 hour holds and the 30 milers will have a 1 hour hold. All vet checks are in base camp. There will be water outside of the P & R area and there will also be sponge tubs (with sponges). Please do not crew your horse inside the P & R area or the vet check area. We will have hay, carrots and apples in the vet check should you have to wait. Pulse criteria will be 60 for all vet checks (except for the 55 milers at the finish) . (Should weather conditions dictate a change you will be notified at the start. ) Make sure you see the out timer when you leave the check. Also have your cards out for the P & R takers. Be sure to move into the P & R area and out of the lane so as not to block the flow of horse traffic.
*Should your horse require veterinary treatment of any kind, it is your responsibility to take care of payment before you leave the ride site. Should your horse require further treatment off site, you are responsible for making arrangement for payment of ride vets.
FINISH & BC-For the 55 milers we will set up a finish line outside of camp so that it is safe should there be a race. Please give your card to the timer so that they can record your completion time. (After the 1st 10 riders have completed, we will finish the remainder of the riders back at the vet check.) There will be no ties for awards. All 30 milers will finish at the P & R area and your time does not stop until your horse recovers to a 60 pulse. Take your card to the In/Out timer when your P/R time has been recorded by the P/R personnel so that they can record your finishing time. Top ten horses in each distance may show for Best Condition. You need to present your horse for a CRI 10 minutes after you finish. We will also do the entire BC evaluation at this time for the 30 milers. 55 milers who wish to show for BC need to do the 10 minute CRI and then return to the vet at the hour for the remainder of the BC evaluation Dr. Smylie will do the BC evaluation for the 55 milers and the 30 milers. If you do not wish to stand for BC or are not Top Ten, you may show for completion within the hour to any vet. Thirty milers may show for completion any time within 30 minutes of finishing. ALL horses must reach pulse criteria within 30 minutes of completing the ride. If you are riding the 55 miler and you are presenting for completion immediately after finishing the ride, the vets can record your pulse and time. If you are not going directly to the vet when you finish, you should have the P/R takers record your pulse and time and then you can return anytime during the remainder of the hour for your completion evaluation. Pulse criteria for the 55 is 64 and 60 for the 30 milers. Before leaving the vetting area, please weigh in. The In/OUT timer will record your weight for BC. (NOTE: We will not come looking for you, so if you want your horse considered for BC, make sure you weigh in otherwise you will not be considered)
NEW RIDERS AND ROOKIES- If you are a first time rider or rookie and you are not sure of something or you need some help, ASK! We want you to have an enjoyable time plus learn about the sport of endurance riding. We can take you through the vet check process prior to the ride or help you with any other aspect of the ride.
DOGS (& Kids)-Shamrock is a dog friendly ride and well behaved, nice dogs are welcome but please keep them under your control or on a leash. (The same rules also apply to children!) Please do not allow your dog or child to create a problem, run at large or makes a nuisance of themselves. Due to some issues in the past, please do not bring your dogs to the vetting area or to meals. We would also ask that you do not bring young children into the vetting area either as it poses an unnecessary danger.
DINNER & AWARDS: We will have dinner around 6:30-7pm on Friday and Saturday nights. Riders receive a meal with their ride entry. Additional dinners are $10 for adults and $5 for children under the age of 10. Awards will follow dinner. If you have to leave before the awards dinner, please see the ride management before you go and pick up your completion award. I will not mail completion awards! If BC has not been completed by the time you leave and you win BC, I will mail your award or send it with someone who will be seeing you. On Sunday, we will have a “clean-out your cooler/fridge potluck” around 6pm.
RANCH ETIQUETTE: This ride is held entirely on a private working cattle ranch and you are a guest of the ranch owners-the Dilts. Leave all gates as you find them. Do not rush through cattle and cause them undue stress. Cleanup you campsite and spread manure and hay. ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING ON THE TRAIL OR IN CAMP. The only place you may smoke is inside your own personal vehicle. !
Have a good ride, take care of your horses and enjoy the trail.