Dear
Readers,
When
Larry & Joy Redman decided to have a fun, informal
event at their ranch, little did they know they would
start a tradition. Race Day, with its trail ride, buffet
lunch, and spectacular race, has become one of the most
beloved events of the year. Even if you don't have a
Peruvian horse, you could enjoy great company and unbelievable
action.
The
Race looks like it will be on "pause" for
a few years. Read the articles below. If you're moved,
contact Rancho Chahuchu and see if we can't get it started
up again. Here's the Rancho
Chahuchu web site.
WHY WOULD A FULL GROWN MAN RIDE AROUND
IN A RIDICULOUS HAT LIKE THIS?
HE JUST WON THE 1999 OVERALL
CHAMPIONSHIP IN
THE GREAT AMERICAN PERUVIAN HORSE RACE!
(FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW!)
IT'S BARRY NATHAN
AND HIS GREAT STALLION, CAPOEIRA BSN!
THE
REALLY THRILLING THING IS––IF YOU WIN THE RACE
NEXT YEAR, YOU COULD GET TO LOOK JUST AS STUPID!
WE'LL
EVEN FEATURE YOUR PICTURE HERE!
The
prospect is almost too much to bear, I know. But bear it
if you can, while you look at a few pictures of the 1999
Race. I want to thank Sallijan Snyder for the photos-- Well
done! I also want to express my gratitude and relief for
the fact that I am not a reporter. For, not only did I forget
to put film in my camera at the race, I forgot to write
down the winners' names. I can remember two: Barry Nathan,
the overall winner. I remember him because he's my husband.
And Lynn Kinsky, who won the new Endurance Race. [Maybe
someone will help me with the rest.]
Following
our pictorial coverage of the latest Race, we have complete
written coverage of the two previous year's Races which
will clear up any lingering questions raised by the pictures.
For instance, in the picture below, the rider to the extreme
left, behind the guy in the white shirt, appears to be headed
in the wrong direction. You may wonder, "Is he/she
going the wrong way? Does this happen very often?"
The answers are: Yes. And-- Yes. Riders often head in the
wrong direction in the Great Race, at least in the beginning.
Sometimes, their horses even trot or gallop when they're
supposed to be in gait. Does anyone notice? Yes, but usually
not the riders.
ONE
OF THE RACES: IT'S EITHER THE MARES OR GELDINGS.
The
Race is a time for amateurs to expand the limits of that
term and to try out daring new riding strategies never seen
in horse racing, ever. For instance, in the Overall Championship
Race, my husband, Barry, rode our stallion, "Cappy"
[see comments below re: taco ingredients] to the extreme
outside of the track. Almost touching the outer rail. I
thought, "That's really dumb. He's going way farther
than anyone else." But then I thought Barry might be
doing what he did last year, which was the same thing. But
last year, I was standing next to the very well-known trainter,
Dante Mazzi, who told me what Barry was doing was a good
idea because he was on the only stallion out there and "It
could be a problem." Dante did not specify what kind
of problem, but he spoke with such authority that I said,
"Uh-huh" and shut up. I thought Barry was doing
like last year, or maybe the year before, when the stallion
went nuts and rammed the outer rail. [See way below]
Neither
was the case. I found out after the Race that Barry deliberately
rode to the outside of the track. Why? In the interest
of sportsmanship. Cappy is really fast. He didn't want to
make winning too easy. And it wasn't. Mel Dreyfus was neck
and neck with him the whole stretch and it was a very close,
competitive finish.
What
is the point of all this? To convince you to come to the
Race next year. It will be in May, at Rancho Chahuchu. We'll
post details as we get them. The Race is a chance to eat
lots of food and look silly in public. You also get to enjoy
the beauty of Rancho Chahuchu and its environs. Just look
at those pictures! [Next year, I'll even bring my camera
and some of the ranch and the big tent where we eat and
the turf track and the arena where we have gymkhana events
after the race. I'll put film in my camera, too.]
The
Great American Peruvian Race is a chance to enjoy the hospitality
of Larry and Joy Redman, their family and staff. And win
some really great prizes: A "Bucket o'Stuff" for
each race and the overall Championship. The NEW ENDURANCE
RACE was added this year. That race consists of a lap (in
gait) around the very long-- 3 miles? 7?-- turf track at
Rancho Chahuchu and then a final lap on the race track.
Winners in the mares', stallions' and geldings' qualifying
races receive trophies and a feed bucket full of great things
such as brushes and paste wormer. The overall winner wins
an embroidered Championship blanket. If you don't race,
you can do the trail ride, eat, and play games at the gymkhana
afterwards. But you have to come.
TWO
RIDERS FINISH A RACE
I
didn't get names-- but they're going fast and in gait. (Notice
horses' legs on same side are moving in unison.) Isn't Rancho
Chahuchu lovely? You should see the whole thing! See ya'
next year!
THE
GREAT AMERICAN PERUVIAN
HORSE RACE
AUGUST
6, 2006
Opps! The race hasn't been held for a while, alas.
But it was great while it lasted1
Enjoy it again here.
Call:
RANCHO CHAHUCHU
141 E. MAIL ROAD
LOMPOC, CA 93436
(805) 735-9171
for more details!
Rancho
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Our
coverage of the Race on Spurs Magazine lags a bit.
I'm just posting the results of the 2003 race:
BARRY
AND CAPPY DID IT AGAIN IN 2003!
As
a result of winning the overall Championship three
times, our stallion, Capoeria BSN, was declared
"Laureado". A fancy term in Peruvian circles,
which basically means, "You've won enough,
now get out of here and let someone else win."
Cappy can't compete in the Great Race any more...
and he met a guy from Australia he really likes.
Cappy's moved to Victoria, Australia, where he will
star at the Narrawin Stud, owned by Sr. Jorge de
Moya. Barry's checking out our other horses: do
we have another as fast as Cappy?
Meanwhile--
what is this Great American Peruvian Horse Race?
Here's a story I wrote about the 1999 and earlier
races:
Sandy
Nathan
|
AUTHOR SANDY NATHAN IS THE WINNER OF EIGHT NATIONAL AWARDS!
SANDY NATHAN
Click to go to sandynathan.com
IT'S OUT! New from SANDY NATHAN!
Sandy Nathan's NEW book NUMENON has WON TWO NATIONAL AWARDS before publication!
Click here to hear Sandy speak on Fascinating Authors.
THE
TRUE STORY OF HOW BARRY AND CAPPY WON
THE GREAT AMERICAN PERUVIAN HORSE RACE, 1998
One of the most
glorious events of 1998 was our hero, Barry Nathan, and
his magnificent stallion, Capoeira BSN (Cappy), winning
the 1998 Great American Peruvian Horse Race. Not just the
Stallion Race, either. The overall Championship as well!
The win came as quite a shock to many, who thought the duo
were a couple of putzes. You might easily conclude this
if you had seen them in 1997. However, the win was no shock
to us Nathans! Nosirree! We knew just how fast Cappy is.
I've contemplated last year's race, and am prepared to offer
an explanation for Barry's win which will satisfy all doubters.
First, many
of you have not heard of the Great American Peruvian Horse
Race. No, it is not a race from the United States to Peru
or anything like that. It's a lap around Larry and Joy Redman's
race track, at their beautiful, wonderful, truly awesome
ranch, Rancho Chahuchu. (The name is Chumash. Means "among
the dogs." It's authentic and traditional. It doesn't
matter that you can't pronounce it.)
Anyway, Larry and Joy have a beautiful spread next to the
Santa Ynez River. It's manicured. Elegant. Wonderful. They
were searching for some horse-related event untainted by
the dreadful, dehumanizing, fiendish competition of the
horse show arena that pits friend against friend, neighbor
against neighbor and converts us all to ravening beasts.
Larry and Joy have a race track on their place, leftover
from when it was a thoroughbred training center. About five
years ago, as they searched for something noncompetitive
to do with horses, they thought, "Why not hold a horse
race?" They failed to notice that hardly anything in
the world is more competitive than a horse race. But this
was to be a fun horse race-- unlike the Kentucky Derby and
all those other nasty races, where no one has fun.
It would be a fun race because professional trainers would
be prohibited from riding. Everyone knows how competitive
they are! No one bothered to note that the pros are so competitive
because their employers are twice as competitive and the
trainers' jobs depend on winning. So, the American Peruvian
race was rendered noncompetitive by having only the incredibly
competitive amateur owners compete. Also, they have a catered
lunch before the race where we stuff ourselves silly. That
takes the edge off.
The Great American Peruvian Race is one of my favorite horse
related events. It is a delightful, gentile day, demonstrating
that horse people can be civilized. Early comers (never
us Nathans) to Rancho Chahuchu are greeted by a continental
breakfast. After that, the participants take a delightful
morning trail ride around the Redman's 700 acre ranch and
environs, riding on the tree lined, turf track, over the
hills and dales, looking at the wonderful scenery-- the
river, sage covered hills, etc. After the ride, we share
a delightful lunch in a large tent in the middle of the
race track. Great food. Great company. Door prizes. Everything.
Suitably stuffed, race participants waddle to their horses
and saddle up. At a leisurely 2:30 PM or so, they stroll
over to the race track and loosely arrange themselves on
the "starting line".
Four races are held: stallions vs. stallions, mares vs.
mares, geldings vs. geldings, and free-for-all of first
and second place winners, also known as "The Championship
Race." Now, you may be thinking "horse race"
and getting mental pictures of Secretariat winning the Derby
or whatever race it was that he won by 26 lengths. That
magnificent animal, the epitome of equine power and speed.
Neck stretched out in front of him, front legs reaching,
hind legs driving, gulping air in huge breaths, leaping
and bounding farther and farther in front of the others,
who are unable to touch him. Finishing in an explosion of
awesome animal power.
The Great American Peruvian Race isn't like that. Picture
this: In our race, Secretariat is smaller and looks like
he was crossed with Bambi. Well, okay. He's prettier, with
a long mane. Maybe "Secretariat as drawn by Disney".
Also, he doesn't gallop. Instead he gaits. Paso llano, or
it's fast version, sobreandando. That's a four beat broken
pace, if you must know. In practical terms, imagine Secretariat's
back feet running. Now imagine he was wearing Birkenstocks,
so he has to scoot his feet along close to the ground or
his shoes will fall off. Okay. Instead of those great reaches
with the front legs that the real Secretariat had, our horse
sort of swims through space, paddling his front legs to
the outside with every step. The legs on each side work
together: right side forward, left side forward, right,
left. Like a train.
Okay, put it all together and put it on fast forward: You
get a manic, Walt Disney-enhanced horse wearing Birkenstocks
on his back feet, with egg beaters where his front legs
should be. Put a bunch of them together on a track with
amateur riders who maybe don't all know how to ride real
well, or are stuffed unconscious. What do you have? Moving
hysteria! The funniest thing you've ever seen! Bedlam on
the hoof!
 |
|
 |
AUTHOR SANDY NATHAN IS THE WINNER OF EIGHT NATIONAL AWARDS!
SANDY NATHAN
Click to go to sandynathan.com
The Great American Peruvian Horse Race!
The race is much more than that: Imagine the professional
trainers mounted on horses spotted around the track. They
are supposed to watch the participants-- their bosses--with
the purpose of disqualifying anyone who's horse isn't in
gait. Anyone who's galloping or trotting-- and doesn't know
it. For Pete's sake! Most of them are out of gait and don't
know it. Those guys can't tell their bosses they're out
of the race!! So what do the trainers do? Mostly laugh.
And talk to each other on their walkie talkies. You'll see
rippling waves of laughter move around the track as the
pack of racers passes the trainers. Sometimes these guys
laugh so hard, they fall off their horses! Really! The Great
Race is the only time the Peruvian trainers can safely laugh
at their bosses in public. And they do. I've seen you, Dante.
Andres. Manuel. Sandro. Don't think I haven't.
The race doesn't go fast like the Kentucky Derby, either.
The gait is slower. Imagine our Disney enhanced, long maned,
eggbeater fronted, Birkenstocked horse clawing its way around
a track in slow motion. The race takes forever. Changes
in position can be charted on graph paper. Horses go out
of gait: You can see them bounce out of rhythm. If the riders
notice they broke gait, they look around, hoping no one
else saw. Everyone did. Everyone watching carps and cheers.
Okay. So what happened to Barry and Cappy last year? The
same thing that happened to Joy and Tabby. [How do these
fancy horses with the great registered names end up sounding
like poodles? Or taco ingredients? Capoeira BSN is "Cappy".
RDS Tabernero is "Tabby". Weird, huh?] Here's
the rundown on horse racing. Horses do not naturally race.
The only time they would go fast like that all together
is: (1) if something was chasing them. Or (2) a really big
reward awaited at the end. I have thought about this from
the horse's point of view, sort of like the Horse Whisperer
would. Actually, I've thought about it much deeper than
the Horse Whisperer or anyone who loves horses. The truth
is, I'm a Horse Babbler. Revealing myself now.
Stallions have a pretty simple value structure. Also reward
structure. Most exist in a state similar to a 1,200 pound,
14 year old boy with a closet full of Penthouse Magazines.
Now, say a bunch of them found themselves all together on
a race track going real fast. What would they think? What
would they say to each other? Imagine. After the initial,
"Hey, Buddy, this is my race track.", The stallions
would get down to serious introspection and contemplation,
"Hey. What are we doing out here?" "Beats
me." "Why are you trying to get in front of me?"
"I don't know. Must be some reason." The whole
pack of stallions thinks hard. What reason would motivate
them like that? Only one. "Mares!!!! Mares!!! There's
mares at the end!!!" We have empirical evidence of
animal communication. Video tapes of the race show the whole
bunch of stallions leaping forward at once, as their walnut-sized
brains get the reason for the race. Mares at the end!! Hence,
those fast finishes. Makes sense, right?
In this light, what Tabby and Cappy did last year also makes
sense. They raced the whole race in good faith. They approached
the ridiculous white chalk line in the ground at the end
where the mares were supposed to be. No mares! Anyone could
see! Do you believe that!!?? Of all the dirty deals! Well,
the stallions were thrown into chaos and behaved according
to their natures. Some, stupidly went forward, crossing
the white line and being called "winners". But
truly, in horse terms, were they winners? No. Only the stallions
back at the barn where the mares really were the winners.
Plus, they didn't have to race around in the hot sun.
The smarter, more inventive horses did not rush stupidly
forward looking for the mares. They explored alternative
locations. That's why Tabby rushed into the infield with
Joy Redman and danced around the caterer's truck, making
friendly advances at it. Who wouldn't? It was a nice truck.
Isn't that a better solution that going straight? Our Cappy
did a variation. This horse knew the Redman's place cold.
We'd had him out to the track to practice many times. He
knew the entrance/exit location. He knew where our trailer
was to go home, too. He even knew where the mares were!
And he was faster'n'blazes. We knew that from those practice
runs. But he had never been on a track with other stallions.
He didn't like it. When Barry got out there to race, Cappy
was in a state somewhere between "insane" and
"homicidal."
The only thing Barry could do was keep him good and slow
and collected. Videos show Barry and Cappy in the 1997 race.
The horse was perfectly collected, in gait, ears pricked
forward. Magnificent. Dead last. But the horse is fast.
Coming around the final turn Barry went, "What the
hell?!" And let him out. Cappy shot forward just like
Secretariat, passing other stallions like they were standing
still, not even hitting his fullest stride. Eggbeater front
legs pumping, Cappy cut through the pack. He was in fourth.
Third. Second. Closing on first. Heading into the stretch.
Coming into the finish line..... An exciting finish. I was
screaming. Everyone was screaming.
Right at the finish where the mares were supposed to be,
moving at full speed, Cappy levitated sideways the entire
width of the track. He did a quarter turn right and ran
into the outside rail. Where he stayed. Coming in last.
Maybe not even finishing. Now, a real horse Babbler knows
that the horse simply recognized the entrance/exit and was
attempting to make a U-turn to get back to the barn where
the mares were. Simple, when viewed from the horse's point
of view. Also, really funny to watch. Especially Barry's
face!!! I'll never forget it.
So what about 1998? Barry and Cappy's win was due to two
things. First, Barry has taken up an obscure Eastern religion
which allowed him to let go of the attachment to winning
that he once had. This enabled him to relax and do his best.
(Don't laugh too hard, those of you who know Barry.) Well,
I have a meditation group at the house every Wednesday night
and he joins us sometimes. We can always tell he's there
by the snoring. Anyway, Barry's picked up some key points
of Eastern spiritual thought, like "detachment."
That means letting go of the "I wanna" and "I
gotta" portions of his brain. This gets rid of the
overwhelming lust for almost anything that renders all of
us panting apes once in a while-- some more often than others.
I won't mention names.
To understand detachment experientially, imagine the inner
state of a bungee jumper after having jumped and before
hitting the end of the bungee. That thrilling sense of freedom!
The gorgeous free fall! No hindrances! Being totally in
the moment! That's real freedom-- especially if the ropes
aren't too long. Another example which more of you may relate
to is the peaceful feeling you sometimes get while going
through a divorce or after being fired. It occurs when you
finally work through some of the rage, the loss, grief,
fear, sadness, panic and other negative emotions accompanying
such opportunities for growth. It's that sense of peace,
of floating freely, unattached, with a million possible
directions to go-- all unhampered. You finally get to do
what you want to do! Many of you may remember this feeling.
It lasts for the twenty minutes after you leave your therapist
before you get your antidepressant refilled.
Barry was totally detached about the Race. He didn't even
know if he'd bring a horse. Eating a lot is enough exercise
for one day. He ended up loading Cappy in the trailer at
the last minute and hauling him over to Chahuchu. Truly
detached from winning, and almost from reality, we arrived
as everyone was coming back from the trail ride. Barry did
a reverse reception line, welcoming everyone as he went
out and rode the turf loop alone. Then, he didn't know if
he wanted to race. Oh, well. He saddled Cappy up again.
Had him at the starting line. Might as well race. So he
raced--
And that damn horse just took off like he knew how to all
along and would have last year but for his concern over
the mares in the barn and his desire to kill the other stallions.
He just raced like he was meant to. I could tell by the
surprised expressions on people's faces they didn't expect
it. Ol' Cappy got out in front of those stallions and just
kept going. It was like watching Secretariat-- truly. Those
shoulders pumping, moving and grooving. Barry sitting there,
detached. In free fall. Staying on. Everyone mystified.
So he won the first race.
Well, might as well stay for the Championship, right? He
was there, sitting on a qualifier. So they did the Championship.
Barry, truly skilled race strategist that he is, picked
the extreme outside position, almost outside the track.
After a brief melee as the amateur jockeys-- some of whom
were facing the wrong direction at the start-- got turned
around right and moving, Ol' Cappy did the same thing again.
Barry was way back at first because he started on the outside,
but the horse just put his head down and moved out. The
one exciting point was when Barry passed Dr. Brian Jarchow,
the favorite and last year's Champion, riding his $64,000
gelding. That's a gelding so good that someone would have
to give Brian 64 grand for the doctor to sell him. There
was a brief flurry, and then Ol' Cappy took off again, heading
for the finish like he knew he was supposed to cross it
first.
I was so excited that I was jumping up and down, foaming
at the mouth, with my friends staring. Barry looked really
good-- seriously. He can really ride. What was it like from
the winner's mouth? Listen to Barry's words after the race:
"Well, the only excitement was when I was passing Brian.
I didn't know if we could-- but Cappy just took off. Other
than that, it was extremely painful." Yes. If you are
as "streamlined in the hindquarters" as my husband,
riding any gait fast hurts. Any other tips to amateur jockeys?
"I didn't do anything. I just let the horse do what
he wanted to." See, that's more of that Eastern philosophy.
Detachment. Nonresistance. You win when its your time--
and your incredibly fast horse doesn't go crazy.
Not only did Barry and Cappy win, we got a bunch of cool
stuff for doing it. Two buckets loaded with grooming supplies.
And a horse blanket embroidered with "The Great American
Peruvian Horse Race 1998-- Champion." We'll put that
on Cappy when we lead him around horse shows and go, "Hey!
Nanny! Nanny! We won and you didn't", thus making everyone
hate us and want to beat us next year. It's known as marketing.
And... And... A representative of Peruvian Digest was there
taking pictures. I was so excited when I talked to her that
I completely bungled Cappy's bloodlines, screwing up his
mother's and omitting the fact that he had a father. Oh!
The thrill of it all. Well, that's the true story of the
Great Race.
I forgot one thing. They moved the finish line so it was
before the opening to the infield or the exit back to the
barn. Good idea. No one got lost. And the professional trainers
weren't spotted around the track this year. Too many got
hurt falling off their horses.
|
|
|
AUTHOR SANDY NATHAN IS THE WINNER OF EIGHT NATIONAL AWARDS!
SANDY NATHAN
Click to go to sandynathan.com
IT'S OUT! New from SANDY NATHAN!
Sandy Nathan's NEW book NUMENON has WON TWO NATIONAL AWARDS before publication!
Click here to hear Sandy speak on Fascinating Authors.
THE
GREAT AMERICAN PERUVIAN
HORSE RACE
Call:
RANCHO CHAHUCHU
141 E. MAIL ROAD
LOMPOC, CA 93436
(805) 735-9171
for more details!
|
