Sometimes I have to agree with the "anti's"

[WinterTriangle]

Good gosh, is this for real? Should be outlawed the way pit bull fighting is!

Omak Stampede, a rodeo held in a small town in eastern Washington since 1935. http://ida.convio.net/images/content/pagebuilder/14387.jpg

First leg: After a galloping start, horses plunge over an almost vertical drop (62 degree angle) of about 225 feet. The horses do not realize where the ground is until it is rushing beneath them. They cannot see horses ahead of them. Horeses are forced onward at any cost, and pushed to breakneck speed, with collisions and pile ups. Many land sideways. And this is just the first leg. :eek:

2nd Leg: now they have to swim the Okanogan River. Some already have injuries (I mean, would you doubt they might already have psychologoical trauma, right??? :confused: ) Some have panicked and drowned. Not to mention the energy output of moving in fast water. http://ida.convio.net/images/content/pagebuilder/14388.jpg



For the 3rd leg, (hard to believe there's a 3rd leg)... horses do an uphill sprint for another 500 yards.

Good gosh, people. :confused: Write whoever you need to write to.

Explain to me how a horse comes out of somethng like this *sound*. ?

[Pace Cap'n]

Explain to me how a horse comes out of somethng like this *sound*. ?

They don't use thoroughbreds.

[Tom]

Or brains.

[Tampa Russ]

I've reviewed videos for the last few runnings, and I've noticed a strong early speed bias. I guess that's not surprising since by all indications the Omak surface appears to be conventional dirt.

[DJofSD]

Looks like a fox hunt but without the fox or the hunt master.

[rokitman]

Horses love doing that.

[DJofSD]

WT, my favorite riding horse was a mare and she was a running quarter horse (that's half T'bred and half quarter horse). And we would have romps like that shown -- o' hill and dale. She stood 16.1 with substantial bone. Never a single day was she lame. Matter of fact, I don't know who enjoyed those "trail rides" more, the riders or the horses.

Would I take a pure bred T'bred with their spindly legs over terrain like that? Maybe but certainly not in a company of other horses and hell bent for leather riders!

[WinterTriangle]

Maybe but certainly not in a company of other horses and hell bent for leather riders!

Yes, as a sort of "triathalon trail ride", alone or with another buddy, and not at breakneck speed, I could see it as challenging.

In the present format though..... no.

[DJofSD]

Yes, as a sort of "triathalon trail ride", alone or with another buddy, and not at breakneck speed, I could see it as challenging.

In the present format though..... no.

Not even with a buddy. And here's the story why.

One time while training a couple of event horses, one of which was a pure T'bred, we took them out in company. My mount was preparing for training level while the older more experience horse was already competing at preliminary. We thought the less experienced horse I was riding would be OK.

Wrong. After we had walked and warmed up and then was ready to start a trot, my horse surprised me and got away from me. The prelim horse knew the routine and remained in the trot while mine took off at a gallop -- not a canter, a gallop -- and I was losing control. While trying to get the horse under control we approached a bend in the dirt road we were using. The road was lined with large palm trees and my horse was not giving me her head nor was she letting me know when she cut a corner which side of a palm tree she was going to go. Well, she quickly ducked to 'the other side' and I almost had my head planted into the tree while going at speed. Ugg.

[CincyHorseplayer]

I've reviewed videos for the last few runnings, and I've noticed a strong early speed bias. I guess that's not surprising since by all indications the Omak surface appears to be conventional dirt.

Thanks for that.Nice!:lol:

[LottaKash]

Who won ???....:eek:


best,

[joanied]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4pig67unHo

WinterT.... Some might make light of this race, but I'm with you...it's crazy stupid...I cannot agree to putting horses through this so called race...it's cruel.

The above link has vets talking about what happens to some of the horses...reported deaths over the last several years totals 15 horses...that isn't counting injury.

There has to be a better way for these folks to run a horse race...this one sucks:ThmbDown: :ThmbDown: :ThmbDown:

[kenwoodallpromos]

Obviously in Omak, WA, they cannot read long words like the one in the photo; "SUICIDE"!

[domino1891]

someone sent me this last night

http://ida.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=5701.0&printer_friendly=1

[joanied]

Obviously in Omak, WA, they cannot read long words like the one in the photo; "SUICIDE"!

:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: ...or, they don't understand the meaning of the word :bang:

[joanied]

someone sent me this last night

http://ida.convio.net/site/MessageViewer?em_id=5701.0&printer_friendly=1

Domino....
Thanks so much for posting this link....hey, Winter T and kenwood...take a look and you'll find many e mail addresses we can write to, if for nothing else but to TRY and do something about this crazy race...I just emailed the Suicide Race Committee...they have their e mail adress listed...and gave 'em hell.
I'll be interested to see if I get a reply from them...I doubt it, bit it did feel good to get into them for running this so called race.

Everyone here...just use the link and spend a minute or two and email these people your feelings about the cruelty of what they do every year...I promise, it'll make you feel good that you at least tried to do something about it....and it only takes a minute of your time.