The long haul - Horse trainer puts focus on endurance
Las Vegas Review Journal 2-12-1997
The Tevis Cup, a 100-mile horse race over the Sierra Nevada, began on a bet in 1955.

"It was a bet that a horse could or couldn't do it," said Claire Toomey, a Northwest resident. "They found out that a horse could do it, and the race has returned every year since."

It wasn't until 1964, when Toomey saw Donna Fitzgerald win the Tevis Cup, that she made a bet of her own. Toomey promised herself that someday she would compete and complete the "grandfather" of all endurance races held on the rugged mountain range in eastern California.

But Toomey, who owns II Me's Endurance Arabians...didn't get into the sport until 17 years later. "It took until 1981 to find out what endurance horse racing was all about, get the horse, and get involved with the sport," said Toomey, who now trains horses and riders at her business.

Toomey (then) 57, is a 25-year local resident. She was born in Hawaii and grew up riding horses in Northern California and Oregon. She entered her first endurance competition in 1981 and has since logged more than 10,000 miles in competition.

"Its a great sport," Toomey said. "You get to see beautiful country and you get to go on great vacations and see the best of everybody else's backyard."

The sport, which will be part of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, is athletic endeavor for both rider and horse. Most races are at least 50 miles long and have mandatory veterinarian checks for the horse.

"You have to be fit yourself, and your horse has to be fit," she said. "It takes up to three years to develop a horse to do the sport of endurance competition. Their muscles and cardiovascular can be ready in three months, but the tendon and joints take much longer to condition."

Arabian horses, because of their leanness and strength, are the horse of choice. Toomey owns three. W.K's Riva Run, a now retired 10-year-old Arabian, has carried Toomey more than 6,000 miles in competition. Toomey is training a 4 1/2-year-old Montana-bread Arabian named River Fox Trot.

Toomey currently competes on T.E. Sensation, a 7-year-old who has won two of three races and two Best Condition awards -- the sport's highest honor for a horse.
John Gilbert - View staff writer