Mocha Jack

2011 Gold Medal: Chris Herron and Ambersun

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Rider and horse name:

Chris Herron and Ambersun

Horse Barn name:

Hawk

Breed:

Arabian, stallion

Horse & rider years in endurance & # of miles:

Chris:  12 years, 7500 miles.  Hawk: 3 years, 1720 miles.

Which XP ride did you enjoy the most this year?

The Twenty Eleven XP ride.

Which ride did you find the most challenging, and why?

The long XP.  It was a lot more work moving camp every day with a lot of mud and heavy rains to start with.

What do you feel is the most important thing you learned about yourself and your horse this past year?

Hawk and I are big weenies when it comes to bad weather.

Is there anything you did this year that you would do differently next year? (or, if you had a chance to do this last year over again)?

I would have ridden a few more days.

What do you think was the best thing that you did do?

Putting shoes on my horse.

What are your horses best qualities?

He’s chestnut.

Did anything funny or strange happen on any of the rides this year?

Yeah, Gary wrecked my rig on Highway 50.

2010 Gold Medal: Becky Lange and Mocha Jack

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Becky Lange and Mocha Jack at Mt. Carmel. Photo by Steve Bradley.

Becky Lange and Mocha Jack

Barn name: M

XP name: Jack

Breed: Kentucky Mountain Horse

Both M and I started endurance in 2009 and our very first ride was Cuyama.  We have 2 years in now and 1510 miles.  2009 – 405 and 2010 – 1105

I just love the Cuyama ride – it’s only 20 miles from where I live and it was my 1st ride.

I found Bryce to be the most challenging ride because the footing was very rocky and there were a lot of steep climbs and steep downhills.

Becky Lange and Mocha Jack. Photo by Steve Bradley.

What I learned from doing the XP series was that I have the most awesome little horse in the world.  He will do anything I ask, willingly and seems to be having so much fun doing it.  Every ride was a blast.  Being gaited – M is like riding in an easy chair which makes it so enjoyable for me.  I can just sit back and take in the scenery.

I guess the only thing I could have done differently was ride all 4 days at Eastern Mojave, and all 5 days at Bryce and the Grand Canyon – but my goal was to do 1000 miles and we did that in style.  M top 10’d all 20 races that he competed in – he has never been pulled.  He is always sound and he seems to really enjoy his job.
We have met a lot of great people doing these rides.  Everyone has always been very friendly and helpful.  I started in this sport knowing very little and I have learned so much over the past two years.
I look forward to doing as many of the XP rides as I can in 2011.  M is my one and only little horse so I have to take really good care of him just like he takes really good care of me.

M has also done Tevis in both 2009 and 2010 and completed both years – 2009 – 19th and 2010 – 25th.
M is #1 lightweight in the Pacific Southwest, #2 overall in the Pacific Southwest and #3 lightweight Pioneer horse with just 2 rides and 405 miles.