Horse Illustrated Magazine

Since 1955, the annual Tevis Cup Ride in Northern California has been an extreme endurance test for horses and riders. Not this year. For the first time since its inception, the legendary 100-mile Tevis Cup endurance ride has been canceled due to devastating wildfires that continue to burn in the region.

After much deliberation and careful assessment, the Western States Trail Foundation (WSTF) Board of Governors announced on July 9 that the ride had been cancelled.

“It was a difficult decision,” reports WSTF President Tom Christofk. “But after in-depth discussion today with the U.S. Forest Service, we have decided that any level of risk was not appropriate. The Forest Service has graciously offered us some options for re-routing around the now-closed Foresthill Road, but with that factor, coupled with current air quality issues and the ongoing fire situation, we opted to make the conservative decision of cancelling the ride. Protecting the safety and health of the horses and people involved with this historic event takes precedence over everything else.”

The Tevis Cup Ride is the oldest modern-day endurance ride. The 100-mile race winds through rugged Sierra Mountain high country, and as such has been the inspiration and model for the most challenging endurance rides worldwide. The ride is sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference.

Visit the Tevis Cup website for the newest updates, past cup results and more information at TevisCup.org.