The AERC Hall Of Fame is a special place for special horses. Most are elected because of incredible achievements in the sport of endurance: thousands of miles, lots of wins or BC’s, and many years as a strong competitor. I’ve always been a sucker for the underdog; the horse that accomplishes great feats almost by accident, or by succeeding despite overwhelming obstacles. Zayante is one of those horses. Not that he’s had a lot of problems, quite the contrary. It’s his background and disposition that makes him special.
In 1990, Jim Bumgardner was out riding in the desert near Ridgecrest, California. He came across a guy leading a string of pack mules who was riding a fiery looking, white Arabian gelding. Jim said to the guy, “Nice looking horse.” “Yeah, but he’s a pain,” was the reply. “He walks way too fast for these mules.” Jim offered to buy him, and did. The horses’ name was Taco.
Julie and Bob Suhr happened to be looking for a new horse. They had a vet look at this unknown, un-papered horse. He determined the horse was 11 years old or so, but otherwise he looked good. The first thing Julie did was re-name the horse to “Zayante”, after the street they live on in the Santa Cruz mountains. Bob started riding the horse in 1991 and put 1105 miles on him without a pull, including 10 top tens. (Fred Emigh snuck a Tevis completion in there on Zayante, as well) In 1992, Bob rode Zayante 1570 miles, with 12 top tens, a win, and three BCs.- no pulls. Daughter (mega Tevis) Barbara White snuck another Tevis completion in there. In 93, Bob and Julie added 1050 more miles, including nine top tens, two BC’s, and daughter Barbara added a third Tevis completion. No pulls. 1994 only brought 870 more miles with 6 top tens, and daughter Barbara got Zayante’s fourth Tevis completion in four starts. No pulls. Do you see a pattern starting to emerge here? 1995 was a slow year- only 515 miles and one top ten. But no pulls.
At this point in Zayante’s career, he had done 89 rides, completing 5055 miles without a pull. This in itself is remarkable, but he wasn’t done yet. One of Zay’s (his friends call him Zay, pronounced Zye) traits was to spook a bit. He had tossed Julie, Barbara, and Bob to the ground on a couple of occasions. When Bob fell off in 1995 and broke some ribs, they decided to give the white horse back to Jackie Bumgardner in Ridgecrest. Julie put it nicely- as much as they loved the horse, they felt they just couldn’t continue taking the risk of injury. Julie told Jackie that the rules were simple: keep him going, and get to 100 rides without a pull. Jackie did just that- she did 11 more rides to get to the magic 100 ride mark without a pull. To top it off, Jackie won Zayante’s 100th ride at the Gambler’s Special in Las Vegas.
Zayante did get pulled at long last, but his legacy continues. In 1996- 810 miles, 6 top tens, a win. 1997- 850 miles, 5 top tens, overall best time at a multi-day. 1998- 925 miles, 5 top tens. This just keeps going on and on! Remember- this horse is nineteen years old in 1998! It was a shame he did break his streak of non-pulls in 1996. Too bad, but how many other horses in history have completed that many rides and miles without a pull? Zay now has just under 9000 career miles, 58 top tens, 6 Best Conditions, five wins, including overall at a multi day, and sixteen one-day, 100 mile completions. Multi day rides seemed to be Zay’s specialty- he completed all days of a multi day event twenty-five times without being pulled. Read that again- twenty-five rides!
That’s how I met this phenomenal horse. Jackie had leant me a ride for the Death Valley Encounter two years ago, and was willing to let me ride another one this year. When she told me I could ride Zayante, I felt honored. He was having some issues with his hocks, so my instructions were to take it easy and get him through. I had one of the best rides in my life down there this year. We completed all four days with ease- this gelding was one of the most amazing horses I have ever ridden. He’s as nice a horse as I’ve ever seen, and once he gets his race face on, he is all business. Sure, he jigs sometimes. Sure, he really wants to catch that horse up in front of him. Sure, he calls and talks to every horse in the event. Sure, he does the “Zayante sneer” at every horse he passes or that passes him, reminiscent of Billy Idol at his finest. Just ask Becky Hackworth- Zay sneered at her horse Mark for a day and a half before he finally decided Mark was okay. And on Day two, Pat Gay’s mare Lady Hawk and Zayante had a sneering contest going on, all the way up a seven thousand foot mountain. Julie says Zay wins both by sheer effort and heart, and by intimidating the other horses into submission.
I rode Zayante again at the spring XP in Northern Nevada, just two weeks ago as this is written. Zay pulled me through all five days, including some of the most incredible mountain climbs I have ever been on. That horse just won’t stop. It is hard to describe how much fun it is to be up on that horses back. Here we are, climbing up that ten thousand foot mountain on day five, going by all the young horses (with a quick sneer at each), staying with his barn gals Holly and Shatzie all the way, protecting them from all those other horses.
I have ridden quite a few different horses in endurance over the past ten years, but very rarely does a person get to experience the pleasure that riding this horse brings. Just ask the people who have ridden him: Julie and Bob, daughter Barbara, Fred Emigh, Nancy Twight, Viviane Odermatt, Becky Glaser, Ann Kratochvil, April Mitchel, Gretchen Sam, yours truly, and of course his mom, Jackie Bumgardner. I felt he would do anything for me. He’s strong, willing, and lives to go down the trail. What more can you ask of an endurance horse?
To keep on doing it, that’s what! Zayante is showing signs of being twenty one, but continues to get out there, mile after mile, ride after ride. This horse has completed almost 9000 miles in nine years, with only five pulls. I can’t imagine a horse that is more qualified to be included in the Hall of Fame.
Nick Warhol
Hayward, Ca