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Show Wednesday, July ' t I hi A Twenty-seven horses, 27 riders and 27 runners were off in a cloud of dust Saturday at high nocn. Almost three hours after the dust had settled around the Deer Valley starting point, two California men and their trusty steed crossed the finish line to capture Park City's first Ride and Tie contest. Chuck Stalley, Chico, CA, and Butch Alexander, Sonoma, Sono-ma, CA, covered the 25-mile course in two hours and 51 minutes to win their fourth championship. The duo previously pre-viously had raced to victory in three California Ride and Tie contests, the last being the 1976 event held in Lake Tahoe. The grueling competition featured two-man, man-woman and two-woman teams with team members alternating alterna-ting as riders and runners, The rider tied the horse at predetermined locations and ran ahead, waiting to be passed by the runner-turned-rider. Ride and Tie regulations require that at least six ties be made during the race. Stalley and Alexander tied seven times in their winning effort. Locals Do Well Entrants came from Utah, California, Nevada and Oregon Ore-gon and the highest Park City finisher was Bob Kas-sow, Kas-sow, who teamed with Ron Nehring of Salt Lake City for a fifth place showing. Their time was three hours and 40 minutes. The local team demonstrated demonstra-ted great prowess as runners but their horsemanship cost them. Kassow was the first runner to complete the initial leg of the race but his Heber-trained horse was 19,1978 ridden too hard and required a long cooling off period. Saturday's event marked the first such competition for Kassow and Nehring and their high finish underscored a potential for future championships. cham-pionships. Park City also boasted first places in the man-woman class and the two-woman class. Dave Coble and Roberta Eichman were the top man-woman team. They took eight overall, passing the City Park finish line after af-ter three hours and 55 minutes. Crossing the line after four hours and 13 minutes were Park City's Bev Ross and Dorrie Spurlock, the best two-woman team. Other local teams that completed the 25-mile race were: Kathy Fish and Pat "Space" Mullen, finishing 5th for man-woman class and 16th overall; the husband-wife combo of Marsha and Don Symonds (19th overall); Beth Tillotson and Jim Park; and Richard1 Groth and Suzanne Richards (Salt Lake City). Gil Holmes and Kathleen Donnelly were disqualified when an overenthusiastic pit crew member untied their horse for them, contrary to race rules. Linda Offret and SsMfffy Jackson failed to finish due to horse problems. Open Class Second place in the open class went to Bob Gilligan of Big Bear Lake, CA and Rene Ruiz, Sherman Oaks, CA. The runners-up completed the course in two hours and 59 minutes. Dean Hubbard and Hans Manot, both from Reno, NEV, took third with a clocking of three hours and six minutes. Hubbard is a veteran participant who sup- 1 I'holo: ( raig Rrrcr plied horses for several other teams. His partner, Manot, was an Olympic competitor for Switzerland in the 3,000 meter run and currently is the track coach for the University of Nevada-Reno. The father-son team of Charles and Greg Lee Johnson John-son placed fourth overall. Entered in their first Ride and Tie, the Johnsons, of Pleasant Grove, were the highest Utah finishers. Not among the top ten but certainly tops in spectator appeal was the team of Robert Redford and Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson. Handicapped by a late start and a lost horse, the celebrity celebri-ty team finished far back in the standings but did finish before the 6 p.m. deadline. Eight minutes after most of the other competitors had started the grind, the late arrivals began with Redford on horseback and Wilson on foot. The actor from Sundance Sun-dance reportedly missed a cue and failed to tie his horse at the designated spot, causing his partner to run the entire eight miles of the first leg. Run alternately under omi- nous ciouas ana a iauguing sun, the race provided a tough test for both man and beast. The course meandered mean-dered through steep and rugged terrain, rising from an elevation of 7,000 feet to 8,500 feet and back down again. Prize money for the top finishers was based on a percentage of total entry fee money but a breakdown of the winnings were not available avail-able at press time. The top ten teams are as follows; L s -"V: SS.k. zrr s n -g Photo: Rolf Sandberg v l if J i- r v V o Results 1. Chuck Stalley, Chico, CA and Butch Alexander, Sonoma, CA 2:51 2. Bob Gilligan, Big Bear Lake, CA and Rene Ruiz, Sherman Caks, CA 2:59 3. Dean Hubbard, Reno, NEV and Hans Manot, Reno, NEV 3:06 4. Charles and Greg Lee Johnson, Pleasant Grove, UT 3 : 21 also best father-son and best conditioned horse 5. Ron Nehring, Salt Lake City and Bob Kassow, Park City 3:40 6. Eric Sadler, Taylorsville and Robert Jepson, Salt Lake City 3 : 50 7. Bob Aoogendyko and Don Cousins, Bij Bear Lake. CA 3:53 8 Dave Goble and Roberta Eichman, Park City 3:55 also 1st place man-woman team 9. Phil Wagner, Kaysville.UT and Pat McEwen, Salt Lake City 3 : 56 . 10. Lew and Hanna Hollander, Portland, OR 3 : 57 also second place man-woman team Photo: Craig Reece A Page 7 v Photo: Rolf Sandberg If J-1 )l t " - ; . i |