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Show National Ride & Tie will kick up the dust by Christopher Smart At its July 12 meeting, the Park City Council unanimously approved a request by local Ride & Tie promoters for transportation services during the August 19 national contest to be held here. Park City's 7th Annual Ride & Tie also happens to be this year's national event, the 14th annual Levi's Ride & Tie. And according to Richard Dudley, the event could attract as many as 5,000 people to town on race day. During the week preceding the Sunday Ride & Tie, 175 teams will camp on Bonanza Flats atop Guardsman Pass, Dudley said. By now almost everyone knows that a Ride & Tie team is made up of two humans and one horse. Beyond that, an entire entourage of helpers may be used as the pit crew. For those who aren't familiar with the sport, Ride & Tie is kind of like leapfrog. Other than the obvious difference, this sport is played over long distances, in this case 38 miles. The race will be comprised of three loops through the surrounding mountains. The first loop will be through the Park City Ski Area, the second in to Deer Valley Resort and the third in the Girl Scout Lake region on Guardsman Pass. And while the race will be at least four times larger, in numbers of participants, than last year's event, locals are favored, Dudley said. The reigning Ride & Tie champs, Con and Todd Wads worth of Draper are favored to keep the crown, Dudley said. The Park City women's teams of Bev Grey-Debra Pack, Julie McKay-Marit Glenne and Julie Chambers-Vickie Ross are also strong contenders, he said. One reason locals may be favored, Dudley said, is that they have been training at high altitude while other contestants are coming from lower elevations. Dudley said the race will have a spectacular start at 8 a.m., one hour earlier than last year. Traffic control, parking and camping coordination top the list of the organizers of the annual event, he said. Following the race a barbecue will be held at the Park City Resort Center, Dudley said. Live entertainment entertain-ment will be included for the $8 ticket. |