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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] New Member

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "D'Arcy Demianoff-Thompson" <cest.mon.virage@gmail.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] New Member
  • Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:47:47 -0700

Thank you, so much, for your welcome email.  I found all of the information to be very helpful.  I would love to relocate, after I sell my ranch here, to the east coast.  I have looked in MD, DE, and PA...however, given the price of property in those areas I may fall back to Indiana.  At any rate...if I am able to move out to the MD area I will be looking to be part of MD Mounted Team.  So, please keep me posted on your activities. 
 
I would have thought that there would be a good deal of Mounted Riders that are cross overs from endurance or still doing endurance.  It does make sense.  It also makes sense about the speed of their search practices being a problem.  That will be something I will pay very close attention to should I ever find myself in a search and rescue situation. 
 
You are absolutely correct about the mountain elevation.   A 350+ foot drop off any size mountain...is a serious problem.  If you ever find yourself this way please do not hesitate to contact me.  I would love to show you some of our trails (Tevis) and some of the great riding areas in this area. 
 
Again, thank you, for all of your information and help.
 
D'Arcy

On Mon, Jun 23, 2008 at 7:36 PM, T'mi Fi <tfinkle@erols.com> wrote:
D'Arcy,

Welcome to the group.  Our Mounted Team has several members who are
seasoned endurance riders and compete on a regular basis (mostly  up and
down the east coast).    However, one our members (from Maryland) has
twice won the 100 mile Cavalry event at the Tevis and was also the
Captain of the US Endurance Team and competed in Canada.  Our team also
has members who are drag riders for the Old Dominion Events.   In 2005
our team assisted as safety and drag riders for the 100 mile North
American Endurance Championship (NAEC) at Fair Hill Maryland.

Equestrians with endurance experience have brought a wealth of knowledge
and skills to our team.  The most difficult task that some of our
endurance riders have encounter is to slow their riding speeds down when
they are actively searching.  We also have several members who are
former Volunteer Mounted Patrol Rangers of the Maryland Park Service,
which is another good source for recruiting MSAR members.  Our response
area covers all States within FEMA region III, so we ride in terrain
anyway from a couple of feet below sea level to over 4000 feet.  I know
4000 feet is not that high compared to the hills of the west, but a 350
cliff is a long way to fall whether you start the fall from 2000 feet or
at 8000 feet.  Many of our Team members are featured on the Team's
webpages, so free free to check us out.

Good luck and Ride Safe,

T'mi

TROTSAR Mounted Search & Rescue Team Inc.
www.trotsar.org
Serving States within FEMA Region III


D'Arcy Demianoff-Thompson wrote:

> Hi Una,
>
> I live in Placerville, CA which is close to Auburn, CA - the Endurance
> Capital of the World, as it is affectionately known as.  Being that
> the 100 mile Tevis ride is held here annually with 150+ competitors
> coming from as far away as Dubai, Australia, and Japan.  It is the
> toughest endurance ride in the world.  A 100 mile ride will has a
> completion time of 24 hours.  Therefore, you can imagine the condition
> the horse and rider, if not best prepared, can and often does fall
> victim to on this ride.  And not necessarily because of ill
> preparation.  Even the most seasoned rider can fall victim to some
> difficulty or another out on the trail.  For example:  Tevis 2007 -
> one rider and horse went off the side of a 350 foot cliff about 1am.
> Horse got out - rider couldn't due to broken bones and had to be
> airlifted to Roseville, CA 6 hours later.  Not long after just down
> from where the first rider went off another horse and rider went off.
> Rider got out horse couldn't get out until day break when Rescue had
> to cut a new path to get the horse off the side of the mountain.  So,
> those are the types of Search and Rescue that we encounter with
> endurance riding.
>
> Other types are lost horse and rider issues.  No point of orientation
> and swipe riders have to come in and retrack to try and find where the
> horse and rider may have veered off the trail and find them.  and of
> course we have the typical horse down from tieing up and dehydration
> issues.
>
> Interest lies in being part of an MSAR Team.  Not only for my own
> benefit and knowledge but to contribute to the equine industry in a
> very positive manner.   No, I am not out to be a hero of any kind.  I
> know how important endurance riding is to our industry.  One of our
> most recent set backs with adding more rides is the fact there are not
> enough MSAR qualified team members that can work as Swipes Riders at
> endurance rides.  Many of our members across the country are up in
> their 70's and 80's.  And there are not many coming behind them to
> take their place.  I would like to learn as much as I can to help
> train others to fill vacancies in order to save what rides we have and
> quite possibly to increase those ride numbers.
>
> D'Arcy
>
>
>
>


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--
D'Arcy L. Demianoff-Thompson
cest.mon.virage@gmail.com



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