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Last year Marcia and Saamson were named to the US team for the World Endurance Championships (WEC) in France. She said, "He tied up mildly in France. Nobody exactly understands tying up or how to correct the problem. She tried different drugs and walking him through it, mounted. She said, "Until Monday before the race, I had not tried gradually increased periods of trotting in hand or lunging, which I had used before. I tried that, and the Friday before the race he was ready to go." Saamson still did not start the race, as Marcia was asked to ride the mount of injured team member, Darla Westlake, as it was deemed that he was the stronger horse at that point. Her Tevis mount this year was also not a sure thing. "I started out the year thinking I'd ride SA Proud Endeavor (Ed)," She said. She wasn't 100% sure of him, so 6 weeks before the Tevis, she decided not to ride Saamson in the Swanton 100 in July, but enter him in the Tevis, instead. Problems arose. "Wednesday before Tevis, Saamson tied up again", she said. "I had been working too hard. It was just like France." She remembered the lunging technique, which worked him through it. " I know now how to solve the problem with this horse," she said. " Now, I am going to nominate for Spain (WEC, 2002). I know I can do it." Marcia was looking at another horse in December of 1997. She decided against Saamson's half-sister, but was also shown Saamson (Saam out of Belle Amy) who was described as "a bit of a handful". The trainer/owner felt that he had great potential even though he had bucked her off, run away with her, and had numerous other hot behavior problems. In spite of this, Saamson had finished well in a number of rides and completed the Tevis in a ride time of 19:53 in 1997. Marcia said, "It was winter, and he was in caked pasture mud up to his hocks and had long hair", but she liked him. She bought him without getting on. The first time they went riding, Marcia said, "I tied him up to the trailer and put a saddle on him, and he went crazy. He was rearing, throwing himself down to his knees, rearing up again, and trying to break the line. My husband, Tom, was on the other side of the trailer tacking up another horse, and I said, 'Tom, remind me why we bought this horse?'" He's improved since then", she said. He has bucked her off, but she said declared, "He gets calmer every year, and bucks less ferociously at the start of every ride." Since Tevis no longer has a weight limit, she started that race in her heavier saddle that "has a good handle on it", then changed to a light saddle at Robinson Flat (about 34 + miles). Marcia likes the challenge. "I like to get into a horse's head, and work on that", Marcia said. "Saamson does not like to be told what to do. He needs to feel that he is in control." She did not nominate Saamson for the Pan American Championships in Vermont this year. She chose instead to support her husband, Tom, who had gone with her last year to France, and who will be competing in the World Championship 100 K run in France at the same time. Marcia has ridden the Tevis 5 times. She pulled on Harry in 1991. Again on Harry she tied for first in 1992 and got BC, won on Elvis (On A High) in 1997, and came in 2nd on Saamson in 1998. Marcia is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and full time small animal specialist in Loomis, California. She has ridden over 5200 American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) recorded miles. 2001 Tevis Statistics: There were 225 Starters and 91 finishers, a 40.4 % completion rate.
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