Tevis, From the Back of My Horse

This is an action-packed true story about riding the most difficult 100-mile endurance ride in the world. It is a story about triumph over adversity, about courage, teamwork and knowledge. Join Sharma and her horse Tahoe on their journey through the rugged and scenic Sierra Nevada Mountains of California during their 24 hours of the 55th running of the “Tevis Cup 100-Mile-One-Day Trail Ride”. You will read about the “spills, thrills and bumps along the way” in this compelling, entertaining and instructive chronicle. Mount up and enjoy the ride!

The Tevis Cup Ride is the most challenging 100-mile equestrian endurance event in the world. With names like Dusty Corners, Last Chance, Devil's Thumb and Deadwood, the historic Tevis Trail, originally used by Native American Indians and pioneers, passes through old gold mining camps and towns along its 100 miles. Beginning at Robie Park in the beautiful Lake Tahoe area of Northern California and riding through the Gold Country that made this state famous, successful competitors cross the finish line in the historic town of Auburn. Those who complete the Ride will have ridden a total of over 23,000 feet of elevation changes along the 100 miles of this rugged and scenic Sierra Nevada Mountain trail. Ride along with Sharma and her horse Tahoe as they tackle the granddaddy event in the sport off modern endurance riding. Experience the journey along with these two tenacious souls and their "supporting cast of characters."

Sharma was three years old when she rode a horse for the first time. It stirred something deep within her genetics, and her destiny was sealed. Her father had been a jockey at the famous Pimlico racetrack in Maryland before WWII, and her mother had ridden since childhood. During recesses in elementary school, Sharma and her friends would act out horse stories they had read, trotting and galloping around the playground as they pretended to be their favorite horse characters. By the time Sharma was in junior high school, she was mucking stalls and cleaning tack in the neighborhood public riding stable in order to get a “free” hour ride at the end of the day. Sharma’s passion for horses never wavered even though it was interrupted with undergraduate and graduate studies and two separate careers, the first for six years as a teacher in Junior High and High School science, math, chemistry, biology, gymnastics coach and part-time university professor in botany and biology; and the second as a stratigraphic palynologist and international oil exploration geologist for Chevron Corporation for nearly 30 years. Sharma is now in her third career as an author, living with all her furry, feathered and finned friends on a beautiful ranch in Grass Valley, California.