Girls off trail, gymkhana winners!
We slept warm and well and breakfasted at the camper. Got to Philmont by 9:00 and learned that the girls and their group were scheduled to come off the trail at 10:30. We looked around the trading post (giftshop) and made our way to the Cattle Headquarters and got there just as they were dismounting and bringing in the horses to water. Mary was crying and when I asked her why, she said, "I don't want to leave my horse." Guess that means they had a good time!
We learned that they had had a casualty yesterday. Jeff Pilgrim, fearless crew advisor and trip organizer, in practicing for gymkhana had had his horse bolt with him yesterday (horse got spooked by a rain slicker). Jeff had fallen off and was brought in by truck yesterday and spent the night at medical. He was limping from a pulled hamstring today but was able to meet the group coming in.
The group dynamics had been enjoyable with the Minnesota/Tennessee mixture. After all, they are all horse lovers. We had lunch together and learned that they had experienced pea-sized hail that covered the ground yesterday as they were on horseback at about the same time as we were watching the storm clouds. It was a pretty uncomfortable situation with everyone wet and getting pelted with ice. The ranger & horseman said keep going. The crew advisors were not too comfortable with the situation, but it didn't last too long, & they did keep going.
Gymkhana, a sort of ending competition for cavalcade participants, was after lunch and included five events--barrel racing, figure-eight barrel racing, flag racing, team flag relay, and calf herding. Individual participants were timed and the team scores were averaged. Our girls were pitted against an all boy crew from Texas. This took place in light to moderate rain, but the events went on. Ward & John had enough after a couple of events and waited out the rest in the van. When all was finished the TN/MN contingent won by a nose. The prize--two watermelons which came with the advise, "If you are good sports, you'll give one watermelon to the losing team."
We (all of us but Ellen & Mary) went in a few shops in Cimarron and had supper at the camper. We went back to Philmont for "closing" campfire with the crew. Everyone enjoyed it. Afterward they ate their watermelon, but a good bit of it was left, so Eric took it to the Ranger lounge and made their night. He learned that the ranger he gave it to was the daughter of a friend he had worked with in the olden days at Philmont.
Went back to camper with plans to tour the Villa Philmonte and meet the girls in the morning.
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