Local woman hits the endurance trail

Ellen Betker with "Let's Boogie."

Ellen Betker has some far-reaching international connections. She is the national support team coordinator for the sport of endurance riding, working through the United States Equestrian Team.

Betker's job is to organize the squad of American helpers who will travel to Spain in September to assist at the World Equestrian Games Endurance Ride. This is a 100-mile event which draws the very best endurance riders from around the world.

Betker works at Greg Everson's dentistry practice in Sisters.

This will not be the first time she has taken on this international task. She coordinated the volunteers for the last World Championships in France in 2000.

Prior to that she helped crew for riders at several international competitions.

Her own involvement in the sport began 11 years ago when a friend who owned some Arabian horses wanted to take up endurance riding. Betker, a non-rider at that stage, said she would learn to ride and help her friend condition her horses for competition.

Several thousand miles later, Ellen is an accomplished and successful endurance rider.

She purchased an unbroken seven-year-old, "Lets Boogie," trained him over the course of the next two years and began competing when he was nine.

Boogie's career ended recently with semi-retirement at age 18. He had racked up almost 3,000 competitive miles, 13 100-milers completed and a win in the solo division in the Race of Champions in 1996, held in Southern Utah. This is a 100-mile race completed with no assistance for horse or rider.

Betker says of her international involvement, "I've met the nicest people. I could call anyone I've met at an event and know that they would take care of me if I were in their part of the world."