Every child has a dream, and for Sonoma Blakely, that dream was always intertwined with the rhythmic gallop of horses.
From the tender age of seven, Sonoma was not just riding horses but racing them, feeling the wind whip past her as she covered miles of terrain.
By age 12, she was already competing in the Tevis Cup.
The Tevis Cup isthe world’s most prestigious endurance horse racing event.
A grueling 100-mile race that starts in Tahoe and ends in Auburn, California, the Tevis Cup is not for the faint-hearted.
But it wasn’t just Sonoma’s passion for racing that stood out.
It was her bond with a particular horse named Goober, a dark Arabian with a history as tumultuous as the mountainous terrains they raced on.
Goober wasn’t a prized stallion from a renowned lineage.
He was a two-year-old with so much baggage that his previous owner had listed him on Craigslist, offering him for free to anyone willing to take him in.
Sonoma and her family adopted Goober, seeing potential where others saw problems.
They nurtured him, trained him, and soon enough, Sonoma began racing with him.
Goober, with his mischievous antics like untying other horses and ripping off their blankets, was a character.
But beneath that playful exterior was a heart of gold and an unmatched spirit for racing.
In 2019, Sonoma and Goober, with a history of Tevis Cup races that they hadn’t finished, decided to take on the challenge once more.
As they lined up, they were surrounded by riders on horses that had price tags running into thousands of dollars.
But the duo from Oregon, with their humble beginnings, were not to be underestimated.
Ninety-four miles into the race, the unexpected happened.
The underdog duo had caught up with the leaders, and Goober was raring to go even faster.
With just six miles left, they were neck and neck with a rider from Florida.
The climax approached as they were left racing against Jeremy Reynolds, a three-time Tevis Cup champion.
The final stretch was a test of wills, endurance, and the bond between a rider and her horse.
Goober gave it his all, sprinting with every ounce of energy left in him.
After an exhausting hundred miles, 19,000 feet of elevation gain, and over 14 hours of relentless racing, Sonoma and Goober emerged victorious, crossing the finish line a mere horse length ahead of their competition.
This victory wasn’t just about winning a race. It was about perseverance, belief, and the magic that can happen when one dares to dream big.
At just 18, Sonoma became the youngest woman ever to clinch the Tevis Cup title.
The euphoria of the win was so overwhelming that Sonoma often found herself in disbelief, pinching herself to ensure it wasn’t just a dream.
Today, Sonoma’s journey, from adopting a horse nobody wanted to becoming a Tevis Cup champion, has been immortalized in her book.
Titled “Chasing Dreams,” it narrates the true story of her improbable victory and the challenges she faced along the way.
The process of writing and publishing the book, she admits, felt like an endurance event in itself, perhaps even more challenging than the hundred-mile race.
Every detail of their journey is as fascinating as the historic win itself.
Sonoma’s story is a beacon of hope, a testament to the fact that dreams, no matter how distant they seem, can be realized with determination and passion.
Whether it’s racing across mountainous terrains or penning down memories, it’s the journey that counts, and Sonoma Blakely’s journey is one that will inspire many for years to come.
Learn more about Sonoma’s journey with Goober all the way to first place in the video below!
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