Heather Reynolds, of Dunnellon, Florida, crossed the finish line at 10:00 p.m. on July 28 to claim her third Tevis Cup victory. Riding Cayucos, a 10-year-old 15.1 hand chestnut Arabian gelding owned by Hillorie Farace Di Villaforesta, Reynolds finished 18 minutes before second place Gabriela Blakeley.

The Blakeleys, from Terrebonne, Oregon, captured three of the coveted top ten slots with Wasch Blakekley finishing a minute behind his wife, and their son, Barrack claiming fifth place at 10:49 p.m. Lindsay Fisher and Monk—who led most of the course and vetted through first at both major checkpoints, Robinson Flat (Mile 36) and Foresthill (Mile 68)—placed fourth.

Temperatures on the 100-mile course climbed to near 100°F and humidity ran higher than normal. Further complicating the already difficult track, smoke from the Carr Fire, devastating Redding, California, filled parts of the trail, irritating eyes and cutting visibility.

“I found the heat the most difficult aspect of the ride,” Reynolds said. “Being from Florida, I was used to humidity, but Cayucos is a California horse and he didn’t like it