City Slickers Returns To Shelby Farms The City Slickers Endurance Ride will return to Shelby Farms in Memphis, TN for their seventh annual event on March 23rd. "The only endurance ride in the world, held in the city." The races will cover two distances: 25 and 50 miles. This year's race expects to draw riders from as far away as Maine and between 75-100 riders. "It keeps getting bigger every year," says Benita Watkins, one of the events coordinators. This is the only event in Memphis, and the earliest one for year until Natchez Trace and Houston, Mississippi. In endurance riding the goal of course is to cross the finish line first. The added challenge, and more coveted quality, of having the best conditioned horse, is what riders strive to achieve. Riders who finish in the top ten of their race are qualified to earn points for the best conditioned horse. This will measure the horse's pulse and conditioning. The winner of this portion of the competition will earn points with national governing bodies of the sport. Last years winner for the 50 mile racewas Dawn Blankenship in four hours and 10 minutes and in the 25 mile race, Charles Davidson finished first in one hour and 55 minutes. For more information on endurance riding, go to www.aerc.org or www.endurance.com. For information on the race, contact Rudy or Benita Watkins at (901) 465-1430.