competitive at the highest level, or is merely composed of two fast runners, will need to have a very fit horse that can trot briskly or canter the entire race distance (though with brief breaks at ties, of course). If the horse is not fast enough, it might not be able to catch the partner running ahead. World Championship (formerly Levi's Ride and Tie Championship) Race The World Championship race has been held annually since 1971. The championship race does not reside at a fixed location. While the location usually changes every year, multiple World Championship races have been held at the same race site (for instance, Cuneo Creek Horse Camp, located in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park hosted the 2007 and 2009 championship and is scheduled to host the 2011 championship as well). There are no qualifying standards for the World Championships, other than the normal condition that the horse must pass a pre-ride vet check. Any country can field multiple teams, and the first team to register from each country outside the United States gets the entry fee waived. Three classes of competitors are recognized at Ride and Ties: Man/Man, Man/Woman, and Woman/Woman. While Man/Man teams dominated the races throughout the 70s and 80s, Man/Woman teams have become increasingly competitive for the overall title since the mid-90s. The first Woman/Woman team to win the overall title was a team of sisters, Susanne Rowland and Michelle Andreotti, in 2009. The youngest competitor to be part of a winning championship team was Sara Howard, who won her first championship at the age of 15 when she teamed with her father, Jim Howard in 2008. The youngest competitor to finish a long-course championship race (the championship race now often includes a short course of around 20 miles or less), was 9 year old Madison Trocha, who also partnered with her father, Bob Trocha in 2007 to cover the 34 mile course at the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. World Championship Winners Equipment Most tack used in ride and ties is similar to that used in endurance riding, with light-weight saddles and synthetic bridles and breastplates being popular. Additionally, all horses in ride and tie need to be ridden with a halter or halter-bridle combination to which a tie rope can be attached. The tie rope is approx. 8 ft. (2.4 m) long and is often made of a light-weight climbing rope with