Your turn: 2023 Tevis Cup champ Jeremy Reynolds won't ride Saturday as wife Heather seeks couple's 9th title

Throughout the years, the Tevis Cup has found a home in the Reynolds household. The husband and wife duo of Jeremy and Heather Reynolds have combined for eight Tevis Cup titles and five Haggin Cups, cementing themselves as one of the top families in the endurance riding world. Jeremy Reynolds has won two of the last three Tevis Cups with titles in 2021 and 2023 but will not ride this year. Instead, Heather will make the 100-mile journey Saturday as she seeks her fourth Tevis Cup and 10th successful ride. Heather Reynolds finished ninth last year on Sonic, an 11-year-old Arabian gelding. This year, Reynolds and Sonic will have another go at the Tevis Cup, and she said her only goal is to have a good time on the trails with her horse. "My goal is to have the horse super happy by the time I hit Auburn, and for him to look fresh and like he hasn't done much, which is a big ask," Reynolds said. "That's my goal each year, no matter how fast or slow I'm riding." Reynolds and Sonic have worked together for four years and she has owned him for two. Sonic had a rough life before he started working with Reynolds, who said he's a fighter and survivor. "He has survived starvation twice in his life before I had him. He's a survivor, a fighter, and he's just a sweet guy. He's a real honest horse," Reynolds said. "He is a super-nice horse. He travels really well and he's pretty serious. Sometimes, he'll do irrational things, but that's getting better and better and overall, he's a good horse." Last year's Tevis Cup was Sonic's first 100-mile ride and Reynolds said with another year of experience, she hopes he will be a little sharper on the trails. "It all depends on the day, but I am sure that he'll recognize parts of trail," Reynolds said. "Last year, because the river was so high, we started in a different location, so the first 15 miles will be a trail he's not seen. It may be a little confusing, but he'll recognize certain things on the trail, too." The temperatures for this year's ride are expected to be near 100. Reynolds doesn't expect it to be much of an issue for Sonic. "We don't shy away from the weather when we train. We've been training in the heat all summer, and it's been hot for several weeks now, so it's about as good as it can get for us," Reynolds said. "I always go in with some sort of game plan, and it always changes to some degree. You'll get thrown a curveball at some point in your day, whatever it may be." Reynolds said she's ready for whatever the day may bring Saturday and she looks forward to another successful Tevis campaign. Asked what it would mean to finish for the 10th time, Reynolds said, "It'll be just amazing. It's a huge achievement to make it across those mountains and that trail any amount of time. So, yeah, I'll be pretty proud of myself and my horse if we can do that."