Ride and Tie was founded in 1971 by Bud Johns, who was a public relations director for Levi Strauss & Co.[1][2] Levi's was looking to sponsor a difficult sporting event that would emphasize the company's rough-and-ready image and Johns suggested they invent a sport of running and riding based on historical records.
Descriptions of riding and tying can also be found in The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D., Blue Highways, and in A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, "...and I was started homeward again, in company with a brother of the first owner of the drove, with one horse between us; having left my brother to come on with the balance of the company.
I traveled on with my new comrade about three days' journey; but much to his discredit, as I then thought, and still think, he took care all the time to ride, but never to tie; at last I told him to go ahead, and I would come when I got ready."
According to the official rules, partners must change possession of the horse at least 6 times, but there is no upper limit on the number of exchanges that can be made.
A team that is interested in being 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).
There are no qualifying standards for the World Championships, other than the normal condition that the horse must pass a pre-ride vet check.
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.
8 ft. (2.4 m) long and is often made of a light-weight climbing rope with a carabiner on one end to make tying and untying easier.
Almost all ride and tiers have water bottle holders on their saddles and some wear hydration systems on their own bodies in case they get separated from the horse for longer than intended.
Gordy Ainsleigh is one of the most well-known ride and tiers, as he also inspired the creation of the Western States Endurance Run.
Jim Howard has won many Ride and Tie World Championships, as well as two Western States 100 mile runs (1981 and 1983).