How A Free Craigslist Horse Became A Champion

For those that think you need to be rich to buy a champion horse, think again! Sanoma Blakeley found her winner on Craigslist. He was free! The duo competed and won a 100-mile endurance race known as the Tevis Cup. This historical race is one of the toughest of its kind. It takes real grit and determination- both of what Sanoma and her horse had.

A Unique Story

The story of these two begins in 2011 when Sanoma's father found a free Craigslist horse. Goober was an almost 2 year old, at the time. He was a gorgeous Arabian, but had OCD in his stifles and wasn't the easiest horse. After years of growing, rehab, and training, Sanoma began to race with him.

On the day they won, Sanoma mentioned how strong he felt. His pulse rate would drop quickly during the vet checks, which allowed them to get a head start on the other horses. It was a close race, but the duo pulled it off! Sanoma became the youngest female rider to win the Tevis Cup.

She recently published a book entitled, Chasing Dreams.

You can watch more of her story on Central Oregon Daily News.