09/11/2025
Sanoma Blakeley and her horse Goober defied all odds to win the world’s toughest 100-mile endurance race.
A Dream Saddled Early
For Sanoma Blakeley of Terrebonne, Oregon, horses have been part of life for as long as she can remember.
She rode her first endurance race at just seven years old, completed her first 50-mile ride by eight, and by 12, she was already testing herself in the legendary Tevis Cup.
The Tevis Cup is widely regarded as the most grueling endurance horse race in the world, a 100-mile trek across the Sierra Nevada Mountains, with nearly 20,000 feet of elevation gain, river crossings, and steep canyons. Fewer than half the riders finish in the allotted 24 hours.
But Sanoma’s story isn’t just about her determination. It’s also about an unlikely partner named Goober.
Goober: The Horse Nobody Wanted
Goober wasn’t a champion bloodline stallion or an expensive acquisition. He was a free c**t listed on Craigslist, “too much baggage,” his previous owner wrote. Sanoma’s family saw potential where others saw problems and adopted him.
Goober turned out to be more than a rescue. With a mischievous streak, untying horses, stealing blankets, and getting away with everything, he also had a boundless heart for racing.
By 2019, when Sanoma was 18, the pair decided to try Tevis again. She had attempted the race before and failed to finish, but with Goober, she believed things could be different.
An Underdog Victory
The race began before dawn near Truckee, California. Over 180 horses set out, but fewer than 100 crossed the finish line. For 16 hours, Sanoma and Goober battled the brutal terrain, climbing canyons and pressing through darkness.
By mile 94, they were in striking distance of the leaders. With just six miles left, Sanoma found herself neck and neck with three-time Tevis Cup champion Jeremy Reynolds.
“We were running our horses as fast as they were willing to go,” she recalled. Goober’s endurance and quick recovery at veterinary stops had given them an edge all day.
After 100 miles and 14 hours of racing, they surged ahead, finishing just a horse length in front. At 18, Sanoma became the youngest woman ever to win the Tevis Cup.
A Story Worth Telling
The victory was more than a medal. It was the culmination of years of training, two failed attempts, and the belief that a horse no one wanted could become a champion.
“It was just a lot of time conditioning,” Sanoma said. “You get out what you put in.”
Now 22, she has completed 91 endurance races with 31 different horses and turned her 2019 triumph into a memoir, Chasing Dreams: The True Story of the Youngest Female Tevis Cup Champion.
She admits writing the book was almost as challenging as the race itself, but worth it to share their journey.
Goober, now 14, is still racing, spoiled, spirited, and adored. “Goober does what Goober wants,” Sanoma jokes, but their bond remains unshakable.
✨ Takeaway: From a free Craigslist c**t to a world champion, Sanoma and Goober’s story is proof that the greatest victories come not from perfect beginnings, but from grit, heart, and believing in the underdog.
