Endurance. It may be only one word but to me, it means a lifestyle. I'm Sarah Jack, a 16-year-old junior in the Northeast. I have been riding since I was six months old when I was introduced to my pony, Captain. I have been competing in endurance for the past four years and I ride a 19-year-old Arabian gelding named Linkk. He is my dearest companion and probably my truest friend.

Linkk was given to me when I was 2 years old and he was 6. My grandmother picked him up in Florida when she was searching for a horse for herself. At the time he was an unbroken stallion but by the time he came to Maine, he was a lovely gelding and ride-able Arabian. Not long after, I was riding him with a lead line attached and a walker by my side.

I have been blessed in many ways, though, and many doors have been opened for me.

When I was 10, I did my first competitive trail ride in Waterford, Maine. I was hooked. Three years later I did my first 50Ñin 102¡ weather. Even then there was no turning back. That same year I rode in the last year of the Northeast Challenge, a ride which some compared to the Old Dominion for toughness.

Linkk and I have been through a lot together. We have ridden through a torrential downpour where he got me through a lightning storm right over out heads and blowing down trees all around us in Vermont, we have ridden through 100¡+ heat, we have competed in a continuous horizontal downpour and we have completed our first 100 together.

In 2007, when I was 14 and he was 18, we attempted and completed our first 100-mile endurance ride at the Pinetree 100. There were a few people that doubted us due to his age but it was our fantastic sponsor, Kathy Brunjes, that got us through.

When I got to the campground, I found out there was going to be another junior riding with us by the name of Meghan Delp. Later, there was a joke between us that we wanted to kick each other off each other's horses so we would be the only junior. Once we met each other we immediately became great friends and were ready to take on the ride.

I was extremely lucky when Kathy graciously offered to sponsor me and Meghan. Kathy was riding Linkk's nephew, Luke (Lazaar). The 100 couldn't have gone better and we completed it in 14:34. It was a dream come true.

The endurance bug was planted and I am so ready to do another one. Sadly though, Linkk will not be doing another 100. He'll be 20 next year and his endurance career has been limited to 50 milers.

I have been blessed in many ways, though, and many doors have been opened for me. I was given the opportunity to ride Tom Hutchinson's and Kathy's horses for them at the 2007 Western Maine 250, where I rode Luke for one of the days. At the NEATO Escoheag ride, I rode their horse Tektonic. I got my first taste of the fast lane there as Tom sponsored me. However, this time I had more company which included Lindsey Bean, a former junior rider of Kathy's, and Heather and Jeremy Reynolds.

Last year, though, I was given the true racing bug. Since Linkk was 19, I didn't dare ask him to do more than one or two days at the Western Maine 250. I rode him the first day and placed sixth, and I was going to take him out the fourth day but Steve Rojek offered me his horse, SR Gibralter (Rocky). I rode with Steve, Hernan Barbosa, and Kelley Bentley. It was probably the most exhilarating and amazing thing I have ever done.

But that wasn't the fastest one. Claire Godwin offered me her majestic steed, PL Mercury. That little 14.1-hand Arabian loves to canter. Once again, I rode with Steve and Hernan. This time, I had some more company which included Lindsey Bean, a former junior rider of Kathy's, and Heather and Jeremy Reynolds who also rode with us. We won that day, and that ride came in a close second favorite of the season for me next to my ride on Rocky. I was amazed at how easy it was for Mercury keep up with the big boys.

There have been a few times where life hadn't been so perfect. I broke my wrist when Linkk decided he wanted to drop his shoulder and see me on the ground. And in 2007 on the way to the Vermont 100, Linkk wrenched his neck in the trailer and couldn't compete in the Vermont Moonlight 50. At the Western Maine, when I completed the 50, Linkk started acting weird and the vet suggested we hook him up to the IV. There went any chance of doing another 50 that week, but the good news was that he was perfectly fine afterwards.

In summary, endurance is so much a part of my life. I may only be able to compete in a few rides a year but it's enough to keep me happy and satisfied. Don't get me wrong, I would do more if the opportunity arose but with an older Arabian, even if he seems like he'll go on forever, I have to keep the safety and health of my trusted friend in mind.

My goals are simple: to stay involved with the sport for years to come and, if I reach my dreams of getting to the international level, then luck is just running my way. But, hey, I'm only 16 and one never knows what tomorrow may bring.

All and all, all I want to say is thank you to my sponsors and to all of those who have been helping to support my dream along the way. And don't worry (or maybe you should), you'll continue to see me out there.