2026 - 2027 Board Members
Reach the Board by emailing qser-board@googlegroups.com - we’d love to hear from you!
Elaine Elbizri
At age 11-15 my first experience of riding fast and furious would be riding my pony chasing my father on his 16 h thoroughbred, for fear of being lost. We were chasing unfortunate foxes across the English countryside in the 1950s. Fast forward to arrival in California 1989, in the library I found Endurance & Competitive Trail Riding by Wentworth & Linda Tellington and thought how cool is that. Next I met Tracy Hofstrand. She found me my first horse Katie and became a great mentor. She got me through my first LDs at Grant Ranch, Quicksilver, Calero, Mount Diablo, Fort Ord; Fireworks was my first 50, how cool was that; all these fantastic rides within a few miles of Indian Hills Ranch in Milpitas where I kept Katie and later Bella. Riding the Pony Express for two weeks with Judith Ogus in 2013 got me truly hooked. I got Bella from Becky Hart in 2017 our first ride together was Harvey Bear. Bella and I have progressed and matured into a great endurance partnership having completed nearly 1000 miles together. Now I look forward to my new adventure on the QSER board.
Magda Bartilsson
I have always loved horses, grew up in Sweden riding Gotland ponies, and came to California 30 years ago for a career as a biotech scientist. After I bought my first horse, Jacob, a black Morgan horse, we became a team for trail patrolling at Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, and that's how I got to know the extensive network of bay area trails. No trail ride was ever long enough or fast enough, and I realized I wanted to become an endurance rider. Twelve years ago, I started Bay Area Ridge Riders (BARR), a riding club that provides members with guided trail rides and coaching for endurance competition, providing horseback riders with a way to get introduced to the sport of endurance without owning their own horses. Ridge Ranch is located in Los Gatos Mountains, and is home for BARR's twelve horses, myself and my husband, and two energetic German Shepherd/Huskie rescue dogs.
Jerry Wittenauer
Jerry Wittenauer - enjoying a second life in “Endurance” after a decade of Ultrarunning in the 90’s – is now entering his 6th season as an Endurance Rider with his best friend “Carlos”. Carlos will be 10 years old in May 2021, and has just over 1000 AERC miles, including multiple 100 mile rides and a successful completion of the 2019 Tevis Ride. Jerry did not discover horses until in his 50’s, and Carlos is his first horse. He thinks that every day is a chance to learn more about these magnificent animals and how to prepare and succeed in the challenging sport of Endurance. He boards his horse at his home in Los Altos Hills and trains extensively in the open space preserves on the Peninsula. Jerry serves as the Ride Secretary for the annual Quicksilver Fall Classic. Aside from his support to the Quicksilver Endurance Riders, Jerry devotes much of his time to preserving and advancing equestrian sports in our area – including serving as the President of the Los Altos Hills Horsemen’s Association (LAHHA), Secretary for the Equestrian Trails Riders Action Committee (ETRAC), and is a member of the Western States Trail Foundation Board of Governors. He looks forward to joining the QSER Board and helping to continue the proud traditions of this club!
Brian Reeves
I am married with a great wife and son. I started in endurance in 1989, and my wife and became members of QSER in 1990.
I have been a past President, Vice-President, and a member of the board, some several times.
I have managed the Quicksilver Fall Classic Endurance Ride 10 or 12 years in total, and continue putting on rides every year, most notably the 20 Mule Team 100/65/35 ride.
I have been given the honor by the club of receiving the Eleanor Norton Award, and being inducted into the QSER Hall of Fame.
I have crewed, ridden, worked, and managed rides (both domestic and international) and will continue doing so to further the sport as long as I am able.
Rachel Miura
I grew up in Placerville, CA and was lucky enough to have a horse of my own as a kid and be part of the local 4-H and Pony Club. I rode off and on in my 20s and 30s and then started riding more regularly in 2013, taking lessons and also riding with Bay Area Ridge Riders. In 2020 I got a horse of my own - Theodore the Wonder Horse, a part Shagya-Arabian gelding. Our first endurance season was 2021 and we've been learning loads and having fun since then! I am excited to be part of a local endurance riding community and to contribute to the advancement of our sport.