Hal Hall shown here speaking to the audience at Auburn’s
Endurance Zone commemorative tile dedication ceremony.

May 10, 2019

Ms. Amy Lind, City Clerk Auburn City Hall
City Council and Endurance Capital Committee>
1225 Lincoln Way
Auburn, California 95603

Dear Ms. Lind:

Please extend my sincere appreciation to both the Auburn City Council and Endurance Capital Committee for the honor bestowed upon me with the commemorative tile and ceremony in Auburn’s historic Center Square on April 13, 2019. As an Auburn native with a long history with the annual Tevis Cup 100 Mile One Day Ride, this honor has a special meaning.

Over the past several years, whenever my family and I visited Auburn’s Central Square, I am reminded of an experience that I had when I was one of three Americans invited to compete in the 100-mile (160 km) United Arab Emirates (UAE) President’s Cup endurance contest near Alm Dhabi in February 2002. A few days after arriving in this Middle Eastern country, I was asked by our host, the son of the UAE President, if I would also consider competing with his young Arabian mare on her first 50-mile endurance event in the desert outside of Dubai, UAE. I gladly accepted.  While unsaddling the horse at the finish line after successfully completing the 50-mile course, I noticed there was a sign located at the base of a wooden tower at one end of the finish line. The sign read, Dubai – Endurance Capital of the World. Coincidentally, this was the same year that Auburn’s Endurance Capital of the World was founded.

I thought then, as I do now, that while Dubai has a lot to brag about – the world’s richest golf and tennis tournament, thoroughbred horse race, etc. – the City of Auburn can take pride in knowing that Dubai has nothing compared to what has been established with the Central Square Endurance Zone thanks to the years of accomplishments by Auburn’s Endurance Capital Committee. I could not be more proud of being a commemorative Endurance Capital of the World tile recipient. Thank you.

Amy, please feel free to share my letter with the members of both the City Council and Endurance Capital Committee.

Sincerely yours,