Keen competition expected at Golden Horseshoe

Despite numbers being hit by the long winter holding up fitness preparation, competition is likely to be stiff at this year’s 160k (100 miles) Golden Horseshoe Ride over Exmoor.

Fourteen riders have entered the premier class, eight in the 80k (50 miles) class and an unprecedented 56 in the Exmoor Experience ride of 25 miles on each of two days. The maximum 100 riders have already entered for the 15 mile training/sponsored ride and organisers have opened a waiting list.

“This is much as I expected,” said ride organiser Barbara Wigley. “The terrible weather last winter, which went on and on, held up training programmes for a lot of people and I don’t suppose we are the only early-season ride to suffer on entries for the longer classes.”

The meeting, which runs from May 16 to 18, is again based at Exford, at the heart of Exmoor.

Among the Golden Horseshoe entries is Gillian Talbot and her Arabian Malabar Storm, from Chepstow. Gillian’s experience of the ride goes back to 1993 and includes Gold and Silver awards.

Helen McFarland is travelling her horse, J St Jake from Belfast to take part, while Nikki Routledge has only a few miles to travel from Bampton, to try and better her previous Bronze and Silver medals.

Connie, ridden by Kirsty Wiscombe from Lyme Regis, will be very much at home when she comes to the start, as she has 4000 competitive kilometres on her clock and two silver medals from Exmoor.

Although she has no Exmoor experience, 20-years-old Delorto Zaranz, owned and ridden by Abigail Taylor from Hereford, is no stranger to important occasions. He was British National Champion in 2004, was at the Bahrain World Championships and the President Cup in Abu Dhabi in 2005 and 2006 and the World Equestrian Games in 2002.

In the Exmoor Experience class, 11-years-old Katy Mellor from Shropshire, will be celebrating her twelfth birthday from the back of her pony, Angelina Ginny, while 15-years-old Abby Chisholm and her arab/Thoroughbred cross CFS Diana of Court will be trying to better her Silver award last year.

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Katy, 11, to celebrate her birthday at the Golden Horseshoe Ride

Exmoor ponies break barriers at Golden Horseshoe Ride

Katy Mellor, from Asterton, Shropshire, has found a novel way of celebrating her twelfth birthday this year – riding the first 25 miles of a demanding, two-day, 50-mile endurance ride over Exmoor.

She will be riding her own pony Angelina Ginny, and competing in the Exmoor Experience class at the Golden Horseshoe Ride (May 16 – 18). The class is designedorseH to provide experience of two-day competitive rides over the tough Exmoor terrain and encourage riders to go on in subsequent years and try the famous 100-mile Golden Horseshoe class at the same meeting.

Katy, who broke her pony herself when the mare was only four and completely unhandled, will be accompanied by her mother, Sally, who in 2008 and 2009 took Silver and Gold awards respectively in the same class.

The Golden Horseshoe Ride, based at Exford in the heart of Exmoor, attracts riders from all over the UK and is classed as one of the toughest venues in Europe. Classes offer a test of mileage from 100 miles over two days, 50 miles over two days,  one of 50 and 25 miles on the second day and one of 50 miles in one day.

There is also a 15 miles training and sponsored ride, (in aid of  the Moorland Mousie Trust – a charity dedicated to welfare of the Exmoor ponies – and the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance) and the Golden Horseshoe Run, in aid of leukaemia research, when up to 100 runners will take on 14 miles of the 100-mile course. They will start 30 minutes before riders in the first class.

Vet’s receptionist Mary Hannah, from Brompton Regis, and her Exmoor pony Kingsby Nutmeg – the first Exmoor to complete a competitive ride at the meeting – will be trying to better last year’s Bronze award in the Exmoor Experience class.

The pair may well have competition in coming years. Linzi Green, who works for the  Moorland Mousie Trust will be trying the training ride with a Trust pony she has “homed,” Knightencombe Firecrest (stable name Basil.)

“This is the first Trust pony to attempt endurance competitively,” Linzi says. She is aiming for the the Exmoor Experience class next year – “and perhaps the 100 in years to come.”

Early entries in the 100-mile Golden Horseshoe class demonstrate the challenge of Exmoor. Candy Cameron will be travelling from Scotland, Helen McFarland from Nothern Ireland and Val Cammock from Rutland. Local entries already in include David Yeoman from Somerset and Nikki Routledge from Bampton, Devon.

More…

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Golden Horseshoe Ride to be televised.

BBC Television’s Countryfile programme is planning to cover this year’s Golden Horseshoe Ride over Exmoor, and reporter Adam Henson is training to ride in one of the classes.

Adam, who has never ridden over Exmoor before, visited organiser Barbara Wigley on Monday (11th) to meet the horse he will be riding, the Welsh Cob Windsor, owned by Lucy Allison who runs Wannaroo Farm in Timberscombe.

He is planning to ride in the Exmoor Experience class, which covers 80K (50 miles) over two days, 25 miles on each day.

The Golden Horseshoe Ride will be held at Exford on May 11 – 13, and includes the gruelling 160 kilometre (100 miles) ride over two days, 50 miles on each day.

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