Australia: Endurance ride in Bago Forest

Wauchopegazette.com

20 Jul, 2011 11:59 PM
AN 80 kilometre endurance horse ride will be held in the Bago Forest later this month.

The ride - called the Bago Bush Ride - is organised by a local committee under the auspices of the NSW Endurance Riders Association, with all proceeds going to support the Riding for the Disabled Wauchope/Port Macquarie Centre.

The ride will be held on July 23 and 24.

The event comprises an 80 km endurance ride, a 40 km training (with a 60 km elevator option) and a 20km social ride. Entrants in the 80km ride must be members of NSWERA and qualified, however the other events are open to any rider.

Endurance riding is a family sport attracting riders of all ages. Riders under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult.

All rides are run under strict veterinary parameters. Again, the ride base will be the Wauchope Saleyards /Pony Club grounds following forest trails with a section through Bago Winery. Ride organizers would like to express their gratitude to both John O'Brien and Jim Mobbs for the use of their properties.

This year we have a celebrity rider, well known ABC radio personality (and horse lover) Fiona Wyllie.

Pre-ride vetting will commence at 1pm on Saturday. 20km entrants, however, may choose to vet from 7am on Sunday with an 8:30am start.

Recently two of the ride committee members tasted great success at the NSW State Championships. This 160km event was held on the June long weekend over challenging terrain at St Albans in the Hawkesbury Valley. Phil Coleman, riding Alnotarj Statistic and Ros Ryan riding Rainbows Reach Scout placed 2nd and 3rd respectively in their divisions. Competitors had to successfully pass the six stringent veterinary checks held throughout the duration of the ride. This was an outstanding achievement considering incessant rain resulted in treacherous conditions. Gary Thomas was another local rider to successfully complete.

Meanwhile members of the RDA Wauchope/Port Macquarie centre competed in the Regional Mounted Games Day hosted by the Manning Great Lakes RDA Centre earlier this month.

Robyn Coombes, RDA Coach for Wauchope/Port Macquarie Centre and Ride Secretary for the Bago ride, took two horses down to be ridden by some of our riders, who travelled down with their families.

It was a great day and our riders and horses won lots of ribbons on the day competing in the Flag Race, Barrel Race, Keyhole and Bending Poles.

For further details of the RDA fundraiser, Bago Bush Ride, contact Robyn Coombes on 6585-6761 or Ros Ryan on 0418 848 019.

For general information on endurance riding (including getting started), visit www.nswera.asn.au