Canada: Riders, horses to test their limits

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By ERIKA GLASBERG, EGLASBERG@STANDARD-FREEHOLDER.COM

CORNWALL – Several passionate horseback riders from the area are getting ready for some serious riding as the Seaway Valley Arabian Horse Association hosts their International Endurance ride later this year in Finch.

The endurance race will be the third one held by the club but the only endurance race held in Ontario in 2012, one of three held in Canada and one of 11 races in North America.

“Usually in Ontario we try to have one international ride a year and nobody was stepping up to the plate,” said Dessia Miller, president of the club.

The races that are being held are in the one and two star levels.

In order for riders to qualify for the championship races (known as the four star level), they have to go through the star system.

The one star level requires the rider to complete an 80 km run at slower than 16 km an hour.

The two star level is a 120 km course with no speed restrictions.

The three star level is a 160 km course with no speed restrictions and finally, the four star level requires riders to complete a 160 km course in under 12 hours...

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