Times-age.co.nz - Full ArticleAug 9, 2017
JAKE BELESKI
jake.beleski@age.co.nz
Most of us have never ridden the distance between Masterton and Wellington on horseback, but that is exactly what Wairarapa College’s Ana Whitehead will be doing next week.
A straight line between the two places is an 81km trip, and at next week’s trans-Tasman endurance equestrian event in Queensland she will be competing in an 85km ride.
Whitehead is from Tinui, but is now in Year 10 and boarding at Waicol.
She was part of the four-strong team named to head across the Tasman next week, with the other riders coming from Raetihi, Fairlie and Marlborough.
Ana said yesterday she completed her first endurance ride when she was 10 years old, and was excited to compete at an international level.
“The opportunity only came up recently — it was kind of a quick process,” she said.
“It was definitely something I wanted to try and achieve — it’ll be a great experience.”
She has competed in Australia before — in the Southern Cross Challenge — but said that was a junior event and a bit more “low-key”.
One of the biggest challenges she will face is adapting to a new horse, which she will only meet when she gets off the plane in Australia.
“I get to ride it a couple of times and then ride it in the event straight away which is a bit daunting,” she said...
Read more here:
http://times-age.co.nz/endurance-put-test/
