New Class helps secure Golden Horseshoe's future
The Exmoor Experience class, introduced into the Golden Horseshoe Ride programme last year, could have a long-term effect on the 100-mile Golden Horseshoe Ride over Exmoor, one of the most demanding on the endurance calendar.
The class, 50 miles (80k) over two days, 25 miles on each day, was introduced last year to encourage riders who may not have previously tried two consecutive days over the particularly demanding Exmoor terrain.
"The number of horses and riders qualified to take on our 100 mile ride is never going to be really high," said organiser Barbara Wigley, "but we believe that the Experience class will encourage more people and given them an idea of how fit their horses must be to take on Exmoor.
"Entries this year are really encouraging, and I am sure there are more to come.
"The Golden Horseshoe Ride is the high point of endurance riding in this country and it has a great reputation abroad. We are trying to do everything we can to make sure it continues going from strength to strength."
Mrs Wigley reports that interest this year is high, and she expects overall entries to possibly exceed those for 2007. The coverage by BBC Television's Countryfile programme has helped, she says, and people from all over the country have been asking for information.
The programme's reporter, Adam Henson, has been followed by cameras as he learns to deal with the demands of endurance riding and strives to improve his own fitness.
"Not only have we had more calls from endurance riders, but also from people who want to take up the sport and come to Exmoor to compete," said Mrs Wigley.
The Ride, which will start from a new venue in Exford, Somerset, on May 11, will be over a new route. This will take in open moorland, steep climbs and descents, river crossings, and deep wooded combes and will include Winsford Hill, Withypool Common, Horsen Hill, Pickedstones, parts of the Tarka Trail, Cheriton Ridge, part of the Doone Valley, Robbers Bridge, Porlock Common and Wilmersham Common.
The halfway halt will be at Honeymead, on land owned by Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen. Sir Stephen has been given special dispensation by the sport's
governing body, Endurance GB, to ride the 100-mile route in aid of one of his favourite local charities - the Honeymead Arts Trust.
A pleasure and sponsored ride is included on Sunday, May 11. This is in two
sections, one of 10 miles in aid of the Moorland Mousie Trust and the other of 16 miles where proceeds will be donated to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. "I think it is safe to say that this will attract the maximum 120 entries we are allowed," said Mrs Wigley.
On the same day, there will be a series of displays which will include a parade of black Arabian horses from Court Farm, Exford, a ridden display by Kirsty Wiscombe on her stallion, Yawl Hillbilly, and a ridden parade of Arabians from Broford Stud , which is based just outside Winsford . The programme ends with a dog agility display organised by Julie Dare from Wheddon Cross.
On Monday, May 12, the first horse in the Golden Horse Ride 100-mile class will start at 7.30am, immediately followed by the Exmoor Stag class (50 miles on day one and 25 on day 2). The Exmoor Experience class will send the first horse away at 10.30am.
The first horse away on Tuesday May 13, will be for the 100-mile class at 7.30am, followed by the starters in the one day, 50-mile Exmoor Eighty class. The Exmoor Experience will start its final day at 10.30am.
The route to the new venue, the area used for the well known Exford Show, will be signposted from Exford Village centre.
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