Press
release – Dartmoor Training Ride
Riding on Dartmoor, particularly the colder northern
side, can often be a daunting prospect, especially
at the end of February. Despite a thick mist and
chilly drizzle 30 undaunted endurance riders set
off from Okehampton camp on Sunday morning for
a 14 mile training ride across Dartmoor.
As they left at 9.50 am, the first riders could
see nothing of the Moor and were only able to see
the orange flag immediately ahead, flapping in
the wind.
“They have all been told to stick to the
tracks, and where the route leaves the track to
concentrate and ride from flag to flag,” said
Ride Organiser and Chairman of the South West Endurance
Group, Jo Chisholm, as she watched the pairs of
riders leave the venue and vanish into the mist,
heading towards Meldon Dam.
“It was fine yesterday and it probably will
be again tomorrow but today it’s a real test
of endurance. The going is good but in places there
are still drifts of snow on some of the slopes.”
Fortunately for the horses and their riders, the
cloud began to lift as they rode down the steep
hill to Meldon reservoir and by the time they had
dismounted to cross the dam on foot and were heading
along the bridleway towards Sourton Down, the visibility
was improving and they could see the route ahead.
By the time, the last riders had reached Higher
Nodden and Checkpoint 2, the last of the cloud
had lifted and for a while there was some sunshine,
before more heavy cloud swept in from the south
west.
Despite the conditions, all the riders competed
the 14 mile route, including several new members.
One of these was Val Jones from Feniton, near
Honiton, riding her ex-racehorse mare, Flying Artist.
“We loved every minute of the ride,” said
Val. “We have done some dressage but Flying
Artist was bored. I started competing at endurance
last summer and she loves bowling along mile after
mile. This year I have become a member of the South
West Endurance Group and intend to do as many rides
as I can.”
The first competitive endurance ride of the season
in the south west will be the Wadebridge Ride on
Sunday 22nd March, which includes a 20 mile Pleasure
Ride.
Non members are always welcome to enter the South
West Group endurance rides. For details of the
Ride Programme for 2009, contact numbers and entry
forms to down load, go to www.endurancegbsouthwest.com
