1st March 2010: Press Release from PR Officer Peter Jeffery of Jeffery Communications:
Writers to take part in Golden Horseshoe Ride
Editors from some of the country’s leading equestrian magazines and websites have said they will ride at this year’s Golden Horseshoe Ride over Exmoor.
The Ride’s organising committee has put on an extra class of 25 miles for the journalists. They will be escorted by riders from Endurance GB’s – the sports UK governing body – Elite Squad. These are horse-and-rider combinations from which the British endurance team will be chosen for the World Championships in Kentucky.
The Golden Horseshoe Ride, May 16-18, will again start and finish from the show field at Exford and will attract leading endurance riders from all over the country.
Classes which will attract the cream of the sport, will be.-
* 160kms (100 miles), 80 kms on each of two consecutive days, in the Golden Horseshoe class
* 120kms (75 miles), 80kms on day one and 40kms on day two, in the Exmoor Stag class
* 80kms (50 miles), 40kms on each of two consecutive days, in the Exmoor Experience class
* 80kms (50 miles) in one day for the Exmoor Eighty class.
The route – which changes every year – will include Withypool Hill, Landacre Bridge Two Moors Way to Simonsbath then the Tarka Trail to Cheriton Ridge. Brendon Two Gates then north to Malmsmead for the halfway halt. It will then go along part of the southwest coast path to Pittcombe Head, into Hawk combe and up onto Ley Hill, Horner Woods, around the southern side of Dunkery, Luckwell Bridge, Stone Down and back through Exford to the venue.
The 40kms route will leave the main course in Doone Country and covers Larkbarrow and Almsworthy Common before meeting back up with the main route at Hillhead Cross to finish though the village.
Also on the programme, on May 16, will be a 15-mile sponsored ride in aid of the Moorland Mousie Trust and the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and the Golden Horseshoe Run, in aid of leukaemia research, when up to 100 runners will take on 14 miles of the 100-mile course. They will start 30 minutes before riders in the first class.
25th February 2010: Details and an entry form for the 'Kentucky Walk' are now available to download - see the news item below. Also now available is the order form for the fabulous Golden Horseshoe jacket - get your orders in now and collect the jacket when you arrive at the venue!
11th February 2010. Kentucky Fund Raising: As usual, the Horseshoe OC likes to do things differently, so our fundraiser is not a Sponsored Ride. Instead it is a Sponsored Walk! Over the weekend of 17th/18th April, you can walk half of this year's Golden Horseshoe Ride route, accompanied by a guide. Entry fee is £10 and you will need to gain a minimum of £15 sponsorship to take part. Approximately 12/13 miles will be covered on each day, with refreshments provided en route. Take this opportunity to:
** Check out this year's course
** Get yourself fit
** See the fabulous views you don't have time to appreciate when competing
28th January 2010: Ian and Barbara have been out checking more of this year's route down in Horner Woods. (Check out Barbara promoting the Golden Horseshoe Jackets, which will once again be available to pre-order and collect at the Horseshoe!)
20th January 2010: If you have queries about Golden Horseshoe before the opening date for entries (22nd February), please contact the Ride Organiser, Barbara Wigley.
Top feed specialist to support Golden Horseshoe
Leading feed specialist Dodson & Horrell is to support the 2010 Golden Horseshoe Ride over Exmoor.
The company is supporting the specially-prepared vetting area and the six veterinary surgeons who will examine horses and ponies before and after each day’s competition and at various points on course.
Barbara Wigley, who chairs the organising committee for the ride – scheduled this year for May 16-18 – said: “Funding for the Golden Horseshoe Ride becomes more crucial year by year. For us to get support from a major company like Dodson & Horrell is not only a practical help but an acknowledgment that endurance riding generally is being recognised as a national equestrian discipline.”
Dodson & Horrell will also supply tubs of Surelyte, a comprehensive blend of electrolyte salts, as prizes in kind for various competition and condition awards, along with goody bags for all competing riders.
9th January 2010: How about entering the 24km Pleasure Ride on Sunday 16th May when you can choose your charity to support - or even the Trail Run!? Entry forms and additional details are available on the Schedule page.
31st December 2009: The latest news from Ride Organiser, Barbara Wigley, is that the Exmoor National Park Authority have agreed to produce the maps for us again for 2010 - you may remember that they were absolutely fantastic maps last year when the ENPA dealt with them! Barbara also reports that it will not be necessary this year for horses to have 'flu vaccinations to enter the ride. However, individual stable owners may require this, and it is up to each rider to check when booking their stabling whether or not they need proof of vaccination.
8th December 2009: The Horseshoe Training Ride will be held on Saturday 27th February 2010 - the venue is Thornmead, outside Exford,
which will give riders an opportunity to see part of the 2010 Golden Horseshoe route. More details can be found on the Wessex EGB website Rides and Events page.
30th November 2009: The Golden Horseshoe Raffle was drawn at the EGB Awards Dinner on Saturday 28th November. Prizewinners were as follows: Steve Bates (0951) won the Holiday in Tenerife; Mrs Cane (0824) from Minehead won the French Gite holiday; Carl Langley (421) won the Holiday in Dorset; Nicky Sherry (134) won the Dunster Beach Chalet holiday and Carole Davies (745) won the Exmoor B&B holiday. Congratulations to all the winners and many thanks to all who took part.
The Trail Run, which was introduced in 2009 preceding the Pleasure Ride on the Sunday morning, will become a sponsored event in 2010 in aid of Leukaemia Research - more details to follow.
A few details are emerging about the route for 2010 - halfway will be at Malmsmead and the route will be going through/past Simonsbath, Brendon Two Gates, Doone Valley, SW Coast Path, the Icecream Car Park (!), Hawkcombe, Horner Woods, Luckwell Bridge and Exford Village ............. sounds intriguing and there will be more details in due course!! Keep watching the website for further information.
