Why not give endurance riding a go with NSWERA?
Endurance riding is a great opportunity to spend time with your horse in some of the nicest places to ride in Australia. If you like camping with friends and being outdoors, endurance could become your favourite equestrian activity. Endurance is a social sport where you can ride with your friends with lots of opportunities to make new friends. Endurance is a family sport, catering for all ages from young kids to grandparents.
Many different types of horses participate in endurance. Arabian horses are common but you will also see Standardbreds, Anglo Arabs, Quarabs, Thoroughbreds, Stock Horses, various pony breeds, Morgans, Appaloosas, Walers, Saddlebreds, Buckskins, Palominos and Paints.
Endurance riding in Australia began in 1966 when RM Williams, after hearing reports of the 100 mile Tevis Cup in the USA decided to challenge Australian riders to demonstrate if they had the skill and horsemanship of our early pioneers to "ride 100 miles in a day". RM asked his mate Tom Quilty, a great horsesman and cattleman in the Kimberley of WA to support his venture and Tom donated $1000 to pay for the gold Tom Quilty cup and endurance was born in NSW.
Today, endurance rides are run by volunteers on most weekends throughout the year with a break in the summer. Riders can choose from 20 km social rides, training rides that are usually 40 km and endurance rides that can be from 80 km to 160 km in one day! Also on offer are marathon rides like the ultimate test; Shahzada 400 km over five days, held at St. Albans, near Sydney.
Would you like to learn more about endurance riding?
We have a collection of articles and stories to share.
If you would like to see what is involved, read our Starting Out guide.
Interested in joining our association? Download the membership application form. You do not need to become a member to ride - day membership is available for people new to the sport who would like to give it a go.
One feature of endurance is that you are not required to wear a uniform (an approved helmet is compulsory) but we do have a Rule Book to ensure the safety and welfare of all participants, especially the horses.
News and Special Events
updated 2/9/2010
2010 NSW State Championship Ride
The Lachlan endurance Riders Club are hosting the 2010 NSW State Championship ride at Woodstock on the October long weekend (2nd to 4th). For more information and to download the prenomination form for the 160 km ride, go to their website: http://www.lachlanerc.com.au.
For the no frills 80 km ride, prenominate from the prenomination page on this website. Entries for the 80 km ride close on September 27th.
Shahzada
The 2010 Shahzada marathon and mini marathon ride is done and dusted. Congratulations to all who completed and sympathy for those that didn't make it, the 400 km marathon is the ultimate challenge.
Fastest time was Marion Lengronne on Sasam (32.19). Best managed award went to Sue Todd on Shakista.
Results are on the Shahzada website www.shahzadaresults.org
The Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA)
Your state management committee needs your feedback to put together a submission on behalf of NSWERA.
EADRA is a legally binding agreement between the Commonwealth, State, Territory governments and animal industries detailing what will happen if a serious disease occurs (an ‘Emergency Animal Disease’ or EAD) that could affect one or more animal industries, could harm people or else could seriously affect Australia’s ability to trade overseas.
For more information - read the Animal Health Australia website about EADRA and what it means and consider how we should pay for the levy as horse owners.
Please provide feedback by filling in the comments space on the feedback page.
Want to try endurance riding?
Neroli Cooper's poster promoting endurance riding is now available from the Forms page in the section for ride organisers. You don't have to be a ride organiser to use this colourful poster, anyone can spread the word about our great equestrian sport. There are two versions - a low resolution pdf (566 KB) for those who may have trouble downloading large files and the high resolution pdf version, 4.4 MB.
Find a colour printer and you are set.
Rider's health article
Added to the list of articles is one on head injuries and dehydration at endurance rides by retired Anaesthetic Nurse, Lyn Taylor who has over 20 years of working in operating theatres and is now an enthusiastic TPR and helper at many endurance rides with husband Mike. Lyn explains why taking Nurofen or Ibuprofen is a bad choice when there is a head injury and how to prevent dehydration. Information provided is from various sources including the Australian Sports Institute. This is very important for Shahzada participants!
2011 NSW State Championship EOI
NSWERA is calling for expressions of interest from any club to host the 2011 State Championship ride. Submit a EOI form, closing date is 30/09/2010. If you are interested in seeing the results from previous NSW State Championships, you will find them on the same page as the pointscores.
Updates
2/9 - Freemantle results addeded to calendar.
1/9 - Upper Murray results addeded to calendar.
20/8 - Ride results for Tooraweenah and Coolamon and Manilla preview added to calendar.
18/8 - Kiwarrak Cup preview linked to calendar.
10/8 - Lyn Taylor's rider's health article added to the articles section.
9/8 - Cedar Ridge ride previews and Putty Zone 1 Championship ride results added to calendar.
2/8 - Newsletter uploaded and Bago Bush, Wauchope results added to calendar.
Most of the files available from this website are Adobe Acrobat (pdf) documents. You can get the latest version from the Adobe website.
Website by Carol Layton 2010
web@nswera.asn.au