The Sydney Region Endurance Riders club are due to host the annual Mountain Lagoon Endurance Ride this weekend (15 and 16 March) and has been busy marking out tracks, gathering the caterers and sorting out any last-minute hassles.
Only one thing stands in their way – the wet weather associated with cyclone Alfred – but ride secretary Faith Robinson is confident the coming weekend will clear up and the ride will go on.
“Entries have been slow so far,” she said. “I think the cyclone is putting people off, especially given the track record with weather.”
The Mountain Lagoon endurance ride doesn’t just cater for the serious competitors; it also provides a great opportunity for riders to get out and try the sport for the first time.
In the past, the event has been well supported by the Sydney and surrounds equestrian community with a lot of riders outside of endurance world getting out and giving it a go.
The club has put on 20km and 40km rides on both days to cater for all levels of riders and horses before the more serious 80km ride takes place on Sunday.
With equine welfare and participation at the forefront of endurance riding, Robinson said this weekend’s rides will see people stepping into the sport for the first time.
“We aim to introduce new people to endurance as there are many leisure horses near here,” she said.
Adding to the convenient location is the history and landscape of the area. Robinson said it is spectacular and there’s a strong link to some of endurance riding’s most notable events, including the Tom Quilty national championship event and the famous 400km Shahzada marathon.
“This area was the original home of endurance,” she said. “The first Tom Quilty used some of these tracks. The first leg of the 80km is challenging and goes up tracks somewhat similar to Shahzada. It’s all in the same sandstone escarpment landform type.”
For more information or to enter, visit aeraonline.com.au
For more information on endurance riding in NSW and to view coming rides in your area, visit nswera.asn.au
