[RC] Far A Way Easter Endurance Carnival - Part 1 - Jay Randle
Hi All
We all got wet this past weekend. Very very wet. Soaked to the skin, several times. And then a bit wetter, just for fun. Wrinkly feet wet. No dry clothes left. And then wetter.
Yes, it rained for the Far A Way Easter Endurance Carnival. But then with a full moon shining, and the notorious recent Coastal weather conditions, what else would we have expected? I just didn't expect so much of it! :-)
We arrived at the Imbil showgrounds on Wednesday last week in order to set up our campsite in preparation for taking care of 17 horses during the Carnival. With two horses entered in the 320km Marathon, 8 horses in the Saturday 85km ride, 6 in the Monday 84km ride, 1 doing all three days of the 40km rides, and another couple of 40km horses in amongst them, we were up for a busy Easter weekend! And GOSH did we have fun!!!
Tarni Kittel entered the Marathon on Splendacrest Dryad and John Dugan was entered on his lovely big mare Quick & Easy. After 4 days of riding through pretty horrendous wet and slippery conditions, both successfully completed their (and the horses') first Marathon ride! CONGRATULATIONS to Tarni and John for persevering throughout the weekend..... I'm so proud of both of you! Tarni and Dryad finished in 2nd Junior position in 29:08:40 (and Congratulations must go to Davey Anderson on Ashwind for 1st Junior and Line Honours), and also received the Junior Best Managed Horse award. Dryad's logbook is pretty astounding, with only one 'B' listed throughout the entire ride! She was still pulling and bouncing along at the end of the 320km, and was third over the line behind Davey and Marion Lengronne on Sasam (who won 1st Middleweight for the second year in a row).
John and Q&E were part of the successful team that won the Longrun Teams Trophy (thanks to Jackie and Steve Swan), and John did a sterling job throughout the entire ride.
Three of our Thai visitors entered the 84km ride on Saturday, with Prutirat Serireongrith on Rod Strahan's gelding Shardell Prince Valiant, Wipawan Pawitayalarp on Mt Eerwah Silver Mariner, and Supanee Chaiwiroj on Splendacrest Ulysses. Both Prutirat and Wipawan were successful, however unfortunately Supanee had to withdraw after the first 40km due to a previous injury to her foot.
All of our other entries in the Saturday ride were successful, with Gerard Bou taking out 2nd Mwt placing and Best Conditioned Horse on Splendacrest Fiesta (owned by Shigeru Ogawa of Japan), Rod Strahan finishing strongly on his gelding Shardell Azrark, Renae Kuhn placing 5th Mwt on Bourhani Albaraq (owned by Hanna Bourdeaux of Germany), Clio Rauch completing on Belgari Bentley (owned by Riyo Noyori of Japan), and Steph Tulk completing her first 80km ride on Bacchante Silver Lace (owned by Shane Hopkins). Marcia Burger also completed this ride on "Zulu", owned by Kate Gadsby.
On Sunday the weather cleared a little (and we had one period of sunshine for a couple of hours that allowed us to get some of the wet towels dried!), and Clio Rauch saddled up my young gelding Splendacrest Tumbleweed for his first ever outing! (This is my dogger-rescued horse!) Clio escorted a new rider from Thailand, Chaiphat Wongwichit, on her first ever 40km ride, and both were successful.
