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2009 Christiana
The ride is regarded as one of the premier rides in Southern Africa. This year the ride will take place from 7-10 May 2009 at the new Protea Hotel in Christiana.
The ride base is approximately 380 km from Johannesburg and 90 km from Kimberley, which is also the closest airport. The route runs mainly through the game park which gives the riders the opportunity to do game viewing while competing. The riders can expect to see rhino, giraffe, eland, wildebees and a lot of other antelope species while riding.
The Protea hotel at the ride base have just been completed after renovations that took nearly 18 months. The hotel has 46 luxury rooms and 2 VIP suites. The restaurant, health spa, hot water spring baths and other magnificent facilities truly makes it a world class venue for an endurance ride.
Like previous years the ride will host riders and officials from no less than 13 different countries. These countries include Argentina, Botswana, Chile, France, Italy, Malaysia, Namibia, Uruguay, Slovakia, South Africa, Qatar, United Kingdom and the U.A.E.
Another new innovation is the online entry system. This entry system was used at the recent World Endurance Championship in Malaysia. Riders can simply go to www.christiana-sa.com, select "submit entries" (no username or password is required ). All the details of the rider, horse and companions can be entered in this section. The entries for the ride will close on Monday 4 May 2009. For details on the entry fees go to the drop down menu under Christiana 2009 above.
2009 Christiana Ride
We are in the plane returning from Christiana, it was an amazing trip and Zulu took care of us in every minute. We were a lot of foreign riders from Italy, France, Slovakia, Malaysia, Chile, Uruguay, Zimbaue and Argentina.
We arrived with Edu the Saturday before the ride to have the chance to go to the Kruger Park in the north of the country. Zulu was waiting in the airport with a van ready to take us there so we start our adventure. It was the most great week in my life. We had the chance to be in that huge game park ( 2.400.000 hectares) viewing elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, lyons, rhinos and many, many more species, all them looking good and relaxed in a place full of good pastures and beautiful trees.
After three days the van took us to Christiana were we met the rest of the riders. I was so glad to see again all of Zulu's quarantine team that took care of us so well in Malaysia, specially Rolouf, Ross, Katie and Peter. At that time I didn't know which would be my horse, but he was supposed to be strong because he rode last month with Zulu 32 km!!! Then I met the famous Benie!!!, that was of my friend Rulouf.
In Christiana the accommodation was more than perfect in the beautiful Protea Hotel, brand new, which was the main sponsor. Inside the Protea's game park was the ride, so many time we were crossing with giraffes, monkeys, rhinos, etc.
It was a hard and technical ride with a lot of turns and changing of foot all the time. The weather was perfect and I enjoy of the ride a lot.
After the ride we went to Zulu's house for 2 days where we met Caroline, and Zulu's dauthers. It is so wonderful a family that was hard to say good bye. My thanks to them and congratulations to Zulu for the spectacular ride!!!!
Mercedes Tapia - Argentina
17 May, 2009
Ina-Marie wins 160 km
Ina-Marie Bryer on her horse Riyal Solarmatla, won the 160 km race in Christiana in a time of 10hrs 5mins 58 secs at an average speed of 15.843 km/h. This is Ina-Marie's first win over this distance. The race was run in very mild temperatures. The early morning temperature dropped down to 6 degrees while the afternoon temperature rose to 24 degrees.
Only four horses started the 160 at 01h00. Lani Pienaar on her young horse Arkab Zaring was the first to be eliminated from the race after the second phase. Eone Willemse on Lady Chalo failed to qualify for the 4th phase while Danie Smit from Botswana, on Farasdak, failed to qualify for the 5th phase. This left Ina-Marie as the only rider to complete.
The CEI** 120 km had 43 starters. The race was run at a very high speed which showed in the results as only 14 horses completed the race. The race was won by Juan Steenkamp on his horse Ramkat in a time of 6 hrs 11 min 22 secs. While the winning speed is less than the previous year, the overall speed for the riders that completed was much higher than 2008. This, coupled with the technical course and the chilly temperatures contibuted to the high number of horses not completing the race.
The CEI-JY** 120 km race was won by Hendrik van Romburgh on Sabre in a very fast time of 6 hrs 1 min 10 secs. The speed was a little slower than the year before but once again the average speed of the four riders that completed the race was faster.
The CEI* 80 km turned out to be a fierce race. Fifty five horses started the race and 38 completed. The winner was Ami de Wet (Jnr) on his horse Jozami Ska- Rumba. They won the race in a time of 3 hrs 28 mins 13 secs at an average speed of 23.053 km/h. This is more than 3 km/h faster than the previous year.
The CEI-JY8 80 km was won by Jualise Coetzer on her horse Yentl Hannah in a time of 4hrs 30 min 54 secs.
The total completion rate for the ride was 53%.
The full results and a comprehensive report on the ride will be posted on the website shortly.