Press
release – Brentor TR
For the members of the South West group of Endurance
GB, the Brentor Training Ride last week, was the
welcome revival of a highly popular north Dartmoor
route.
For the last four years the Brentor
Ride was unable to be held mainly because of
the difficulty of
marking the route on foot – vehicles of any
kind are not allowed onto the moor. This year,
organiser Janet Lander and her team of route markers,
provided both a 10 mile route and a 19 mile route
for riders to choose from.
Next year, if permission is given, they hope to
run a full competitive ride with a vet-gate at
Okehampton Camp and classes ranging from 10 to
50 miles.
The venue, courtesy of Roger and Erica Young,
was also nearer the moor this year, by almost a
mile, cutting down the amount of road work.
The 40 plus riders and their horses
taking part, were divided almost equally between
members and
local pleasure riders out enjoying the sunshine
of the “last day of summer”.
Two members riding were Jan Kane, organiser of
the Camelford endurance ride and Sue Speed, organiser
of the |Minions Ride.
Sue was taking the opportunity
to give her young homebred Arab, Destiny’s
Child, the experience of a short ride, in preparation
for competing next
year.
Jan, whose gelding George II has been competing
in 50 mile ERs this summer, was enjoying a relaxed
hack for a change.
“It’s a glorious ride,” she
said. “We did the longer route, which went
out across the main Tavistock road and around White
Hill.
“ I am really looking forward to coming back next year and, hopefully,
competing over a 50 mile route that will take us right up to Belstone and back.
The riding on this side of Dartmoor is mainly over short cropped turf and sandy
tracks. It drains quickly in the wet and there is some fast going.”
Meantime, it’s a big thank you to all those
who marked the route and provided checkpoints.
It was a wonderful ride, which all who took part
thoroughly enjoyed. Personally, I can’t wait
for next year either.
Sue Speed (left) on her young Arab, Destiny’s
Child, riding with Jan Kane on George II at the Brentor
TR.
Photo by mbaphotos.
Jane Holden
