An enthusiastic, excited, although slightly apprehensive group of Members of the Tenterfield Endurance Club made the journey down to Wisemans Ferry to compete, strap, volunteer and work at this years Tom Quilty Gold Cup 50th Anniversary.
The ride was at the Del Rio Resort on the banks of the Hawkesbury River. It was a great setting with excellent facilities. Luckily we had good weather for the 6 or 7 days that we were there. Chilly nights and mornings with blue skies through the day, showers only on the night before the ride which made the traffic areas fairly boggy.
Three of our members were riding:
- Caroline Windle on Sarina Rosetta
- Greg Lyon on Chingford Just Dreaming
- Narelle Childs on Halo Kazaam
With a support crew of Michael Combe, Kim Lyon, Rachael Everson-Townsend, Barry & Sue Rhodes and Graham Childs. Colin & Carol Dixon-Smith who were the workers setting up there well stocked Equestrian Store.
The apprehensiveness mentioned earlier was due to the enormous field- 342 starters- the biggest Quilty to date and possibly the largest Endurance field worldwide. As you can imagine the atmosphere was electric for the start of the ride with beautiful, well prepared, super fit Endurance horses, all on their toes anxious to get going, some more than others??
The course proved reasonably challenging and some sections were quite technical which slowed the field down somewhat. Our Club had fantastic success with all the riders completing in good times. :
- Narelle Childs placed 8th MWT in a time of 11H 53m,
- Greg Lyon placed 3rd HWT in a time of 12H 38m
- Caroline Windle placed 11th LWT in a time of 14H 47m
The celebrations at the ‘After Party’ went well into the night. It was hard to believe we had all just been through ‘THE QUILTY’.
