There was South Coast success in the Currowan Endurance Ride held in Nelligen at the weekend, with riders from the area taking out the Middleweight and Junior categories.
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Clare Feary from Wandandian topped the middleweight category while Levi Robinson from Nowra was crowned Best Junior.
Clare’s horse, Die Kinder Junrei, was also named Best Conditioned.
Nearly 100 horses were treated to near perfect conditions for the event, which ran across Saturday and Sunday.
It is one of four endurance rides held through the year by the South Coast Zone branch of the NSW Endurance Riding Association.
Organiser Jenny Shepheard said it was great to see so many people from the region get involved.
“It used to be that we would just get riders from association coming to compete, but now we have locals coming to check it out, which is nice,” she said.
“This has been the second year in which we have had a 10km race and I think that is part of the reason why we have more people coming to have a try.
“Our youngest rider was six years and we had a few in their 70s so it was a really diverse mix. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.”
The event consisted of four divisions including Heavyweight, Middleweight, Lightweight and Junior.
It was the juniors who were up first on the Saturday while the 20km/40km/80km rides were staged on the Sunday.
The other winners to come out of the weekend were Jasmine Thompson who won the heavyweight category with her horse, Shagrir’s Gift, and Fia Hasko-Stewart who topped lightweight division with her horse, Brookleigh Shiralee.
It wasn’t just about horse riding, with a raffle held on Saturday night featuring a seafood platter.
Mrs Shepheard said the raffle is often a highlight for visiting riders.
“We have a lot of inland riders compete who aren’t used to having fresh seafood so they love it,” she said.
“It is one of a number of donations we receive which makes the ride what it is.
"We want to say a massive thank you to Peter Fortuna for allowing us to use his property.
“The paddock just off the Highway was perfect as a base camp for the riders. If it wan’t for that, the event wouldn’t have been able to go ahead.”
Next up on the NSWERA calendar is the Wandandian Endurance Ride which will take place on the weekend of July 16.
There will be a 5km Tiny Tots ride on the Saturday while the 20km/40km/80km rides will be staged on Sunday.
The event is to be held at Jannung Lane just south of the Sussex Inlet turnoff.
For more information, contact Clare Feary at fearyclare@gmail.com.
