SOME of the best endurance riders in the South West were at the Wellbeck Equestrian Centre, Exeter, last weekend, to pass on the secrets of their success.

Endurance riders competing internationally in ERs and FEI events ride distances of up to 160km (100 miles) in a day. This demands a very high level of fitness for both horse and rider and is a quite different experience from the graded rides up to 80km (50 miles) that the most endurance riders take part in.

Among the senior and elite endurance riders there was Kay Palme, from Launceston, who demonstrated dressage for the endurance horse, Shepton Mallet's Christine Yeoman, who talked on achieving horse fitness for the longer rides, and Nicky Sherry, from St Breward, who explained the different rules of ERs and crewing essentials for success.

Annie Joppe, of Goonhavern, and Karen Jones, of Culmstock, who are both South West members of the Endurance GB Elite Squad of riders, had brought their horses, Fantom and Macademia, to demonstrate crewing techniques. They also explained their own personal methods of getting fit enough to ride 160km in a day – as demanding as any other athletic discipline.

Organised by Nikki Routledge, herself a very experienced endurance rider, the event was held in aid of the Kentucky Fund to send a British Endurance team to the World Equestrian Games in September. With costs of £20,000 for each horse and rider, all members of Endurance GB are working to raise funds. The South West group have already raised nearly £3,000 with two fund-raising Training Rides still to come.

For details of all endurance rides in the South West, and entry forms to download, visit www.endurancegbsouthwest.co.uk