There was a vibrant festive atmosphere for the tenth birthday of the Wingello Forest Endurance Ride, sparked off by the cheerful and welcoming grins flung generously into every car by the happy and helpful Meet & Greet team.
With a record number of volunteers, the office and vetting areas were a hive of organised activity, helping everyone get out on the trails with a minimum of fuss.
The event catered for all levels of endurance, with youngsters being led around the 5km course by their parents, groups of friends taking their time to enjoy stunning forest trails along the 10km, 20km and 41/61km courses, and a competitive 80km ride with competitors from all over NSW, as well as from Queensland, Victoria, Malaysia, Singapore and Italy. There were a total of 346 entries across the two days of competition.
For those strappers waiting for their riders to return, and those who just came to check it all out, there was a fabulous equestrian market area, a roaring bonfire, great food and coffee, and plenty of horsey eye candy on the go throughout the weekend.
The evening was surprisingly mild for the time of year, and Dave Newman rocked the bonfire on Saturday night before a friendly gang of riders, strappers, volunteers, vets and locals.
All the frills and fun were made possible through fantastic support from our sponsors – The Legendary Endurance Australia, Bare Equestrian, The Un-named Cafe, The Mobile GG Spot, Bowral Co-op, Performa Ride, Your Event Solution, Forestry Corporation, Hogan Planning, New-Moon Stud and Living Horses Graphic Design.
