Concrete Cows Endurance Ride

02/11/2023

🎉🏆🐎 𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟯𝟬𝗸𝗺 𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀! 🐎🏆🎉

1st Place 🥇: Sarah Edmond and her amazing partner Paulownia, riding to victory for the FIRST time at this incredible event! 🌟 What an outstanding debut! 👏✨

2nd Place 🥈: Huge congrats to Anna Bridges and her trusty companion Crystal Wissam, showcasing the power of experience and teamwork! 🤝💪 The 2nd place finish was a fantastic way to cap off the season after their 4th place in the 80km CER at Three Rivers in September! 🎉🍂

3rd Place 🥉: Isobel Fleming and her talented partner Prince Caspian, a 17-year-old Connemara pony with an impressive succession of passes, an inspiring performance! 🌟🐴

We caught up with Sarah:

"This was our first time venturing to the Concrete Cows ride, and it did not disappoint - it really is like no other! Polly completed her first 80km at Three Rivers in September, winning her class, and so, having achieved our goals for the year, I fancied a shorter ride to finish off the season.

After some stress at the initial vetting due to her excitement and anxiety resulting in some shakes and a starting heart rate of 62(!) she did me proud, eating up the course, putting up with me getting a bit lost, and barely batting an eye at the strange and spooky things we came across.

Winning the class was the cherry on top of a brilliant year for us both, having achieved a 100% completion rate together, with 3 wins to boot! I couldn't be prouder of her and how far she has come.

Thanks to the Concrete Cows Team for giving up your time to provide a great end to a fantastic season. Despite the challenges the recent weather posed the ride was extremely well organised and enjoyable.

Thanks to my wonderful family, Sam, Helen and Sean, who came out in force to support me, as they always do. Thanks also to Groen Equestrian, Healthy Horse Physiotherapy & Saddlery Services and Adjustable Saddles UK for all of your support behind the scenes. I can't wait until next year to continue to progress and see where the season takes us!”

📸IndiePics Photography

26/10/2023

🏆👏 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗞 𝗘𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲! 🏆👏

Meet the dynamic duo that's taking the endurance world by storm - James Dickinson and Katie Bedwin! 🐎

Katie and her promising mare Jakcora clinched victory in the 40km Novice category, while James triumphed in the 40km Open riding Katie's seasoned 3* mare Elayla. 🥇🥇

The team shares their excitement: "We are over the moon that both our horses won their classes at Concrete Cows. It is the icing on the cake finish, to what has been an amazing season for JK Endurance. 🍰🏇

It was really special that this completion marked 4500km in endurance competition for Elayla. In 2021 and 2022 we had multiple attempts of getting her in foal, which sadly all failed and then in January 2023 she needed surgery for ulcerated sarcoids. We had no idea how she would come back from this, especially as she’s no longer a spring chicken (not that she believes that!). We set out with the goal of allowing her to enjoy being back out and about, and anything else was a bonus. But she clearly still loves her job and has finished her 13th season with EGB, with 4 1st places and 1 2nd.

A huge thank you to Bella and all the volunteers for a fantastic event."

Huge congratulations to James and Katie on their well-deserved victories! 🏅🏅 JK Endurance

26/10/2023

🌟🐎 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝗸𝗺 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀!🐎🌟

The 20km Foundation Class is a brilliant option for new members wanting to be competitive for the first time coming up from pleasure rides and also more experienced combinations wanting to be competitive but at a shorter distance.

This year's winner is none other than , riding her own Clazzic R, a 13-year-old Arab gelding who has faced his share of challenges with injuries. It was truly heartwarming to witness their successful ride.

Rachel shared her emotional journey with us, and it's a story that tugs at the heartstrings:

"‘A day of many happy tears yesterday as my beautiful boy passes his first ride back from injury. With a successful start to the season it quickly ended with Pav sustaining an injury to his leg. With this in mind I had made the decision that although the sport runs like fire in his heart, it was time he retired, my mental health just couldn’t take it anymore.

I had made the decision to get him a friend that would take the pressure off of him. Concrete cows was always supposed to be his new friends ride, but with a little too much silliness along the way, I decided to take Pav to fill in. I never expected the result he has achieved as we only went to have a little fun together. With a starting HR of 34 and a great ride, maybe we will rethink retirement…”

What an inspiring tale, Rachel! 🌈🌠

Another fab photo by IndiePics Photography

25/10/2023

🌟🏇 𝗔 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟯𝟯𝗸𝗺 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀! 🏇🌟

Yet another class that enjoyed an overwhelming show of support! We are thrilled to announce the exceptional results:

🥇 First Place:
Karen Whittington, riding her trusted 13-year-old Welsh Cob, Rozzamar Reward, claimed the top spot. What a fantastic ride and well-deserved victory!

🥈 Second Place:
A hearty congratulations to Alice Critichison, who took second place aboard the 13-year-old Welsh Cob, Endymionns The Trooper. This impressive achievement was in his very first season of endurance riding.

🥉 Third Place:
Lesley-Ann Parker, best known for her international competitions with her mare Velvet Echo, achieved the third place with her coloured pony, George.

Karen Whittington shared her elation about her victory:

"I am absolutely thrilled to have won the performance formula at the Concrete Cows ride. We faced some challenges at the beginning of the season, so ending on such a high is nothing short of amazing. Frankie is a truly lovely boy, and this marks his first full season as we only did one graded ride last year. He's shown incredible progress, and we've relished every ride we've competed in this year. I can't wait to see what 2024 holds for us."

25/10/2023

🌟🐎 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟰𝟬𝗸𝗺 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀!🐎🌟

The 40km Novice class has always enjoyed fantastic support, and this year was no different. The competition was fierce, and we couldn't be more thrilled to share the results!

🥇 First Place:
Huge congratulations to Katie Bedwin from Endurance, who rode her latest team addition, Jakcora, to a well-deserved victory. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that this was Jakcora's very first competitive ride, following a few pleasure rides with Katie earlier this year.

🥈 Second Place:
Kudos to Naomi Leicester, who clinched second place riding Cordoolagh Lad. This dynamic duo is also in their debut season of endurance riding.

🥉 Joint Third Place:
A round of applause for Carri Ann Dark, who secured the third spot on her young horse, Bey Sajid, and for Beth Langley, who rode Bey Sahli, owned by Dark Endurance, to share the joint third position. Both horses finished on a pulse of 44 and having completed the course together it was tie.

We had the opportunity to chat with Katie Bedwin about her and Jakcora's impressive win:

"Jakcora is a 6-year-old purebred Arabian, bred by the talented Jayme and Darren Plumb. She comes to us with a history of racing under ARO rules and joined our team in July this year, with the exciting goal of venturing into endurance riding. Concrete Cows marked her debut in the novice class, and she exceeded all our expectations! We're absolutely thrilled, and we hope this is just the beginning of a long and successful endurance journey for this remarkable mare."

Photo by our fab event photographer IndiePics Photography.

25/10/2023

🏇🌟 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟰𝟳𝗸𝗺 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀! 🌟🏇

The 47km class certainly proved popular with good entries. It's our pleasure to announce that Agnieszka Marchlinska aboard her ex-race horse Bayelsa Boy won the class!

Agneiszka and Timmy, as he is affectionately known, are only in their second season of endurance and tackled this distance for the first time, as well as having a go at their first vet gate.

We had the chance to chat with Agnieszka about her incredible win, and here's what she had to say:

"I am Polish by birth, British by choice, and have a young spirit in a mature body. I used to race as an amateur jockey, but dentistry and family responsibilities put my equestrian dreams on hold. That was until I met Timmy... My goals are simple: to continue this incredible adventure with Endurance GB and see where it takes me, all while staying fit and enjoying the beauty of various stunning locations across the UK."

Another gorgeous photo by our event photographer IndiePics Photography

25/10/2023

🏇🌟 𝗨𝗻𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗽𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟲𝟬𝗸𝗺 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀! 🌟🏇

In the 60km class, it was a show of pure domination by trainer, Claire Clark, as her stables produced a 1, 2, 3 finish!

🥇 First Place:
The winning horse, trained by Claire and ridden by Suzie Todd Endurance was Cabeza.

🥈 Second Place:
Charlie Turley was another force to be reckoned with, securing second place with El Mucci.

🥉 Third Place:
Third place was Claire herself, riding El Kaiser.

We had the pleasure of catching up with Suzie Todd, and here's what she had to say about their fantastic ride:

"Cabeza, lovingly known as Brian, gave me an incredible ride on Sunday in his first Open ride. He effortlessly flew through the kilometers, and I'm overjoyed with his victory. Claire Clark's training and the outstanding breeding from Al Shira'aa stables have truly shone through. Brian is now heading to Stallion AI for collection and will continue his journey with Claire to earn his FEI qualifications next year."

Photo by our amazing event photographer IndiePics Photography of the trio.

24/10/2023

🌟🐎 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴! 🐎🌟

This year, we decided to give our riders even more options by introducing both a 66km and a 60km class. The choice was yours, and the entries proved it will be worth us doing this again.

🏆 Introducing the 66km Class Winner:
A huge round of applause for Kathy Carr, a member of the Leicestershire and Rutland group! You might recognize Kathy as the brilliant mind behind the popular Lion's Tail ride, an annual favorite in September. 🦁

Kathy took the 66km class by storm, riding her up-and-coming superstar, Tannasg Storm, an impressive 8-year-old. This remarkable duo tackled this distance for the first time earlier this season and have been conquering ever since. 🌪️🐴

We caught up with Kathy to hear her thoughts on this well-deserved win: "It's lovely to end the season on a positive note. This was a very different type of ride, and I was delighted with how well Tannasg Storm coped with all the new sights and sounds! The lush greenery around Milton Keynes was a delightful surprise and made for a fantastic route. Many thanks to the organizers and helpers for keeping everything on track despite all the challenges leading up to the day - broken arms and legs, torrential rain, and more. I can't wait to return next year!"

Kathy wants to give a special shout-out to the breeders of Tannasg Storm, Tannasg Arabians , and their incredible physio who keeps everything running smoothly: Stretch and Flex. 🙌

24/10/2023

🐎🏆 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟴𝟬𝗸𝗺 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀! 🏆🐎

We're thrilled to announce the results from the 80km class, where so many riders embraced the challenge of this distance for the first time. 🙌

🥇 First Place: Laura Graham Endurance and her trusty companion, 16-year old Warrens Hill Farrah, have once again stolen the show! This dynamic duo has had an unforgettable season, claiming victory in all but one of their competitions:
🏅 80km at Tilford in March
🏅 2* 120km at Haywood Oaks in April
🏅 80km at Foxdale in May
🏅 80km at Kings Forest in June
🏅 2-day 123km at Avon Valley in June
🏅 63km at Tresham in August
🏅 100km at Well Vale in August
🏅 2-day 104km at Lion’s Tail in September

🥈 Second Place:
Huge congratulations to Team GBR rider, Fiona Griffiths, of Golden Castle Endurance Team who took second place, riding Warrens Hill Caszidy for his very first time at this distance. 🌟

🥉 Third Place:
John Black and CA Jalmeer round out the podium with a sterling season of 100% completion over a total of 735km. Impressive consistency, John! 👏

We caught up with Laura, and here's what she had to say about her remarkable win:

"A massive thank you to Bella, Sam, and their team for pulling off a lovely final ride of the season in difficult circumstances thanks to storm Babet! Farrah has been phenomenal this year, winning 8 out of 9 successful competitions. What a wonderful way to finish the season with a win in the performance formula. A shout out to those that have supported us this year, including my family, sponsors RiderCise and Sun Forge Farriery Service, along with my physio Pauline Hughes and vets Fyrnwy Equine . Of course, we can't forget to thank all the ride organizers and volunteers that make these events happen!"

Hats off to everyone involved. 🙏🏁

📸 Photo of Laura and Farrah from an earlier ride this year. 📷

23/10/2023

20/10/2023

The weather forecast is looking great for Sunday! 🤞

Thanks to Suzie Todd Endurance and Bella Fricker Endurance for marking the route. A little more to finish and then we’re ready to welcome our riders!