Welcome to the South West Group of Endurance GB -
the regional group responsible for organising long distance rides and events
in Devon and Cornwall.
We have events ranging from 10-mile pleasure rides to 100-mile competitive rides.
Take a look at our Introduction to Endurance
CONGRATULATIONS to our winners for the 2024 season - click here for results
INTRODUCE A FRIEND
EGBSW are asking our members to encourage their friends or
family to try Endurance. Any current member who persuades a
new rider to join & ride with us will be able to claim a voucher for a discount of £10 off a ride entry.
The member must be brand new & not a member of EGB in the
past & can become either a Supporter, Associate or Full member & their ride can be either a PR or GER.
The voucher is for £10 off any class at any SW ride & must be
used before the end of the 2024 season. To claim your voucher
email your own name & membership number plus the name &
ideally the membership number of the friend you encouraged plus
what ride they entered. Please also let us know what SW ride you’d like to use your voucher at.
Please email [email protected]
There is no limit to the number of vouchers you can claim so the
more friends you bring the more vouchers you can claim!
EGBSW are asking our members to encourage their friends or
family to try Endurance. Any current member who persuades a
new rider to join & ride with us will be able to claim a voucher for a discount of £10 off a ride entry.
The member must be brand new & not a member of EGB in the
past & can become either a Supporter, Associate or Full member & their ride can be either a PR or GER.
The voucher is for £10 off any class at any SW ride & must be
used before the end of the 2024 season. To claim your voucher
email your own name & membership number plus the name &
ideally the membership number of the friend you encouraged plus
what ride they entered. Please also let us know what SW ride you’d like to use your voucher at.
Please email [email protected]
There is no limit to the number of vouchers you can claim so the
more friends you bring the more vouchers you can claim!
MERCHANDISE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR TO BUY - www.tylershorseandcountry.co.uk/Endurance-GB-South-West
Dani Hamilton, winner of the Red Gorilla Endurance Winter League gives us an insight into how she began endurance
Much a Do about What to Do! – How I found Endurance GB
I still remember the day I bought Sparkles, my very first pony, quite some feeling isn’t it? After the initial settling in period and plastering her arrival all over social media, the questions started……
“Oooh what are you going to do” “what’s your discipline” so on and so forth, you know how it goes!
Show jumping, dressage, cross country, the list went on, I didn’t know, we hadn’t found our groove yet and I just kept saying, “not sure yet” inside I started to feel that I was failing Sparkles as we had no focus or direction, it sorely played on my mind – what to do!
And then the pandemic struck - Covid! Everything came to a halt as we all came to terms with a new way of living. But, animals still needed to be cared for and maintained. The highways and byways become still of traffic, so Sparkles and I went miles, we were clocking up hours and all the time she was getting fitter (me as well) and I still was saying – what to do!
Social media at this time was a lifeline to get riders back into the swing of things when lockdown ended, and when it did I had an uber fit pony – then I saw it ……. a post from this group called Endurance GB Southwest, asking for interest in riding 30km at a National event in Cirencester.
Fire ignited, research done on endurance, could I have found what to do? Email sent to register my interest. I was so excited I sent poor Vicky H screenshot after screenshot of our Equilab training, desperate to prove we could do that kind of distance. And waited! Ping response………
I know what to do – Endurance!! And we’re off to Cirencester to represent the Southwest, proud as punch, there’s nothing like jumping in at the deep end.
The interim help, support and advice given to a novice on a novice horse was amazing, Vicky & Sabrina S were on my speed dial. They have become friends for life.
We travelled up from Cornwall, I remember when we arrived the welcome we got was wonderful. My team captain was my emotional anchor and helped set the corral system up, even other riders from different teams came to help, saying hello and don’t forget the briefing.
Race day arrived, putting on my team polo shirt caused a wee tear to my eye, Sparkles of course was oblivious. Went through vetting with ease first ever time I’d done it. By this time my crew James and Mandy were bundling me onto Sparkles and getting us to the start box on time. In the quiet moments of just waiting to be called forward by the start steward, I gently patted Sparkles and said,” come on sparky it’s our time now we’ve found our niche”
Count down – go! We’re off flying across the most beautiful countryside, map flapping and a dry mouth, thank goodness for crew stops, but the clock keeps ticking, “kick on mother” – this is the life!
Homeward stretch, I could see my crew waiting for me on the finish line, my emotions were all over the place, immense pride, sore legs, and that feeling we did it!
Promptly got off and was sick, Sparkles was cooled off for vetting and gave James a fright in the trot up, as when she’s wet she does love a good roll, James thought she was having a heart attack as she went down! I do believe the words uttered were “help I’ve killed my mother’s pony”
We were awarded a grade 1, our first event and what an introduction to Endurance, we’ve never looked back since, endurance is our thing its certainly saved me on so many levels – so go on give it a go you’ll meet wonderful people and see wonderful sights. Discover endurance Discover yourself!
Much a Do about What to Do! – How I found Endurance GB
I still remember the day I bought Sparkles, my very first pony, quite some feeling isn’t it? After the initial settling in period and plastering her arrival all over social media, the questions started……
“Oooh what are you going to do” “what’s your discipline” so on and so forth, you know how it goes!
Show jumping, dressage, cross country, the list went on, I didn’t know, we hadn’t found our groove yet and I just kept saying, “not sure yet” inside I started to feel that I was failing Sparkles as we had no focus or direction, it sorely played on my mind – what to do!
And then the pandemic struck - Covid! Everything came to a halt as we all came to terms with a new way of living. But, animals still needed to be cared for and maintained. The highways and byways become still of traffic, so Sparkles and I went miles, we were clocking up hours and all the time she was getting fitter (me as well) and I still was saying – what to do!
Social media at this time was a lifeline to get riders back into the swing of things when lockdown ended, and when it did I had an uber fit pony – then I saw it ……. a post from this group called Endurance GB Southwest, asking for interest in riding 30km at a National event in Cirencester.
Fire ignited, research done on endurance, could I have found what to do? Email sent to register my interest. I was so excited I sent poor Vicky H screenshot after screenshot of our Equilab training, desperate to prove we could do that kind of distance. And waited! Ping response………
I know what to do – Endurance!! And we’re off to Cirencester to represent the Southwest, proud as punch, there’s nothing like jumping in at the deep end.
The interim help, support and advice given to a novice on a novice horse was amazing, Vicky & Sabrina S were on my speed dial. They have become friends for life.
We travelled up from Cornwall, I remember when we arrived the welcome we got was wonderful. My team captain was my emotional anchor and helped set the corral system up, even other riders from different teams came to help, saying hello and don’t forget the briefing.
Race day arrived, putting on my team polo shirt caused a wee tear to my eye, Sparkles of course was oblivious. Went through vetting with ease first ever time I’d done it. By this time my crew James and Mandy were bundling me onto Sparkles and getting us to the start box on time. In the quiet moments of just waiting to be called forward by the start steward, I gently patted Sparkles and said,” come on sparky it’s our time now we’ve found our niche”
Count down – go! We’re off flying across the most beautiful countryside, map flapping and a dry mouth, thank goodness for crew stops, but the clock keeps ticking, “kick on mother” – this is the life!
Homeward stretch, I could see my crew waiting for me on the finish line, my emotions were all over the place, immense pride, sore legs, and that feeling we did it!
Promptly got off and was sick, Sparkles was cooled off for vetting and gave James a fright in the trot up, as when she’s wet she does love a good roll, James thought she was having a heart attack as she went down! I do believe the words uttered were “help I’ve killed my mother’s pony”
We were awarded a grade 1, our first event and what an introduction to Endurance, we’ve never looked back since, endurance is our thing its certainly saved me on so many levels – so go on give it a go you’ll meet wonderful people and see wonderful sights. Discover endurance Discover yourself!