Jo Carter battles against testing conditions to win the 100km Breamore endurance ride
Jo Carter and Autumn repeated their recent successful performance in the Narnia ride to triumph in last weekend’s Breamore 100km ride.
Twenty-nine horses started the 100km endurance ride with wet weather resulting in slippery conditions and deep mud on parts of the course.
Fiona Hamilton with Burfield Queen Bee led the field out on to the course and the leading bunch was back to the venue for the 40km vetgate in less than 2hr.
First out of this vetgate was Annette Richardson, riding Julie Pedder’s Lady Christal. “Chrissy” won this class in 2000, ridden by her owner, just pipping her full-sister Azure Blue, ridden by Annette.
The second section took a wider loop north on to the open drove roads on the top of the downs, where the weather deteriorated into driving rain with high winds.
Annette maintained her place and was again in the lead out of the second vetgate at Bowerchalke, but determined riding by Jo Carter with Autumn and Kay Bond on Druimghigha Shergar saw them overhaul her on the long climb back up and over the downs.
These two quickened the pace over the final 15km and galloped through the finish together. Autumn (17.7km) passed the final vetting with a heart rate of 53bpm, while Kay and Shergar were eliminated due to lameness.
Second place at a speed of 15.6kph went to young rider international Anna Welch on Blue Zirocco. A three-horse race for third place went to Christine Yeoman, whose Ballistic Sky was attempting the distance for the first time.
Christine narrowly beat Anne Walton with her veteran performer Phantom Joseph, with fifth place going to junior rider Rachel Rogerson on her Welsh pony Magef Cariad. Lady Christal and Annette Richardson were sixth
Fourteen horses successfully completed the ride despite the awful conditions.
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