What an AMAZING adventure we have enjoyed!! It all started about 2yrs ago when there were tentative talks about reprising the infamous Winton to Longreach Endurance Ride.
Growing up in Jericho I was fortunate to start my endurance career participating in rides around Longreach and so had grown up hearing stories about the Winton to Longreach Ride that had run its last race in 1988, the year before I was born. Hearing these stories, reading the articles I vowed that if ever the ride was to take place again I was going come hell or high water!!
How elated and excited I was when it was confirmed this spectacular ride was in fact going ahead! So we got down to business, qualifying my beautiful Billy (our first homebred WalerXArab) in 2022 and then working slowly but surely toward the 2023 Quilty before aiming the big fella for the main event. Things didn’t always go to plan but determination and stubbornness sure goes a long way when aiming for your dreams.
So after our success at the Quilty, a quick trip back to VIC (I did have to go back to work during all of this 😆) we were finally on the road back to QLD to attend 2023 Winton to Longreach. A dream made real!
Billy took all of this in his stride. He travelled exceptionally well, eating, drinking and just generally continuing to impress with his upbeat, positive energy. After a four day journey and a stop to collect Dad along the way we arrived in Winton on the Tuesday before event start. Winton of course welcomed us with gale force winds, generous hospitality and plenty of history and culture. We thoroughly enjoyed some of the many activities on offer including the
Waltzing Matilda Centre, Arno’s Wall,
The Age of Dinosaurs and the Truck Museum in between organising ourselves for the main event.
Before long Friday rolled around as did the nerves and excitement, things were about to begin! Billy passed his preliminary vet inspection with flying colours, whatever happened from here on was now just an additional bonus. We had made it to the starting line of the Winton to Longreach QCWA Centenary Endurance Ride 🥳
As many can concur midnight came around far too quickly and it was go time! Off we all went, 32 riders into the darkness and abyss of the Winton ‘bush’ on a journey I don’t think any of us will ever forget! Billy and I almost parted company about 2mins into the ride after he thought a gate (same gate we’d been through 4 times) was this time definitely going to eat him!! Somehow I managed to stay with him, claw back my stirrup and continue into the dark. Billy sure was feeling great! We argued for about the first 15Kms before he finally realised he did in fact have a brain and then he did not miss a beat the entire day!!
We rode the first 2 legs mostly by ourselves sticking very well to the time I had hoped to complete these legs in and then we were so fortunate to happen upon the wonderful Linda Pilgrim and her lovely mare Missy. The sun of course was up by this point and it was shaping up to be a very hot day. It was so amazing having company for the last 3 legs of the day. Together we helped each other stay positive as the temperature climbed to 30, the horses and riders started to tire and the roads appeared to continue with no end in site 😆
Finally, we had made it to the final 28kms of day 1. Unfortunately, during this leg after feeling things were not quite right Linda made the very difficult decision to call the rescue float. Billy and I continued into Maneroo Station with the assistance of Linda’s head lamp due to mine deciding to bail on me, so thank you so much to Linda for letting me borrow this! We couldn’t have done the day without you!!
Billy passed this day 1 final vet fit to continue so now we only had 42Kms left!! Waking Sunday morning I was excited, not as sore as I thought I would be, still a little dehydrated but ready for this final stage! Billy again did not miss a beat! We rode this last leg mostly on our own and he did not complain or argue once, he was just willing to continue on the journey. I have never been so excited to finally see a ride base but as the beautiful people waiting in Longreach came into view the sense of elation and of course nerves was overwhelming!! We had done it!! We had traversed the landscape from Winton to Longreach, following in the hoove steps of many great horse woman and men.
Billy recovered well and we took him in to final vetting and thumbs up, we had completed!!! Billy had done it!! I had to double check with the Cheif Steward at first because wow, wow, wow I can’t believe we had done it!! 220Kms, one of the toughest rides in the world and Billy had done it!! Even now a week later I still have to keep double checking that yes it’s recorded, yes it’s in his book, yes we completed Winton to Longreach!! 🎉
Now it’s time to start thanking all of the amazing people who made this dream a reality!! Laura Axsentieff and Craig Renner thank you both for your tireless hard work that went into turning this idea into reality!! Thank you to the swag of volunteers who worked beyond fatigue to help Laura and Craig with this event! The gate sitters, rescue float drivers, water truck people, track markers (Gavin Bartlett), vet point volunteers, prize sponsors, QCWA members, Vets, Cheif Stewards, property owners, Winton Shire Council, Longreach Shire Council and anyone else I have forgotten in this long list of people who made this event not only possible but also such a success!! Thank you all so much for your tireless efforts. I can’t tell you how much as a rider I appreciate the work you put into reprising this event for us to enjoy!! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!
Also, of course I never would have made this event without my amazing Mum, Dad and husband!! They support my crazy dreams and I wouldn’t be able to do it without them! Thank you to my beautiful, supportive friend and strapper Raelene Berry for making the trip to Winton to help Billy and I complete this event!! You, Mum and Dad worked so well together and having all 3 of you made my and Billy’s life so much easier!!
Finally, to
Pam Martin and Warren Beale who always make sure Billy is in tip top shape to continue competing, I can’t thank your support and commitment to our cause enough!! Without you both Billy wouldn’t perform at his best so thank you!!
Billy of course was nourished by
Kelato Animal Health and powered by
Hygain feeds during this event, walking away with not only a completion but 3rd Heavyweight! Such a feather in our cap 😃
As Jack Makim said in 1980 before the first Winton to Longreach, ‘I’m going to get the best out of my horse.’ I well and truly got the best out of Billy on the day and I couldn’t be prouder to have bred and had the privilege of riding such a horse!