The strength of endurance horse riding in the Gympie-Burnett regions showed through at Widgee with the running of the 2024 Queensland Endurance Riders Association state championships.
As well as finishing one, two, three for line honours in the 160km event, local riders were prominent throughout all three distances including 80km and 40km.
Wondai rider Virginia Barber of Mainstreme Endurance made it two State Champion titles in three years, taking out line honours, middleweight and best-conditioned horse in that section on Fevers Frederique.
Virginia recorded a total ride time for the 160km event of 12hrs 0min 46sec.
Yet it wasn’t just what happened on the course that was significant – much of the success of the event was due to what happened behind the scenes.
Holding of these events is so good for a community such as Widgee, that has a culture intertwined with horses through the years.
The state championships provide a great opportunity for people to gather, particularly as equestrian becomes a greater part of the Mary Valley.
The showgrounds complex at Widgee lends itself to people catching up, swapping notes and ideas.
There were 129 starters in three events hosted by the Widgee Endurance And Trail Riders Club.
Many riders were using the Widgee ride to prepare for the the 2024 Tom Quilty Gold Cup – Australia’s premier endurance event – to be held at Wirrina Cove, South Australia, in October.
Wonderful Widgee turned it on in the middle of winter, despite the unpredicted chaos of the worldwide computer meltdown and planned power outage that saw a generator brought in.
The number of volunteers and the smooth running of the event is a tribute to the endurance community as well as the people of Widgee and surrounds.
The course was well planned and well prepared for such a prestigious event.
Any difficulties were overcome by the enthusiasm of those riders and the volunteers.
As well as a dedicated band helping at the showgrounds and along the course, the success of the event was also due to the support of the land-owners and leaseholders of properties who were so helpful to allow horses and riders to pass through. This included the moving of cattle to other paddocks.
Organisers were extremely happy with the way the weekend ran. This included the completion rate of horses and riders even though it was a tough course – both technical and challenging.
The midnight start on Friday meant riders needed to pay attention to what was happening with their horse.
WINTER WONDERLAND
A cloudless night in the middle of winter at Widgee … it’s nearly a full moon and the southern cross stands out in the clear sky, along with the pointers.
Smoke rises from campfires at ride base as riders settle in for some rest before the time to gather and set out on the 160km course.
There’s a satellite crossing the sky and the blinking lights of incoming planes to Brisbane – probably from Asia.
It must be about five degrees … and dropping. There are whisps of fog but it looks and feels more like a frost will come down.
The plovers have stopped calling. Instead, there is the sound of curlews – mournful, lonely or hopeful?
The conditions were perfect for a good ride. The forestry was like a winter wonderland with frost on the pine trees.
The track was challenging due to the elevation on both sides of the road. There were flat areas for cantering and galloping, steep climbs/declines and the tracks generally firm underfoot.
At daybreak the landscape revealed itself as absolutely stunning – the surrounding ranges, grassland, winter sunlight, the avenues of gum trees, bridges and culverts over babbling brooks, canopies of trees along the roadside verges.
By early afternoon the first riders were coming in. The 160km state championship saw Virginia Barber making it two state championships out of three years.
First heavyweight and second with line honours was Grant Jocumsen of Gympie, who has made a remarkable comeback after breaking his neck in a farm accident.
It was his second successful 160km completion and the best finish on his own horse – GJ Horsemanship Tango – in a career that started five years ago.
Imbil rider Nikki Sample was third across the line and second middleweight, riding Stirling’s Hutcho.
In the lightweight division Brooke Marshall of Carter’s Ridge was first, and took best conditioned horse with Big Hero.
It was a great ride by Brooke who earned her first of three Tom Quilty buckles for completing the course in 2016. That ride was in Victoria, and was followed by 2019 and 2023 at Imbil.
The Vet’s Award for encouragement of a young rider went to 13-year-old Ella Stanton of Goomeri, who only started riding this year and has already completed two 40km rides, three 80s and this was her first 160km.
Ella’s first ride was 40km at Imbil’s at Faraway Easter Carnival and was followed by Kilkivan, Killarney, Inglewood and Biggenden.
Ella was riding Boonara Dark Ruby and now has the 2024 Tom Quilty Gold Cup in South Australia this October in mind.
The Timms Teams award went to Stella Standing with Splendacrest Clara, Amelia Best with Merlin GG, Sam Long with De-Sharvarll El Daker and Grant Jocumsen with GJ Horsemanship Tango.
The teams event requires a minimum three of four riders must complete the course, then the three fastest times are taken into account.
At least two must be heavyweight or middleweight division.
The event honours Barbara Macdonald (Timms) and her significant contribution to Queensland endurance.
All were using the Widgee ride to prepare for the the 2024 Tom Quilty Gold Cup – Australia’s premier endurance event – to be held at Wirrina Cove, South Australia, in October. In the lightweight division Brooke Marshall of Carter’s Ridge was first, and took best conditioned horse with Big Hero.
Neeve Whittaker took the win and best conditioned horse award in the junior division on El Sharana Sherif.
The 160km event saw 38 starters for a 78.85 percent completion.
The 80km event attracted 53 starters for 77.6 percent completion, while the 40km event saw 38 starters for an 86.84 percent completion.
The 160km comprised three 40km loops then, 24km and 16km.
SOLITARY RIDE
For Virginia Barber, it was a matter of understanding the temperament of Fevers Frederique (Fred) as he had a mindset of wanting to go out fast.
“This was a test run for the Quilty to see if I can go out fast,” she said. “Fred was flying at the finish, but the others were catching me.
“Congratulations to Grant on an amazing ride. It was a tough track, and it was great to have him on my tail for the final two legs.
“What a super effort.”
The course was challenging, Virginia said. A very hilly track in which every leg was tough.
The course was firm but the tracks were well prepared. There had been some rain so the course wasn’t as concussive as expected.
Virginia won the past two Far-A-Way Easter Marathon events of 320.0km at Imbil, and won the 2022 QERA State Championships at Herberton, on the Atherton Tablelands.
“Fred was flying at the finish,” she said, “but the others were catching me.”
“With Fred’s mindset I knew we had to go out fast to get his energy out. This was a test run for the Quilty to see if I can go out fast.
“Normally I go out steady and catch everyone but this time I had to go out fast.
“Under the cool, moonlight conditions the needles on the pine trees were frozen – it was like a wonderland. I’ve never seen it like that before.
“The full moon followed us all the way around the hills.
“The solitary nature of endurance is one thing I found about this ride. I went out in the front group and for most this ride it was just Fred and I. The only time we saw people was when we passed them as we were heading home.
“On the first two legs we didn’t see anybody that was just Fred and I.”
The fact that a small community such as Widgee can present such an event shows the strength of the town’s endurance supporters and the growth of the sport in the Gympie-Burnett regions.
The next endurance rides in the Gympie-Burnett are Wondai, September 7-8; Kilkivan, September 21-22.
160KM RESULTS
Heavyweight: 1. Grant Jocumsen, GJ Horsemanship Tango,12:29:09. 2. Peter Field riding Rkayn Xuberant.
Middleweight: 1. Virginia Barber, Fevers Frederique, 12:00:46. 2. Nikki Sample, Stirling’s Hutcho. 3. Stephanie Malmborg, Wattle Tree Amir.
Lightweight: 1. Brooke Marshall, Big Hero, 15:14:59. 2. Giulia Ciprino, Secret Weapon. 3. Linda Logan, Willow Valley Jumana Pearl.
Junior: Neeve Whittaker, El Sharanah Sharif, 14:26:06. 2. Amelia Best, Merlin GG. 3. Ella Stanton, Boonara Dark Ruby.
80KM RESULTS
Heavyweight: 1. Matthew Sample, Stirling’s Thor, 6:00:15. 2. Troy Butler, Falcon Hill Mahbeer. 3. Greg Lyon, Chingford Ashkalani.
Middleweight: 1. Sherry Lowe, Ramalea Phantom, 5:40:05. 2. Debbie Forsdike, Brecon Beautide. 3. Scarlet McQueen, Brookleigh Danu.
Lightweight: 1. Aanja Hamelink, Picnic Park Klassiqua, 4:57:36. 1. Karen Winkel, Shardell Azeem, 4:57:36. 3. Narelle Childs, Lasca’s Leroy.
Junior: 1. Emma Forbes, Arab Crest-Stetson, 7:14:54. 2. Bella Brassington, PVE Remington. 3. Sophie Barker, Jiorja WFL.
