Mudgee Endurance Club members were delighted to welcome 132 riders to their popular Ray Gooley Memorial endurance ride at Cooyal last weekend.
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On Saturday 19 riders started the 20km ride while there were 10 entries in the new 7km ride for newcomers.
Sixty-eight riders lined up for the start of the main 80km event at 6am on Sunday morning under clear skies with a spectacular sunrise.
There were 35 riders in the 40km ride which started an hour later.
The first leg of the course was through paddocks, dirt roads at Kains Flat, and up the firetrail to the checkpoint.
There was a new second leg which took riders through properties and bushland to Botobolar.
Riders were delighted with the course and there were many enthusiastic comments.
The ride winner in four hours, 13 minutes was Chris Geddes riding Prince Nakeel SPA who was awarded Best Conditioned Middleweight horse.
Heavyweight winner was Gary Pevy riding Burrendah Walter and was also Best Conditioned.
Shannon Horsely was first Lightweight with her horse Newbury Shaklans Impact being Best Conditioned.
First Junior was Jahnaya Merceica riding Mallegrove Quarma with Junior Best Conditioned going to Jason Duff riding Box Hill Pegasus.
The prestigious Ray Gooley Memorial Trophy was awarded to John Symons riding Ruby Rose.
The perpetual Braithwaite Trophy for juniors was won by Kaitlyn Merceica riding JRK Spyder.
The club members were very pleased to have Dubbo doctor Shannon Nott riding in the event this year.
Dr Nott is preparing to ride in the 1000km Mongol Derby, the world’s longest and toughest horse event.
He is raising funds for rural health and the club wishes him every success.
The Mudgee committee thanked the Cooyal and Moolarben Bushfire Brigades for manning the checkpoints, providing communications and water, the property owners for allowing access, the Cooyal Progress Association for catering, the vetting team, the timekeepers, all the sponsors, and volunteers who make it possible to hold the event each year.