Sponsored Horse Ride - Sunday 1 May 2011

The event was the WKDCT’s 9th sponsored horse ride which started and finished at Court Farm, Upper Halling, in Kent.
The Ride was a non-competitive yet exciting off-road, 12 mile hack through woodland and across farmland within the undulating Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that included Trust land.  The permissive route for the day was granted by Lafarge Cement, Cemex Cement, Bush Farm, and Ranscombe Farm Reserve owned by Plantlife International in partnership with Medway Council.

  After the wet weather of last year's ride everyone was pleased to see the day dawn bright and sunny, albeit with rather a chilly wind blowing.

The route preparation had been carried out over the last few weekends with final touches such as direction arrows and other notices erected on the Saturday.

The first riders set off at about 9.15am and during the morning there was a steady stream of horse boxes arriving and riders setting out.  A total of 78 riders completed the course, which took between two and two and a half hours.  They each received a rosette and in addition they received one year's free membership of West Kent Downs Countryside Trust.
Everyone appeared to enjoy the ride and many celebrated the completion with one of the excellent, farm produced burgers being cooked up in the farmyard.
 		  
The event raised £2,095.  All proceeds will go to help the Trust in its endeavours to acquire the plot land area in Cobham Woods.

Thanks are due to the Stewards and Marshalls, without whom the ride could not have taken place, and everyone else who helped to make the day a success.

Photos:  Click here for photos of the event

                   Click here for more photos






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