FW: I'm Back!!(long)

["Budler, Cindy" <natcon@afrox.boc.com>]

> Hi all,
> 
> Well, I am back from our Nationals , and still flying on adrenalin. 
> Here's the ride report
> We left(my two sons, Shaliekah and I) on Sat morning the 4th at 6 am
> in the morning to travel down to Fauresmith in the Free State. A very
> exhausting 7 hour trip with 3 stops along the way for petrol, much
> needed confort breaks and water breaks for Shaliekah. She travelled
> very well - just ate the whole way and drank at the third stop.We
> arrived at 13h00 exhausted in Fauresmith - this is a tiny town in the
> middle of the Free State - one main road with a few small grocers, a
> petrol station , post office , hotel and police station and farmers
> co-operative. The whole town is about 200 houses in all. The terrain
> is flat miles of golden grasslands interspersed with small hills or
> "koppies" as we call them. The ground is very hard , but covered with
> a fine layer of grey dust. The ride camp is at the local showgrounds
> and everybody camps in tents or caravans on the grounds. Entries are
> limted to 200 horses as there are only that amount of stables - really
> nice stables too!!
>  I was camping with my friends Johanni and Hurbey and Sue who was also
> riding , and their crews , and my family as crew too.We never got time
> to ride on Sat , but put the horses in camps which we had rented and
> let them relax for the day while we put up tents etc. When you are
> catering and accomodating 11 people and 4 horses ,the amount of STUFF
> for a week is mind-boggling!!!! The next day we rode out for 2 hours
> to stretch legs and generally socialised. This is the only time in the
> year when all the endurance riders around the country actually get to
> see each other- so great parties were held. The temp's were really
> variable - 14 degrees in day , down to minus 8 at night an early
> mornings - and in a tent this is not fun. We kept a log fire going all
> week - no wonder there are so few trees in the Free State!! 
> Monday morning was the welcoming pareade and introduction of the
> visiting teams from Botswana and Namibia , and the choosing of the
> National("Springbok") senior and junior teams. Vetting in was at 9h00
> and we vetted in at a pulse of 32 - absolutely amazing considering
> Shaliekah was doing her impersonation of  a bucking bronco during the
> parade. We rode out again and then the afternoon was spent at the
> Annual general Meeting of ERASA with lots of infighting about
> lightweights, and 100 milers.
>  Our times were drawn and our group was the second out at 7h05. NOT
> great when you are planning a slow ride with novice horses - having
> all the top runners flying past you at the beginning of the ride.The
> first day is 72 km with two vet checks at farms and third check back
> at the venue - thus the need for a crew .The course is the same for
> day one and two - just in reverse. The ground is hard , but with the
> exception of two steep hills is quite flat and rocky in sections. The
> views are breathtaking - miles of golden grass - a few trees and hills
> - really like the Wild West if you are a movie buff. I froze on the
> first leg but warmed up later as we trotted and trotted and
> trotted!!!. Sue and I and a child rider we wrere chaperoning were all
> on novices so we decided to really go slowly and just enjoy ourselves.
> The vet  checks wre a strange sight with 100's of "bakkies"( open
> backed delivery van type ) and 4 by 4's piled high with barrels of
> warm water and horse food, blankets etc. Our pulses for the whole ride
> were never higher than 40 , due to the slow pace, but the horses were
> full of go and eating and drinking well. After finishing the first day
> all the hard work starts as the horses have to be walked every hour or
> so to keep warm and loose and it is amusing to see all theses horses
> being hand walked through the centre of the town while crews chat and
> stops for colddrinks and sweets!!!.
>  The following morning up at 4 to feed and start walking again at 5 ,
> departure at 8h05 this time - much better!!!. Same route , just in
> reverse and horses are feeling great - riders not so great after early
> mornings and late nights around the log fire drinking Old Brown
> Sherry(Obies is an institution at Fauresmith - somehow it tastes like
> nectar of the gods there - but like diesel at home). Two incidents - a
> lady got kicked in the head- not seriously as she carried on with a
> vandage round her head., and another one fell with her horse on a low
> water crossing and was knocked unconscious and taken off to hospital
> with serious concussion. Many pulls on this second day - this is the
> day when most horses are pulled , usually because they went too fast
> on day one.
> Day 3 is 56 km on a different route and this was an eventful day with
> one of the top ten heavyweight riders falling and breaking ribs and
> collar bone 10km before the end of the ride. He finished the ride
> before going off to hospital(not bad for a 65 year old!!!) The ride
> was won by Millie Van Wyk on her Anglo Arab in 8 hours 11. It is the
> most amazing feeling coming in after 200 km to the sound of Chariots
> of Fire and knowing you have completed the ride!!!
>  
> The award ceremony was held that evening with everyone completing
> getting their buckle - and the Springbok team winning the team
> competition. Sue Fairman got a gold buckle for completing her 10th
> Fauresmith - her horse Napolean finished his 8th Fauresmith without
> ever getting pulled in any ride for 8 seasons - and he is 16 years
> old(and an Appaloosa). Claire Amm got a special buckle award for
> completing her 20th Fauresmith!! Johanni got her 6000km rider award
> and her horse its 3000 km. Her mares pulses were 28(pre-check) , 32 ,
> 32 and 30. Her highest pulses in the three days was 39 and she
> finished the ride in 9 and half hours - she is absolutely amazing !!!.
> 
> 
> Travelled back on Friday midday arriving 9 .30 Friday evening. I
> absolutely enjoyed myself and am soo proud of Shaliekah - she
> travelled like a pro- ate everything put in front of her(plus what she
> could beg,borrow or steal from anybody else), urinated at every check,
> and settled down in her strange sorroundings immediately. Except for
> the bucking at the parade and some serious shying when out in front
> she handled the ride well - alert and interested and keen.She is now
> on rest for a month and then we are competing in dressage and
> showjumping for a while - the season starts again in December and I am
> starting my Anglo Arag gelding back up as well. Roll on 1999!!!!!!
> 
> Regards,
> Cindy Budler
> National Contracts Department
> Fabrication Division
> Afrox
> South Africa
> Tel :27 011 871-1000
> e-mail: natcon@afrox.boc.com
>