A few more pics....

THANK YOU

Our utmost thanks go to:


□ GOVERNADOR CIVIL, FARO
□ RTA, TURISMO DE PORTUGAL
□ CAMARAS OF ALCOUTIM, LOULE, MONCHIQUE, VILA DO BISPO.
□ MEDAL LDA.
□ DANSHAPE Construction and Development
□ SOVEREIGN GROUP
□ APOLONIA Supermercados
□ BUPA INTERNATIONAL
□ WINKWORTH REAL ESTATE
BATISTA Supermercado
□ LUZ-CAR
□ CATUNA E SILVA
□ SOULKITCHEN PRODUCTIONS
□ LUZDOC
□ GE FINANCE
□ PROFESSIONAL INVESTMENT CONSULTANTS
□ MORTGAGES 4 PORTUGAL
□ BANIF
□ WINEMINE LDA.
□ SYMINGTON FAMILY ESTATES
□ MERIDIEN PENINA HOTEL

Companies who kindly donated for the Celebration dinner:

□ Boa Vista Golf, 2 rounds of golf for 2 people
□ Bom Dia, boat trip for 2
□ Boutique Caprichio, 3 Quicksilver items
□ few bots of good Port from the Fladgate Group
□ Nick Shaw, one week for 4 people in luxury apartment on golf course (Boa Vista) with reduced golfing rates
□ Jardim Vista, 6 terracotta pots, containing colourful plants , from Richard Westcott
□ Oceanico, dinner for 2 at Calabaza in Luz (no wine, meanies)
□ The Duke, Praia da Luz, dinner for 4 with 2 bottles of wine
□ Vale de Milho Golf , round of golf
□ Zonda, 6 solar lights
□ For the wine and port to :...( at the dinner)Symington Family Estates

Jinny's stories...

We did it! Long hot days, tired horses and riders, stretched back up team but we did it!
20 horses and riders left Alcoutim, 17 horses and riders arrived at Cape S Vincent

Nine riders arrived from UK on the morning of Sunday May 13th, were collected at the airport and taken directly to Alcoutim where they joined the team preparing paddocks on the football ground (by kind permission on Alcoutim Camara) and the Algarve based riders who arrived through the afternoon. Horses were allocated and tried out and all prepared for the next day.

The night was spent at the Pousada de Juventude, dinner at Restaurant Alcatiá and an early start on Monday morning. The first equine casualty occurred even before the start when Runa slipped a shoe on the tarmac, the rider had to spend the first morning in the back up vehicle while a replacement was hastily summoned from Lagos Everyone led their horses down to the town centre for the photographic start with their back to the Guardiana River with Spain in the background.

With such a large group, 20 horses, progress was always going to be slow but good time was made to the first lunch break at the picturesque village of Soudes. Sadly, one horse was not well after the first morning and was ‘trailered’ off to the vet at lunchtime.

The first day ended at 18.00 in the tiniest hamlet of Azinheiro where the back up team stayed with horses who happily spent the night munching the grass. Dinner and accommodation was at the Residencial Tia Bia in Barranco de Velho where we were well looked after for two nights by Sr Henrique and his family.The first night’s dinner was courtesy of Loule Camara and on the Tuesday night was sponsored by The Civil Govenor

Tuesday morning all the horses were fit and raring to go for a short day, only 30kms! Lunch was waiting for the riders on the top of a hill near the village of Castelao. The villagers’ kindly allowed us to fill all our water containers from the village standpipe.
The first slight drama near the end of this day when the tail enders lost touch with the rest of the riders – slight panic in the middle of no where when even the back up team couldn’t find the main group!

This night the horses all stayed near to the riders and being a short day it was time for convivial drinks and dinner.

Day three, also destined to be a short day stretched out as the group made their way from Barranco de Velho to Messines, winding their way through villages and crossing the EN 124 and through the centre of Salir and Messines. One horse had to be rescued by the back up team half way up Rocha da Pena.

This night the horses spent a comfortable night at Quinta da Bica Riding Centre with the riders generously receiving hospitality from a number of local families. This being half way there was a strategic changeover of horses. Three young horses were considered to have done so well that they shouldn’t be pushed any further. Replacements had to be summoned from Lagos and from Loule.

Thursday looked like being a good although hot day. All ready to go when one horse took fright at a fallen wheelbarrow and the rider lost her balance. An ambulance had to be summoned, it came very promptly and happily no bones were broken although that was the end of the journey for one rider. A slightly somber group set off around the Funcho dams heading towards Monchique. A late lunch was waiting in Alte by the fountains and then on over Picota towards Monchique. By now the temperature was rising and rising. Two hourly stops were necessary to water the horses – and riders. The back up boys were kept endlessly busy finding water and keeping up behind the horses.

Destination was reached by 7pm. Marie Anne Feran and her boy friend Paulo had gone to great lengths to make space for so many horses at their farm below Foia. They also supplied everyone with a wonderful barbeque evening complete with ‘accordianista’ and dancing.

Day Five dawned hot and steamy. After climbing yet again to the summit at Foia the descent began. The longest day of all, ten hours on the go with two stops and lots of water breaks plus changeover of horses meant the party arrived at their destination at Herdade de Beiçudo, Carrapateira very late and tired. Dinner at Restaurant Sitio do Rio was sponsored by LuzDoc in Praia da Luz.

The last day was much cooler and shorter. A trip along the beach before arriving at 4pm at the lighthouse at Cape S Vincent to loud applause.

Saturday night was party night with a celebration at Restaurant Chico Ze at Torre. We were joined by 120 guests and all enjoyed a delicious dinner and successful auction conducted by Ben Millington Buck who had just completed the ride. Our thanks to Caroline Bell who was ‘volunteered’ for the job

Congratulations to Rod Frew who led the group for 245 kms without getting lost – amazing feat! He rode for 4 ½ days on his young horse, just resting her on the middle days. Congratulations also to Susan Frew, Zoe Dickinson and Pru Clayton Mead who completed the ride on the same horse. Some of the UK riders were very inexperienced and must be congratulated on their tenacity in working through the pain and keeping going to the end. They all rode to raise funds and awareness for PSP, all being closely associated with sufferers.

Thanks go to all the sponsors and to all those who contributed by offering transport, accommodation, meals and in many other ways. Final mention should go to the back up team of Sherry Sanders, Joel Beekmanns and Rupert Harman without whose energy and patience it is generally agreed we wouldnt have made it to our destination.

Tales from the Guide - by Rod Frew

The unseasonally hot weather, a greater numbers of participants and a wider range of rider capabilities all combined to make this a more challenging ride than the previous two. However this was a supposed to be a testing and challenging ride, where we were all participating to really earn our sponsorship and feel that something worthwhile had been achieved.

The heat perhaps provided the greatest challenge for both riders and even more so for the horses. A good supply of water was always going to be paramount and whilst, at this time of year, streams were always flowing , and we crossed many, there were long stretches that were dry and the back-up jeep and crew, Sherry, Rupert and Joel, really had to earn their keep and play a much larger part than previously, which they did with limitless energy and good humour. Nevertheless there were a number of enforced changes of mount, some only temporary, as a result of heat exhaustion or lameness. No lasting damage though, and all soon returned to normal.

Keeping tabs on 20 horses and riders ....with a ratio of 17 women to 3 men!.... strung out across the Algarve hinterland, with frequent hills and bends, was always going to be a challenge and it was not really possible to expect everyone to be able to adhere to the guidelines established. Getting going in the morning and getting moving again after lunch as not really the group’s strongest point! On the whole however everyone did their bit and the ride was completed with fewer setbacks than might have been expected. A nasty accident to one of the participants at the very beginning of day 4, before we had even left the overnight stabling point, was most unfortunate, but was effectively dealt with and hopefully the unpleasant bruising and a few stitches suffered will soon disappear. Losing a couple of participants near the end of day 2, albeit temporarily, was a bit careless, but they turned up eventually!

There were some especially long and hot days, particularly days 4 and 5, which tested everyone to their limits; day 4 between Messines and Monchique had some long and arduous hills and deep valleys with stifling heat, whilst day 5, with over 55km to cover, needed 10 hours in the saddle. In compensation however the long sunny and clear days gave everyone the chance to see the Algarve hinterland at its very best. The spring flowers were all out, the countryside still verdant, the views quite stunning and the villages we passed through alive, scrubbed and clean for the summer .... wonderful enough to make everyone forget their sore backsides and aching legs. At the end of every day, to revive flagging bodies and spirits, there was always a great dinner and an inexhaustible supply of wine supplied by a generous sponsor.

Hardest working of all.... apart maybe for our equine friends....were Jinny ( almost worn out through organising the logistics and coordinating the supply of horses before we even started !) and her tireless support team; Alex, John and Shirley. Always there, everything ready and waiting for our arrival at the end of the day, and always in the right spot with a great picnic in the middle of nowhere for lunch. Some spending almost sleepless nights in the horse lorry keeping an eye on fidgety horses corralled in the countryside. Many tiring kilometers on the roads were also spent by Sue, Frank and John collecting lame or exhausted horse and delivering fresh ones. Many hours were spent by Nat endeavouring to ensure the media kept the public aware of the aims of this event. At the end, when it was all over everyone let their hair down and had a great time at the grand finale dinner organised with great flair by Caro.

Some of the greatest respect and admiration was earned by the great group of ‘gals’ from the PSP. All with some deeply personal involvement with this awful disease they did themselves proud; most had never done anything quite like this before, some had hardly even ridden horses before, but all did their bit with courage and good humour. Hopefully they raised as much sponsorship as their commitment deserved.

A lot of people worked very hard for this event and every penny of sponsorship was truly earned. Sponsors in their turn were very generous and these two worthy charities on whose behalf it was all organised, will be able to give even more help to PSP sufferers and more opportunities for disabled children to benefit from riding.

Mission Accomplished!

The heat didn't help. But they did it. 240km across the Algarve on horseback.

Congratulations to our riders, and most importantly a big thank you to our horses.

All horses are ok, a few will need a holiday but there were no long term injuries.

A full report is on its way once all information is gathered!

Good Luck!!

Wishing the best of luck, fun and laughter to our 20 riders and 20 horses!!

Tomorrow is the big gathering day where our UK riders will get teamed up to their mounts and the other riders with their horses will settle in to prepare for the big start.

They will be leaving from Alcoutim at approx 09.30 hrs on Monday morning to commence the 240km long journey across the Algarve to finish in Sagres on the 19th May at approx 15:30hrs.

We appreciate all support provided by our many sponsors and volunteers. Spectators are more than welcome to join us in the centre of Alcoutim!

Watch this space for updates on the ride!

Article The Portugal News

Many thanks to Chick Hood for kindly writing yet another article for us!

Pictured: Jinny Harman, Rod Frew and his horse Touriga.

The countdown to an epic 240 km charity ride clear across the Algarve is now under way. Horses, riders and support teams are preparing for their challenging six day marathon, that will raise much needed funds for ‘Riding for the Disabled in the Algarve’ and for the ‘Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) Association’.

With the main group of 20 riders now fully subscribed – each having raised Euros 1000 of sponsorship – and with other sponsorship continuing to mount, the organizers are confident that ‘Ride the Algarve Way’ from 13th to 19th May, will bring the success its charities deserve and that its participants and supporters will earn – mostly the hard way!

Steering the organization of the event are Jinny Harman, responsible for all equine and logistic matters, and Rod Frew, routemaster supreme and veteran of two previous rides, who first walked the course in 1998. Rod will navigate the group, along with accompanying ‘day riders’, from Alcoutim on the Spanish border in the east, to Cape St. Vincent in the west, along the medieval era trail created by Mocarabe pilgrims, in homage to St. Vincent, martyred in Valencia in AD 303 and subsequently enshrined on the Cape.

Daunting as the ride itself may be – especially for the 10 UK-based riders taking part – even more challenging perhaps are the logistics and planning involved. Months of work have been underway on everything from feed to fitness (both horses and riders), transport to tack, and from sponsorship to stopovers.

For an undertaking of this nature, extensive back-up is needed, including spare horses, veterinary, medical and farrier support, and mountains of material – feed, water, fencing, spare tack and transporters for horses, people and supplies.

The route must be checked out, just days ahead of the event, to ensure clear passage (a challenging solo task for Rod, by horse, by foot and by 4x4); night time stopovers for horses must be identified, provisioned, fenced and supervised (a support team member will sleep in a horse-box overnight, with the horses); overnight accommodation and feeding must be found and arranged for riders and supporters (difficult in some country districts); communications must be set up for areas where mobiles cannot function (walkie talkies will be used between the group leader and the ‘sweeper’ at the rear, responsible for ensuring that no rider gets lost or is abandoned); fit horses must be found, trained and then allocated to visiting riders; lunchtime water stops must be found that are accessible by jeep (at least 125 litres are needed for the horses at midday each day, along with picnics for the riders, provided with generous sponsorship from Baptista and Apolonia supermarkets); facilities must be provided for the camera crew that is filming the event; and emergency first-aid, spare water, miles of bandages and wound cream must be carried by the back-up crew.

With many of these daunting tasks falling on Jinny Harman’s shoulders, it is no surprise that she will be fully occupied both before and during the event, even without contemplation of contingencies such as accidents, lameness or bad weather, that may affect the ride.

Much will devolve on the riders themselves, who are expected to be fit, ready and mounted on time each day, wholly responsible for morning and evening grooming and properly careful of tack and equipment – not to mention keenly aware of the opportunities for mishap in some very severe terrain, including many hills, steep rocky tracks, deep valleys and several river crossings.

Support for the event has been coming in from many quarters, both private and public. ‘Day Sponsors’ – given full ‘ownership’ of one of the six days – include Medal Insurance and Danshape Construction, whilst material support, in the way of both horse and human feed, transport and cash donations, has been received from bodies as disparate as the RTA, Winkworths Estate Agents, Luzdoc, Luzcar, WorldRent Car Hire, the Civil Governor of the Algarve and a number of the Camaras through whose territory the ride will pass. After long days in the saddle, and in support vehicles, riders and support team members will be especially appreciative of the fine dinners to be offered by these generous hosts.

For spectators, there are innumerable points on the route from which to view the ride and to share in the excitement. Maps and instructions can be found on www.algarveway.com with further information available on www.ridethealgarveway.blogspot.com

Riders will certainly want to be cheered on their way as they stretch stamina and sinew for these two worthy charities. The Algarve itself can certainly be proud to be mounting a truly epic and exciting event such as this, all for such good causes.

Contacts:
Rod Frew
Tel/Fax: +351 282 443284
Email: rfrew@clix.pt

Jinny Harman
Tel: +351 91 7563050
Email: qpahorseriding@gmail.com

Nathalie Baart
Tel: +351 91 4248714
Email: algarveride@gmail.com

19th May Charity Dinner