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.
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.
posted by Ride The Algarve Way @ 5:55 AM
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