Endurance GB have welcomed Nikki Malcolm and Oso Spiralling Wind as the new Ridercise Southern Champions.
Dorchester based Nikki won the 80km Championship held at Endurance GB’s Three Rivers Ride, near Fordingbridge on Saturday 15th June.
The Championship, sponsored by the rider fitness and conditioning specialists Ridercise, was one of 24 classes held at Three Rivers over a route covering grassy tracks, downland, and bridleways.
Nikki, who competed the Australian-bred grey on behalf of the Oso Arabians team based in New South Wales, finished just ahead of second-placed Sally Mcilwaine and Winnie The Witch.
Nikki said:
This was a lovely win for a deserving team on the other side of the globe who have bred and produced such a lovely boy.
Spiral came over from Australia last March to train with me with the ultimate goal of Australian young riders being able to qualify for the YR World Championships.
OSO stud and its owner Linda Mars have shown great faith in the sport of endurance in the UK to give me this chance to produce the horse and make their dreams come true using EGB rides. Of course it’s a pressure but also a privilege for me and we are blessed with some great ride organisers and venues within Endurance GB. This year we have successfully qualified 20 year old Australian rider Emzy Dimech using Royal Windsor 120 as her qualifier for the Young Rider World Championships in Pisa, Italy later this year. Although it’s unlikely Australia will be able to host a full team it’s all good progress towards future goals.
The Southern Championship was a chance to keep Spiral’s mentally in tune as he enjoys his ‘away days’. As a team we were experimenting with presentation times in vet gates, trying to save valuable minutes that could make all the difference in a close race, we took a lot of valuable lessons away from yesterday and it gave us a two min lead out onto the last loop which he breezed round and cantered on the bridle all the way to the line with excellent recoveries.
Spiral will probably have one more outing possibly at Euston Park to soak up a busier atmosphere and deal with all the flags and vetting marques that he will come across at a championship but the majority of training will be done onsite using our two top class gallops and excellent Dorset countryside.”
Nikki had previously won a 130km race at Three Rivers at its old venue on Salisbury Racecourse, but this was the first time she won at this venue, formally known the Breamore Ride
Clare Gangadeen founder of Championship sponsor RiderCise said:
Nikki is an inspiring rider and trainer and her partnership with Oso Spiralling Wind made them worthy winners of the Southern Championship.”
Rebecca Kinnarney, Chair of Endurance GB said:
We are delighted to have a new Southern Champion in Nikki and would like to thank ride organiser, Pauline Beach, and her incredible team of volunteers at Three Rivers for a fantastic event as well as Clare and RiderCise® for their generous support.”
The Ridercise Southern Championship is the first in a series of three rides. The RiderCise Northern Championships are being held at the Cumbria Challenge Ride on Sunday 15th August, while the new Welsh Championship is being held at Pen Ddol Y Gader, Carmarthenshire 31st Aug-1st Sept.
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