Horses and riders brave trying conditions

Cold and wet conditions did not deter 12 gutsy horse riders from leaving the Collie race track in the early hours of Good Friday for the 23rd running of the 240km Easter Marathon.
It was a wonderful testament of horsemanship that saw 11 complete the course and successfully passed the stringent vet check on Easter Sunday after riding 80km a day for three days.
Three elated first timers were among those who completed the course while one rider now has 10 marathons to her name.
Two stallions completed the 240km and were praised by the head vet for their impeccable behaviour in the vet ring and out on the track.
A total of 107 riders contested shorter distances of 40km and 20km over the three days with an 80km ride held on the Saturday.
The SES manned the checkpoints, spaced at roughly10km along the track, greeting riders and horses with refreshments and encouragement.
Ride organisers spent two weeks marking the course and coordinating volunteers for the various roles in the running of the event.
Head Vet, Dr Anne Barnes from Murdoch Vet Hospital praised the riders at the presentations on how well they had looked after their horses and declared it “the best marathon ever”.
The ride was a precursor to the Tom Quilty Gold Cup which is due to be held on the course in September next year.
Committee members have been working hard as the track undergoes a big facelift with excitement starting to build ahead of the national event.
Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.
Sign up for our emails