Endurance rider Kathy Carr and her Arabian mare Tannasg Storm claimed victory in the 2-day 120km class at the iconic Golden Horseshoe Ride on Exmoor, one of the UK’s oldest and most famous long-distance horse riding events.
The Golden Horseshoe Ride, first held in 1965, is widely regarded as one of the toughest challenges in British endurance riding. Based on Exmoor, the event tests horse and rider across demanding moorland terrain, steep climbs, valleys and open countryside, with strict veterinary checks throughout to ensure horse welfare remains the priority.
Kathy, who lives near Grantham, Lincolnshire, has been competing in endurance since 1990 and has completed nearly 11,000km in competitive rides during that time. Her latest success came in what many competitors described as one of the hottest Golden Horseshoe events on record.
Riding Tannasg Storm, an 11-year-old chestnut pure-bred Arabian mare, Kathy completed the 120km Stag class over two days, riding 80km on the first day and 40km on the second.
“There is no feeling like it,” said Kathy. “I always feel quite emotional at the end of a Golden Horseshoe ride and have a huge sense of pride in and respect for my horse, Tannasg Storm, and all the other finishers who coped with everything Exmoor threw at them.”
Endurance riding is a competitive long-distance equestrian sport where horse and rider must complete a set route within a target speed while passing veterinary inspections before, during and after the ride. Endurance GB is the National Governing Body for endurance riding in England and Wales, organising rides from entry-level pleasure rides to championship-level competitions, with horse welfare at the heart of the sport.
This year’s Golden Horseshoe conditions made the achievement even more impressive.
“I’ve ridden there a number of times but this year was the toughest I’ve encountered,” Kathy said. “The route was particularly challenging on the first day and the heat was the biggest factor on the second. In these conditions, the role of the crew becomes even more important than usual in order to keep the horse fed and hydrated.”
Tannasg Storm, known as Storm at home, showed both toughness and character over the two days.
“She was her usual self — strong, opinionated and constantly hungry!” Kathy said. “More seriously, I was surprised how well she coped with the terrain, which is so different from home.”
Kathy explained that preparing a horse for a challenge of this scale takes years of careful work.
“It takes years to build up the strength and stamina required to take a horse from Novice level up to coping with this sort of challenge,” she said. “Storm also did 40km here last year, so had some previous experience of what we would encounter. In the shorter term, I think it needs to be in your plans from the start of the year. My horses always have a winter break but as soon as Storm came back into work in January, we started working towards this ride.”
Tannasg Storm was bred by Tannasg Arabians, one of the UK studs producing Arabian horses with the athleticism, temperament and stamina suited to endurance riding.
Kathy added: “Storm is very opinionated and can be stubborn but knows exactly when to turn on the charm and likes a cuddle. Although strong, she’s a lovely horse to ride with a huge trot which covers the ground effortlessly.”
The win was made even more special by the fact Kathy rode the whole route alongside her friend Amie Grainger and Vlacq Hi Jinx, with the two riders supporting one another throughout the challenge.
“Amie was constantly telling me, ‘we’ve got this’,” Kathy said. “When we set out at the start of day two, I started to believe her.
“We rode together the whole way and really supported one another. On this ride, it’s particularly helpful for both horse and rider to have company and share the challenge. At the end there was a single heartbeat difference and it could easily have been the other way round — a tiny margin separating first and second place.”
Kathy also paid tribute to the team behind the scenes who helped make the result possible.
“So many people help,” she said. “Storm’s physio Sarah Marler, my farrier James Speck, Amie who persuaded me to enter this class and provides training company, equine vet Georgina Vaughan who provided loads of advice over the weekend, and our fantastic crew — especially my husband Peter, and this weekend Emma Martin, Dave, Phil and the Vaughan family.”
Kathy has enjoyed several previous successes at Golden Horseshoe, but says the ride remains uniquely special.
“It’s strangely addictive,” she said. “My first experience of the ride was in torrential rain but there was such a feeling of achievement when we crossed the finishing line that I had to come back and do double the distance the next time. I love the camaraderie and supportive atmosphere and, of course, Exmoor is a beautiful part of the country.”
After her Golden Horseshoe victory, Tannasg Storm will now enjoy a well-earned rest before potentially joining the Leicestershire and Rutland team at the Endurance GB Inter-Regional Championships at Cirencester later this season.
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