Thanks to some good mates, Don Sagar will be represented by action as well as by name during the Distance Riding NZ Don Sagar Memorial Cup next month.
DRNZ riders on track. Rachel Ellis (number 344) on Chase and Sarah Hepper (345) on Tiramea Abba. Photo Maureen Davis
Coromandel’s Aaron Parker will be riding one of Don’s horses as he attempts to defend his 80km Senior Enduro class title. Teresa Birkett from Distance Riding NZ (DRNZ) said Don, a longstanding endurance rider, would be pleased to see his legacy carried on exactly four years after his death.
“Don did quite a bit of distance riding – he loved his horses and the Waimiha area,” she said. “Aaron had only just started riding when Don died, but he bought two of his horses and, last year, he won. I’m sure Aaron will be here with bells on again this year.”
Aaron’s partner, Angela Makara, will also be riding one of Don’s former mounts at the October 25-26 event. With approximately 100 others also along for the ride, Aaron will be no lone ranger.
The trail, which begins and ends at the Waimiha Sports Club, covers some ideal riding country, said Birkett.
The late Don Sagar and his horse, Wai Totara Moonstar
“I think we’ll have about the same number of people again – it’s quite a popular event. It’s all beef country, which is perfect at this time of year because sheep farmers have been lambing and then docking, so we can’t ride on lambing blocks.
The Don Sagar Memorial features courses ranging from 7–80kms and it is open to serious competitors and riders looking to take in the King Country scenery at a more leisurely pace.
“It’s beautiful, rolling country, including some good flat land, and it’s not too hard underfoot, which is better for the horses,” Birkett said.
While the time in which courses are tackled matters, the welfare of horses is a fundamental element of the sport.
Essentially, distance riding includes two classes – RTT (Ride the Trail) and Enduro (endurance riding). RTT isn’t as competitive and usually covers shorter trails than enduro events.
In endurance events, riders attempt to complete courses in a set time – penalties are applied for finishing under or over the time limit. Horses’ heart rates, measured before and after the courses, indicate how much strain the animal has been under. Penalties are then issued accordingly.
Recognising warning signs that a horse is being pushed too hard makes all the difference in competition, Birkett said.
“You have to learn how to become one with your horse and understand when it’s tired or thirsty, for example. You also have to make sure it is well prepared and well fed with the electrolytes it will need beforehand – just as any serious athlete should. All these things add up at the end of the day.”
Success is down to the right balance of horse and rider.
“Even if you don’t have an excellent horse, you can still go okay if you’re a skilled rider, but even with the best, fittest horse, you have to be able to ride well enough to get through the courses.”
Horses of many colours are involved in the sport, but Arabians are particularly well suited.
“There are some crossbreeds, such as an Anglo, which is like a thoroughbred and Arab cross, but in endurance events it’s mainly Arabians because they are better able to run longer distances.”
Distance riding is a passion shared by Teresa Birkett’s family, including her husband, Peter, and their teenage daughters, Rebecca, Grace and Sarah.
“Peter and I have a farm in Ōtunui (near Taumarunui),” she said. “We have sheep and cattle… and horses, of course.”
DRNZ is running numerous events nationwide this summer, including another King Country ride, centred around Piopio on January 3–4.
Aaron Parker, Beryl Sagar (Don’s wife) and horse, Wai Totara Ramirez (previously owned by Don). Photo Angela Makara
