Newmarket Sponsored Ride info and honest opinions please?

Nickles1973

Nickles1973

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As title really, looking for peoples experiences of the Newmarket sponsored ride in September. Me and a friend were talking about it today and as the money raised from this ride goes to Macmillan, a charity very close to our hearts we are keen to give it a go and attempt to raise a significant amount of money. But, what is it really like? I know "fun" rides can get a bit of bad press and as my friend and I are mostly happy hackers is this the best ride for us to do on our first attempt? Thanks xx
 
Firstly, well done Nickles1973, you have made a good decision.
Secondly, I am sorry but I have no idea what the Newmarket Ride is like,
'though I must say I have had no bad experiences of sponsored rides (if you discount the weather !)
If it is like any I am used to, you can set your own pace and jumps are optional.
At the end, you will certainly have achieved quite something in an admirable cause.
Best of luck.
Teg :)
 
Probably a pointless, unhelpful post, as I haven't been before, but I will be doing it this year with someone who has.
She said there are points where there are quite a bit of walking (routes through the town I think), and because of this, the groups of riders can concertina up, so when there are gallop opportunities, it can be a bit hairy/fun, depending on your outlook. :)
I believe if you do the full 20 miles, you get to go on the 5 mile all weather gallops too.
I'm really looking forward to it!!
 
It's soooo much fun do it!!! Several years since I went but you get to go round the gallops on the 20 mile route, there are a few cross country jumps, you can ride virtually through the town centre down all the special horse paths, nose over the high walls into the rich peoples' houses ;) it's just so good!!
 
I did it a couple of years ago, and I have to say, I wouldn't do it again. I have done quite a few sponsored rides, and it was my least favourite. It started well, nice grassy tracks, but there was an awful lot of road work in the middle, going through the town. Dolly was quite nappy which didn't help, but we had to walk on these concrete walkways, which had been well worn and were shiny. Dolly's hind legs were constantly slipping and sliding.

I am not really a jumper, but they don't have jumps any more anyway.
 
Never been on the Newmarket one but may go if we have transport by then but if you are looking for nice sponsored rides the one round abbots ripton is nice :)
 
I went last year and I won't be going again!

I do quite a few pleasure rides, but this was not particularly pleasurable!!! The ride starts on the gallops (what happened to warming up?) or a 2nd route which we took for slower riders (which we took to mean those that want to warm up!) and it is awful as you have everyone cantering past you!!

The route is a lot of road work (good views of Waitrose car park!) and when you are on the race track you are on the edge, not where the jockeys ride.

All in all it was really disappointing and I have been to much better church rides and forest rides run by clubs like ADR.

Forgot to say: coming home we were meeting riders in the town that has just started the ride, which was a bit of a pain and confused the horses with horses going in both directions. Coming back the route was not marked very well on this part that you had already ridden on the way out. The stewards didn't seem to know the route, just were manning their crossings.
 
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If you like galloping and have a sane horse then I'd go however a lot of racehorses and pointers go on the ride and it is fast. If you don't mind going at a fast speed and have others galloping past you then you'll be fine and enjoy it.

There is another nicer ride i think a week or so after or could be before called the Hildersham and Balsham ride, nicer scenery, tracks and a slower ride. Although it is for the churches you could do an additional sponsorship for your own charity?
 
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