NEW FOREST ROTARY. HORSE OR CYCLE EVENT.

PHOTOS BY RAY DAWES.  

Horse or Cycle Ride Saturday 16th of May by the organiser Dave Smith

"The day started at 8am with my arrival at Burley Park after my visit to the BBC to do a ‘plug’, which felt like an episode of W1A, but that’s another story.

George had got the tents up the previous day and Eddie and Penny were busy setting up. I did the water and energy bars table, which, for the first time were sponsored by a Rotarian and not by Sainsbury’s.By then Ian was organising the car park team, and Ken was putting up the road signs.

 The signs were much in evidence on the way from the A31, but unbelievably one party spotted the red route marker signs and followed them instead into Forest Road and then got lost!

When Ailsa and Jackie arrived to man (or woman?) the gate, it became evident that the ‘finish’ sign was missing, the ever resourceful Ken managed to locate it, still in the hay shed from last years event!

By now Dan (Tanner) had arrived and with his 4 x 4 was arranging the starting point. The burger van arrived, as did the charity stalls which were organised by Malcolm. 

The field was now filling rapidly with the arrival of the marshals which were briefed by Philip, and before I knew it, the first of the riders had arrived. 

The whole operation then went into gear with no hiccups, and by 10am there was a single line of cars parked but only 1 horsebox. 

At this point it became apparent that the number of riders was going to be less than last year, and so it turned out.The final number of riders and walkers was 199 against 302 last year and 324 the year before. This will inevitably impact on the amount raised and will give the organising committee some big decisions to make.

The event depends on a lot of hard work by Rotarians, their spouses such as Penny, their friends such as Peter and the sponsors both within the club and without.

All of the money raised will go to mainly local charities, but without an ever growing number of participants the event cannot justify the amount of work and finance that goes into it, therefore some serious thought must go into its future.

This decision has yet to be made, and I would be interested in hearing any comments from club members."  Dave 

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EVENT AND 100 PHOTOS ARE BEING DISPLAYED ON THE EVENT'S SPECIAL WEBSITE AT www.horseorcycle.co.uk