Susan Hawes - Chairman

As a child, I was completely pony mad. I saved all my pocket money to have riding lessons. Although I pestered my father to buy me a horse he always replied "work hard at school get a good job and buy your own."

Accordingly, it was not until I was 28 years old, having graduated from University and qualified as a solicitor, that I was able to buy my first horse. Her name was Gretton Lady and together we competed in rides up to 80km. The highlight of our time together was winning a silver award at the Golden Horseshoe ride. Lady was sadly hit by a lorry travelling at speed whilst she was being led along a road. A cup (the Southern Quartet accumulator) is awarded at the South East awards evening each year in her memory.

Over the years, I have had the privilege to ride a number of talented horses, several having come to me on loan. These included the beautiful white stallion Silva Dollar, Dahlih (Maverick) with whom I won the British National Championships in 2005, and Farouk de Lozelle.

I have also been fortunate enough to twice represent Great Britain at the European Endurance Championships. In Italy in 1997 on Kazal and Portugal in 2007 with Jade Rani (where we finished in eleventh place). 

This year I have two horses to ride; Binley Prince Salim, who belongs to Anne Brown, is a 100% Crabbet Arabian stallion and Z.T. Richshakfy (Ricky) an elite standard endurance horse who has represented GB at the European Championships at Florac in 2011 ridden by Christine Yeoman.

My husband, Kevin, acts as crew. We have twin teenage children (David and aroline) who are both advanced level endurance riders.

I am one of the organisers of the Black Knight ride (so called because it runs from Blackham Court to Nightingale Farm and back). The ride is being run over two days in July and I look forward to seeing you all there!.

Maggie Pattinson - Vice-Chair & Child Protection

Over the years I have been involved at all levels in a whole spectrum of Equestrian Disciplines in many different countries from Dressage to Eventing at the very top of the sport. And Racing on the North American Racetracks, but some 20 years ago I discovered Endurance, and realised that what I had thought of as a bunch of "happy hackers" was in fact a sport that could challenge every piece of horse knowledge and experience I had gained  and the incomparable buzz of a horse racing across a finish line after 100 miles in one day still fresh and still full of running.  Endurance mixes horsemanship with the kind of sports science applied to elite human athletes.  It places a premium on preparation, horse and rider management, and the ability to listen to your horse and judge its limits.  I have trained, competed and crewed at International level.

I no longer compete over long distances following a serious road accident several years ago in which I lost my top horse and both me and my novice horse were badly injured.  However my passion for fitness of horse and rider was very much intact and I now coach and train endurance combinations at all levels, both individuals and Teams. I am Chef d’Equipe for the English Home International Squad, and design bespoke training programmes for clients based on their abilities, ambitions and Disciplines through my company On the Hoof Distance Training -  I am official coach for the Mongol Derbyists (a 1000km ER across the Mongolian Steppes) Oh! And have put on a number of demonstrations for our sport (Your Horse Live, FEI European Championships and shortly Balmoral Show, Belfast for ILDRA).

So, because I haven’t got much to do! I’m back on the SE Committee, after a few years off, and hope to continue to ensure the SE Riders are Well Trained and Well Informed from Grass Roots to those with International Aspirations!

Kate Curry - Secretary & Health and Safety

I discovered Endurance when it was still called ‘Long Distance Riding’ in the late 1980s, after doing many riding holidays and riding club trail rides on my first horse Dee (Miss Tweed). During the mid-late 1990s I competed with the EHPS on Sam (Hillside Royal Secret). In 2004 Doyenne, a beautiful pure-bred Arab, joined our family. I suppose I consider myself to be a ‘grass roots’ member of EGB, competing mainly in middle distance CRs. After all these years, butterflies still churn in my stomach before every ride, and completing a ride successfully still brings more satisfaction than anything else I can think of!

Over the years I have helped at many rides, doing all the jobs from road crossing steward to secretary. I have co-organised a national ride and served on the committee of Chiltern Distance Riders, a local group running pleasure rides. I stood for the SEG Committee because I now feel it is time for me to put a bit more back into the sport I became addicted to many years ago.

Jane Cook - Treasurer & Membership Secretary

I have been a member of EGB for about 10 years and have undertaken various roles on the South East group committee including newsletter stuffer and trophy secretary.  This year I have taken on the role of Treasurer & Membership Secretary.

I am currently without my own horse to ride, but I do have my homebred Arab x Welsh two year old – A Dream of Gold – known to us all as Orlagh, waiting in the wings.

Su Middleton - PR & Merchandise & Group Rep

I wasn't as lucky as some people to have the opportunity at a young age to have my own pony - I relied on riding lessons on alternate weekends and helping at the stables in between.  But my love of horses always stayed with me and I got introduced to Endurance by a friend in 1997 and ended up competing at distances up to 30 miles.  I have sat on the South East Committee in several capacities, enjoying the opportunity to give something back.

I have also always enjoyed helping at rides in one capacity or another, more predominantly as Technical Steward or Vet Steward and took the plunge and organised a new Training Ride over Chobham Common in Surrey last year.  Helping at rides really taught me a lot in the early days especially, as well as being a great way to meet other members and have met some great friends through Endurance.

In December 2009 I was honoured to receive the Unsung Hero Trophy at our AGM.

For the last couple of seasons I've enjoyed introducing my new horse Chlio to endurance who I brought over from Jersey.  Although 11 at that time she hadn't done much and so we've had fun together going back to basics and doing mostly training and pleasure rides, although consistently doing really well when she has done a Competitive Ride.

If you’re just starting out in Endurance and finding it all a bit daunting, feel free to give me a call for a chat, I’ll be more than happy to try and calm your fears

Peter Davenport - Rides Coordinator & Ride Equipment

I have been involved with endurance riding since 1986 when Leo entered her first ride, since then it has been central to our lives.  I have crewed for Leo and my daughters on a wide variety of rides throughout the country (15,000+km of competitive rides to date and rising) and I enjoy every aspect of it, meeting so many great people and going to some fantastic places.  I have done a number of Pleasure Rides however Leo thinks it is better for her nerves if I crew rather than ride.

I have been involved in organising rides for about 15+ years starting with the Glassenbury Ride in Kent (now sadly lost to us) and including the 2-day Berkshire Downs Ride amongst others.

When EGB started I joined the SE Committee and have served at various times as Treasurer, Membership Secretary and Chairman and am now settled as the Rides and Ride Equipment Coordinator.  Contact me if you want to know anything about how to run a ride, new organisers always welcome!

I own and run, with Leo, a small electronics manufacturing company in Burgess Hill and I have lived my entire life in Chelwood Gate, East Sussex on the Ashdown Forest where we have a small farm.

Leo Davenport - Trophy Secretary

I’ve ridden since about the same time as learning to walk and have never wanted to do much else than be on horseback.  I discovered Endurance riding in 1986 and have been completely hooked ever since, competing first with Vesta Golden Vacquero, then the truly fabulous Saqi, and now his nephew CoCo; with another nephew Seavers waiting in the wings.  It has been a family sport for us with Peter and both my daughters riding, crewing and helping at rides.  With Louise Graham, we currently organise Berkshire Downs Southern Championships Ride.

Miranda Kavanagh - Team Co-ordinaor

I’ve been hooked on horses all my life. My earliest equine memories are of riding lessons near Leatherhead in Surrey. On one occasion during a lesson, I was unseated when the noise from the engines of the Concorde prototype spooked my pony. Since then, horses have been a central feature of my life, which I have mixed with a busy full-time career - and two children. I’ve dabbled in most things equine – eventing, hunting, dressage, showjumping – and I’ve ridden all sorts of horses in far flung places: an Australian Waler for a week on a sheep station in New South Wales, and galloping across a moonlit Spanish plain on an Andalucian stallion.  However, I discovered Endurance only last year and I can’t think why I haven’t tried it before. I had to find a new job for my teenage daughter’s Pony Club cast-off Derry Spirit, a 16hh TB x Connemara so thought I’d have a go.  I started with the Hale Court Training Tide and then thought I’d do Beachy Head 32km CR on a try-before-you-buy basis. Having hunted on the Downs many times, I thought it would be a breeze. Instead it was a gale, with torrential rain thrown in. I got lost for an hour and a half, but I was hooked, and Derry loved it too. I think it is a natural sport for any horse, and a wonderful way for both horse and rider to keep fit.  We completed a further six rides and I was thrilled when we achieved best novice at Firle in August.

From the start, I’ve been impressed by the friendliness of everyone I’ve met.  I can honestly say that this is the equine discipline I like the most of any I’ve been involved in.  Somewhat rashly therefore, I decided to take the plunge and do more than just participate, but try to help out and perhaps bring a perspective from someone new to the sport; hence my joining the Committee and taking on the Team Co-ordinator role.  I have some experience of this, as last year I pulled together a team for Ardingly Riding Club to enter the EGB RC competition.  It was a bit like pulling hen’s teeth, so hopefully it should be easier in a club full of dedicated enthusiasts...

Bryony Dickins - Newsletter & Website Editor

I have been involved with horses since the tender age of 5. Over the years I have competed in both affiliated dressage and show jumping. I turned to Endurance riding as I far prefer a 20 mile loop to a 20 metre circle! I have previously been a member of BERA, EHPS, East Anglian Trailriders Association & Anglian Distance Riders before EGB was formed.  The main thing that I love about Endurance is the friendliness and camaraderie amongst everyone involved with this fabulous sport.

Mandy Yarnold - New Members & Assistant Website Editor

I have been riding since I was 2 years old. I started on a mischievous pony called Garnet on the lead rein on Rotten Row in London.  I got up at 5am every Tuesday and Thursday to cycle the half a mile to the stables to muck out and go riding before school, as well as spending nearly every minute at the weekend there too. My family moved to Kent when I was 15 and I continued to ride on my own horses joining the local Pony Club, show jumping up to Foxhunter level and competing up to County level in Working Hunter and Show Pony classes until I got married and other priorities took over. After a break I began riding again and discovered Endurance riding through my sister-in-law Judith. I started by riding my niece’s horse whilst she was doing her GCSE’s and I bought my own Endurance horse Tom in 2008. We have worked our way up from Novice to Advanced and completed our first 80km ER in May 2011, coming 2nd in the Lincoln Plate. I am delighted to be joining the South East committee and being able to give something back to the Endurance community.

Judith Yarnold - New Members & PR Assistant

Like the committee members above I too have ridden since childhood. As children if we wanted to get anywhere, for example to see friends we either got there on a horse or we cycled. So my introduction to riding long distances stemmed from necessity. Later we would hack 15-20 miles or more to Pony Club rallies, Prince Philip Cup practices etc! Many years and many miles later I found Endurance.

My first EGB SE ride was at Ashdown Forest. I rode my 16hh Irish Sports Horse with my daughter Charlotte on her little pony. We loved it and immediately felt welcomed by the people we met that day. We often look back on that first day and remember how Peter Davenport, as chairman, made a point of introducing himself and making sure that we enjoyed our day.

Charlotte moved on to her own 16hh ISH and we rode together for years. Our two large horses loved the sport – and showed that you can be successful on a variety of types / breeds of horse. We took these two mares to Advanced and continued to enjoy the training, the rides and the people we met.

Charlotte is now away at university and I have had a couple of years out due to horse injury/ illness.

I am delighted to be riding again this year starting my 5 yr old Arab Zotti in March. I am also delighted to have recently joined the Committee. I look forward to meeting new SE members throughout the year and to working with all of the Committee members. 

Having had a couple of years off there are lots of SE members that I do not know yet – I look forward to meeting you all and  I hope you have a super season in 2012.

Lindsay Sparrow - Assistant Newsletter Editor