Meg Wade and China Doll Meg Wade and China Doll Photograph:www.enduranceworldonline.com

The first of three FEI rides schedule for Victoria this year was conducted on the weekend of 05 - 06 April at Walwa near the NSW border. The CEI 2 * 80km event was run on Saturday with the main event, the CEI 3* 160km event, run on Sunday.

Both events were small in number but the competition was strong, particularly in the 3* event. This was one of the qualifying rides for the World Championships for Endurance, which are to be held in Malaysia in November 2008. The qualification criteria for this event has been strengthened ahead of concerns about the ride being run in a tropical climate. Rider and horse combinations must successfully complete 2 x 160km events in a time of less than 13 hours and 20 minutes in the 24 months preceding the World Championships with one of those completions in the twelve month period prior to the event.

EI has affected, as it has for all horse sports, the preparations of combinations who are wanting to be considered for selection for the World Championships. It takes considerable preparation to get a horse ready for an 80km event and a much longer time frame to be fit for a 160km event. It is a credit to riders and trainers that the horses presented for the 160km were all fit and ready for competition as the longest time taken to complete the 160km event was recorded at 13 hours and 52 minutes.

Two combinations were successful in attaining World Championship qualifications at the Upper Murray Challenge. The combinations, Meg Wade riding China Doll and Brook Sample riding Brookleigh Excalibur, are seasoned pairs and easily completed well within the qualifying time.

The 3* event was won by Meg Wade in a time of 9 hrs 14 mins in a close finishing tussle with second place getter Linda Meredith on Anglesea Trooper, a young and upcoming future star. Meg’s horse, China Doll, also took out the coveted Best Conditioned award, which assesses the horse and how it has handled the ride on the day following the competition. China Doll moved fluently in the workout looking ready for the show ring and not at all like she’d completed a 160km ride the previous day! Third place went to Matthew Sample on Tuldar Saladin with his brother Brook Sample taking fourth on his homebred gelding Brookleigh Excalibur.

The 2* event was again won by Meg Wade, this time riding her homebred gelding Castlebar Balik. Meg completed the 80km course in 4 hours and 19 minutes with second place getter, Kristie McGaffin aboard Kurrajong Concorde finishing in 4 hours and 30 minutes. Best conditioned was awarded to Castlebar Balik in a very close competition. In fact, the Castlebar stable had a very successful weekend with the first four places in the 2* being taken by Castlebar horse and rider combinations.