Rides Diary

Scottish Endurance Riding Club - Grampian Branch Rides Location Map

Grampian Rides 2008. Updates in red.

News of other branches' rides and Ride Entry form below.

The full Club Ride Diary will be available on the SERC website.

Date	Location	Type	Comments
24 Feb	Kirkhill	Pl/Tr: 17Km or 27Km	A good early season ride with variety of terrain and some gentle climbs. Ride Info Results Photos Reports
16 March	Durris	Pl/Tr: 17Km Comp: 32Km	Predominantly forest with some tarmac. Ride Info Results Report
6 April	Braes of Gight, Methlick	Pl/Tr: 20Km Comp : 31Km, 50Km	CANCELLED DUE TO SNOW BLIZZARD Landranger 30 Grid 858373 Forest tracks around the Ythan Valley including section of Haddo Country Park. About 10% tarmac on quiet roads. Ride Info
19 & 20 April	Easterton Farm, Blackford	Training and Development Weekend	Organised by Selection/International Committee. Open to all SERC members. See Omnibus for details. Grampian members contact Pat Dorward or Audrey Clarke
27 April	Strathdon	Pl/Tr: 20Km Comp: 32Km, 52Km, 62Km & 82Km	No lorries as access to the venue is over narrow bridge. An interesting and varied route over some hilly country. Good going over moorland and forestry with some farm tracks and tarmac. Some river crossings. Single loop routes with some new sections for 2008. Ride Info Results Reports
11 May	Clova, By Lumsden	Pl/Tr: 17 Km Comp: 33Km, 53Km, 63Km & 83Km	CANCELLED DUE TO LACK OF HELPERS The routes will be joined to the new venue by a new section. Forest tracks with the Peat Trail, farmland, and Craig and Clova estates tracks. The climb is 480m. There is minimal roadwork on quiet roads. Ride Info
8 June	Drumtochty	Pl/Tr: 20km Comp: 32Km	OS Map 45 Stonehaven & Banchory Grid Ref : NO 705 799 Forestry ride with a little roadwork. Varied selection of forestry tracks with some pleasant climbs and good views if weather allows, easy parking with toilets nearby. Average speeds on similar tracks in 2007: 30=12.36, Tr=11.61, Pl=10.66 Ride Info Results Reports
22 June	Blackhall	Pl/Tr: 19	Landranger 45 Grid 644942 There will be a slightly shorter route this year. Forest ride with some quiet roadwork. NO competitive classes. No gates and good tracks with super views over Royal Deeside. Steep hill to the venue not suitable for small car towing. Ride Info Results Reports Photos
6 July	Smallburn, Nr Huntly	Pl/Tr Comp: 30, 50, 60	Landranger 29 Grid 470450 Relatively fast, level route on good tracks comprising of grass, forestry roads and a little tarmac. 15% tarmac, 50% forest, 5% fields, 30% tracks. Highest climb 150 m. For directions and talkrounds, click on link in Location column. Average speeds in 2007: 50=11.78, 30=11.06, Tr=9.47, Pl=9.11 Ride Info
27 July	Grampian Castles (Bennachie)	Sunday: 50km CTR 36km CTR 23km Pleasure	Pasquill Trophy, 80km ER & 60km ER classes cancelled due to lack of entries. Landranger 37 Grid NJ635259 A lot of open ground with good views. There is a balance between difficult terrain and fast canter tracks which is reflected in the ride speeds. All routes are tried and tested and have a standard of difficulty to be expected from a good endurance ride. There is generally a high rate of completion and low vetting-out rate for all routes. Average speeds in 2006: 80=12.65, 70=12.61, 50=11.53, 30=11.17, Pl=8.96 Ride Info
9-10 August	Glens of Antrim	HOME INTERNATIONAL & CELTIC CHALLENGE	Organised by I.L.D.R.A. Ride Info Further information will be on the Club website and www.ildra.co.uk.
13-15 August	Oatridge College, Ecclesmachen	FEI Judges and Stewards Course	Organised by SERC Club Committee. Open to any SERC member who is interested in training to become an FEI Steward/Judge. For further details please contact General Secretary, Lindsay Wilson.
21 September	Forest of Deer	Pl/Tr: 20Km Comp: 30Km, 60Km ER: 80Km	Landranger 30 Grid 985478 Reasonably flat ride with a mixture of old railway line, forestry and younger forestry plantations with nice canter tracks. 10% tarmac, 40% forest, 50% tracks. Hard standing for parking. For ride instructions - click on link in Location column. For Talkrounds click here Average speeds in March 2007: 60=12.20, 50=11.50, 30=10.87, Tr=12.22, Pl=9.94
5 October	Archaeolink (Bennachie)	Pl/Tr Comp: 30Km	Landranger 38 Grid 667257, Starting from Archaeolink. Mainly forestry with a little tarmac. Excellent venue with cafe, loos and plenty to look at. Average speeds in 2007: 60=11.59, 30=10.12, Pl=8.49
26 October	Fetteresso	Pl/Tr Comp: 30Km, 50Km	Landranger 45 Predominantly forest ride with some farm tracks. For ride info, talkrounds and map click here Average speeds in 2007: 50=15.56, 30=12.23, Tr=11.54, Pl=10.13

Entries (for Grampian Rides Only) to: Ruth Riddell

e-mail :- ruth_riddell@yahoo.co.uk

Closing dates are 2 weeks before ride dates. Late entries at discretion of organiser

Please check postage, especially for 2-day rides and multiple entries.

Download Ride Entry form for Grampian Rides:-

Word Format - PDF Format

Making entries:

Postages

I am still getting s.a.e.’s with the wrong postage. At Kirkhill there were a few stamps below the postal cost but I am glad to say none for Durris. HOWEVER, for both these rides, some people ARE PAYING TOO MUCH! So let me try to explain……

ENVELOPE SIZES

What I used to call “letter size” (A4 folded twice) no longer exists.

1. Letter size now is approx half an inch bigger than A5 (A4 folded once).

It is anything up to 240 x 165 mm (9.5 x 6.5 inches)

Max thickness is 5mm (0.4 inch). This will limit the number of pages to about 8.

Max weight is 100g – that could be up to about a dozen* sheets.

This is perfectly adequate for most one-day, simple Competitive and Pleasure branch rides.

2. Large Letter size would include flat A4 (no folds).

It is anything larger than “Letter size” and up to 353 x 250 mm (14 x 10 inches)

Max thickness 25mm – ample!

Weight can vary but up to 100g (~12* sheets) will need one Large Letter stamp.

This may be needed for multiple day rides or multiple entries at the same address.

I will always try to get the paperwork in the post within 24 hours of getting the photocopies, but that can vary. So, you choose first or second class, but putting extra or double stamps on won’t get the paperwork to you any quicker.

Hope this helps

Ruth

* Rough estimation using my kitchen scale.

However, you can download some ride information and talk-rounds from the website, so it may only be necessary for you to be sent your map and vet sheet.

Highland Branch has a new website..... www.serchighland.org.uk

Tayside Branch has a new website..... http://www.freewebs.com/serctayside/index.htm

Trooper Trophy Rides 2008

25th May	Hillhead, Lothians	120Km ER
13th July	The Highland Fling, Highland	80Km ER
16th August	Caledonia Challenge, Oatridge	80Km ER
21st September	Forest of Deer, Grampian	80Km ER

Capercaillie Inter-Branch Challenge 2008

28th & 29th June Perth, Tayside

Pony Club Challenge Final

5th October Devilla, Glasgow

Changes to Club Rides:

13 April 08	Kingussie (Highland)	Pl - 60Km
18 May 08	Craigvinean Forest, Dunkeld (Tayside)	Pl - 30Km

Making Entries

PLEASE, PLEASE try to make your entries by the due date, (ie 14 days before the ride) - they can be withdrawn without penalty if you can make a good case to the entry secretary – she will not penalise you unduly – but she and the ride organiser do need to know whether anyone is going to turn up otherwise they are going to a lot of trouble for nothing. If you are riding on the Sunday a fortnight before and worried whether you will be fit – ‘phone and tell her your entry will be in a day later, or put it in earlier and ask her to send it back if things go wrong at the ride – it will only cost you a stamp.

You are likely to have your entry refused if you are several days late in applying or you will find that the ride has been cancelled due to apparent lack of interest.

Late entries may be accepted at no additional cost, but maps and talkrounds will not be sent out, they may be collected from the caravan on the day. At the discretion of the rides secretary - persistent offenders may still be refused. There is no reason why you may not put in multiple entries for the months ahead. Each should have a separate cheque and should you find it necessary to withdraw within the permitted time, your entry will be cancelled and your cheque destroyed.

Should you ride with another branch of SERC and you wish to grade your horse you should advise your own branch archivist (Jane Hollstein). After any ride outwith the branch, your vet sheet will be sent to your home branch archivist so that she can log your achievements.