BARNSLEY’S Emma Martin achieved a dream nearly four decades in the making last weekend when she crossed the finish line first in the only one-day 100-mile endurance horse ride in the country this year.
Riding Nightfire Hallelujah Louis - her mother Julie’s 13-year-old Arabian gelding - Emma completed the challenging course at Thetford alongside fellow competitors Amie Grainger and Victoria Davies.
The trio rode together from start to finish, crossing the line at an average speed of 13.7kph.
For Emma, the victory was particularly poignant as she last completed a one-day 100-mile ride back in 1986 - at just 12 years old - on her pony Sandpiper at the Southwell Summer Solstice ride.
Emma said: “From the age of ten I wanted to do the ‘100-miler’ - when I was 12 I reached that goal.
“It’s taken me 39 years to get the right horse and the right team around me to attempt it again.
“Louis rose to the challenge and together with Amie and Sheraani, and Victoria and Showtyme, we were victorious.
“Saturday will be a day I will treasure forever.”
Louis began his endurance career in 2017 and this was his first attempt at the 100-mile distance in one day, though he had already shown promise by finishing third in the two-day 100-miler at Red Dragon in Wales last September.
Known affectionately as ‘King Louis’, the gelding redeemed himself in style after unseating Emma only weeks before.
Emma was supported at Thetford by her dedicated crew - Julie, Jeni Gilbert and Dave Younger - and she also paid tribute to her home team at Crabtree Grange Farm Livery, Great Houghton, and to the organisers and volunteers.
The course wound through the Rushford and Shadwell Estates on the Norfolk-Suffolk border, offering sandy tracks, river crossings and grassy headlands - perfect footing despite the summer’s dry spell.
“The course rode beautifully,” Emma added.
“It really was a joy to ride and I would encourage anyone to give endurance a go.
“I started out at a very young age and it has remained my favourite sport in the whole world.
“It’s fun, competitive, challenging, rewarding, friendly and addictive - it takes up your entire life but in the best possible way.”
Organiser Lauren Hirst said: “As endurance riders ourselves, we are passionate about keeping British endurance alive.
“Hosting rides here is vital if we want to see future British championship teams succeed.
“The feedback from riders has been incredible - to see them cross the finish line after months of training is euphoric.
“We set out simply to add more rides to the calendar and to pull it off at this scale with such strong results for British riders is phenomenal.”
