Sister plans 100 mile ride for cancer unit

Vika Engel in addition to Sparkle.

Young British equestrian Vika Engel plans to celebrate her 15th birthday on May 26 yesteryear setting out amongst her pony Sparkle on an epic 100 mile ride, to enhance funds for a cancer unit.

Vika volition go raising funds inwards retention of her brother, Laurie, whose 21st birthday should convey been May 28.  Laurie died of cancer at the historic catamenia of 13, in addition to the fund laid upward yesteryear his identify unit of measurement afterward his decease has already raised to a greater extent than than £1 meg to create a novel teenage cancer unit of measurement at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, where he was treated.

Now the infirmary is appealing for £4 meg to refurbish the residual of the cancer division in addition to this is the inspiration for Vika’s ride.

Vika aims to locomote 100 miles over half dozen days, from the sandy beach at Borth on the Welsh coast, correct across the mountains, forests in addition to moorlands to the English linguistic communication edge at Hay-on-Wye, where she volition go greeted yesteryear celluloid producer, Revel Guest, during the Hay Festival.

She volition go accompanied during the 100 mile ride yesteryear at to the lowest degree ane adult fellow member of the Offa’s Dyke branch of Endurance GB on each twenty-four hours of her ride, also every bit yesteryear her friends from the Golden Valley Pony Club.

To ensure that she is properly prepared for the ride, Vika Engel became a amount fellow member of Offa’s Dyke branch of Endurance GB, the governing trunk of the sport of endurance riding inwards the UK.  She in addition to her friends hence innovation to purpose the Forest of Dean pleasance ride every bit a grooming ride for their planned 100 mile ride to enhance funds for the Laurie Engel Fund.

Vika plans to follow the British Horse Society’s ‘Prince Llywellyn Ride’ from Borth to Knighton, in addition to hence a peculiarly devised road along the edge downwards to Hay-on-Wye where the Hay Festival volition go inwards amount swing.  Vika volition go accompanied yesteryear most 20 Pony Club friends in addition to endurance riders in addition to on their arrival inwards Hay they volition go greeted yesteryear War Horse celluloid producer in addition to president of the Golden Valley Pony Club, Revel Guest.

Vika has never done anything quite similar this before, but she is a passionate in addition to intrepid rider.  She belongs to the Golden Valley Hunt branch of Pony Club, in addition to the Hereford in addition to District Riding Club, in addition to attends Lucton School.  She loves show-jumping in addition to hunting, in addition to at every chance rides Sparkle on her family’s farm in addition to to a greater extent than or less the lanes in addition to commons of the Golden Valley.

The ride volition go a novel run a jeopardy for Sparkle every bit well.  He is an 11-year-old 14.3 manus chestnut gelding who was born wild on Clee Hill inwards Shropshire.  He was expertly schooled yesteryear his previous owners earlier coming to Vika inwards 2011.  He is a calm, sturdy all-rounder, who seems to dearest to go ridden.  He volition go going through a careful fitness programme betwixt directly in addition to May to laid upward him for the long ride.  Probably Sparkle volition arrive at the get-go in addition to final days of the route, amongst Vika riding ane or ii other horses inwards between.

Vika’s parents, Matthew in addition to Hilary, volition go crewing for Vika on the long ride (another steep learning curve) in addition to they are beingness helped enormously inwards the planning of the venture yesteryear their friend in addition to neighbor Andrea Champ, an experienced endurance passenger in addition to fellow member of the Offa’s Dyke branch of EGB.

Vika’s route:

• Saturday May 25: Ynyslas to Tal-y-Bont
• Sunday May 26 (Vika’s birthday): Tal-y-Bont to Aberhosan
• Monday May 27: Aberhosan to Llangurig
• Tuesday May 28 (Laurie’s birthday): Llangurig to Pen-y-Bont
• Wednesday May 29: Pen-y-Bont to Bryngwyn
• Thursday May 30: Bryngwyn to Hay-on-Wye

More information: www.justgiving.com/bchlaurieengelfund.
www.laurieengelfund.orgwww.endurancegb.co.uk.

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