30th anniversary 2012: How things have changed 1982–2012

The horses

By 1982 the superiority of horses with Arabian breeding had been recognised and many people who had been endurance riding for several years had acquired them. Several local riders who took up the sport around 1982, riding the horses they had at the time, switched to Arabs shortly afterwards in order to become more competitive.

The actual prevalence of Arabian blood among the endurance horses of the early 1980s is understated by the statistics. For example, Allan Robertson's unregistered gelding Prancer, winner of the first two National Capital rides, was an Arab-Quarter Horse cross and Searle Johnston's unregistered gelding Shinda was also part-Arab. The dam of Patsie Sinfield's mule Juanita was a part-Arab mare.

Over the years the proportion of pure Arabians taking part in the National Capital Ride has increased substantially. In 1982 Arabs comprised 35% of the entries, with seven of the 39 identified as purebred Arabians and another seven as part-bred. In 1985 over half the horses were Arabs, with 20% (9 from 45) identified as purebreds and 35% (16 from 45) as part-breds. By the early 1990s these proportions had been reversed, with pure Arabs comprising 59% (38 horses) and part-Arabs plus Anglo Arabs 26% (17 horses) of the 64 entries in the 1993 ride. In 2011 purebred Arabians comprised 61% of entries (37 horses out of 60) and part-Arabs and Anglos 25% (15 horses).

Equines of many other breeds and types have competed successfully in the National Capital Ride over the years and they continue to do so, though in much lower numbers than in the early years.

By Melanie O'Flynn

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