Sponsored Horse Ride in support of the team by Shoreside Farm Yard and Stables, Prestolee Road, Stoneclough

Today saw a unique way of raising funds for the team, a Sponsored Fancy Dress Horse Ride.

Organised by the riders and helpers at Shoreside Farm Yard and Stables, Prestolee Road, Stoneclough, the idea for this ride came about from our going to the rescue of injured horse riders in this area over the last few years leading the riders to kindly come up with this idea as a way of thanking the team.

Michelle Moore and Elaine Foster of the Yard and Stables both commented it was their way of “putting something back in to the team for all the horse riders we have helped in the past.”

On hand to see off all the riders was our Chairman Ken Oakes, Team Leader Garry Rhodes MBE, and Team Call Out List members Gillian Leigh, Diane Blakeley and John Fletcher.

Over fifteen riders had turned out in fancy dress along with a great many helpers and walkers, even some of the horses were in fancy dress.

There were Cowboys, Warriors, Maid Marion (on horseback) accompanied by Friar Tuck and Robin Hood, An ’injured’ horse rider on her horse decorated as an Ambulance with a ’Sexy’ Nurse alongside, a young girl dressed up as a Police Woman with her horse in fancy dress as a Police Car! one rider sported a Dalmatian (Spotted) Fancy Dress with her horse similarly made up, whilst there were also Harlequins’ and Clowns. All in all a very colourful and eye catching group of horse riders.

Before they all set off we were asked to judge the ’Best Home Made Fancy Dress,’ announced by Diane Blakeley after much deliberation between the team members present as being the ’Ambulance Rider and Horse. We were also asked to nominate the ’Most Imaginative Fancy Dress,’ again the Team Judging Panel deliberated on all the excellent costumes (and made up horses) before Diane announced the ’Clothes Horse’ as the winner.

At around 11.20hrs all the riders and walkers set off for a grand trip around the Prestolee, Ringley and Stoneclough areas, stopping outside pubs, touring housing estates and no doubt causing many a driver on the local roads to do a double take.

For the initial part of their journey in one of our Land Rover Mountain Rescue Ambulance vehicles, the team members present accompanied the riders.

Keep watching our website for news of how much those involved in this unique event raised for the team. (Our Team Leader Garry said he could not recall a similar fund raising event ever being held in the teams history)