Wife of national hunt trainer donates £1,250 to help ex-racehorses
Rachel King, wife of national hunt trainer Alan King, has raised £1,250 for Greatwood Caring for Retired Racehorses by walking the entire length of the Ridgeway National Trail in four days.
Mrs King and friend Deidre Booth trekked 87 miles over four days to raise money for Greatwood.
They presented the cheque to the charity last Friday, 8 February.
Starting at Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire they walked up to ten hours a day and through five counties over the four days before they reached the end of the Ridgeway in Avebury, Wiltshire.
Mrs King, who is based at Barbury Castle Stables in Wiltshire told H&H: “We live close to the Ridgeway and have always wanted to walk the whole length so we decided to go for it. Our husbands both said we’d have no chance of making it.”
“It was hard work, but there were some fantastic views, especially across the top of Wantage. At the end we were absolutely exhausted — we both had quite a few aches and pains but fortunately no blisters.”
Husband Alan has celebrated many high profile wins with his horses in recent years — including a very successful 2007 Cheltenham Festival with Voy Por Ustedes winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase, Katchit in the Triumph Hurdle and My Way de Solzen winning the Arkle Chase.
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Mrs King said: “The reason we picked Greatwood is because of the industry we are in. At Barbury Castle we have 150 horses in training, so it is a worry what happens to racehorses when they retire and what happens to them.”
Greatwood founder Michael Yeadon said: “We really appreciate the determination that resulted in all those blisters and aching limbs – and of course the cheque!”
Wanting a ‘fresh challenge’ the pair now aim to take part in a half marathon in Reading in March, with funds raised also going to Greatwood.
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A graduate of Exeter University, Amy joined our news team from Redpin Publishing in 2008 as news writer. She was promoted to deputy news editor in May 2013 and became news editor in April 2015. She left Horse & Hound in March 2016 to take up an editorial position in Dubai.