Pic: Sophie Spiteri & Sophia Parry- Red Dragon – David Saunders Photography
Two West Wales equestrians and their remarkable retrained racehorses have been crowned national champions after winning the Level 1 title at the Endurance GB Club Championships, hosted at the prestigious British Horse Feeds Red Dragon Festival of Endurance in mid Wales.
Sixteen-year-old Sophia Parry from Pencader, Carmarthenshire, and 37-year-old Sophie Spiteri from Newcastle Emlyn, Ceredigion, formed the core of the winning team, aptly named More Go Than Woah.
Alongside teammate Beth Kerslake from Lutterworth, Leicestershire, the squad triumphed in their very first season in the sport, proving that Thoroughbreds have what it takes to excel across rugged terrain and long distances.
Riding in the competitive Level 1 final, the team showcased consistent pacing, stamina, and sound horsemanship. Adding to the celebrations, Sophie Spiteri’s 12-year-old gelding Caroline’s Charm (stable name Dodge)—a former National Hunt racehorse with over 30 track starts to his name—finished as the overall highest-scoring individual horse across the championship final. Sophia Parry partnered Sophie’s 10-year-old ex-racehorse River Meadows (River), completing a spotless debut season in which the gelding successfully finished every ride he’s entered.
Endurance riding is one of equestrian sport’s most demanding yet accessible disciplines. Competitors navigate marked cross-country tracks over varied terrains within set speed parameters. Rigorous veterinary checks take place before, during, and after each ride, assessing heart rate recovery, gait soundness, and metabolic health. Under Endurance GB rules, the core philosophy is simple: “To complete is to win,” placing horse welfare, preparation, and mutual trust at the forefront of every competition.
Reflecting on her dream debut season, Sophia Parry said:
“Endurance was completely new to me this year and to finish as part of the winning More Go Than Woah team at Red Dragon was really special. Having only started working with Sophie a few months ago, I feel so lucky to be trusted with River. Seeing how much confidence he has gained has been incredibly rewarding. It’s a very social and supportive sport—you’re always cheering each other on to ensure every horse finishes happily and safely.”
Team leader Sophie Spiteri, founder of Spiteri Retraining, commented:
“We started the season just wanting to give our ex-racehorses a fresh challenge and have some fun. To finish as national Club Champions is beyond anything we expected. Dodge raced over 30 times and had a few setbacks after retirement, but he has truly found the job he was made for. The beauty of the Club Championships is its flexibility; you don’t need an elite, specialist horse or decades of experience to take part. It gives everyday riders and diverse breeds an achievable goal.”
The team’s victory highlights the extraordinary versatility and adaptability of Thoroughbreds when given a dedicated second career through Retraining of Racehorses (RoR). Rather than entering under a conventional riding club banner, Spiteri entered the squad under RoR to highlight life after racing. Earlier in the season, both Dodge and River were selected for the Welsh squad at the Home International in Scotland, contributing to a Welsh victory where Dodge also claimed the individual 43km class.
The riders expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the organisers, ride directors, veterinary panels, and army of dedicated volunteers who make the British Horse Feeds Red Dragon Festival possible, as well as team supporters and Caris Rycroft, who campaigned River earlier in the season before starting university.
The More Go Than Woah triumph embodies Endurance GB’s mission to open up the sport to riders of all ages, backgrounds, and equine breeds. With distances starting from entry-level social rides of 15–20km up to elite 160km multi-loop challenges, endurance offers an inclusive, welcoming community built around horse welfare and outdoor partnership.
