Success! Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Equestrian royalty turned out to support the Cycle4Caroline team complete their epic 1,182km ultra-endurance cycle challenge.
The landmark charity cycle ride saw stars of eventing such as Zara Tindall, William Fox-Pitt and Tina Cook, join with showjumping royalty Joe Stockdale and Jack Whitaker, to complete the final leg of the ride from Windsor to London.
Donations to Cycle4Carline now hover around £300,000, which will provide vital funds for both the two benefitting charities – British Eventing Support Trust and Spinal Research UK.
Reflecting on crossing the finish line Tom March commented: “It kind of feels like a whirlwind of emotions to have finished. A sense of excitement, achievement and relief to have everyone back safe and sound. There were definitely a few times that felt a little bit hairy, particularly the penultimate day, trying to fight our way into Windsor with Friday afternoon rush hour traffic!”
“Obviously delighted to have passed the £250,000 mark on Saturday, and now just hope that it keeps ticking away for the next little while, so we can help as many people as possible,” Tom added.
The challenge was completed in memory of, and honoring, Tom’s sister, Caroline March who sadly passed away in March 2024 following life changing injuries she sustained in an eventing fall in 2022.
With the challenge led by Piggy and Tom March, they were joined throughout by British Eventing Support Trust Chair of the Board of Trustees and three-time Olympian Ian Stark OBE, Support Trust Patron Alastair Wilson, and multi-medallist Holly Woodhead. Piggy’s sister Nini French, herself a top-level eventing rider, and Racesafe’s Tommy How.
Ian Stark shows off his badge of battle: a broken thumb sustained during Cycle4Caroline. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Making the long trip from New Zealand to join the challenge is Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Research Trust founder in Catriona Williams MNZM. Catriona was formerly one of New Zealand’s leading international equestrian riders. Following a riding accident in 2002, she is now C6/C7 tetraplegic and confined to a wheelchair.
Of the experience Catriona commented: “I’ve done 11 days on the road with the best team in the world. I have to say it was the team who were the highlight. We’ve had some magical views, a crazy ride into London, but altogether the team just worked so well together and making it the most incredible experience.”
Speaking the morning after the finish, Alastair Wilson commented: “In reflection the highlight would be the Saturday when it was snowing (at Belsay), the conditions were horrendous and everyone pulled together so well, knowing that if we didn’t complete that day the whole journey would be put into jeopardy. If we’d have been knocked back by a day it would have caused a major issue, and potentially stopped us from raising a large amount of money for the charities. I think that’s the most proud I’ve been.”
The fundraising message will still continue to be championed by the core team of riders, as they work collaboratively to raise much needed investment for two incredibly important charities.
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