A Powys rider has proved that age is no barrier to success after winning a demanding 80km endurance ride aboard her 20-year-old horse at a major national event.

Fiona Griffiths took top honours at the Shuckburgh Hall Endurance Ride in Northamptonshire - part of a special series celebrating 25 years of Endurance GB, the sport’s national governing body.

Riding her Anglo Arab gelding Balishla - known at home as “Goofy” - Fiona completed the 80km (just under 50 miles) course in impressive form, despite challenging conditions and a dramatic build-up the night before.

“It was absolutely fantastic to win,” said Fiona. “We hadn’t set out to go for it – we just wanted a completion. After a few tough rides recently, I really needed a good day.”

The win was made even more remarkable by Balishla’s age. Now 20, he continues to perform at a high level in a sport that tests stamina, fitness and partnership over long distances.

“We bought him as a four-year-old, and he’s now 20 and still having the best time,” Fiona explained. “He was actually written off at six with navicular, so to still be out there winning means everything.”

Endurance riding sees horse and rider combinations tackle long-distance routes across the countryside, with regular veterinary checks to ensure horse welfare remains the top priority.

“Every day you bring your horse home is a good day,” Fiona added. “That’s always the real goal.”

The lead-up to the competition was far from smooth. Just hours before setting off, Fiona discovered her horse had lost a shoe – sparking a last-minute scramble to fix the issue.

“At 7pm the night before, I heard that awful ‘clip clop’ of a lost shoe – my heart just sank,” she said. “The farrier was on holiday, but thankfully ours came to the rescue within the hour. It was a 4am start after all that, but that’s endurance – you just have to get on with it.”

On the day, riders were met with firm ground conditions and warm weather, making careful pacing essential.

“The ground was hard and quite tricky in places, so we took the first part steadily,” Fiona said. “As the day went on and it got hotter, I was just focused on bringing him home well.”

Fiona also highlighted the strong sense of community within the sport, describing how she stopped to help another rider who had become lost on the course.

“That’s what the sport is about – helping each other out,” she said.

With more than 15,750 kilometres of competitive riding under her belt since taking up the sport in 2002, Fiona credits patience and long-term thinking as key to her success.

“Longevity is everything,” she said. “It’s not about winning today – it’s about still being out there and enjoying it years down the line.”

Balishla himself has now covered nearly 3,000 kilometres in competition since starting endurance in 2012, a testament to careful management and a strong partnership.

Looking ahead, Fiona plans to give her veteran partner a well-earned break before deciding on their next challenge.

“He’ll have a week or so off now and then we’ll see,” she said. “I’ll let him decide.”

For Fiona, the appeal of endurance riding goes far beyond results.

“I love going to new places, meeting new people and catching up with old friends,” she said. “That’s what keeps me coming back.”