My 10th Shahzada by Rowena Robinson

It’s claimed to be ‘The Ride of your Life’, ‘The Ultimate Test’, how true this is. Shahzada is like no other ride and that uniqueness is what makes it so special.

When you arrive at St Albans there is a buzz in the air, people busily setting up the ride base, their camps, chatting to friends, exercising their horses. They are happy and content. As you go from the entries tent through to the TPR area you see the same faces as previous years, volunteers who give up their time every year to help out. The vets, always cheerful, with the old hands showing the new ones the ropes. Then the evening comes with the pre-ride talk, entertaining and educational with a bit about the course thrown in. Thank God for Ross and the pre-ride book, with maps and answers to those questions you thought of later.

Before you know it Monday morning arrives and at 4.00am all your hard work, hope, organisational skills and luck are put to the test as you head off on the first leg of Shahzada. This year was particularly special for me as I was aiming for my tenth buckle. I tried not to think about it and kept telling myself it’s just another one, what will be, will be.

It is always a great feeling as you ride up the Common Rd with the riders excited and the horses fresh, then you work your way up to the Transmission Rd only to be on top of the world and see one of the most awesome sunrises. A little further along you get to see the first morning planes fly past heading for Sydney airport. After a vet through, rest for a couple of hours I headed off on the afternoon leg up one of the many famous Shahzada hills, McKechnies.

I lead Nazrani up it making it easier for him to find his footing and look after him as Friday is a long way away. He always seems happy with that plan as he happily grazes on his way up and stops to check out the views at his leisure. Across the Woomera path, down Jack’s Track and home before you know it. Vetted. One down four to go.

Tuesday is history day, you go up Shepherd’s Gully and reach the Great North Rd which was built by convicts, in the daylight you can see the sand stone blocks they cut to make it.

The alarm goes off, it is 3.00am Wednesday morning, you know what’s ahead of you today and getting out of a warm bed is a little harder. It’s still dark and I have arrived at the bottom of Boyd’s Hill, another Shahzada hill. I get off again and lead Nazrani up hoping he can see with the light from my headlight to work his way over the sandstone rocks on the track. It is situations like these that the bond between you and your horse need to be strong, you need a horse to be calm and have trust in your judgement. It is a lot safer for you and your horse. I am very fortunate with Nazrani as the years of training have paid off. Dawn is breaking as we are travelling along the Woomera Path, what a fabulous view out across the valley with fog lying in the floor of it. You wouldn’t be dead for quids. By now everybody is totally awake and it is a good track to ride along and have a chat about the week and catch up with friends that you only see now and again. By the time I am at the top of McKecknies I am riding into the full sunrise, I can’t see a thing, I just hope my horse can as I try to remember where the track goes through the two trees. (I think the trees are growing bigger, not my horse, as we just fit when we both breath in). Down McKechnies and we are now heading for the famous Prestons. I always seem to stop at the bottom and look up the Gorge to the top and ask myself why? I am really not good on hills, but that doesn’t bother Nazrani who has already stopped for me to get off. We work our way up having a few rests. As the sunlight starts to glow through the trees you know you are near the top, past Halifax and to find my usual log that I sit on and down a Gatorade while I’m recovering from the thumps as my horse has a short sigh and starts to eat a tussock. It is a great feeling when you reach the top, that’s probably why I keep doing it.

Thursday brings another iconic hill, The Steps and in the afternoon you go back down Boyd’s so you can see what you went up in the dark.

Well it’s Friday morning, D day, I must admit I was more anxious about today than I have ever been. I kept wondering is today going to be a good day or a memorable day. It’s not in the bag yet, as I have vetted out Friday morning before I kept reminding myself.

Friday morning is always a little different to the other mornings as everybody is encouraging and wishing each other luck, there is that hope and cheerfulness in the air.

Morning leg over, can we hold it together for 30 more km’s?

Away we go and up the steps, and down Johnny’s hill and back along the road home. That road, 12 km’s of psychological torture, is my horse lame, no he’s fine, was that a funny step? No, I know he is feeling the concussion.

When you top the rise and can see the camp it is a truly great feeling. Then the nerves set in, vetting. I give Nazrani a pat and take a deep breath, I know TPR won’t be a problem, then we head for the vets. Some people take on bungee jumping, or skydiving for adrenalin rushes, I find vetting at Shahzada Friday afternoon with the possibility of getting my tenth buckle has the same effect. Les trotted him out for me and with the crowd behind him he’s done his best. After what seemed like an eternity wait, (3 seconds) we got the thumbs up.

I just can not describe the feeling.

I am very fortunate, that I have a great team behind me, a truly wonderful horse, my husband, my son, my mother and good friends. Also there is my usual Wednesday appointment with Darryl, which I have had for many years now.

Shahzada – give it a go, if not the 400km, the Training ride is great too.

I try to live by an old Slim Dusty saying ‘I’d rather be an old has been, than a never was at all’.

See you all in the year 10... Rowena