ride4acure

Wow, day four… makes 96 days seem like a really really really long time!

Going from having one horse around to feed, water, shoe and fiddle with to having three horses that have all the same requirements was a snap to reality! I have settled into a rhythm of feeding, washing, rugging, attending and loving all three of my horses. Day one, Lofty believed that the world was going to end because I was firstly putting a mare in his paddock, then I was also going to pat this horse??!! He was just like a needy child! Meg and Titan don’t bat an eyelid at him, so they have found there pecking order and relaxed into their new lifestyle. I am just focussing on getting the general fitness of all three of them up to scratch so the knuckling down side of the training can begin. Before May I will have to know how many k’s each horse is capable of, what order suits them best (just like some humans, some horses are just not morning horses!) what gear fits best, the feeding regimes will have to be strict to get optimum efficiency out of my horses and also feeding myself to make sure I have stamina and energy left at the end of the day! This is all only the tip of the iceberg, I am so privileged to have such a brilliant Mum who is supporting me to undertake such a massive trek and help with all the planning. The more I do the easier it will get.

Happy Trails,

Esther xo

Training in state forest

Lofty and Meg

Shaking the dust from our boots Esther and I headed to Sydney on Monday 24th as we’d been shortlisted in the top 10 stories for this national short story writing competition held in early January.  It was a thrill to be sitting in a packed recital hall at Angel Place in the city with a panel of notable Australians including MC Wendy Harmer, Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer Jeff Heugill, amazing singer songwriter Emma Donovan (who has strong family ties here on the Macleay) and many others. Wendy Harmer is just exceptional and opened the event with such enthusiasm the energy in the room was electric! It was broadcast live on ABC Radio National and also internationally, Esther and I received a mention for our stories and were invited for after show drinks. The response to our story from the presenters and organisers was great. I am sure big things will come of this!

Esther and Maura at Hope 2011

Today 26th of January Australia Day Titan and Meg begin their training! Esther is heading of to Coffs with the two horses in tow to begin the massive job of getting the team fit for the trek. Esther will be continuing working at Jay Jays, Just Jeans and The Park Beach Bowling Club in the Bistro as well as training and chasing down sponsors, connecting with people en-route, and preparing physically, mentally, and emotionally. 3am starts are going to become routine!! The modification’s to the truck are beginning engineer James Findlay from Kempsey is helping design and revamp the truck so it is practical for the job it will serve on the trek. Not only will it be carry all of the equipment, it will serve as our home, and an advertising tool for all of our generous sponsors. The truck is going to have all of the ride4acure info and major sponsors signed on all three sides. We are currently looking for an enthusiastic spray painter to give the truck  a face lift!

As a last note would like to thank the generous primary producer who wishes to remain anonymous for donating close to $800 through the sale of livestock at the Kempsey Stock and Land Cattle sale.

Everyday I am learning to ‘seize the moment’. In the last week I have been fortunate enough to stumble across a few incredible people! My ablitly to just strike up conversation with strangers has allowed me to meet the most amazing generous people!

Friday afternoon I had two lovely young ladies come into work chasing some prizes for the Utopian Dream dance festival that was in Coffs last week, they told me about Travers and what he was doing for young Aussie’s in the dance world.

Check out his webpage! http://www.traversross.com.au/utopian-dream-2011/

I was inspired and donated some gift vouchers for prizes! In return they organised a quick shout out at the festival on Saturday afternoon at the Coffs Ex-Services  for me! it was my first ‘official’ ride4acure business without having mum with me! I was nervy but had a blast! Hearing people cheer and clap I had the thought ‘these people get it!’ running through my head! The reason why they got it was they are all passionate about their dance, and life, and getting out there and doing what you love! Walking into the room, the energy and vibe was electric! Thank you so much to all of you there for your time and the opportunity!

Yesterday morning (Monday 17th January) I was lucky enough to have a brilliant up and coming photographer Daniel Darwin photograph Lofty and Myself. I met Dan when I was walking Bobby (the dog!)around Sawtell headland, he was taking a photo of the reflection of the train bridge across Boambee  Creek. Striking up conversation as I do, we talked long enough for a train to come by and get the reflection of the train also! Telling my quick version of ride4acure’s story, Dan generously offered to do some promo photo’s for me!

Check out his facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Hot-Chilli-Photography/111849015531331?ref=ts

I had a blast, lofty was a poser and was well worth the 4.30am start to the day!

I recieved word today that my submission to Hope 2011 – stories that must be told is in the top ten!! I did a double take when I read the email! I received a double pass to the 2011 Sydney Festival!

http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2011/Talks/Festival-Keynote-Hope-2011-stories-that-must-be-told/

What a week!!

Seize the moment however small it may be, you never know how incredible the person standing in-front or beside you may be.

Be brave, ask questions and LIVE!

Cheers All!

Xo Esther

The preparations have begun! ride4acure’s horse trek from coast2coast of Australia is taking shape.

A great  friend of our family Paula McIver has organised a dinner and auction items at The Play House Hotel, Queen Street Barraba NSW on the night of Feb 3rd at 6.30pm. Details will be available online very soon!

Esther is bringing the horses into work on the 25th of January.The horses that will be used on the trip Meg, Lofty and Titan will begin their training program with Esther at the end of Jan. Esther is currently working and living in Coffs Harbour NSW. Using a combination of beaches, state forest’s and roadwork the crew will get endurance fit (Esther’s fitness also!) and sort out routine. Being able to fit in training hours around two casual jobs is going to involve a large amount of 4.00 am starts for Esther and bright and early wake up calls for the horses! Having three months training under the ‘crew’s’ (Esther and Horses included!) belt will allow them to have feeding regimes, pecking order, gear changes and distances down pat. A small profile on each horse seems in order as they are such a vital part of the big picture.

Titan is a 8 year old chestnut gelding, Warmblood X. He has been a part of the Luxford crew for  6 years, Esther started him and has done all the work with him. He stands at around 17.1 hh… MASSIVE! Esther gets to stretch her legs very well to get on him!

Meg is the leading lady out of the 2010 horse trek making it all the way to Melbourne from Kempsey with Maura. She is a buckskin Australian Stockhorse mare, 7 years old and standing around a nice 14.2hh… a much nicer hight to get on!

Lofty is the latest addition to the Luxford crew of horses, Esther purchased him in 2010 from Macksville on the mid-north coast. Lofty is around 15 hh and a quarter horse. At 6 years old he has only had a little work and was very green when Esther purchased him, in the few short months lofty has been around he has wormed his way into Esther’s heart and seemed the obvious choice to be the third addition to the ‘crew’.

The ABC Radio National is holding a competition partnered with the Sydney Festival to present the 2011 Sydney Festival’s Keynote Hope 2011 – stories that must be told.

Both of us (Maura and Esther) have recently posted their story’s on the ABC radio’s hope – Stories that must be told pool.

Maura’s Link :

http://www.pool.org.au/text/hope_2011/maura_luxfords_hopes_for_2011

Esther’s Link:

http://www.pool.org.au/text/esther_luxford_matthews/horses_of_hope_2011

We have shared our stories of Hope and will continue to share our gift of hope to Australians as we make our journey from coast2coast putting ‘melanoma on the map’.