Annie Whelan Competes in the First Iceland Endurance Ride!

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Sep 27, 2021, 10:28:19 AM9/27/21

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September 27 2021
Merri Melde-Endurance.net

Iceland has been a rather recently-discovered ‘hidden secret’ for horseback riding trips, particularly among Endurance riders. We are fit for long rides, crave the adventure, and the Icelandic horse is well-broke and made up of GO; so it’s a perfect combination for riding a very different kind of horse, covering the miles and exploring the extraordinarily scenic country.

But what about an actual Iceland Endurance ride?

20-year-old Annie Whelan, of Louisa, Kentucky, lucked in on the ground floor of what was Iceland’s first point-to-point 4-day, 150-mile Endurance ride in August 2021.

Native Icelander Aníta Margrét Aradóttir came up with the idea after competing in the Mongol Derby. “I did the Mongol Derby in 2014,” she said, “and wanted to make this concept in Iceland (but shorter ride and not as extreme), because Iceland is perfect for a ride like this.

“The Icelandic horse breed is very strong and we have the unbelievable landscape and nature, and then the weather is also extreme.”

As an employee of The Icelandic Equestrian Association, Anita got the support to lead the work to host an Endurance race across the highlands of Iceland with Cintamani as the main sponsor.

Annie Whelan had never had a particular yearning to head to Iceland for a ride, until her mom, Amy Whelan, went there in 2015 on an 8-day horse ride with a group of Mongol Derby veterans (Amy competed in the 2014 Mongol Derby with Anita) and just loved it. When Anita searched for two international riders to compete against two Icelandic riders for her inaugural event, Annie was one that she invited, and Annie accepted immediately...