Kohuratahi endurance rider wins title for the second year

Pip Mutch (left) riding Mauku Bella and her friend Susan Reid riding Kowhai Martini.

A Kohuratahi horse rider has won a endurance title at the North Island Championships.

Pip Mutch attended the Dunstan North Island Endurance and CTR Championships based at the National Equestrian centre in Taupō in January.

Pip won the 160km event for the second year in a row.

"Winning for the second time is awesome. To finish a 160km ride is an amazing feeling and to win as well just makes it that much better."

To train for the event, Pip says she spent lots of hours in the saddle.

"I did a lot of riding out in the hills in Kohuratahi."

She says her horse, Mauku Bella did really well in the event.

"I'm really proud of her."

Pip completed the endurance ride in 10 hours and 46 minutes.

"There were six loops. After each loop, the horses had a vet health check and a 40-minute break."

The course consisted on two 40km loops and four 20km loops.

To officially win the event, Mauku Bella had to pass a final vet check.

"It is all about the horses' welfare."

She says she didn't know straight away that she had won the event.

"My friend Susan Reid and I had a gallop finish at the end which is always fun and neither of us actually knew who had crossed first for a bit."

Pip says she really enjoys endurance rides.

"I love endurance because I like the challenge, and you develop a great bond with your horse when you're spending that many hours with them."