Every year there is a major Icelandic horse competition. The world championships are held every odd numbered year and Landsmot, the Icelandic National championships are held every even numbered year. For several years now, a virtual ride as a closed group is offered through Facebook.
This is how it works:
Each individual rider registers and then has the option of joining a team of riders representing their country and therefore with roughly the same virtual distance to travel to the next competition. The Km distance is in an calculated as the crow flies from home to the next competition. Or perhaps that is a Raven :-). A rider logs the # of Km ridden in a month and at the end of the month submits the total Km ridden. The team then has all their Km added together and by the date of the competition may or may not have covered the distance to the competition. Other teams might have Km to spare and donate them to teams who need more to try to have everyone virtually reach the destination. This IS a virtual ride and is so much fun to virtually see and meet other Leisure Icelandic riders from many countries.
Of course if one is going to the competition there is always a social occasion for all the virtual riders. Herning is the next destination and riders have already started ‘en route’, however, it is never too late to get going on counting those ridden Km and never too late to join.
Icy Maple is the name of the Canadian team.
Who is up for it ?
Check out the FEIF Virtual website to find out more.
Contributed by member Susan Bunge.