South Australian Endurance Riders Association State Championships

We gather together as a club for the 2024 South Australian Endurance Riders Association State Championships on the King’s Birthday Long Weekend.  A long weekend is always like Christmas to Endurance riders isn’t it?  More time in the saddle away from the hustle and bustle of life.  Surrounded by friends, trails and the smell of woodsmoke what could be better?  

Before we converge on Kapunda here are a few facts about our host town. Read on and find out how Kapunda saved SA’s bacon!  

The name Kapunda is believed to have been taken from “Cappie Oonda”, an Ngadjuri phrase for “water jump out” – probably a spring.

The town became the first established mining town in South Australia soon after Captain C.H Bagot discovered copper in 1842. Mining began in 1844 and continued until 1879 when world copper prices fell. Although copper was mined for only a brief period, revenue from its sales saved South Australia from bankruptcy. When the railway was established in 1860, Kapunda became the rural centre for the Mid-North of the State.

What is the land like around Kapunda I hear you ask?  Well, it’s an area of undulating to rolling rises and low hills bounded on the west by an abrupt ridge, and on the east by a low discontinuous range of Angaston Marble. The Light River flows from east to west across the centre of the System. To the north of the river, the topography is characterized by irregular rises with abrupt rocky ridges, dissected by south-flowing water courses including Hawker, Ross and Allen Creeks.  Sound good?  They grow good wine in the Barossa region so it must be!

Distances available:

• 20km
• 40km
• 80km
• 160km
• Elevator

Mark this one in your calendar and start planning now for what promises to be a long weekend of pure joy in the saddle.