Follow the orange markers to the end of the page for the LATEST NEWS, rider comments and racing ringtones! 

Thank you for visiting the STARS fundraising page.  Please dig deep to sponsor Staffordshire Riders for Charity online and help us repeat our hugely successful 2007 Bob Champion Cannock Chase Fun Ride.

Legendary jockey, Bob Champion, will be guest of honour for the second running of the Cannock Chase Fun Ride on 1 March 2008.  Come and be a part of this special day, which will not only celebrate Bob's extraordinary achievements, but give riders the chance to enjoy an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty while supporting vital cancer research.  Your generosity raised an incredible £2970 last time - well in excess of expectations - and every penny went to the Trust.  With your help we can do as well again.  Help us reduce the odds against cancer.

Fire (see inset by Sarah Aspinall) is still doing fifty mile race rides at the age of 25 and will be there on the 1st of March to meet and greet you all.  Come and give the old boy a pat!

Do come and join us.  You can enter by ringing 01785 780302 or emailing pamela.jordan@virgin.net.  If you can't be there in person and would like to sponsor our riders online, then donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor STARS: Bob Champion Cancer Trust will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor us now.  Let's see if we can beat our 2007 total!

Many thanks for your support.

Pam

WHAT STARS YOU ARE!

With roaring winds the night before, March came in like a lion, hellbent on blowing markers out of trees.  But Lady Luck was with us, the tapes held fast and the weather on the day was a lamb.  Although there was nothing sheepish about the turnout.  Nearly 140 of you and your slightly windblown mounts, all set for the challenge of The Chase and determined to support the Bob Champion Cancer Trust. 

Bob Champion was there to wave everyone off, and some of you will have had the chance to talk to the man himself.  Bob thoroughly enjoyed the morning and there was a definite racing spirit in the air!

Here's what two riders wrote afterwards. 

 "Thank you so much for a brilliant day.  We had never done a fun ride before and now have "the bug" big time.  It was FUN!  The path was well laid out, with the arrows and ribbons easy to see; the girls and guys done a lovely job at the checkpoints and wished us a good time on our ride, so thank you to them and all the other unsung heroes.  Sharron and Lesley 33 and 32 (PS see you next year when we plan to be a few more of us!)."

And from Steve and Pearl

"Thank you for the best day ever with our horses in 12 years of riding!  The course set out was so safe and well marked, the canters were what you dream about and the whole day gave us a whole new view on riding.  Thank you all."

We have raised a record sum - more of that later - with many of you handing in significant amounts.  Thank you all so much. The Star Fundraiser on the day and winner of the Nickatie DiMarco EMRT treatment was Maura Amies with a grand total of £165.50. 

Please collect all outstanding pledges and sponsorship as soon as you can so that we can get the money off to the Trust.  Remember this page is only open for so long! 

The ride will be featured in the May issue of Horse magazine, out next month, with pictures and a write up.  It could be you in there!

Bob Turner was taking pictures on course and at the venue.  To see these go to http://www.bobturnerphoto.co.uk/home/home.htm.

It's now possible to relive Aldaniti's greatest moment from your mobile phone.  Weatherbys has brought out new ringtones, featuring commentaries of the nation's favourite races.  For more information, go to http://www.weatherbys.co.uk/UTRONE/home and click on Weatherbys ringtones.

STOP PRESS 

Monday, 21 April.  Thanks to the efforts of 10 year old Christopher Williams and the mufti day held at Weston Village Primary School near Crewe, the LATEST TOTAL STANDS AT £3969.50!  Weston Village schoolchildren raised a fantastic £200 after Christopher rode with mum Sue on 1 March.  The monies raised will go directly to funding current stem cell research programmes within the Bob Champion Research Laboratories at the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, Surrey.