There was an unusual site in Tenby's South Beach car park last Saturday afternoon, when a large number of horses and their riders, in bright sunshine, were seen busily preparing for the Tenby District Lions Club's 'Annual Sponsored Horse Ride'.

The new course this year was aptly named the 'Surf and Turf', which started from the South Beach car park and crossed the entire length of the South Beach, before exiting the sands and crossing Tenby Golf Club's immaculately kept fairway and on uphill towards the coastal path.

The route than ran parallel to the coastal path within the Penally Ranges until reaching the range sentry box 'Valley Top', before turning downhill for the long run towards the 'Valley Bottom' sentry box, then passing the range firing points and back out of the range to again across the fairway and returning once more to cross the beach to the finish line back in the car park.

Tenby and Whitland Air Training Corps Cadets were again a prominent feature, as always at Tenby Lions Club events, helping marshal the horse boxes and, throughout the length of the course, directing the riders and opening and closing gates.

The horse ride was again well supported, with a large number of entrants, as the opportunity to ride horses across the beach was not to be missed, and it is not often that the spectacular views from the coastal path towards Caldey Island and the panoramic view looking back towards Penally and Tenby are seen from horseback.

The, by now, tired but happy riders returned to the car park to receive a well-earned cup of soup and cheese rolls, provided free by the Lions.

The prize for the 'Best Horse' went to No 51 Alice Lewis, 'Best Pony' to No 57 Theresa Keight and 'Best Turned Out Horse and Rider' to No 60 Lindsey Watts. The prize for the best overall sponsored rider also went to Lindsey. Well done all of you.

Tenby Lions would like to express their sincere thanks to all the horses and riders; the Tenby and Whitland Air Cadets; a big thank you to Tenby Golf Club for allowing the horses to cross the fairway; the Officer Commanding Penally Camp for allowing the riders to pass through part of the range; and Tenby and Pembrokeshire councils for allowing use of the beach and car park.