My name is Linda, I am the initiator of the ride. I take care of the logistical business of the ride, this variates from the tent, till the mobile toilets on site, till the lifeguards. Further I take care of the PR, the sponsors and I'm in general charge.
We are Peter and Simone Oudshoorn from Manege Noot at Callantsoog, near beach Drooghe Weert.
The beach and dunes area is our back yard and we know this area like no one else. For many years we already organize group beach rides with our own horses. Peter has been involved with the organization of this ride from day one and now Simone will take over. We'll be responsible of logistic cases as licensing, contacts with the local businesses, making the park arrangements and we will coordinate the terrain-volunteers on the day itself. Also, at our place, you’ll be able to rent stables for your horse(s) if you wish to stay overnight.
Marleen Rebel and Linda de Jong in 2009
My name is Linda de Jong.
Together with a friend of mine (Marleen Rebel) we started to organize this spectacular event. In 2009 after riding our friesians, we sat down in the kitchen, chatted a bit over a cup of tea and we thought it would be a great idea to organise a ride with a big group of Friesians on the beach in name of the Friesian breeding society of Mid-Holland. Our aim was to get at least 15 horses to join this ride. If we would've had less than 15 participants we wouldn't continue to organize this ride. Within a short time we had reached our aim of 15 riders, so the ride would of definitely be ridden!!
We started to look around to find the right locations for the ride. After some search we ended up in Callantsoog, a huge parking area at the Callantsoogervaart, close by the beach. So next we got in touch with Peter Oudshoorn from Manege Noot in Callantsoog. Peter organizes beach rides at his riding school. He straight away really liked the idea which resulted in an cooperation with Manege Noot. Peter straight away arranged the licensing to accomplish this ride.
Something Marleen and myself didn't think of, was that we didn't have a maximum number of participants, but we did have a final date to sign up. Against all odds, the sign up to participate, didn't stop coming in. At a certain point we reached 200 participants and still there were coming more. This just wouldn't be a small beach ride, but with so many participants it would become a huge event. And with having a huge event, it would mean having a lot of organizing for us! For example: with the upcoming ride, we're about to have 70 volunteers, who will help us to have a smooth ride.
So with our 1st edition in 2010 we gathered an amount of 329 riders, to have a great ride on the beach!! Not only horse lovers were interested in this event. But also the media (the papers, radio and TV) picked up on this ride.
3 years later, 2013, we've decided to organise the ride again on our own. Unfortunately, due to private circumstances, Marleen had to quit with the organization. Ria (my mom) and Katja took over Marleen's parts.
Ria picked up on the financial parts and Katja started our Facebookpage. Due to the many riders wanting to sign up (and only having a certain amount of parking places) for the ride we had te set a maximum number of 400 participants. Not only riders from the Netherlands, but also riders from Germany signed up for the beach ride.
In the mean time our Facebookpage kept on growing bigger and bigger, so little movies of the ride would show up on you tube and Facebook and went around the world. We've received so many nice comments from all over, from Hawaii till Russia. Good job that Katja speaks 6 languages.
​Due to the many inquiries we organized the ride again in 2016. Within 10 days we received already around 400 sign up papers/mails and we had to start a waiting list with already around 300 riders. Not just participants from the Netherlands, but we also received sign ups from America, Canada, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium. How cool is that!
Right now we're already working on the 5th edition. And due to the continuous growth of the beach ride, Mieke (my sister) also joined our organization. This edition she'll pick up part of the administration, website and purchases.
October 14, 2023
is coming, our team is ready and we are looking forward to it!
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Organisation Friesian beachride
Friesestrandrit@outlook.com