Richard Dunwoody South Pole Challenge
Richard Dunwoody’s South Pole Challenge – synopsis
Three times Champion jockey, Richard Dunwoody MBE, sets out on his toughest challenge to date, as he undertakes ‘The Interchange Shackleton South Pole Expedition 2007’ to the Geographic South Pole in November on a route that has never been conquered before. With two others, Richard will trek 650 miles in temperatures averaging minus 40 for up to 14 hours a day burning up to 8,000 calories a day.
The team will attempt to follow the virgin route, unsuccessfully navigated by Shackleton and Scott in the early 1900’s. The route includes a gruelling ascent equivalent to climbing Mont Blanc. Eating only dehydrated food, the team have until mid January to reach the pole before weather conditions render the terrain impassable.
On his motivation for this latest mission, Richard explains:
"This trek is definitely the most daunting task I've ever faced. I'm passionate about pushing myself to the limits and, with such extreme conditions, that's exactly what I'll be doing. The expedition will raise significant funds for the three charities that inspire me in everything I do, with the added bonus that I'll also be achieving a long term ambition to conquer the geographic South Pole. I am also hoping to make some contribution to scientific research and / or public awareness of climate change and global warming in polar regions and its wider implications."
Richard will begin his trip in the middle of November, flying to Chile to wait for a window suitable to be dropped down to Hercules Inlet on the edge of the Ronne Ice Shelf, the start of the trek. He will be accompanied by three others, and have until mid January to complete before weather conditions make the terrain untenable.
CORTAFLEX N.H. LEGENDS CHARITY RACE, Sunday 21st October, Kempton Park
1,699 winners; 2 Grand Nationals; 18 Cheltenham Festival winners; 672 falls! This is the tally for just ONE of the jockeys lining up for what will be an unprecedented occurrence for British racing.
On 21st October 2007, at Kempton Park Racecourse, some of the truly great NH jockeys of the past generations will be dusting off their breeches, heading to the sauna and preparing to return to the racecourse for a one-off appearance to raise money for Richard Dunwoody’s trek to the South Pole.
The line up includes Richard himself, Adrian Maguire, Peter Scudamore, Charlie Swan, John Francome, Norman Williamson, Brendan Powell, Steve Smith Eccles, Hywel Davies, Simon Sherwood and Colin Brown. This is all in the name of support for their former colleague Richard Dunwoody and to raise awareness of his forthcoming ‘Interchange Shackleton South Pole Expedition 2007’ and the three charities he patronizes – Racing Welfare, Sparks and Spinal Research.
Phil Middleton, MD of Cortaflex, is also riding in the race as a “wild card”. He is the only jockey riding in the race with a 100% strike rate having ridden in four previous charity races and won all four.
Between November and January, Richard is planning conquer the geographic South Pole, on a route never done before and as part of a very small team – walking for up to 14 hours a day, in temperatures averaging minus 40 degrees and pulling a 250 pound sled.
Richard and the team’s efforts will benefit three well known charities of which Richard is a patron – Spinal Research, Sparks (Sport Aiding Medical Research for Kids) and Racing Welfare.
Funds raised on the 21st at Kempton will support the trip as Richard and his contemporaries battle it out for one final time. The jockeys will also act as hosts at a pre-racing VIP charity lunch and will be seated amongst the guests on each table. The lunch, an event in itself, will be compered by a celebrity speaker.
Tickets for the charity lunch are extremely limited and include the opportunity to dine with some of jump racing's greatest legends. They include access into the Premier Enclosure at the racecourse on the 21st, a three course lunch with wine, great viewing in the Desert Orchid Suite and a ‘sporting memorabilia’ silent auction. Tickets are priced at £150 each, on a first come first served basis.
For more information please log on to www.dunwoody-southpole.com or contact info@lizampairee.com or Georgie on 07908116826.
Please make cheques payable to Dunwoody Southpole Account and send to Richard Dunwoody South Pole Trek, 4 Killy Hill Cottages, Gorse Lane, Chobham, Surrey GU24 8RF (cheques must be received for tickets to be secured).
Please specify how many tickets are requested and any special requirements (tables can be booked for small groups).
Cortaflex is the UK’s top and unique joint supplement for horses, dogs and humans. It is used both by both trainers and jockeys alike and was listed as a key factor in Richard Quinn’s come back from his retirement last year to ride more winners www.cortaflex.co.uk
The recently announced sponsors of ‘The Interchange Shackleton South Pole Expedition 2007’ will also be in attendance. The Interchange Organisation Ltd are specialists in Foreign Currency Exchange and have been appointed as the official foreign currency provider for the expedition. They currently work with and provide foreign exchange solutions for many of the horse racing fraternity here and in Ireland. www.interchangefx.co.uk
The trip is also supported by Creative-jar, www.creative-jar.com, Motive8, www.motive8.net and OSO Athletic, www.umbrellasmiles.com
The charities that Richard supports are:-
Spinal Research – the UK's major charity dedicated to developing reliable treatments for spinal cord injury; since it was founded in 1980, it has funded internationally recognised, pioneering research and will soon be able to offer very real hope for those who have been paralysed as a result of a fall, road traffic accident or sporting injury. www.spinal-research.org
Sparks (Sport Aiding Medical Research for Kids) - the only charity to fund cutting edge research across the whole spectrum of paediatric medicine, with the aim of helping all children to be born healthy and stay healthy. www.sparks.org.uk
Racing Welfare – Racing Welfare is racing's leading welfare charity that provides help and support to all of racing's people including employers, employees and the retired, who may be in need, through accident, illness, age or misfortune. www.racingwelfare.co.uk
Richard Dunwoody’s South Pole expedition will be launched to the media in May / June 2007 and will include many high profile and fund raising events across the racing, sport and city / business sectors, providing many well publicised sponsorship opportunities.
To raise awareness for the expedition, Richard is even planning to take to the race saddle for the first time in eight years for a ‘Retired Champion Jockeys Charity race’ – an event unprecedented to date. Naturally he will be planning to win this!
For further information, to sponsor Richard and support his charities please visit: - www.dunwoody-southpole.com or contact:-
Liz Ampairee - Sponsorship, PR and Marketing, liz@lizampairee.com, 0773 333 1945
Spinal Research – Carol Borwick, carol@spinal-research.org, 01483 898786
Sparks – Tara Mallett, tara@sparks.org.uk, 0207 340 0683
Racing Welfare – Claudia Fisher, cfisher@racingwelfare.co.uk, 01638 565241
About Richard Dunwoody
Richard’s career as a professional jump jockey spanned 17 years. He won the Champion Jockey title in 1993, 1994 and 1995, two Grand Nationals, and was the only jockey of his generation to win the big three – the National, Cheltenham Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle.
Richard retired from the saddle in 1999 due to a neck injury. He is still very involved in racing, riding out regularly and consulting for trainers, lecturing at the British Racing School, mentoring jockeys and with a regular newspaper column and tipping line. He is also a much sought after motivational public speaker, is a Director of corporate hospitality company, Racing Pulses, leads horse treks around the world for Wild Frontiers, and spearheads and partakes in many events for the charities he patronises and is associated with. He lives between Italy and the UK.
Richard was awarded the MBE in 1993.