100 km, two nights, no marked route
100 km · 2 nights · map · compass · horse. So far it all sounds fairly simple.
The problem is it'll be at night. In March. In the Gorbeia. And we're not going to tell you which way to go.
What can you expect?
Two nights and roughly 100 kilometres ahead of you.
The first night will be the longest. The second has fewer kilometres, which doesn't necessarily mean it'll be easier.
There will be tracks, paths and trails. And there will be moments when you'll almost certainly be wondering where the path went.
Welcome to Le Centaure.
What do you need?
A horse prepared for this kind of effort.
Good physical fitness.
Experience in orienteering on horseback.
A map, a compass and a good light.
And a fair amount of enthusiasm for spending a night doing things that, when explained to someone who doesn't know Le Centaure, can be pretty hard to justify.
Categories
Individual
If you want to make every decision entirely on your own.
DUO
If you'd rather have someone to argue with about who's holding the map upside down.
Teams of 3 or 4
More heads thinking doesn't necessarily guarantee finding the path any sooner, but it's always handy to have someone to blame.
All participants must be over 18 years old. Maximum: 60 riders.
The route
No. We're not going to show you.
In fact, the route for Le Centaure 27 · Gorbeia will be kept confidential until the moment you actually need to know it. Probably for the best.
What we can tell you is that it will run roughly 100 km across two night stages, and that Gorbeia offers extraordinary terrain for building a true Centaure: forests, mountains, tracks, paths, trails, elevation change, and plenty of kilometres that will keep map and compass fairly busy.
Who's behind the route?
Rober Ramírez
Mountain guide and TREC riderExpert mountain guide, TREC rider and deep connoisseur of Gorbeia.
He knows its paths, its forests, its terrain. He also knows the ones that don't look like paths at all.
Amanti Muller
Cartography and equestrian orienteeringIn the world of TREC and equestrian orienteering, Amanti needs little introduction.
Her experience in cartography, orienteering and course design brings the technical precision needed so that every map, every stretch, every speed and every decision has a reason behind it.
The tandem
One knows Gorbeia. The other knows how to turn a territory into an orienteering problem.
The goal isn't simply to build a tough course.
We want to build a true Centaure: demanding, technical, full of surprises, safe for the horses, and one that forces you to navigate, think, manage and make decisions for two nights straight, without rest.
A course in which the kilometres will only be part of the problem.
Along the way you'll find stage checkpoints, passage checkpoints and veterinary checks, with volunteers well hidden across the mountain.
The horse
The horse comes first.
Managing its effort, knowing it, caring for it throughout the event and presenting it in good condition at the veterinary checks is an essential part of Le Centaure.
Finishing matters. Finishing in perfect condition matters far more.
Schedule
Here you can download the full schedule for Le Centaure 27 · Gorbeia, with check-in times, veterinary checks, briefing, start times, meals, rest, the second stage and the closing ceremony.
DOWNLOAD SCHEDULERules
Here you can download the rules of Le Centaure 27 · Gorbeia, covering the race regulations, classification, safety and conditions of participation.
DOWNLOAD RULESInformation for participants
Seriously thinking about coming? Then you probably want to read this before hitting the register button.
Download the Rider Book, which includes all the practical information you need to prepare for Le Centaure 27 · Gorbeia:
- Schedule and timings
- Arrival and access
- Accommodation
- Horses and paddocks
- Veterinary checks
- Equipment
- Meals and refreshment points
- Rules
- Practical event information
Standings, prizes and the buckle
Yes, there will be standings. There will be points, penalties and winners.
And there will be one thing many people come from quite far to chase: the Le Centaure buckle.
It's no ordinary trophy. The Centaure buckle is one of the event's most iconic symbols. You can't buy it: you have to come and earn it, and above all, you have to finish.
The top three in the individual category and the top three DUOs will receive the traditional Le Centaure buckle.
The best teams will also get their reward. We're working on something special for them.
You can come thinking about the standings. You can come chasing the buckle. You can come to try to win.
But there's something everyone who knows Le Centaure understands: after two nights, around 100 kilometres, maps, compasses, checkpoints, good decisions, considerably less good decisions and a good few hours on horseback, crossing the finish line with your horse in good condition already means you've won something.
The buckle will go to a few. The Centaure, if you manage to finish it, you'll all take home.
FINISH IS TO WIN