Newsletter

We send out a newsletter to all our members on a quarterly basis. The most recent one is below.

January 2024

Firstly. the Committee would like to take this opportunity to wish all our members (and their horses) a very Happy New Year.  We are looking forward to welcoming all members,  both returning and new, to the events we are planning for 2024 and thank you for your continued support of the Club

DFRC Membership Renewal for 2024

Members of the club in 2023 will all have received an email from British Riding Clubs via Sport80 with a link to set up your account and renew your membership online. We already have 32 members (some new and some renewals) so it does not appear to be too complicated to navigate!

Everything you need to know is on the riding club website under the ‘membership’ tab with explanations on what to do. I have also copied the link below: https://britishridingclubs.sport80.com/

The only missing part is the duty day obligation – we have requested that you download the events and duties form and email to cathylondon@sky.com. Those who have forgotten this part will receive an email!.  If however anyone does experience any problems in doing their membership application, please do not hesitate to contact the Club.

PAST EVENTS

Since the last newsletter, the monthly Dressage competitions continued and points were accumulated towards the winter club dressage championships.    The December dressage competition was again made into a fun event as competitors arrived in a splendid array of seasonal outfits  (see photos on the DFRC facebook page) – so thank you to everyone who entered into the spirit of the day.

AREA  EVENTS

Area Arena Eventing on 10 October at Kelsall Hill

Clare Aldridge and Robbie did brilliantly to finish 2nd in this strongly fought inter-Club event.  They threw down the gauntlet and Brent Sansom  with Rebel answered it in style by coming 3rd in the 70cm class, unfortunately due to sick ponies there weren’t enough riders to make a team at 70cm. 

Lizzie Howes represented the Club in the 90cm class.

Area Dressage Qualifier on 5 November at Somerford Park

It is a long time since we had such an overwhelming presence at an Area Dressage competition so thank you to all who volunteered to represent DFRC at what is always an event of a very high standard.    Our riders did so well and posted some very positive scores against serious competition. 

Our teams were :

Team Oaks which was made up of Amanda Lyne, Anna Revitt, Liz Holmes and Wendy Burgess.   They proved to be serious competition for the other Clubs and finished in a brilliant 4th place.

Team Elms which was made up of Clare Whitfield, Katie Holden and Nic Evans.   All scores had to count and again they put in an excellent performance to finish in 9th place.

Individually again our riders were doing really well and top ten places went to Sam Sansom (3rd), Clare Whitfield (4th), Amanda Lyne (6th), Wendy Burgess and Nic Evans (7th), and Anna Revitt (8th).   Many congratulations to all the above.

Area Show Jumping on 11 November at Kelsall Hill

This event was held in the indoor arena at Kelsall which comes with its own “dragons” lurking in corners for some horses.   However, once again at an Area competition, we had a splendid response from our members who volunteered to take part and represent the Club at a competition that always runs at a very high and competitive standard.   Once again our members acquitted themselves really well and posted some excellent results.

The 70cm competition was aimed at giving newcomers (or those who had not jumped in a while) a chance to take part in an opening level – though the competition was no less fierce. One team comprised Brent

Sansom, Karen Jackson and Wendy Burgess who finished in 3rd place with Wendy Burgess finishing in 5th place individually. The other 70cm team was composed of Anna Revitt, Elizabeth Holmes and Holly Costello.

Jackie Spencer went really well in the 80cm class to gain 2nd place in a class of 27 entries.

Lizzie Howes, Amanda Lyne, Steph Woodland and Jackie Spencer were the 90cm team and again ended up with a brilliant result to take 3rd place with Jackie taking 5th place individually. Many thanks to helpers Katie Holden and Sarah Healing. Congratulations to all concerned and we hope you will take this excellent form into 2024

DFRC  AGM  17 November at Crowton Village Hall

This turned into an excellent evening celebrating both our prize winners for the last Riding Club year as well as celebrating the Club’s 40th Birthday.

Crowton Hall was decorated with bunting and lanterns – though early arrivers did have to content with the sight of a very large step ladder and a gallant Will perched on the top step trying to tie the chinese lanterns to a balloon net that did not have a lowering mechanism.

We enjoyed an excellent meal provided by J & C Catering who also arranged waiter service so no-one had to queue for their supper !    The business end of the AGM took place very quickly so that we could get on with giving out trophies, together with goodie bags (kindly provided by Lighting Design Services), and Emily Cole coffee mugs went to all members present.

A really fun night with thanks to all who turned up and also to the many guests who all helped make it a really good celebration.

As part of the on-going celebration of the birthday anniversary, we also made some donations to charity which were :

£200 to the Air Ambulance Services

£100 to the British Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre in Lancashire, and

£110 to Clwyd Special Riding Centre

We have had lovely letters from all three organisations thanking us so much for these much needed funds and wishing the Club and its members all the best for 2024.

FUTURE EVENTS

As always, full details of all our competitions, training events etc, can be found on the web site but, briefly, the following is a list of diary dates for the next few months :

Dressage to Music 20 January

Not sure whether the newsletter will be circulated before the 20th Jan, but if it is, the Club would like to wish Clare Whitfield and Felton Regal Rex (known to his friends as Bob) all the best of luck.    Clare and Bob do a brilliant job of representing DFRC at the dressage to music competitions and we are always grateful to them for flying the flag.

Dressage competitions at Forest Gate Farm

Dates for the summer dressage competitions at Forest Gate farm have been confirmed as follows.   As always, full details as to entering the events will be posted on the web page nearer the date of the competition.   Entries are now open on the web site for the 4th of February

4th Feb 24Intro CP2P13N30E50M63
3rd Mar 24Intro AP7P14N24E42M71
7th April 24Intro BP1P18N34E44M63
9th June 24Intro CP2P12N27E49M71
7th July 24Intro AP7P13N28E50M63
4th Aug 24Intro BP1P14N30E42M71

Please note that there is no dressage competition listed for May.    This is because we will be running the Combined Training that month.   The event will take place at Church Farm and confirmation of the date will be circulated as soon as it has been finalised.

The Now-Famous DFRC Horse Camp has been booked at Somerford Park on the weekend of 31 May to 2 June.  Places are always very popular with riders expressing an interest in putting their names down from one year to the next !!   If you would like to put your name down to express an interest  in this fun get together in an equestrian Utopia with excellent teaching (food isn’t bad either as the breakfasts are a by-word for in house catering ), please contact Cathy London as soon as possible.

ODE at Smallwood on Sunday 8 September

Very advanced notice of our prestigious one day event but its worth getting it into equestrian diaries early.

AREA QUALIFIERS

May we take this opportunity to remind everyone that they need to have a current membership in order to represent the Club at Area Events.

Winter Intermediate Dressage Qualifier in March

Our dressage riders are going so well that we hope you will be interested in this Qualifier.   Unfortunately, as yet, the exact date has not been agreed by Area but full details will be posted as soon as we hear when it will take place and I am sure that Elaine will issue an email to Club members as well.

Horse Trials Qualifier at Llanymynech

This will take place on either 18 or 19 May (exact date/details awaiting confirmation).   Again we will make sure members are made aware of this as soon as possible.

FUTURE TRAINING

The Committee is looking to arrange various training opportunities on dates over the next couple of months.   We are investigating :

Clear Round jumping at Forest Gate

XC Training at Somerford (probably Ash Arena) with either Bianca Mortimer or Sarah Johnson

Dressage Test Riding with Jane Carruthers

Pole Work with Richard Long

Again as soon as arrangements are finalised, we will circulate details.

BODY  PROTECTORS

You may have seen the post that Sam put on the Club facebook page but may we just remind members again that the 2009 Body Protector is no longer considered legal and, as such, cannot be accepted at any events.   The 2018 version superseded this with effect from 1 January 2024.