RAMBLINGS FROM MY CHAIR
The qualifiers and championships are coming thick and fast and Shrewsbury are involved in all of them, at
the beginning of May, Becky Mogg and Deena Webster represented the club at the Winter Dressage
Championships with Becky finishing 3rd in the Novice and Deena finishing 9th in the Elementary,
unfortunately Emma Johnson was also due to represent the club but had to withdraw due to her horse
being involved in an accident with a wheelbarrow. Also in May Helen Ratcliff and the 100 team competed
at the Festival of the Hunter Championships. The team didn’t get placed and Helen had to withdraw Jack
from the combined training due to being lame that morning.
We have just had the Horse Trials Qualifier, we had teams competing at 80,90 & 100, it was great to see so
many new faces competing for the first time and everyone saying how much they enjoyed the day, the 100
team have again qualified for the championships and will hopefully defend their National title.
The club seems to have this fantastic team spirit and it’s not just the riders who are cheering their fellow
riders on but also the helpers, I would like to say thank you to the helpers not only for doing your help days
but for supporting us all when competing and it’s great to hear either a commentator or somebody from
another club saying what great support we have at the club, so keep this support going it will only
encourage other people to join.
Nick
Show jumping results – Walford – Monday 4th May 2015
Class 1 Class 1B
1st - Faith Page – Marley 1st - Suzi King – Ronnie
2nd – Helen Leyshon – George 2nd – Vicky Grocutt – Pearl
3rd – Jane Webber – Sunny 3rd – Tilley Edwards – Huntsman Hankerchief
4th – Bridget Mac Donald – Mookie
Class 2
Class 3
1st – Elisha Broadway – Humbug
1st – Sam Brynes – Ria 2nd – Helen Leyshon – George
2nd – Victoria Keelan – Kal 3rd – Sam Brynes – Ria
3rd – Matt Thomas – Storm 4th – Vicky Grocutt – Pearl
4th – Elisha Broadway – Humbug
Class 4
Class 5
1st – Beryl Matthews – Boela
1st – Bridget Mac Donald – Hollie 2nd- Vicky Grocutt – Sugar
2nd – Vikki Cliffe – Paddy 3rd – Vicky Jane May – Tivon
3rd- Beryl Matthews – Boela
4th – Nick Furniss – Farnaby Class 6
1st = Vikki Cliffe – Paddy
1st = Vikki Cliffe – Josh
3rd = Bridget Mac Donald – Hollie
3rd = Nick Furniss – Farnaby
Dressage Results – Walford – Saturday 2nd May 2015
Intro A
1st – Jemma Parton – Archie 57.1%
2nd – Denise Edwards – Piper 55.2%
3rd – Harriet Jones 53.6%
4th – Michelle South – Freddy 53.4%
Prelim 13
1st – Janet Jones – Tissy 65.4%
2nd- Donna Landers – Merlot 63.3%
3rd – Suzie King – Ronaldo 61.2%
4th – Beryl Matthews – Boela 58.5%
5th – Helen Ratcliff – Bero 58.1%
6th – Rebecca Timms – Inter Sky Sports 58.1%
Prelim 18
1st – Nicky Shipp – Ruby 66.4%
2nd – Donna Landers- Merlot 63.3%
3rd – Rebecca Timms – Inter Sky Sports 62.5%
4th – Janet Brereton – Rusty 62.2%
5th – Jane Clarke – Déjà vu 59.3%
6th – Carol Lloyd – Chantilly Bay 58.3%
Novice 30 Novice 34
1st – Nick Furniss – Farnabys Dream 65.1% 1st – Emily Lathe - 66.2%
66%
2nd – Vikki Cliffe – The Demonstrator 63.8% 2nd- Nick Furniss – Farnabys Dream
3rd – Emma Jennings- Kinnagh Cross 61.3% 3rd – Vikki Cliffe – The Demonstrator 64.7%
4th – Helen Ratcliff – Jack 59.4% 4th – Emily Lathe - 62.9%
5th – Jane Clarke – Déjà vu 55.9% 5th – Helen Ratcliff – Jack 58.7%
Festival of the Horse results
s/jump X/C jump X/C Time Score Place
1st
Senior 80cm 0 0 5.34 0 5th
Abi Groome – Amber 0 0 5.59 10
Vikki Cliffe – Too Swish 4 0 6.15 20.4 15th
April Harper – Penton kite 4 0 5.08 23.4 26th
Vicky Baker – Maddie 4 20 6.14 40 36th
Eleanor Morris – Connor 0 20 6.03 42.4 41st
Thea Roberts – Valco 0 20 6.53 51.6 48th
Emma Johnson – Refuse to Mambo
Senior 90cm 4 0 5.29 8
Jane Clarke - 0 0 5.18 14.2
Trudie Sitser – Picollette 0 20 5.23 20.8
Helen Ratcliff – Pride of Brandwood 9 0 6.35 31.4
Vicky Grocutt – Dream Sugar 0 20 6.37 43.2
Phillipa Pickard – Aztec Prince R
Emma Jennings – Rosie R
Vicky Jane May – Tivon
Senior 100 Team
Bridget Mac Donald – GI GI 0 0 5.33 .4 2nd
Vikki Cliffe – The Demonstrator 0 0 5.10 5.2 7th
Nick Furniss – Farnabys Dream 4 0 5.15 7.2 8th
Andy Parrish – Landmark Shadylady 8 20 6.80 46. 17th
Congratulations to everybody that took part and really well done to Abi Groome, Bridget Mac Donald and the 100
team for winning and qualifying for the championships. Thank you to all the helpers, without you we wouldn’t be
able to compete.
FOTH Championships
We set off Friday morning in the pouring rain, down to Aston le Walls to compete in the FOTH National
Championships and Combined Training. We were one of the first to arrive, so declaring and setting up camp was
quick and we were lucky not to have to walk too far for anything. With a quick drink on arrival and some of us set up
camp as others went to do the help day. We then walked the courses and proceed to drink more alcohol waiting for
our final team mate to arrive. We finished off the evening reasonable late with southern comfort, possibly not the
best plan when you are riding at just gone 9am in the morning. I was first to go, followed by Becky Bond, Nick Furniss
and Andy Parrish. We all seemed to have the odd problem here and there putting us out of contention. Becky was
also unlucky to miss out on being placed individually. The course itself was lovely and as you would expect a step up
from the qualifier, with plenty of skinnies and a double of corners on a dog leg, there was also a lovely big hedge.
Unfortunately Helen Ratcliff didn’t get to compete Jack in the combined training the next day, due to lameness. But
this allowed her to drown her sorrows with the rest of us and top up from the night before. It wasn’t the outcome
we would have wished for but it was a brilliant weekend and we all had fun. Looking forward to the next.
Vikki Cliffe
Area Horse Trials Qualifier
SDRC were out in force at the Area Horse Trials Qualifier held at Llanymynech on 21st June. The 100 team
were 1st place and will be off to the championships at Swalecliffe in August to defend their championship
title! A huge thank you to Andrea Parrish for organising all the teams etc and a massive thank you to those
helpers who gave up their time, without whom this event would not be able to run or we would not be
able to enter teams.
80 Team- Abi Groome, Emma Johnson, Danni Hignett, Phillipa Pickard and Joan Webster as individual. The
80 team were placed 10th
90 Team: Becky Bond, Vicky Jane May, Eleanor Morris, Matthew Thomas- Placed 7th
90 Team- Beryl Matthews, Helen Ratcliff, Victoria Grocott, Becky Bond- Placed 8th
100 Team: Vikki Cliffe, Nick Furniss, Andrea Parrish, Becky Bond- placed 1st and Jane Clarke competed as an
individual and was placed 9th
REMINDERS!!!
1. Dressage to Music Area 20 qualifier at Reaseheath on 15th August – entries need to be in to Lois Ellis-Briggs
by Friday 26th June - £35 per individual entry and £46 per pair entry. Fb message or text 07713 277796 in the
first instance.
2. SDRC dressage competition on grass at Berriewood, Sunday 28th June from noon. Open to everyone. In each
class there will be a rosette for the best RoR tb competing.
£8 per class (members) £10 per class (non-members).
Entries to Lois by Thursday 25th June, times up on Friday 26th June.
Intro B Prelim 12 BRC prelim test D3 Novice 24 (2010)
Novice 34 (2009) Elementary 45 (2010)
Novice 30 (2006)
Medium 61 (2002)
3. SDRC show jumping competition on grass at Berriewood, from 5.30 pm on Thursday 9th July. Open to
everyone. In each class there will be a rosette for the best RoR tb competing.
COME AND ‘HAVE A GO!’ – Formal dress optional
£6 per class (members) £8 per class (non-members) entries payable on the day.
Class 1 max 2ft to Class 6 max 3ft 3ins
Contact Deb Cairns or Lois Ellis-Briggs for further details.
4. Dressage demonstration by UKCC level 3 coach and international dressage rider Tori Peter at Walford College
(ask as many questions as you like and have a cup of tea, coffee, squash with a bikky) – Tuesday 21st July at
6.30pm. Open to everyone, not just sdrc members!
Tickets available from Lois Ellis-Briggs for £5 each. Fb message or text 07713 277796
5. Centaur Biomechanics clinic on the 9th and 10th of October – If you are interested to improve your way of
riding which will improve your horses way of going, please contact Lois for further information and for
availability. The Friday clinic is at Berriewood and the Saturday at Radford’s, Llanymynech at a cost of £45 for
a one to one session.
6. Dressage to Music – introduction to music freestyle days Saturday and Sunday 14th and 15th November. See
larger article or contact Lois.
Shrewsbury and District Riding Club
End of Season Ball
Friday 9th October 2015
7.30pm til late
Albrighton Hussey Hotel, Broad Oak, Albrighton Nr Shrewsbury, SY4 3AF
Enjoy the evening with a three course meal, disco and Band, all included in the
ticket price
Charity raffle
Tickets only £30.00 per person
Featuring The Big Beat
www.thebigbeat.co.uk
Tickets available from
Louise Evans 07707190491- [email protected]
Martin Parrish 07969332884 – [email protected]
NB:- All tickets must be paid for in advance, Cut-off date for purchasing tickets is Friday 25th September
DRESSAGE TO MUSIC
Ever wondered where to start with a dressage to music test?
Well, for those of you that have shown an interest I have managed to arrange 2 days in November
this year to start your adventure or add to your skills!
I do not need confirmed bookings yet, but put the dates in your diary and have a think if:
a) Even as a complete beginner you would like to try dressage to music;
b) As an advanced rider you would like to progress your current skills with music and/or
change/improve your current routine; or
c) You would just like to have a training session with a dressage coach/BD judge and a music
specialist, both at hand and able to assist with floor plans and music choices.
The 2 hr session is for groups of 3 to 4 riders, about 1.5 hrs ridden and 30 minutes unmounted.
The session goes something like – your horse’s beats per minute are counted for each pace;
various floorplan exercises are tried to suit the level of horse and rider; the coaches work with you
to decide the theme you like and if that could suit your horse.
By the end you will have had some experience riding to music – that fits your horse’s tempo – and
go away with a list of suggestions of tracks that you could use to create a full freestyle as well as
ideas for floorplans.
Individual freestyle, as well as pairs (pas de deux), can be worked on to get you to a stage where
you have the ideas of music and floorplan.
For riders more used to music freestyle, the session can be tailored to your needs.
DETAILS:
Saturday and Sunday 14th and 15th of November.
Walford College
Provisionally……Cost – if I can fill 24 spaces over the 2 days, this will be 6 sessions of 4
riders…..£39 each.
If 18 riders over the 2 days (6 sessions of 3 riders), this will be £49.50 each.
Any total number in between and I will re adjust the fee.
This will be for SDRC and only open to Area 20 (and after that, general release!!) if the spaces do
not fill.
You can of course have more than one session!!
Contact me to confirm your interest, bookings will start in August
Lois Ellis-Briggs 07713 277796 [email protected]
Shrewsbury and District Riding Club Present....
TORI PETER’s Walford College (Equine), Baschurch SY4 2HL £5 per
EVENING DEMONSTRATION
of dressage, riding a stallion and a gelding
Tuesday, 21st July 2015, 18.30 hrs to about 20.30 hrs, At
person – to include tea, coffee and biscuits
EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO THE DEMONSTRATION
Tori Peter is an accredited British Dressage and UKCC level 3 specific dressage coach. With British Dressage she coaches at
regional camps, most recently with Harry Payne (2015). Her British Dressage Career see's her ride at Inter1, compete
internationally and represent BD Home Internationals England Squad in 2011, 2013 and 2014. Tori was a five time champion at
Royal Windsor. Seeded 16th in Europe in 2008 Working Equitation after riding for Team GB (a four phase sport which combines the
art & discipline of Classical dressage with the agility & control required when working horses in the field with cattle) Tori has trained
with the Andalusian School of Equestrian Art and travelled to Portugal to train with Antonio do Vale. Currently training with Goncalo
Carvalho (Portuguese National Champion and Olympic rider at London 2012).
Contact Lois Ellis-Briggs on 07713 277 796, facebook, or email [email protected]
Space is limited for the demonstration so please book with me!
(Before the demo there is a day of 45 minute clinic sessions – contact as above for further details and any availability.)
Members who haven’t yet done a help day.
It is a requirement of your membership to do one help day per year. According to our records the names below, have
not yet managed to do this. If you can help in anyway, in any club event or competition, please get in touch with the
organisers. Without your help, we cannot compete, we really do appreciate it. If your name appears below and you
have carried out your help day, please get in touch with a committee member and we can remove your name from
the list.
Rebecca Bruce Jane Clarke Rebecca Clarke Carole Coles
Jennifer Dale Joanne Dean Clara Finnegan Kurt Finnegan
Philippa Finnegan Charlotte Gaskell Peter Geddes Pippa Geddes
Ann Gregory Abi Gregory Mel Jade Griffiths Abi Groome
Cath Hall Wendy Harrison Danni Hignett Jen Howells
Lucy Johnson Selina Jones Sandra Jones Harriet Jones
Susie king Emily Lathe
Steph jones Jenny Jones Katie Lloyd Bridget Mac Donald
Vicky Jane May Rebecca Mogg
Jemma Lewis Megan Lloyd Philippa Pickard Sally Powell
Trudie Sitser Lucy Squire
Heather MacLeod Jo Martin Liz Tomkinson Kate Vaughan
Joan Webster Nicola Weynberg
Sue Norbury Vikki Pierson Chloe Wylde Cheryl Wylde
Andrea Preston Emma Robinson
Matthew Thomas Elisha Broadway
Geraldine Vaughan Deena Webster
Joanna Williams
SDRC Committee Member For 2015-2016
Nominations are invited for new Committee Members for the coming year.
The Committee holds the executive authority for running the Club according to the Constitution and
is made up of duly elected and possibly co-opted members who bring a variety of talents to the
organisation. The only requirements for a committee member are:
Being committed to attending regular meetings to help administer the Club effectively.
Attendance of every meeting is not compulsory.
Being prepared to contribute views and ideas to uphold the standards set out in the
Constitution
Do you want to put something back and be more actively involved in the club? Do you have fabulous
ideas that you would like to share? Then why not join the Committee.
Meetings take place approx every 2 months held at the various public houses in the area and last
around 1 ½ hours.
………………………………………………………………………………………
Nomination Form for Committee Members 2015/2016
I wish to nominate the person named for election to the committee of SDRC. I have obtained their
prior agreement to this and they confirm they are willing to serve if elected at the AGM.
Name of Nominee_____________________________________________
Membership No_______________________________________________
Signature____________________________ Date___________________
Proposer ( name)_______________________________________________
Membership No________________________________________________
Signature____________________________ Date____________________
Seconder ( Name)_______________________________________________
Membership No________________________________________________
Signature____________________________ Date_____________________
Please complete the attached nomination form and return either by post to Nick Furniss at
Greenfields, Stanwardine, Baschurch SY4 2EU. Emails will be accepted to [email protected] but
signed forms must be produced prior to the AGM. All nominations to be submitted by 26th Oct 2015
SDRC - ACCESS & BRIDLEWAY REPORT - June 2015
Summer is here at last, and I see many riders out enjoying our beautiful Shropshire Countryside.
Volunteers have also been out helping to keep back the growth; always a battle at this time of year. It
is important that, in this time of cut backs, we all do our bit to help keep our riding routes useable,
even if it is just breaking back overhanging foliage as you ride through, or clipping back overgrowth
when you are out for a walk. If you can help with bigger clearing jobs please contact your local
Bridleway/Parish Paths Partnership (P3) Group, or Shropshire Council’s Outdoor Partnerships team
at Nills, Pontesbury, on 01743 791984. They will be able to tell you if there is a Group working in your
area. Alternatively ring or email me, and I will point you in the right direction. Shropshire’s Outdoor
Partnership Team has started their annual topping of strategic routes, and the Nesscliffe Hills &
District Bridleway Association P3 Group have been working, with the P3 north east support Officer,
clearing back growth and restoring adequate head height to routes at the north end of The Cliffe near
Nesscliffe, with the west bridleway hopefully to be done soon, and also helping replace fingerposts that
have rotted at the bottom. Please let us know if you come across a failed post. It is important that
these are collected up for repair before they go missing! The fingers cost a lot of money to make, and
they can be reused. We understand that the Long Mynd Bridleway Group is doing clearing work on
the Minton circular Ride UK route at the south end of the Long Mynd. Richard Knight’s team hope to
start soon on sorting out the drainage on BW25 Ford Heath, past the site of the former Boons
Abbatoir. The air is much pleasanter there now!
Shropshire’s Highways Maintenance team have been out filling potholes, again and again! Many lane
surfaces are in poor condition with the heavy traffic they now have to carry, as they have little or no
foundations, and often have just a thin layer of tarmac over the old rolled or bedrock roads. There are
quite a few roads that are due to be top dressed, so do check before venturing out. You can ask to be
sent notification of road closures by Shropshire Council. Most temporary road closures should not
include walkers, cyclists or horse riders, and they must let them through, unless there are special
circumstances (such as a bridge missing!), but horse riders may be asked to dismount. The published
orders will state if access will not be available for non-motorised users. Any problems you encounter
on tarmac roads or on SC Highway’s green lane network, should be reported via the SC call centre on
03456789000.
On the subject of roads, I have now had a look at the new Government OS ITN Highways Mapping,
that I told you about in my last newsletter, and my worst fears have been realised. Just a quick scan of
a small area brought up lots of errors. One tarmac road that has always been a public road was shown
as private; a road stopped up in the 1880’s was still shown on their map; and other public roads
driven along by the general public were shown as privately maintained! Unsurfaced highways are an
important part of our riding network. It is fortunate that Shropshire Council have a good online
digital road map, so hopefully they will be able to get these errors resolved. If you go to ‘Local Map’
on Shropshire Council’s website, you can get all the Definitive ROW routes up on the map, as well as
Highways. You can zoom in and click on a route to get its status, number etc. If you need to report a
problem, it helps to identify where it is, if you can include the route number. Giving the grid reference
also helps.
I recently attended the RAF Shawbury Landowners Day as they were featuring their new High Viz
Campaign and Rider Awareness. We were given the opportunity to go up in one of their helicopters. It
was very interesting to see their range of visibility and how much easier it was to spot someone when
they are wearing florescent items. Their first 500 free sets of High Viz items went very quickly, but we
have been told that they have been permitted to order a few more. I do hope these will be used! It is
really important that horse riders wear, at the very least, a hat band and tabard whilst riding on our
increasingly busy lanes, and when riding anywhere in our low flying areas. The pilots want to avoid
overflying you at low level, but need your help in making you and your horse more visible in order to
do so. There will be occasions such as late spotting, or when in flying in formation, when it may not be
possible to avoid you.
For more information on this, and to see their new poster and advice leaflet, and to get information on
low flying in Shropshire, go to:-
www.raf.mod.uk/rafshawbury/flyinginfo/highvisibilitycampaign.cfm
The rush of planning applications seems to have slowed, and hopefully Shropshire Council will soon
have their SAM Dev Plan approved and in place. There are still a number of worrying developments
with decisions pending, including ones for Solar Farms to be accessed up narrow country lanes used
by horse riders, and which have neither verge to take refuge on, nor adequate passing places.
Shropshire Council Highways when responding to planning applications only seem to consider
motorised use, and whether vehicles can turn on and off the highway to developments, and not all
users, or the impact on the wider highway network.
The Highways department seems to forget that they have a duty of care to all road users. Many of
their documents refer only to walkers and cyclists, with occasional reference to ‘or other sustainable
transport modes’! The Local Transport Plan acknowledges that ‘The great majority of Shropshire’s
roads have evolved from ancient rights of way’ but horse riding is only mentioned twice, once under
‘Supporting sustainable tourism’ where it mentions ‘supporting and promoting tourism related
walking, cycling and horse riding, through improved promotion, information and signing;
appropriate route maintenance and targeted network improvements’ and the second time under
‘Cycle Infrastructure’ with regard to the development of other traffic free rural routes for cyclists,
walkers, and horse riders where feasible. There is no mention with regard to horse riders’ use of the
public road network, yet horse riders are daily on the Shropshire road network, and they are some of
the most vulnerable of road users.
I am please to report that the intervention of the Dog Warden seems to have brought improvements in
dog walkers’ behaviour around the Nesscliffe Country Park.
Please do not forget if you encounter any incidents that put you in fear of your safety, please report
them on the BHS website:- www.bhs.org.uk/safety-and-accidents. The BHS also have many helpful
advice leaflets on their website www.bhs.org.uk
With summer here, hopefully many of you will be planning rides out. Shropshire Council are working
on their new ‘Shropshire Great Outdoors’ website, but promoted routes are still available to
download from www.shropshireriding.co.uk, and that website has details of all the Shropshire Council
promoted riding routes in Shropshire. Go to the ‘Map of Routes’ and click on the named route in the
area you wish to ride and you can get all the details, including downloadable route maps. In the south
there is the Jack Mytton Way, the 4 Blue Remembered Hills routes in the Clun area, and the 10 Ride
UK Routes which cover a large area from the Stiperstones via the Long Mynd, and across to Wenlock
Edge. The Humphrey Kynaston Way takes you from the Long Mynd north via Nesscliffe to Grinshill
with circular routes along the way, including a 13 mile one from Lyth Hill, which can also be done
from Church Pulverbatch. There are routes for all abilities, and the instructions are easy to follow.
You can even make up your own routes using a combination of these routes. The website also now has
a link to the 17 remaining Countryside Stewardship Permissive Bridleway Routes.
Please don’t forget to report any problems you encounter when out riding on Shropshire’s public
ROW network. You can do this to [email protected], but please also let me know
so that I am aware of the problem, and can follow up.
Have a great summer riding in our wonderful Shropshire Countryside.
Zia Robins Tel: 01939 261060 email: [email protected]
CONTACT INFORMATION
Chairman Nick Furniss Greenfields, 01939 260 474
Stanwardine, 07866 702 149
Vice Chairman Martin Parrish Baschurch, [email protected]
SY4 2EU
Secretary Helen Ratcliff The Swallows [email protected]
Horton
Treasurer Eleanor Morris Shropshire 07969332884
Helpers Vikki Cliffe SY4 5ND
Brandwood House, 01939 270 289
Brandwood, 07814 375430
Myddle,Shropshire [email protected]
SY4 3RF
The Beeches Church Road, 07810 863507
Baschurch, SY4 2EG [email protected]
Greenfields, 01939 260 474
Stanwardine, 07779 580 696
Baschurch, [email protected]
SY4 2EU
Hunter Trials Helen Ratcliff Brandwood House, 01939 270 289
and Andrea Parrish Brandwood, 07814 375430
Combined Myddle,Shropshire [email protected]
Training SY4 3RF
Horse Trials The Swallows 07870171937
Horton
Show jumping Carol Hughes Shropshire [email protected]
Show Jumping Helen Ratcliffe SY4 5ND
07584 168655
Dressage Lois Ellis-Briggs 14 Lydham Road [email protected]
Shrewsbury
Bridleways Zia Robbins SY1 3HL 01939 270 289
Brandwood House, 07814 375430
Newsletter Andrea Parrish Brandwood, [email protected]
Myddle,Shropshire
Newsletter Vikki Cliffe SY4 3RF 07713 277796
2 Broadway Cottages [email protected]
Newsletter Louise Evans Ford Heath
Shrewsbury 01939 261 060
Beryl Evans SY5 9NW
Milford Hall, [email protected]
Milford,
Baschurch, 07870171937
SY4 2JU
The Swallows [email protected]
Horton
Shropshire 01939 260 474
SY4 5ND 07779 580 696
[email protected]
Greenfields,
Stanwardine, 07707190491
Baschurch, [email protected]
SY4 2EU
Garth Gwyn 01743 891 343
St Martins Road
Gobowen
Oswestry, SY11 3PE
Ladyhouse Cottage,
Drury Lane,
Minsterley, SY5 0EN