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The official newsletter of the British Horse Driving Trials Association |
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August 2003 on-line edition |
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The official newsletter of the British Horse Driving Trials Association |
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August 2003 on-line edition |
British World Championship Teams Selected
From left to right: Front - Jo Rennison (Pair), Georgina Frith (Individual Pair), Ursula Hirschberg (Pair), John Pickford (Team) Back - Boyd Exell (Trainer), Julie Camm (Single) Philippa Gammell (Individual Team), Liz Rowe (Individual Single), Sara Howe (Single), Emily Bennett (Team), Bob Johnston (Chef d’Equipe). Assistant Chef d’Equipe - Rosemary Neale, Team Vet - Viki Anderson. The BHDTA is very pleased to announce that Mr Steve Jarman with his company www.carriagesales.com has become a major supporter of the British Pony Team for the first ever World Combined Pony Championships at Karlstetten. Carriagesales.com has also added support to our sport by sponsoring an obstacle at this year’s Craghoppers National Championships at Windsor in September. Carriagesales.com are an internet-based company selling new and used carriages, harness, horses and other driving-related items. They claim to have the largest stock of carriages available in the UK. Steve has competed in Driving Trials this year with a horse pair and has been a regular competitor in coaching classes in recent years. The team to compete in the World Horse Pairs Championships at Jardy (France) in September is: John Attenborough, Terry Selway and Wilf Bowman Ripley. Non-travelling Reserve: Joanne Hartland. Chef d’Equipe - Mick Peace, Assistant Chef d’Equipe/Trainer - George Bowman. NEWNHAM PARK HDT by Margi Hawkins With entries well up on last year, the obstacles as inviting as usual, and a full five section marathon planned, it was disappointing to be let down by the weather. The sunshine and showers forecast turned out to be absolutely torrential rain on the Thursday night lasting into Friday morning and on Friday night the decision was made to remove sections B and C from the marathon due to the heavy going. The dressage arena suffered as a result of the rain and halfway through the day the arena was moved five metres sideways to improve the going - good idea, but there were those of us who kept returning to the old soggy X like a magnet with a nice 15 metre collected circle ending up 10 metres on one rein and 20 on the other! The obstacles were open and fast, and with the river running down the centre of the valley flowing 'freely' after Friday night’s rain, giving plenty of opportunity for everyone to get very wet negotiating the five river crossings and the water obstacle. In the open pony, Sara Howe maintained her dressage lead to win the class, with only 0.2 between Sue Denney and Julie Camm in second and third places. In the single horses Cherry Gaynor took first place, with D i Hayesa well deserved second with her young horse Matador, and Jo Sugden, last year's novice champion and well supported local west country driver, close behind in third place. Less than five points divided the top three Pony Pair drivers as they went into the final phase with both Georgina Frith and Jo Rennison driving superb double clears to take first and second respectively. The horse pairs class was equally competitive and Peter Morris led the way in Dressage. After a fantastic marathon John Attenborough took the lead with Terry Selway creeping up into second place. As always, nothing can be taken for granted until the cones are finished and this was no exception. John held his nerve to keep first place, ahead of Terry and Wilf, but Peter Morris was having a 'bad cones day' dropping to fifth place leaving Joanne Hartland fourth (good news for us girls!) Pony teams are always good value and Emily Bennett and John Pickford battled it with Emily winning by the narrowest of margins. Three horse teams took part with Dick Lane driving his usual exemplary round to win, from Adrian Puddy and Geoff Woods. The pony tandems provided a close finish with Alan Clarke ahead of Danielle Twitchen, while Fred Pendlebury was the clear horse tandems winner. There was a poignant moment when Judith Cobbold presented the trophy she has donated in memory of her husband. The Michael Cobbold Memorial Trophy, for Great Western Harness Club member with the best dressage score, went to Di Hayes with a score of 37. The 'Newnham Chase', a relay race representing some of the other activities that take place at Newnham, provided some light hearted fun on Sunday with four teams consisting of a cyclist, a runner, a four-wheel drive member of the Land Rover club and a carriage driver. The cyclist hurtled down the hill and round the bridge obstacle before handing over to the waiting runner. The runner then sprinted to a waiting Land Rover which sped off through the water (several times), skidding to a halt so the runner could then leap out and run obstacle 3 before handing on to the carriage driver who completed the course by driving the last obstacle. Mick Peace was the carriage driver in the winning team. Newnham is always well organised with a testing course. This year was no exception. A big thank you to all involved. FARLEIGH HOUSE HDT by Jan Lane What a pleasant change to arrive at Farleigh House with the sun shining and not having to be towed in to the lorry park! Having found a flat spot to set up camp and settled the horses, we went off to find the obstacles. Numbers 1 and 2 in one field, number 3, the ‘Big Dipper’, back in, but not using the very steep slope, then no. 4 leading on down to the rest which were brilliantly placed for both walking and for spectators. All the obstacles had been well designed and built by Andrew Simmons. We woke to bright sunshine on dressage morning and were relieved for once that we were late in the day to go hoping it would be a little cooler by then! Two arenas were in use. The day seemed to run smoothly despite a few comments about a slightly bumpy second arena! We were lucky to be in the main arena where we had an eloquent commentary throughout the day by Peter Bridson and a range of delightful music by Nigel Dipple. That evening all the competitors were invited to a drinks reception hosted by Lord Portsmouth where champagne and food was in abundance being served by the Organising Committee and their helpers. A good time was had by all. The weather conditions were just right for marathon day. All Andrew’s obstacles drove well despite there being some reservations about the straw bales. Everyone completed safely but it reminded people that it was a tough course and horses had to be fit. Saturday evening brought the traditional Hog Roast which was superb - plenty for everyone. Sunday morning started early with a lightning storm and pouring rain and again we were thankful that we were not on until later in the day. The cones course was challenging and exciting to watch with only three double clears throughout the day. It provided a nail-biting finish to the competition. A few things not to be forgotten about the event at Farleigh House - the beautiful setting, how hard Angie and John Pickford and all the Organising Committee had worked, and the brilliant cream teas provided by the ever cheerful Red Cross members! SANDRINGHAM HDT by Paul Davies The almost perfect event - a good entry, a wonderful setting, and it only rained at night! With 118 entries, the popularity of Sandringham goes from strength to strength, and as it was the last selection event for the British team for the Combined Pony and the Horse Pairs World Championships, there was a great deal of interest especially in the Pony Pairs which was very close at the top. The return of novice classes to this event saw eight entries forward for the pony class, with Fiona Powell taking the honours in all three sections; her impressive performance included a marathon round that would have placed her equal 4th in the open pony class, plus one of the only five double clears in the cones all day. John Keeler headed the corresponding Horse class home, followed by Paul Hart and James Marshall. Sara Howe led the way in the Dressage for the open pony class with Luke Axel-Berg in second place and Liz Rowe in third place. The first three obstacles in section E saw Sara and Liz swapping places for the best score, but as they progressed through the remaining five, Liz gained the upper hand. A very technical cones course made all the difference and Sara, driving last received a score of 18 penalties and dropped down to third place being overtaken by Liz Rowe and with Sue Denney taking first place with a impressive double clear. Di Hayes produced the Dressage performance of the event returning a score of 27.7, with James Robson in second and David Mathews in third. The marathon was very close but the star of this section was last year’s Novice Champion Jo Sugden who stormed home and moved up from 15th to 5th place. Once again the cones settled the final outcome, David Mathews winning the class with only one down ahead of Di Hayes who knocked two. James Robson was close behind in third place and, with only one down, Jo Sugden elevated herself to fourth. Rachel Stevens led the pony pairs after Dressage but dropped out of contention after problems in the fifth obstacle. Georgina Frith drove an immaculate marathon to take the lead closely followed by her old sparring partner from the pony teams Ursula Hirschberg. Final placings were once again affected by the cones; Georgina had three balls down which dropped her down to 4th place and elevated Jo Rennison into the winning slot followed by Ursula and Rowena Moyes. John Attenborough led the Horse Pairs all the way, followed by Wilf Bowman Ripley and Peter Morris with the very technical cones course again playing a significant part. Five pony tandems came forward and Alan Clarke was rewarded with a win after a very good Dressage, ahead of Danielle Twitchen and Lady Romsey both of whom put Alan under pressure with very good marathon rounds. Horse Tandems - how I wish I could do this! - saw only four competitors in the class, which was won convincingly by Fred Pendlebury with Karl Read and Pat Cooper in second and third places. ‘Slick’ Dick Lane won a big Horse Teams class winning every section, with his team of experienced Lipizzaners; second place went to Adrian Puddy, and George Bowman with his ever-changing team of Cumberland Cobs filled third spot. All the competitors enjoyed the challenging obstacles, which were as exciting to watch as they were to drive, and a great credit to course designer, George Prince. See page 15 for results CASTLE KENNEDY HDT by Mary Bryson With acres of space set in beautiful Bonnie Galloway in South West Scotland, the event had the good fortune of clear, clean sea air and near perfect weather conditions for competitive driving, providing an excellent venue for the Castle Kennedy Driving Trials in its second year in the calendar. Sixty Competitors gathered for a spirited competition, the Tri-Nations Team Challenge sponsored by Sulworth Brewery, adding an extra competitive edge. Despite being invaded from across the Border and the Irish Sea, Scotland held off the challenge to win, closely followed by Ireland, with England planning to come back next year with a vengeance. Twelve drivers from Ireland made the trip across the water, and thanks to Jane McDowall, a special rate was arranged with P & O Ferries, one of the Sponsors. The drivers’ comments on Charles Powell’s marathon were “excellent”, “stunning”, “beautiful”. Charles and Debbie Powell, from County Tipperary, had been over since the previous Friday. Charles, a gentleman of charm and quiet authority, with years of experience at FEI level, is always open to the drivers’ comments, and has an excellent curriculum vitae to build good obstacles. However he did confess that it had been quite a challenge to build them to suit juniors and team drivers of George Bowman’s calibre! The competition was close after the Dressage and Marathon but Charles Powell’s cones course demanded accurate driving and a really good sense of the pace to beat the clock, this altered quite a few places. Scottish drivers, Andrew and Carole Smith repeated their Hopetoun double, taking both Novice qualifiers, while Sue Corlett from the Isle of Man justified her journey by staying out in front in all three phases to win the Open Pony Class, despite strong opposition. The Irish Single Horse drivers put up a particularly impressive performance, taking three out of the top four places in their class which was won by Edwin Bryson, Ireland’s top driver at last year’s World Championships. The National Classes produced some real quality with some excellent performances and very worthy winners. The best moment for me was watching Faith Szczuka driving her tandem in the cones course, despite having 37 penalties in hand she did not hold off and drove a double clear with confidence and style a tribute to her hard work with her tandem. However the event was not without controversy and mishaps. Poor Karl Read, contesting his first National event with a horse team in very competent style, had the disappointment to be eliminated after the cones when his vehicle measured fractionally under width. This was the core of carriage driving, with classes providing the widest possible spectrum of competition. Club Juniors took the big occasion in their stride, and watching young 10-year old Murray Graham driving the obstacles with steely concentration was a picture to remember. Other classes for Club members were included, giving the drivers the opportunity to compete alongside National competitors. Many thanks to the Earl of Stair and Lady Davina Stair for the excellent venue. The site lends itself to expanding further as a major event, and good road access from the north and south into Stranraer and a ferry on the doorstep should draw more competitors. Jane McDowall and her team must be congratulated. A most enjoyable event with true Gaelic charm --- how often I heard, “We will be back next year”. See page 16 for results HENBURY HALL HDT The “presentation” of this year’s event at beautiful Henbury Hall was as impressive as ever, and spectator viewing of all three phases is incomparable. Sadly the first day was marred by torrential rain for most of the day, but amongst some good Dressage performances was a lovely test by Cherry Gaynor and the former George Bowman team horse, Nelson, giving her an impressive lead in the Single Horse class. The day was not without incident and Mick Peace was lucky to get away without a serious accident when a coupling rein broke just before the Dressage. Pony Teams Driver, John Pickford decided at the last minute to make the long journey from Hampshire but he no doubt wished he had stayed at home when his pony team unceremoniously wrapped itself around the President of the Jury’s car as he left the arena - his leader got a rein over its head which snatched it out of John’s hand, removing all control. It shows how easily accidents can happen, and it must have been frightening for everyone including for Ray Brown and wife/writer Rosa. Thankfully the weather improved in mid-afternoon and the day ended with an enjoyable Pimms party for competitors and stewards, funded very generously by the Driving Trials Supporters. Marathon day dawned bright and sunny, but the decision had already been taken to remove Sections C and D from the course. George Prince’s beautifully constructed and challenging obstacles caused a few memory lapses, but drove well, although a number of animals were suspicious of the wooden ramp down into the sixth. Pony Tandem Dressage winner Faith Sczcuka was forced to retire at the fifth when her pony’s bit broke, and John Attenborough was ejected in the very last, having put up some excellent times in earlier obstacles. Most of the British team of pony drivers were having a final work-out, some taking the opportunity to familiarise themselves with carriages borrowed for the Championships . Liz Rowe led all the way in the single pony class and also tied with Sue Denney for the “Jack in the Box” award for the fastest competitor in this class in Obstacle 2. Pony Pairs National Champion, Jo Rennison was flying on the Marathon in the Pony Pairs to post the best score of the day, but could not catch her Karlstetten team-mate Ursula Hirschberg. Alan Clarke scored a well-deserved victory in the Pony Tandems class with a well-driven clear in the cones with his rather over-exuberant ponies. Four multiple obstacles in Carol Meredith’s beautifully laid out cones course proved a real challenge, but current National Champion Terry Selway only incurred a couple of time faults to take the Horse Pairs class after overnight leader Wilf Bowman Ripley had a disastrous cones round. The cones also proved the downfall of Karl Read who drove a superb marathon in the Horse Tandems class, only to concede victory to René Schoop in the final phase. Karl had the consolation of winning the award from Brockham Harness Club for the fastest in his class through Obstacle No. 1, and his marathon groom Lyn Hayes took the Bryan Hough Memorial Trophy. It was good to see the evergreen Jimmy Robson back in this class (it is hard to believe that it is 20 years since he was National Champion in this class!). Last year’s Novice Horse champion, Joanna Sugden, drove the best marathon of the Single Horses, but Di Hayes was not far behind and went on to win the class and also the George Clarke Memorial Trophy for the best overall score of the whole event. After his disaster in the Dressage, John Pickford’s good Marathon round took him into the lead, but he decided to call it a day at this stage as his best carriage was unfit for the cones. This left HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in the lead, and His Royal Highness went on to score a popular win just ahead of Philippa Gammell who had encountered problems at the fourth marathon obstacle. The eight-strong Horse Teams class saw yet another win for Dick Lane, but the marathon had produced a great contest between Dick, George Bowman, and Fred Pendlebury - who was making his reappearance in this class having dominated the Horse Tandems class for most of the season. Sincere thanks to organiser Mike Brookes, secretary Sheila Hawking and particularly the host, Sebastian de Ferranti, whose enthusiasm and support were greatly appreciated by everyone. CLUB CHANGES Great Western Harness Club Gina Albright is moving, and in the interim all
correspondenced should be directed to: Cotswold Driving Club Change of telephone number to: 01684 276468 Brockham Harness Club New Secretary: Jackie Ellis, Carnival House, Catteshall Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1LR. Tel. 01483 427479 (mobile 07813 914240). Email. secretary@brockhamharnessclub.co.uk New Affiliations: Tullylagan Driving Association Markethill Horse & Pony Driving Club Ltd Ribble Valley Driving Club Bristol Horse Driving Club CLUB NEWS Brockham Harness Club With only a few weeks to go, the stage is set at Borde Hill Gardens in West Sussex, for Brockham’s event on 30/31 August. The marathon course takes in some beautiful views over the Sussex countryside, with six obstacles including water. With support from Bellcrown Carriages, the well known voice of Andrew Cowdery commentating throughout the event, Saturday night party including a Pimms bar, Hog Roast, entertainment by Beatles tribute band Rubber Soul and subject to weather, a Hot Air Balloon flare up over the lake as darkness falls, it all adds up to a great weekend. If you haven’t entered, call Sara Simmons on 01903 812885 or visit www.brockhamharnessclub.co.uk. TEAM NEWS British Team for Karlstetten Although there have been European Championship events for pony teams, this year sees the first World Championship for ponies when singles and pairs join the teams in the inaugural Combined Pony World Championships at Karlstetten in Austria (14th to 17th August). The new competition would appear to be an organiser’s nightmare - particularly for British TD, Philip Bateman, as, in accordance with the FEI rules, the singles will have a three-section marathon, whilst the pairs and teams will run over five. Each nation may send a national team composed of two in each category, but with only the best single, pair and team scores in each phase counting towards the final team total, it would be possible to contest the Championship with just one of each. A total entry of 86 is expected with eight countries sending national teams. The British contingent consists of a mixture of experience and new blood. Julie Camm, a hotel manager from near Bristol, was the undisputed winner of the Single Pony selection points league with her exciting Welsh Section D pony, Pannau Pandora. Her fellow team member is Sara Howe, who runs the Bradbourne Carriage Driving Centre in Kent. Sara gained invaluable grounding in the sport as head girl for team-driver Peter Munt for seven years. She will be taking Jane McDonald’s Section D pony Costa Llewelyn. Jo Rennison from Surrey leads the Pony Pairs. Jo has had some experience of international events, having previously worked for international driver Alwyn Holder for many years. She had a highly successful 2002 season with wins at Royal Windsor and the National Championships. She will be driving ponies owned by Paula Liddon and by Philip Goddard, her marathon groom. She is joined by experienced international driver Ursula Hirschberg, a Buyer for an Engineering Company in Cheshire (and mother of two very lively small boys!). Ursula will be driving two Welsh ponies, Ellerslea Freeway and Ellerslea Bestman, from her experienced team. She has represented Great Britain at four European Four-in-hand Championships. The pony teams are headed by Emily Bennett from Cheshire with her attractive team Welsh x Hackney ponies. Emily has been competing since the age of 14 and has the unique distinction of having been National Champion in the singles, pairs, tandems and teams. She is joined by John Pickford from Hampshire, a former international Pony Pairs driver, who will be driving his chestnut Welsh Section C’s. John is strongly supported by his wife Angie, who with John organises the Farleigh HDT, and acts as groom. The three individuals will be Liz Rowe (single), Georgina Frith (pair), and Philippa Gammell (team). Horse Pairs for Jardy John Attenborough (left) heads the British team for this year’s World Championships at Jardy (18th to 21st September). John, a former international Pony Pairs driver, acted as Chef d’Equipe for the gold-medal winning team of Horse Pairs in Riesenbeck in 1997 and competed himself in the 1999 and 2001 Championships. He is a director of an outsourcing company, Xchanging, and lives in Cumbria but works mainly in London, so he relies on his wife Jo to produce the horses for competition. Terry Selway (below), the current Horse Pairs National Champion, has a hectic schedule during the summer months when he uses his versatile Gelderlander horses owned by wife Danielle for Coaching as well as Driving Trials. Terry started competition 12 years ago driving ‘Luke’ and this horse has since been the mainstay of his tandem, pair and team, and will be going to France. Wilf Bowman Ripley (below) was National Champion in 1996 and 1997 and a member of the gold-medal winning British team at the World Horse Pairs Championships at Riesenbeck in 1997. He competed successfully on the National circuit in 2002 with Geoff Woods’ team of horses, and will be driving Linda Kneale’s experienced pair of black cobs in the Championships. Wilf has recently moved to the Ashfields Carriage and Polo Centre near Stansted owned by his sponsor Terry Chambers, where he and Zoe Morgan run a training centre for both driving and polo. The non-travelling reserve is Joanne Hartland, the owner of Hartlands Carriages. She drives horses from her striking team of coloured Irish trotters. OFFICE and COUNCIL NEWS BHDTA Committees At the recent Council Meeting, Nigel Dipple was co-opted on to the Council. Nigel is well-known in the south as the Chairman of the Brockham Harness Club and organiser of the very successful South of England Carriage Driving Fair. At the same meeting the composition of the various committees was discussed and some changes made. The details are as follows: F & GP Derrick Mayes, Ian Douglas, Tom Pettifer Rules Anneke Wallace, George Bowman, Diana Brownlie, Ian Douglas, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Sydney Smith Competitions Philip Bateman, Ian Douglas, Ian Gilbert, Derek Holah, Barry Hunter, George Prince Marketing & Publicity Nigel Dipple, John Gaynor Judges Sarah Garnett, George Bowman, Diana Brownlie, Andrew Counsell, Beverley Mellstrom, Sydney Smith Safety Barry Hunter, Ray Bragg, Peter Bridson, David Pawson, Brian Perry Training & Development Sydney Smith, Karen Bassett, Mark Broadbent, Barry Capstick Andrew Counsell, Georgina Frith, Sarah Garnett, Anna Grayston, Amanda Saville Club Liaison & Indoor Driving Edmund Goodwin, Penny Campbell (N Ireland), Anthony Cooper (SW), Pat Cooper (N), Rob Sims (SE), Andrew Smith (Scotland), Lesley West (Mids), Dick Carey (Indoor) John Gaynor (Tel. 01539 432156) now chairs the Drivers’ Liaison Group, on which Horse Teams are now represented by Dick Lane (Tel. 01451 831162). Recurring Transaction Authority will cease from 1st Jan 2004. After 31st December 2003 it will no longer be possible to pay your BHDTA subscription with a Recurring Transaction Authority. Fees will have to be paid annually by cheque or credit card. BHDTA Members' Conference 25th October 2003 The venue is the Cheltenham Gloucester Moat House situated close to Junction 11a on the M5 motorway (as used for 2002 Conference). The Saturday evening dinner dance hosts the presentation of the Fenix and BEIB Points Leagues awards. Rachel Stevens has again heroically undertaken to 'liven up' the awards ceremony with interesting photos of the recipients taken at various events throughout the year. Full programme in the next issue of Carriage Horse. World Horse Pairs Championships 2005 The organisers of Catton Park HDT have applied to the FEI to hold the 2005 World Horse Pairs Championships. A response is expected at the end of September. CHAIRMAN’S NOTEBOOK As I write, we are already over half way through the season with Normanhurst event next weekend. With the selection procedure now complete we look forward to the World Championships at Karlstetten and Haras de Jardy, wishing our teams success and their safe return to these shores with a medal or two. The Combined Pony Championships, with nine British competitors in a new competition format, will present particular demands of the team but I am convinced that the mix of experience and enthusiasm of Drivers, Chef d’Equipe and Trainer will rise to the challenge. The Horse Pairs are well aware of the high standards of competition to be faced at Jardy and will, I am sure, respond appropriately. We have seen a tremendous fund raising effort over recent months to meet the ever increasing cost of taking part in Championships. Thanks to all involved in Fundraising and Sponsorship, too numerous to mention here; your endeavours have ensured our participation in the absence of the funding made available to other sports under similar circumstances. We look forward now to the remaining five National events, culminating in what promises to be superb National Championships at Windsor in September. Finally, book now for the Conference and Dinner/Dance in October, a fun but useful, informative and productive weekend for us all! IMPORTANT COMPETITOR INFORMATION Reminder for Single Horse and Horse Team Drivers As the selection procedure for 2004 starts this season, drivers are reminded that they must complete a selection/declaration form and return it to the office BEFORE the first selection event if they wish to be considered for the 2004 Championship. The first selection event for Single Horses is at Alnwick Castle. The first selection event for Horse Teams is at Catton Park. FEI Qualification for 2004 Championships It has been confirmed that the Craghoppers National Championships in September will count as a qualifying competition for drivers and horses for the 2004 Single Horse and Horse Team World Championships. DEFRA Passports We are advising our members to 'hold fire' on organising new passports. A final decision from DEFRA is still awaited on the exact content/information required and until this is available we would advise you to wait. No organisation has this information as yet and it may be that passports already in circulation will have to be recalled. As soon as we have something to report we will post it on the website. Problems for Event Organisers This season has seen an enormous increase in the number of late entries for events. Organisers appreciate that finances are often tight, and for this reason agreed at their meeting in February to accept post-dated cheques for entries. This at least give them an indication of likely numbers. Whilst some competitors have taken advantage of this concession, the trend towards entering at the last minute, or worse still, after the closing date, has resulted in a scheduling nightmare for organisers. Some events have been about to cancel judges, stewards, equipment hire etc. having finalised their programme on reduced entries, only to be inundated with late comers. Please think of the hard-working organisers, without whom we would have no events. Many are a great deal greyer than they were a few months ago! CRAGHOPPERS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Things are hotting up for this year’s Championships, to be sponsored for the first time by Craghoppers. The marathon obstacles and route have been finalised and most of the sponsorship is in place. Thanks to the generosity of members, friends and acquaintances, all the plaques have been covered, as well as most of the obstacles. But there is still one obstacle remaining - and there are other sponsorship opportunities available such as the arenas - so if you know anyone who might still be interested, please contact the organiser, Jill Holah (01347 878655). Public Admission Admission is free to BHDTA members on production of membership card. £4/person for non-members on Saturday or Sunday. No charge on Friday. Caravan park - £25 for non-members, £15 for members. This includes admission for two for the whole weekend Caravan park must be booked in advance through BHDTA Coaching ‘Demonstration’ On the final day of this year’s Championships, the cones will be run in two arenas. With more time at our disposal, we have arranged for internationally known carriage-builder, teacher, driver and judge Mark Broadbent to give us an insight into the history and traditions of coaching. We are very privileged that Simon Baker has agreed to bring the Millennium coach to the event. This was constructed by Fenix Carriages in 2000 and is the first coach to be built in this country for many years using traditional methods. This will be a spectacle not to be missed! USE OF ATV’s/MOTORCYCLES The Crown Estate does not usually permit the use of motorcycles etc. at any events in the park. However, after considerable negotiation, it has been agreed that drivers who hold BHDTA ATV/motorcycle passes may use their vehicles at this year’s Championships, provided they stick to a clearly defined area which will be shown on the noticeboard at the event - This basically covers the stabling area and the route to and from the obstacles down “The Gallop”. Everyone involved MUST observe the restriction - any deviation is likely to lead to the re-imposition of the ban for all future events. Horse Pairs Class There will be a National class for Horse Pairs in conjunction with the Championships. Schedules available from the BHDTA Office. NORTH EASTERN DRIVING TRIALS LTD Amanda flips The NEDTL season got off to a cracking start with a record 54 competitors taking part at the Club’s home ground, Escrick Park Estate, where Mr and Mrs Forbes Adams and their staff have always provided very strong support and help to the club over many seasons. A great deal of planning goes into all events, and strenuous efforts are always made to ensure that risks to horses, helpers, drivers and grooms are kept to a minimum., but nobody could have predicted the accident that befell Amanda Saville of Lockerbie when a casting flaw caused a Tilbury Tug to break, the shaft to drop down and dig into the ground causing the trap to flip over dramatically. Winners: Driven to distraction The glorious parkland and lakeside setting of Ripley Castle proved a popular venue for the second event of the season. Forty-eight entries from across the northern region came together to compete in seven classes. Jimmy Robson managed a breathtaking dressage score of 20 in the Open Horse, only to be eliminated for an error of course in the cones. Geoff Walton had the unpredictable and frightening experience of both reins failing at the end of his extended trot with an ensuing run away. Carol Johnson put in a fine performance, following an excellent dressage test with a double clear in the cones and then the best overall score of the competition in the marathon. This hilly test of the fitness and agility of the horses highlighted the difference between the open and novice classes, but a group of four novice drivers had a longer marathon than expected after vandals moved the directional arrows on the course and sent them on an hour-long detour! The water hazard proved popular with spectators and demanding for the drivers but only novice Jeremy Kay of Worsbrough suffered the indignity of an early bath. Winners: View to a thrill. With views to York, Ferrybridge, Sutton Bank and Roseberry Topping, competitors at the event in June at Lindricks Farm near Fountains Abbey were treated to views over nearly the length of the County. The beacon hill formed the centrepiece of the event, and the obstacles on it required all the concentration and nimbleness of horses and drivers alike. Colin Allen with his team of four chestnut ponies proved a head turner, and Pat Cooper and Judith Halstead had a close tussle in the horse tandems with less than three points separating them. Julie Lister and Alec Jefferies had excellent scores in the Novice Dressage. New cone course designers Brian Anderson and Rob Wilkinson set new problems for all competitors, with only four managing double clear rounds. Winners: Ken nearly sank without trace! The Wykeham Estate near Scarborough provided a splendid new venue on July 5th/6th, With one of the best dressage surfaces in the region, and a marathon entirely contained within the estate. The greatest number of spectators gathered around the deep water obstacle. Ken Walmsley, club chairman, and his turn-out took to the water so powerfully that a trace snapped and required running repairs. Barry Hunter was so far ahead on points in the Open Horse class that the refusal of his horse to get its feet wet did not jeopardize his victory. With its rolling farmland, woodland, lakes and lime tree avenues, Wykeham seems to have every chance of establishing itself on the carriage driving map. Winners: Burghley Horse Trials Five team drivers have been invited to take part in a showcase event in the main arena on the final day of the international Burghley Horse Trials on Sunday 7th September. The driving 'event' will be run along similar lines to that of the World Indoor Driving Competition. This has been made possible because this year the Three-Day Event Show Jumping will finish by 1.00p.m. To entertain spectators iin the afternoon, a special programme has been put together which, in addition to the driving, will include an invitation-only Accumulator Show Jumping class featuring all the top riders, together with Celebrity Gymkhana Games. Also taking place in another arena on the same day will be the finals of the Osborne Refrigerators Private Driving Championships. If you have never been to Burghley, it is well worth a visit - and the shopping is fantastic! Dressage is on Thursday and Friday, Cross-Country on Saturday and Show Jumping on Sunday. The event is on the edge of Stamford in Lincolnshire, just north of Peterborough (on the A1). ADVANCE NOTICE ! Those who have been abroad to previous Championships with Joe Pullen will be delighted to learn that he is planning a trip to the World Horse Teams Championships in Kecskemet, Hungary from 4th to 8th August 2004. Make a note in your diary and watch this space! ‘200’ CLUB DRAWS June I (Fountains Abbey) June II (Sandringham) July (Henbury) Thank you, Judi Ralls, for your letter (Carriage Horse 3/03) and for the membership ‘plug’ for the ‘200’ Club. Infact it was fully subscribed by the end of January 2003, but will be open again in October for 2004 membership - so everyone please have your money ready! Sheila Hawking Fund Raising for World Combined Pony Championships Congratulations to everyone who has taken part in the numerous fund-raising activities to help the British team fund their trip to the World Combined Pony Championships in Austria. Steve Jarman has come in with generous financial support for the British team, and we are very grateful to Steve and his company CarriageSales.com. To date just over £11,000 has been raised, and othersources include: The Auction of Promises and Raffle (see below) In addition Lowther have very generously made a donation to the travel fund, and a grant has also been obtained from the BEF which will be used for team clothing. Sincere thanks are due to everyone for their generosity . Auction of Promises Thanks to the energy, enthusiasm and hard work of Yvonne and Bob Johnston, assisted by Ken and Barbara Morrison, the Auction of Promises held during the event at Sandringham was a huge success. Despite a free glass of wine on arrival, bidding was slow at the start, and some early lots were sold at bargain prices. But things started to warm up, particularly when it came to the famous “Mars Bar Cake” - baked by Jo Rennison’s mother and supposedly responsible for Jo’s many successes in the pony pairs class. This was knocked down to a syndicate of rival pony drivers for £85, but although it was consumed with almost indecent haste soon afterwards, it did not prevent Jo from scoring yet another win in her class the following day! Members were exceptionally generous in their promises and we were privileged to have some very special opportunities offered such as a tour of the Metropolitan Police Mounted Branch, a personal tour of the Royal Mews, and lunch with Lord Onslow in the House of Lords, but the largest bid was received for salmon/trout fishing for two at Broadlands which went for £600. Bob Johnston was the hard worked and amusing auctioneer - with the help, and sometimes hindrance, of Ivor Moreton - and a thoroughly enjoyable evening was had by all - despite the approaching darkness. Just over £8,000 was raised. What a fantastic effort! Fund Raising by Horse Pairs The Horse Pairs, too, have been raising money towards their trip to Jardy in September. Each of the drivers putting their name forward for selection agreed to contribute £150, and to date £900 has been raised by this means. They have also received a donation from John Attenborough. In addition to a proportion of the proceeds of the Auction of Promises, the Horse Pairs will also benefit from some of the £1,500 obtained via the British Equestrian Federation towards team clothing. The total raised so far (excluding the BEF money) is just over £3,200. Message from Edmund Goodwin and Trevor Kimber Edmund and Trevor wish to thank all those who supported them at the Beef and Strawberry Party at Sandringham to raise money for the Pony Travelling Fund. It proved to be a very enjoyable evening and they raised £350 for the fund including the Raffle. Thank you to all the helpers and to Mr and Mrs Cope, friends of Edmund and Joan’s, for sponsoring the wine. Auction Alert! The Annual Equine Equipment Auction run by Brockham Harness Club is under the hammer on Sunday 9th November at Leigh Village Hall, Leigh,Nr Reigate in Surrey. So before you pack away all those unwanted items at the end of the season – why not enter them in the auction and turn it into cash! All entry forms and information can be found on www.brockhamharnessclub.co.uk or telephone Dick Lane on 01483 276936. BHDTA DINNER DANCE 2003 Saturday 25th October, Cheltenham Gloucester Moat House. Tickets at £29.50 available from Sheila Hawking. Please sent s.a.e. to: Pollums House Farm, Lumby, South Milford, Leeds LS25 5LD. Tel. 01944 682298 Telephone the hotel on 01452 519988 and quote BHDTA for concessionary room rates. FOREIGN RESULTS BHDTA Members Abroad Congratulations to BHDTA members who have been competing abroad this summer. David Matthews won in a very strong class of single horses at Wachtebeke, although sadly he turned over at Conty. Boyd Exell, driving for Australia, scored a tremendous win when taking the over all title at Aachen, arguably the most prestigious driving event in the world apart from the World Championships. Emily Bennett finished a very creditable third place in the Pony Teams class at Breda, just ahead of Royal Windsor winner Aart van de Kamp and followed this up with a good 5th place at Beekbergen after a good round in what was apparently an incredibly technical cones course. The next issue of CARRIAGE HORSE will be
published at the end of September 2003. All items to be sent to BHDTA Office or preferably e-mailed to: bhdta@horsedrivingtrials.co.uk This publication has an independent editorial policy and is intended as an open forum for BHDTA members. All letters and reports from members and clubs of the BHDTA are welcomed and will be published where possible, although some editing may be necessary if space is limited. Letters will have the right to reply in the same issue if considered appropriate. Anonymous, defamatory or objectionable letters will not published. Unless the contrary is shown, the views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the BHDTA or its Council. |
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