Team News

2024

Please read the schedule for the Novice dressage winter qualifier on SATURDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2024 at Wellington Riding Centre, Heckfield, Hook, RG27 0LG. This is a great local venue and we would like to send as many members as possible. The club will pay all entry fees to members on the assumption that you will reimburse the club should you not compete.

If you would like to compete (or volunteer to help on the day) please contact Clare Griffin (Tadley and District Riding club team manager) at: clare.p.griffin@gmail.com

2022

British Riding Clubs Area 6 Combined Challenge qualifier

A fantastic day at Munstead for Tadley  and District Riding Club at the British Riding Clubs Area 6 Combined Challenge qualifier (formerly known as Festival of the Horse). Katie Thrower and Melody M had a clear showjumping round followed by a fast cross country round landing themselves a few time penalties but happily finished 2nd in the 70 cm class. Stephanie Douglas and Auf Wiedersehen went one better in the 80cm to win the class! Both combinations have qualified for the Championship. A huge well done to you both!

Stephanie Douglas writes about her experience in the BRC show jumping championships:

Myself and Alfie took part in the BRC show jumping qualifier which was held at BCA in February 2022. The way the show jumping worked was each rider jumped two rounds, one outdoor and one indoor, with the indoor round being timed. You needed to go clear in both rounds and be the quickest in the jump off. To my surprise, we were lucky enough to win the class which gained us a spot to the championships being held in March! 

The championships were held at Arena UK in Lincolnshire, so a fair trek for us. But I really wanted to be able to represent the club at this show, so we decided to go for it. We travelled up to Arena UK on the morning of the Saturday 26th March, in order to compete late afternoon. It was an extremely busy showground with a lot going on, I think I underestimated quite how many people were competing here! 

The show followed the same format as the qualifier, with one round outdoors and one round indoors. Alfie warmed up beautifully for the first round and jumped a lovely clear in the outdoor arena. We then went straight into the indoor arena for round two. We went clear again, but then we had a very unfortunate pole in the jump off. However, we still managed to place 18th out of nearly 100 riders, so I was very chuffed with him!

We decided to stay the night up there due to how far we had travelled, so we settled Alfie in and then went and enjoyed a lovely bottle of wine in a nearby B&B!

I've owned Alfie for seven years and I purchased him straight off the racetrack and have retrained him myself. In 2021 he was sadly diagnosed with kissing spine and underwent surgery for this. He seems to have bounced back better than before, and my aim throughout 2022 is to just have a lot of fun with him. Competing at this show was certainly one of the fun activities. We felt very fortunate to be able to represent the club at these championships, and we look forward to representing the club in as much as possible this year!

Clare writes: The Area 6 Showjumping Qualifier took place at Berkshire College of Agriculture near Maidenhead in February with three members representing Tadley and District Riding Club. Katie Thrower and Melody M had a double clear placing them eighth in the 70cm. Katie and Alice Riddiford on Aprique and Steph Douglas with Auf Wiedersehen made up the 80cm team. Katie and Alice sadly had a couple of poles but were both fast against the clock but Stephanie and Auf Wiedersehen secured a fast double clear to win the 80cm as individuals. This qualifiers them for the Novice Championship at Arena UK. Huge congratulations to Steph and well done and thank you to Alice and Katie for doing the club proud!

Mal Don Championship 2021 Presentation

On Saturday 15th January 2022 there was a fantastic Prize Giving at The Croft for the Mal Don Championship 2021 winners.  All three winners were decked out in their show finest, their horses beautifully turned out, and family and friends came along to support each winner.

The sponsors of the Mal-Don Championship, Mr & Mrs Paul and Paula Brazier, handed out each of the amazing prizes to the Champion - Helen Noakes on Diego, the Reserve Champion - Jenny Kemp on Risk, and the 3rd Runner Up - Carol Doggett on Goddan Kilmore, as well as the stunning Rosettes and a Champion Sash for Diego.

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Each of the horses received a bunch of carrots, which they totally earned by being so well behaved whilst all the photos were being taken.  A lap of honour was then taken by each winner, to rounds of applause from the supporters.  It was magical. 

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Thank you so much to everyone who took part in the Championship and especially to the wonderful sponsors, Mr & Mrs Paul and Paula Brazier.

TEAM REPORT FOR 2021

      Despite the uncertainty of Covid the club has sent individuals or teams to all of the local area qualifiers over the past year. 

Any qualifier where we send a team we also have to supply a volunteer to help the host club run the event. Even if you are not a competitor on the day, it is a great opportunity to be part of the event, be it as a writer for a judge, or ground party setting up the jumps. We are lucky to have a local venue, Wellington Riding, running several qualifiers. A huge well done and thank you to those of you who have represented the club, either as riders, or more importantly as the volunteers and helpers for the host club. 

When you receive a schedule for an area qualifier please do have a read and put yourself forward either to compete or even as a volunteer. Enthusiasm is much more important than previous results and you may well be surprised how much you and your horse enjoy the day!

Our Intermediate dressage team won the Area 6 qualifier at Wellington last autumn with Melissa Howett and Claire Shoesmith winning their classes and a placing for Janet Zaremba with Broughton Temptation and Amanda Taplin and Blue Gem. Due to restrictions the Spring Championships at Bury Farm were abandoned in favour of a Virtual competition causing some despair.  After re-jigging of the team, we managed to submit four video tests, but alas didn't repeat the victory! 

The Novice dressage qualifier at Wellington Riding in December saw individual and team entries from Intro to Novice.  Kirsty Mitchell & Missy and Emilie Jarvis & Lily were placed individually, along with Bettina Tunnell and Carol Doggett, the team were 6th. Stephanie Douglas & Auf Wiedershen, Amanda Taplin & Blue Gem also represented the club as individuals. 

Lynne & Prescott made the trip to Berkshire College of Agriculture (BCA) for the dressage to music riding at Medium level.

Stephanie Douglas stepped up with Medbourne Clover for the show jumping at BCA. She had a clear and a 4 fault round, which was a great effort for first time out on a borrowed horse.

October saw Amanda & Blue Gem progressing to Medium level at this year's Intermediate dressage qualifier and being also placed 4th individually at the Arena eventing.  A huge well done to the rest of the AE team of Helen Simpson, Carol Doggett and Bettina Tunnell for leaving the ground, and to Helena Dolphin who sadly had transport problems but came along as photographer on a very foul wet afternoon!

As a club in recent years we haven't done much jumping but the rally at Clappers Farm with Linda Christmas and Lorna Fraser was very well supported and encouraged people to put themselves forward for the Arena eventing (without too much arm twisting!)

Please let Clare or anyone on the commitee know if you would like to represent the club at any qualifiers.