CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
Spring Newsletter 2015
Ramblings from the chair….
Happy New Year everyone, it seems odd saying that in March but
hasn’t the first quarter of this just flown by?
We have had a fabulous start to 2015 already, and are very excited
about the spring/summer activities; there are lots of things in the
pipeline.
Contents:
Pg 2 – Club News and
Information
Pg 7 – Club Reports
Pg 12 – Dates for you
Diary
On the 07th February we held a fundraising event, a Ceilidh in
Haddenham. Thank you so much to all those who turned out to
support the club and of course all those who helped organise the
event. As ever Mary and Sharon’s fantastic spuds with chilli were
the highlight of the night! We managed to raise almost £600, which
is fantastic! We are looking into purchasing more show jumps this
year so will be using these hard earned funds towards those for the
club to enjoy!
Another huge thank you goes to all the members who competed and
helped at the Winter Dressage Qualifier at Keysoe on the 22nd
February. These events require a lot of helpers and so we are
especially grateful to those who came along to support the club even
though they weren’t riding.
We will be asking throughout the year for help at the Winter Indoor
Show Jumping Qualifier (06th April), our Club Show (03rd May), the
Area Horse Trials (21st June) and the Summer Show Jumping
Qualifier (19th July) – we know you are all busy but do very much
appreciate your help and support. Running these events just
couldn’t happen without you! If you are interested in helping at any
of the events mentioned above – please drop me an email
[email protected].
Speaking of the Winter Indoor Show Jumping Qualifier on Monday
6th April @ Milton – your club, needs YOU! If you have a horse or
pony and feel confident jumping at 95cm – 1m Judi Shaw would love
to hear from you! We would love to be able to put a team in.
Please note we will also be running unaffiliated open classes in the
afternoon with Easter Egg prizes! I hope to see lots of you there!
Lastly we are working on a summer training schedule for all abilities
and will be announcing the details soon. Keep your eyes peeled!
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
CLUB NEWS & INFORMATION
COTTENHAM SHOW 3rd May 2015
The Riding Club Annual Show will take place as usual at Cottenham Racecourse on
Sunday May 3rd. This year we have some new features including an Eventer Challenge
over a mixed SJ and Arena XC style course, judged on style, rhythm and conformation as
well as conventional faults. Classes will run at 70, 80 and 90cm. For the younger
competitors we also have a Handy Pony contest.
Do come along and support the show, there are classes for everyone!
We would also be grateful for any help setting up, on the day, and clearing away. Do
contact us at [email protected] if you are available.
We will be setting up at Cottenham from 2pm on Saturday 2nd, and loading up jumps from
Earith at midday.
Team members do be aware that this show funds your BRC qualifier and Championship
entries...
Hope to see you there!
We are very grateful to our ring sponsors for 2015:
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Meadow Lane Equestrian (aka Barry & Jo Meningen)
Isle Veterinary Group Ltd
Equicentric
Rollins Farm at Somersham
Horsestuff Ltd, internet tackshop &
Back In Action.
Karen
COMBINED TRAINING QUALIFIER
The date for the Combined Training (combined dressage and show jumping competition)
area qualifier is Sunday 19th April 2015, at Wittering Grange, Peterborough
The Championship date is 30 / 31 May 2015 - FOH Championships - Aston Le Walls.
The teams comprise of 2 people doing Prelim dressage & 75cm show jumping, and 2
people doing Novice dressage & 85cm show jumping.
For Prelim / 75cm there are the following restrictions No BD / BE points or BS money. Not placed in top 6 BE90 or completed a BE100, BRC HT
or CT100 or above in current or previous calendar year.
For Novice / 85cm there are the following restrictions Maximum 124 BD points, Max 10 BE points, Max 225 BS.
Please contact Serena Allery if you are interested [email protected] or 07736
665615, leave a message or text.
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
BRC ENDURANCE 2015
BRC Endurance is a fun and competitive way of getting both you and your horse fit, while
enjoying some fantastic, well organised rides and great company, over superb countryside.
The event is open to ANY riding club member and any type of horse is capable to covering
the distance in the allotted time.
Rides are 30km to 42km in length and should be ridden between 8kph (5mph) and 15kph
(9.4mph), easy for a riding club horse! Qualifying rides are available across the whole of
the UK and RC teams can enter any ride they choose (why not make a long weekend of it
and enjoy riding over different countryside?) The 2015 final will be held at The Lion Tail
Ride in Leicestershire on Sunday 20th September and is, I’m assured, an excellent route.
If you are interested in giving your horse a treat and entering a ride this year do contact me.
Each rider and horse combination need to register to get a Mastercard which is handed in
at each ride. To enter a ride we need a minimum of 3 riders for each team.
Qualifying rides cost £32 for adults, though young riders enjoy a 10% discount at £28.80
and Juniors secure a 20% discount with fees of only £25.60.
If you want to learn more about BRC Endurance please go to
www.endurancegb.co.uk/main/BRC-Team-Event or contact me on
[email protected]
Treat yourself to a fun day out, fly the flag for CDRC and get in touch….
Shirley Swanson
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
AREA HORSE TRIALS QUALIFIER – ONE DAY EVENT @ KEYSOE JUNE 2015
The Area Horse Trials qualifier will be held at Keysoe on Sunday 21st June 2015.
This is a qualifier for the National Horse Trials Championships at Swalcliffe Park Banbury
OX15 5EX 7-9 August 2015.
This is a competition for both Senior and Junior teams and individuals which consists of
Dressage, Show Jumping and Cross-Country phases. There are seven classes for
members to compete in: Senior BRC80, Senior BRC90, Senior BRC100, Senior and Junior
BRC100+ New Junior BRC80 New Junior BRC90 Junior BRC100
At the Championships the Senior BRC100, Junior BRC100 and the Senior and Junior
BRC100+ take place over three days, with roads and tracks and steeplechase phases in
addition to the cross-country on the second day. The New Senior and Junior BRC100+
allows the Juniors to compete against the Seniors for the first time. The cross-country will
be the same height as the BRC100 but with slightly more challenging and technical
obstacles and the show jumping will be 110cm and will take place on the third day. The
Senior BRC90 and Junior BRC90 take place over two days, also with roads and tracks and
steeplechase. Competitors will show jump before they embark on the different phases. The
Senior BRC80 and New Junior BRC80 are one day events with no roads and tracks or
steeplechase. Competitors ride their dressage, followed by the show jumping round and
lastly they will tackle the cross-country.
The rules for eligibility are on the British Riding Clubs website and it is your responsibility
when putting your name forward for a team to look up the rules and check your eligibility.
(See Appendix 2&3 of the BE rule book)
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
(BE 80 : Riders not to have completed a BE100, BRC HT100 or BRC CH100 or above in the current or previous calendar
year at close of prelim entry. Riders not to have competed in International 3 Star or above. Horses may be currently
registered with BE but must not have been placed in the top six at BE 90 or completed a BE100 or above in the current or
previous calendar year at close of prelim entry.Combinations not to have been placed in the top ten overall in the BRC HT 90
or above in the previous year. Riders not to have competed in International 3 Star or above. BE 90 (Juniors only 1 BE point).
All horses may be currently registered with BE but no horse may have completed a BE/EI 100 or higher standard course in
the current year at close of prelim entry.Combinations not to have been placed in the top ten overall in the BRC HT 100 or
above in the previous calendar year. 100 (Juniors 20 BE points). Seniors 5 BE points. Not to have completed a BE Novice
competition or above in the current year at close of prelim entry.Combinations may not have been placed in the top ten overall
in the BRC HT Open 100 + in the previous calendar. )100+ Junior unlimited BE points(Juniors must be 12 years old or older
on 1 January in the year they wish to take part in the Open))
Mary Groombridge & Kerry Simson will be organising the Senior Teams and Hermione
Stavrolakis and Andrea Hemington Juniors.
We hope to enter teams for all sections at the Area qualifier and will need to send in the
Prelim entries to BRC head office by 22nd May 2015. The cost of Prelim entry fees to BRC
will be covered by CDRC and the entry fee you will need to pay to the area is likely to be
around £50 per person. You will be able to pay via the club website (when the schedule is
published and we know the amount) or by sending a cheque payable to CDRC to either
Mary or Hermione.
If you are interested please provide the following details by 20th May 2015
Your Name , Horses name on passport, Horses DOB & passport number and any BE or BS
winnings. To:Seniors : Mary Groombridge [email protected] or text 07803618561
Juniors: Hermione Stavrolakis [email protected] or text 07765 506682
HORSE TRIALS TEAM TRAINING 2015
We are planning training for the Horse Trials teams at Earith on Wednesday 10th June
There will be a course of show jumps to practise over and we have booked Fran Berry to
come along and do test riding practise (in pairs) in a dressage arena on the grass so we
can ride through the tests for the qualifier.
Please let me know what times you can do test riding. We will put people in pairs (riding the
same test) when we know the teams.
[email protected] or text to 07833 690812
Weds 10th June
Test riding at 5.45-6.30 , 6.30-7.15 and 7.15-8pm
Cost will be £20 per person for 45mins test riding practise with an instructor and unlimited
rounds of clear round show jumping.
Kerry Simson
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
WHITEHALL FARM BURNHAM THORPE – EASTER WEEK
A few of us (Karen Tyrell, Shirley Swanson, Margaret Coles, Kerry Simson) have booked in
to stay with our horses at Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk over Easter week (30 th March – 5th
April) to do some nice long hacks around the farm and ride to the beach at Holkham Gap.
We plan to cycle to Burnham Market Horse Trials on either the Fri/Sat and go to the local
pubs for dinner etc. We will be staying in our lorries or caravans but there is B&B and
Glamping pods on the farm. We have organised our own bookings direct with Whitehall
Farm (as we are coming & going at different times) but if anyone wants to join us contact
Whitehall Farm to check availability & book in.
See www.whitehallfarm-accomodation.com for info or ring 01328 738416
Thanks
Kerry Simson
TRAINING CLINIC & COMPETITION ENTRY PAYMENTS
A gentle reminder that any training or competition entries must be paid for at the time of
making your entry to secure your place (preferably either on line or via BACS); in the
unfortunate event you are unable to attend the organiser will endeavour to fill your place.
Refunds can only be made if your place is successfully filled by another member.
ITEMS FOR SALE/ADVERTS
If anyone wishes to advertise items for sale in the Newsletter, please contact one of the
committee with the details, please note adverts must be brief and may contain one small
photograph due to limitations on space within the newsletter. Adverts of unreasonable size
will be excluded.
HORSE LOOKING FOR A RIDER
Hello, My name is Moreno Utopia, known as Skippy. I'm a bay 16h Dutch Warmblood
looking for a rider. I love dressage and am very experienced at Novice and Elementary
level, and I hack alone and in company. I don't like mud so I mostly roll in my shavings, I'm
a clean boy! My mum (Serena Allery) doesn't have time to ride me now as she has Charlie
and her new young eventer. I would prefer to stay at my yard in Warboys with my friends
with free use of stable and fields, however for a 10* home I might move for a few years but
mum says I can come back when I retire. I don't jump anymore as I decided to retire from
that but, if you like dressage and hacking I might be perfect for you. I've previously scored
75% to win at novice level summer area dressage, in 2014 I did elementary, coming 2nd at
the area and 9th at the championships. If you'd like to see pictures of my gorgeous self, or
know any more about me, please call mum on 07736 665615 or email
[email protected]. Unfortunately she won't let me near the phone after Charlie
thought it was a carrot and ended up calling the emergency services...
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
CLUB REPORTS
CEILIDH
On Saturday 07th February we held a Ceilidh to raise funds for the club. The Cambridge
University Ceilidh band played for us and were incredibly patient with us whilst we
remembered our lefts from our rights! It was a fantastic evening, with loads of people
getting up and dancing, sometimes a little chaotic but that is the fun of Ceilidhs isn’t it.
As ever, the fantastic Mary and Sharon did a wonderful job on the catering with lovely
jacket potatoes, a gorgeous chilli, all the trimmings and some lovely (if not somewhat
fattening) cakes! It’s amazing, how these ladies pull off some brilliant catering with very
limited facilities – we are very lucky to have them!
Huge thanks to Kerry and Karin who ran the bar for us, will all the dancing the odd
refreshment was needed! A massive thank you to everyone else that helped too – Sarah,
Sue, Polly, Karen and Serena!
I am very pleased to say that we raised a little under £600 which is fantastic! The club will
be purchasing some new show jumps this year these funds will go towards these to ensure
that we have fantastic facilities available to us!
WARESLEY PARK WEEKEND CAMP FEBRUARY 2015
15 members attended the Waresley Park pre-season training camp and it was nice to meet
some of our new members Sass Lydia & Lynda. Nat Dixon and Owen Moore came along to
train groups and individuals and Bev Wing popped in to work a few people on the flat on
Saturday morning. There were 3 sessions over the weekend Flatwork, Polework/gridwork,
and show jumping and most people used the gallops to warm up/down or for a blast round
the hill track.
We stayed overnight in the bedrooms in The Cottage at Waresley which is much more
civilised than sleeping in our lorries at this time of year (especially as mine leaks!)and Mary
Groombridge & Sharon Macleod kindly came along to cook for us which is soooo
appreciated. Thanks Guys. The horses seemed content in the barn admiring the view with
windows front and back.
After 2 training sessions on Sat & a spin round the gallops we were ready for a few
Prossecco cocktails and a decent dinner and even managed a bit of Kareoke in the lounge
before we fell asleep. The consensus was the Blackcurrant Cassis cocktail came out tops!
It’s always nice to see how horses and riders improve in confidence over the weekend and
it was great to see some of you out competing for the club at the Area dressage qualifier at
Keysoe on Sunday. We have the Combined training, Horse Trials and Summer show
jumping and dressage teams to look forward to and I hope you will feel confident to put
your name forward for a team and come along and have a go. All welcome.
We are considering a weekend camp at Earith this summer and a weekend eventer’s camp
with Owen Moore in the Cotswolds and if you are interested in either please let me know.
Any suggestions (and volunteers for organising) to [email protected]
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
WINTER DRESSAGE QUALIFIER FEBRUARY 2015
Cambridge had a total of 10(!) teams entered for the winter dressage competitions, out of a
total of 43 teams entered from the Area. With 5 teams in each of the competitions this
really shows just how many riders we have. There was the Novice dressage competition,
where 2 ride prelim tests and 2 ride novice tests, and the Intermediate dressage
competition in its first year, where 1 rides prelim, 2 ride novice tests, and 1 rides an
elementary test. Unfortunately the weather forecast was correct, and slanting heavy rain
and high winds came in after lunch. Dressage markers and parts of the arenas were
blowing down, and the horses didn’t like the rain blowing into their ears! Scores definitely
generally decreased in the arenas in the later afternoon.
We had a range of experience in the teams, and all are always welcome. Jo Hall was
riding Dranganmore Prince in their first dressage competition, and was delighted with a 3rd
team rosette for their first ever rosette. Jo Hall gets the team manager’s gold star from me
for being easy. All details of horse and rider provided in first email, and payment made
online with no chasing required. Fenella Allery, who last rode a dressage test in the
summer of 2006, borrowed my Moreno Utopia, collecting 4th place in novice 24 with a
great 70.77%. Sadly she had to abandon her own horse, Gambler J&J, who was due to do
prelim after he refused to load for 2hours. Given that she lives in Bourne, Lincolnshire, and
had collected the lorry on the Saturday from Pidley, Cambs (the only place she could find to
hire from), he wasted a lot of effort! We had a lot of young horses at the competition, all
doing very well. Emily Dickson & Rohans Imperial Bond Girl had a great 4th place in
Prelim 18 with 67.92%, definitely one for the future. Emma Pepperell and Josey Wales
won both their prelim arenas, with a fantastic 77.08% in Prelim 13! Barbara Heaton-Smith
and Hokey Pokey (kindly on loan from Kerry Simson) obtained a top novice score of
74.62% for 2nd in Novice 24. Hannah Stevenson borrowed Wulfstan Jazz Singer from
Karen Tyrrell just a week before the competition, only riding him once or twice, but
managing an amazing 2nd place and 66.46% in Novice 34.
Cambridge won both the novice and intermediate teams. This is the 3rd consecutive year
Cambridge have been invited to the Novice Championships at Hartpury in Gloucester, and
we will also be at the first ever Intermediate Championships at Bury Farm, Bucks.
The winning novice team was Emma Pepperell & Josey Wales, Emily Dickson & Rohans
Imperial Bond Girl, Serena Allery & Time To Shine, Barbara Heaton Smith & Hokey Pokey.
Congratulations  Once of the other Cambridge teams came 3rd, just missing out of the
2nd qualifying spot for the Novice Championships. That team was Jo Hall & Dranganmore
Prince, Serena Allery & Secret Affaer, Leanne Ehren & Dragon’s Cloverbud, Fenella Allery
& Moreno Utopia. Commiserations ladies.
The winning intermediate team was Emma Pepperell & Josey Wales, Serena Allery & Time
To Shine, Barbara Heaton Smith & Hokey Pokey, Sarah Wright & Jez. Congratulations 
Huge thanks and gold stars go to our fantastic team helpers for the day, without whom we
would not be allowed to compete. Shirley Swanson, Karen Tyrrell, Mary Owen, Phillipa
Coles & Rebecca Thompson, thank you from all the team members!
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
Leanne Ehren & Dragon’s Cloverbud - Photograph courtesy of JMJC Photography
CDRC Newsletter – March 2015
DATES FOR THE DIARY
CLUB DATES
Date
7th March
4th April
6th April (Monday)
19th April
3rd May
21st June
19th July
tbc
tbc
tbc
Event
John Adams Clinic
John Adams Clinic
Intermediate Show Jumping
Combined Training
Club Show
Horse Trials
Summer Show Jumping Qualifier
Dressage
Dressage to Music
Pleasure Ride
Venue
Fodder Farm, Lt Downham
Fodder Farm, Lt Downham
College West Anglia - Milton
Grange Farm, Wittering
Cottenham Racecourse
Keysoe
Potters Lot, Earith
Keysoe
Keysoe
Longstowe
CHAMPIONSHIP DATES
Date
4th/5th April
2nd/3rd May
30th/31st May
7th-9th August
5th/6th September
2nd/3rd/4th
October
Event
Novice Championships
Winter Intermediate Championships
FOH Championships
Horse Trial Championship
National Championships
Venue
Hartpury
Bury Farm
Aston Le Walls
Swalcliffe
Lincoln
Dressage to Music Championships
Bury Farm