MoatView Riding Club

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Teams

The Riding Club has a number of different teams for the different disciplines. Teams compete at a local and National level, both against BRC teams and local team events not affiliated to BRC.

To put your name forward for inclusion on a team please contact the Club Secretary, Team Captain or fill in the Teams application form.

Please note:

To compete in BRC events copies Vaccination cards MUST be sent with the entries or competitors will be eliminated. At the start of each season cards will be checked before inclusion on a team to make sure that they adhere to the BRC Vaccination Rules.

 

 

Show Jumping

Dressage

Quadrille

Showing

Endurance

Hunter Trials

Click on discipline for more info / events / results

 

SHOW JUMPING

Team Captain: Claire Sedgewick

August

Firstly a BIG thank you to everyone who took part in the team jumping at Quex Park on Saturday - especially our new members Steve and Michelle who joined the team for the first time.

 
I am delighted to report that we had a great day!  The Moat View Flyers (me, Cathy Wildish and Lucy Tribley) won the team class with the Moat View Oldies (Steve Burton, Michelle and Jo Sheehy) coming a close 2nd.  Our third team (Leah, Claire and Kim) came 4th.
 
Besides glory in the team class, we also had a very good day as individuals with the following results on the Saturday (that I know about) and further rosettes won on Sunday too!!
 
2ft 6" Jumping (ring 1) - 1st Cherish Cable, 2nd Jo Sheehy - with Leah and Claire also placed
Open Jumping (ring 1) - 1st Colette Walker & 2nd Cathy Wildish
Pairs Showing (like Pairs Dressage) - 1st Colette & Lucy, 2nd Cathy & her partner....got some lovely pics in this class!!
Intermediate Jumping (ring 2) - 5th Lucy Tribley
Best Coloured - 3rd Cathy Wildish
Jo Sheehy's partner Jamie also won two showing classes (including the Turnout)
 
Our next team jumping competition is on 13th September at Blue Barn (organised by Canterbury RC).  I need to enter in advance so please can you confirm if you wish to jump ASAP.

July

Moat View Riding Club Triumph at Hickstead

 
Moat View Riding Club (one of the newest riding clubs in Kent) had a very succesful trip to the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead on 27th July.  This year the club entered 5 teams into the Riding Club team Jumping competition - a record number of teams entered by any riding club, which was congratulated by the staff at Hickstead.
 
A total of 83 teams were entered from riding clubs accross the country for the very hotly contested title of Riding Club Team Show Jumping Champions.  Moat View Riding Club had a total of 15 riders across the 5 teams including 5 junior members.  For a number of the riders it was their first trip to Hickstead and much preparation went in ahead of the competition - including regular practice sessions and lessons which started around April time.
 
The competition involves 3 riders per team - each rider jumps a different height from 85cms to 1.05m (one round against the clock) with the team on the lowest number of faults in the fastest total time winning.
 
Colette said 'People who do not show jump do not understand the importance of competing at Hickstead.  It is like a singer performing at Wembley.  It is every rider's dream, so you can understand the excitement when we got there.'
 
Several members of the Moat View team stayed at Hickstead overnight.  The horses were stabled together and the riders got together for a drink and BBQ on Saturday evening.  There was a great atmosphere, with over 500 horses stabled on site and everyone full of excitement.  Then it was up bright and early with the course walk before 7.45am and our first rider in the ring just after 8am.  Those who did not stay overnight left at 5am to get to Hickstead in time to ride! 
 
Moat View Riding Club had a big group of supporters (considering the club only has around 60 members, we had more than 30 people in our 'supporters club' alongside the jumping ring).  Not only was Moat View's supporters club one of the biggest but it was certainly the loudest!
 
It was excitement from the very start with Cathy Wildish (riding Finn) starting with a clear round, which received a rour from our group.  Christine Hall (Special Edition) followed close behind with a clear for our second team and our next 3 riders jumped over the following hour of the class - most of whom ended with just 4 faults which was very good considering it was Hickstead!
 
In the second round it was Colette Walker (Bolero III) who jumped first, going clear in 49 seconds.  Becky Worrell (My Fair Lady) also went clear, which meant that after the second round we ended with 2 teams on clear.  Only 26 teams out of 83 were double clear at this point and the atmosphere around our teams was electric! 
 
Chantelle N'Jie (Your Best Buddy) was the first of the 1.05m riders to jump and needed to go clear in under 50 seconds to secure a placing for the Moat View Flyers.  The tension cannot be described as she entered the ring.  The team couldn't watch!  Chantelle hit the first pole and everyone held their breath but it stayed in the cups and she flew round the rest of the course in an amazing 43 seconds which secured us a place!  There was an almightly rour (coupled with screams and jumping and up and down) from the Moat View supporters.  The first of our teams was currently in 1st place!!  The team held onto 1st for about 20 minutes and then was beaten into 2nd which was held for a further hour or so.  The Moat View Flyers (Cathy Wildish, Colette Walker and Chantelle N'Jie) finally ended up 4th.
 
Colette said 'you simply cannot put into words the emotion and excitement that we all felt that day.  It was something very special that we shared.  Several of the team said that the suspense while Chantelle went round and the elation after was their best horsey moment ever. I agree!  It was my best moment.'
 
Sadly the third rider from the second Moat View team incurred 8 faults so the team narrowly missed a rosette, but the team still did very well to end in the top 15 placings (out of 83 teams).  The other 3 teams also did very well, with the majority of the riders incurring only 4 or 8 faults.
 
Colette, Cathy and Chantelle have had a very good run recently, also being placed 5th in the team show jumping at the Kent County Show over a much bigger than expected course.  Moat View's show jumping team was also placed in the BRC Team Jumping competition earlier in the year at Eagelsfield.  Moat View's other recent successes include Quadrille of the Year Champions at Olympia (2007) and qualifying for the BRC National Championships in the Riding Test and gaining 2nd place in the Dressage to Music competition at the recent BRC area dressage qualifier.
 
Colette said 'we currently have a very good team of 17 or so riders and we are going from strength to strength, so I am hopeful of some very good results at the forthcoming competitions.'
 
Colette would like to thank all the riders who took part and of course all the supporters who turned up to cheer the team on.  The support we received was amazing, with everyone staying ring-side all day to watch everyone. 

 

Moat View Jumping Team at BRC Area 10 Competition

On Sunday 10th February Moat View Riding Club entered a team into the BRC Area 10 team show jumping competition at Eaglesfield Equestrian Centre.  The team consisted of Buddy Williams (Old Park Rose), Krissi Collens (Special Edition) and Colette Walker (Bolero III).   

With around 30 teams jumping in the senior section alone it was going to be a long day!  However thankfully the weather was kind and we were blessed with plenty of sunshine. 

All three team members took part in the Warm-Up class.  However we only discovered it was one round against the closk just before we went into the ring, which caused a bit of panic!  The course was up to height with some big spreads and coupled with light plastic poles there were very few clear rounds.  Buddy and Krissi incurred a very unlucky 4 faults each and Colette went clear - ending in 7th place.   

In the Team class, unfortunately Buddy and Krissi each rolled one unlucky pole, which left the team just outside the 1st - 6th placings (there were only one or two teams with 0 faults - most of those in the top 6 had at least 4 faults).  Colette jumped the open section (over a larger than expected course!) and went clear, ending up in 5th place individually. 

It was a very long day - we got home between 9.30pm and 10pm and we were all very tired, but it was good fun and the horses tried their best for us!  I felt we had a good sense of team spirit and it is was nice to see the team gell so well together.  Ironically Buddy, Krissi and Colette used to jump together as children, then lost touch and recently have started jumping together again on the Moat View team.   

Colette (team captain) would like to thank everyone who helped with the team on Sunday and of course thank Buddy and Krissi for taking part.  Our next team competition is on 1st March at Blue Barn.

 

MOAT VIEW RC - MAIDEN VOYAGE TO HICKSTEAD

On Sunday 29th July Moat View RC sent three teams to compete in the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead. As the Club was only founded this year we were pleased to have nine riders (including two juniors) taking part on the day. Our teams consisted of: Buddy Williams, Colette Walker (Club Jumping Team Captain) and Paul Smissen; Jo Cocker, Laura Hackett and Clare Jones; Michelle Collins, Gill Pring and Adam Legge.

After the second rider had jumped from each of Moat View's teams, we had one team on 8 faults, one team on 12 faults and one team had an elimination. There were very few clear rounds, so the Club was really pleased to have 3 of it's riders complete the course with just 4 faults a piece - the 4 faults being incurred by rolling an unlucky pole! However, after the third riders had jumped Moat View sadly ended up outside the placings. There were a total of 81 teams in the competition from clubs across the country and the standard was very high, so we were all pretty satisfied with our performances.

A special mention must go to Laura Hackett who was on one of the smallest ponies and was one of the youngest riders. She rode the most determined round over a long and imposing course, to end on just 8 faults. Adam Legge, another junior team member, also deserves a mention for completing the 105cm course in style on a horse he has never competed before, ending on just 4 faults.

The down side of the day was the mud as I am sure anyone who attended will tell you. The 2 hour wait to be towed onto the show ground added to the 5 hour wait to be towed off again made it a very long day, so a big thank you to those members who made the journey to lend their support.

Moat View RC are looking for more riders who would like to compete on the various Club teams. If you are interested please contact Club Secretary on 07751238204 / jo@moatviewrc.co.uk

 

DRESSAGE

Team Captain: Michelle Collins

 

 

QUADRILLE

December

The Battle Axes answer their Call! 
 

Preparations for Olympia had gone well for the Quadrille team even down to their now traditionally poor practise indoors at Blue Barn just days before the big event. 

With the horses bathed and clipped to perfection, an additional 125 m of gold sequins added to the horses’ costumes, extra gold sparkle liberally applied to spears and headdresses together with a generous helping of feathers we felt that we had added all the finishing touches we could. Our crew had met during the previous week to finalise plans for getting the team ready for turnout judging on time, practising putting the costumes on so that they were as well rehearsed as the riders. 

The only downside was the draw – we would be first to go with St.Edmund’s RC and their strong Mardi Gras routine going last. We each put a brave face on saying to each other that the draw really didn’t matter, we could only be judged on what we did but we were all thinking how difficult it would be to retain our title from first in – we couldn’t remember another team in recent history achieving it – we could only hope that the judges would give us what they felt we honestly deserved rather than being conservative in advance of the other three teams. 

This year the horses travelled in some style. We had engaged Parker’s to transport the horses to save on charges for the Low Emission Zone and the time it takes to drive the lorries all of the mile from Olympia itself to the lorry park (upwards of 1 ½ hours!). We had expected a 6-horse vehicle which we knew could get into Frances’ driveway we hadn’t expected the 11-horse pantechnicon that arrived bedecked with enough lights to rival Oxford Street! This however couldn’t negotiate the driveway so a mini-evacuation of costumes, tack, feed etc etc occurred ably assisted by our excellent driver Richard. By 1:30pm we were on our way in convoy to London. 

We had an excellent journey up, even managing to get the cars parked and ourselves round to the horse gate just as the lorry pulled up with Frances and Clare on board. The horses have to go straight to the vet check before being assigned stables, this year we were given temporary stables outside but were soon able to move them and all their paraphernalia inside.  

We gave the horses some chill out time before getting manes plaited and legs chalked in readiness for the following day and then made our way to our hotel a few minutes walk away.  

In what seemed like no time at all, alarm clocks were ringing at 5:00am, quick showers were taken and we were on our way back to the Grand Hall to give the horses their breakfast. The paperwork we receive with our passes always states that the main arena will be open for exercise at 8:00am but we have managed to get in there at 7:00am. This year was the exception, fortunately the four riders managed to work the horses in the collecting ring before handing them over to the ‘grooms’ to keep them ticking over. Nat applied our war paint and we were able to get back to the horses to give them a quick look at the main arena before taking them back for being dressed. 

The Stable Manager told us that turnout would be judged at 9:45 and our experienced team had us dressed and on board absolutely on time as did the Saffron Walden team. It seemed, however, that others including one of the judges were unaware of the timings. Before long though all four teams and three judges – Desi Dillingham, BHS President; Patrick Print FBHS and BHS Chairman and Chief Examiner; and Julian Seaman, former eventer and fashion lecturer – were present and correct and judging commenced. At this stage the judges are looking to award a maximum of 20 marks each and consider not only the cleanliness and condition of horse and tack but they also have a close look at the costume. Increasingly the judges seem to take an interest in them and ask about breeding etc but also take the time to find out a little bit about the routine – the story, the music and the development of ideas. It is impossible to tell how you are doing at this stage but the judges did seem to be highly impressed by all four teams – and rightly so as they created a real spectacle in the Collecting Ring.  

One of our concerns with the draw was whether we would have time to get our two veterans (that’s Eric and Troy not Nicky or Frances!) moving and loosened up in time for our performance – fortunately the Dog Agility seemed to running a little late giving us all the time we needed. 

We were then ushered into the arena ready for our performance. This next section is awarded another maximum of 20 marks by each judged for the content of the performance – a bit like the technical merit mark in ice dance. The commentator reads out short biographies of each horse and rider and then the ‘blurb’ sent in by each team to accompany their routine. Time then to line up, give the signal to start the music and hope that all the weeks of practice will pay dividends. 

Eric and Parky seemed to start under their own agenda but Nicky and Buddy kept their cool doing their best to ignore their mounts’ high spirits. The first halt was a little lively but we were soon well into the routine and everything seemed to be going smoothly – the arena seemed to have been measured accurately as we met all our music cues exactly as expected, each time we looked across the arena the other team members were in the right places, Troy seemed to be asking what the problem was as we got to the ‘box’ and rode it perfectly even Parky said “What feathers?” as we lifted our spears in the 10m circle over X! It all goes so fast when you’re riding the routine in competition you could be forgiven for thinking you’d missed out a movement. We cam in for our final salute and the horses stood like rocks.  

As we rode out with smiles on our faces to be met by our wonderful smiling crew we all knew we had done all that we could – the rest was down to the judges as they awarded 60 marks each for Artistic Impression. At this stage you just have to hope that they like the blend of music, costume and movements, you hope they have ‘got’ the storyline and like it! 

We then had the long wait as the other 3 teams took their turns to impress the judges. 

Saffron Walden’s routine was called Double Trouble – we knew their 4 witches would ride an accurate routine, 2 of their riders had won five times previously. They like all the others teams were mounted on non-dressage specialist horses but true RC all-rounders. The witches came out clearly thrilled with their performance, 

First-timers, Wey Valley, rode their beautifully costumed carousel horses next in their Fairground Frolic routine. It was less clear how they had faired – they were playing their cards far closer to their chests. 

Last to go were St. Edmund’s Mystick Krewe, a vibrantly dressed Mardi Gras routine. Some of their team members were Worlington RC Dandy Highwaymen last year so we knew they had the experience to pull off a good effort. Again, they rode out smiling!!!  

All four teams were then invited back into the arena for the results to be announced in reverse order of merit. I remember hearing the commentator say that they were only 6 points separating the top three and that’s when I began to think we’d been pipped. We lined up and Saffron Walden RC was called out in 4th place with 301 points. Next was Wey Valley with 319. So now it was between us and the Mystick Krewe but who would take the honours . . . in 2nd with 323 points were St. . . . at that point we dissolved into screams of pure delight – we had won it again, against all odds given what Buddy, Amy and Sarah had been faced with back in March. 

So now it starts all over again . . . it takes about 9 months to get the routine to Addington standard, make the costumes and produce the music; and then another 3 months hard work to get it all up to scratch for Olympia. 

We are as ever totally indebted to our families, helpers, supporters and benefactors without whom none of this would be possible and most especially to our horses who accept without question all manner of strange costumes and manoeuvres – we are SO lucky. Thank you all!

Horses: Limerick (Eric), Horton’s Pink Panther (Kuba), Old Park Rose (Parky) and The Marked Man (Troy) 

Riders: Nicky Murrell (Chef d’Equipe), Amy Williams, Buddy Williams, Frances Wilson 

Crew: Nat Bonner, Michelle Collins, Jo Cocker, Clare Cracknell, Juliet Thomas, Annie Chislett, Sam Turner, Alec Murrell (Music), Sarah Williams (Costumes). 

October

 

British Riding Clubs’ – Quadrille Selection Trial – Addington Equestrian Centre, Bucks – 4/10/08

 

photo courtesy of Your Horse

 

Having spent quite some time earlier in the year thinking that it would be an impossible feat - we finally got there!!

 

Thirteen teams accepted the challenge of quadrille this year and, after going first last year, we were delighted to see that we were drawn last this year. This also gave us the latest rehearsal slot on the Friday evening of 5:30pm, however, it was to prove an impossible time to make for me who, by some happy coincidence, also had a RE OfSTED on that very day. Fortunately, crew stalwart, Michelle Collins, agreed to ride Eric for the run through. Observers noted bemused looks from other teams who had come to get a sneak preview of our routine when our ‘team’ performed a selection of “random trotting and cantering to music”. At least we were certain that the audio system could read our disc although the feedback emitting from the PA did cause alarm in all quarters.

 

Good entries in the earlier DTM and Pairs classes meant a later than usual start for the quadrille – for us turnout at 5:15pm and performance at 7:40pm. Whilst meaning that we didn’t have to up at the crack of dawn – the late start presented other difficulties for our older horses not least Troy whose sore back Frances and Juliet had been nursing for several days.

 

Our crew showed their experience by ensuring that we were mounted and ready with minutes to spare (often it can be seconds!). The turnout inspection was far more cursory this year with barely a hand being laid on horse or tack. Nevertheless the judges were clearly impressed by the spectacle – overall, the standard of costuming improves year on year.

 

Our late draw meant it was difficult to see more than a couple of other routines. I was keen to watch Shropshire South (the club features in Horse magazines Project X for which yours truly had been asked for some Tips from the Top!) they did a competent, accurate routine called Last Night of the Proms. Then it was back to the stables to start getting horses prepared.

 

A really good atmosphere exudes in the stable area during the whole competition and we were stabled just next door to the Faversham team giving us the chance to catch up with friends. Their vivid costumes certainly caught the eye as they left to do their Olympic Flame routine. It became clear on their return, however, that things had not gone entirely to plan – a great shame after such a lot of hard work and disappointing for all involved – no doubt they’ll be back even stronger next year.

 

By the time it was our turn the atmosphere had really built up in the arena. We knew we had a routine worthy of going through to Olympia but we all knew how easy it would be to throw it all away. The music and costumes were great – now we had to produce an accurate routine and add in the theatre to provide the entertainment.

 

We are blessed with 4 of the most saintly horses around - well, we all know that Eric’s halo can slip a little if he deems the occasion beneath him; and Kuba has the happy knack of rearranging costumes with only moments to go before entering the arena – as soon as they set hoof in that arena they seem to know they are there to do a job, and what a fantastic job they did!! Everyone seemed to have squeezed into the gallery as the commentator announced “Moat View Riding Club – last year’s champions” all wanting to know whether we could match the Furious Angels. Well we rode our hearts out, wielding our spears as much as we dared. Donald Kear, the judge at ‘C’ seemed to be smiling every time I looked his way but as we left the arena to rapturous applause I wasn’t sure we had got the routine as tight as we could. Buddy’s face was a picture though – beaming from ear to ear – a mixture of delight at riding in that arena again and knowing, from her position towards the back, that our dressing had been pretty much spot on.

 

We just about had time to take the horses back to the stables to be undressed before we would be needed back in the arena, unmounted, to hear the results. Our crew set to work feverishly for the umpteenth time that day carefully removing costumes and tack before making the horses comfortable.

 

We all hurried back to the indoor school just in time to be ushered into the arena for the announcements. It’s not quite as nerve-wracking as Strictly… but a horrible wait nonetheless. The commentator read out the first 3 teams selected in what seemed like quick succession  - St. Edmund’s Mystick Krewe, Saffron Walden’s Double Trouble and Wey Valley’s Fairground Frolics – by this stage Frances was muttering her mantra of “it’s not going to be us, it’s not going to be us . . .” while I was countering with “yes we are, yes we are” and then we heard no more than “They knew they’d done it, reigning ch . . .” before we set of on our own little war dance amid squeals and tears of delight.

 

Yes, we are going to Olympia to defend our title!!!

 

Now the hard work really starts. Apart from practising the routine, cleaning all the costumes and adding the Olympia polish and sparkle to everything – we also need to raise some much needed funds thanks not least to the charge for non-LEZ compliant vehicles going into London. There is to be a Nosh and Knowledge evening at Blean Primary School on Friday 21st November – info from Sarah or Jo; and for just £1 you can buy a quiz on a War theme – again details from Sarah.

 

Having won last year, the Club has gained a great deal of publicity and now has a very high profile not only in Quadrille and DTM circles. We need to keep Moat View Riding Club at the forefront  - we need your support! And if you can be at Olympia cheering us on we would love to hear you!

 

Finally, a huge thanks to our long-suffering team who put up with so much and for whom nothing is too much trouble:

 

Sarah, Jo, Michelle, Juliet and Annie, Clare, Askley, Nat and Sam. Behind the scenes Rita and Alec.

 

Team: Nicky Murrell & Limerick, Amy Williams & Horton’s Pink Panther, Buddy Williams & Old Park Rose and Frances Wilson & The Marked Man.

 

 

 

May

 

Quadrille Update

 

In case any of you wondered what quadrille riders do at this time of the year I thought I’d give you an update!

 

Many of you will know how poorly Buddy has been and the excellent progress she is now making. In her absence, the Furious Angels have had a change of personnel in order to fulfill their engagements. Nicky took back the ride on her own Limerick while Frances swapped onto Parky. Amazingly the team had the routine pretty much spot on prior to their display at Leeds Castle at the end of April. In the actual displays, however, both Frances and Nicky had ‘blonde’ moments though fortunately not at the same time! Kind observers told them that “no-one noticed”!!

 

Not wishing to make any mistakes at Royal Windsor, a few more practises were scheduled and a hoof-perfect routine ensued fit for The Queen. The Angels costumes certainly had the wow! factor in the glorious spring sunshine causing even the stewards to leave their positions in order to snap a few pictures.

 

The Club are hoping to field 2 teams at Addington this year in the hopes of retaining our crown. Preparations are under way although the usual difficulties in synchronising diaries is making progress slow at the moment.

 

 

Nicky Murrell

 

Olympia report

 Unusually the Quadrille Final was being held on a Wednesday this year rather than the traditional Saturday, necessitating 2 days of work for most of the team but, we hoped, a better journey through London. Unfortunately events early on Tuesday worked against us and we arrived at Olympia later than intended. No matter though, the horses were soon ensconced in their stables after the compulsory vet check and the mammoth job of unloading kit commenced. Horseboxes have to be parked about a mile away from Olympia itself, a simple task until you factor in squeezing out amongst the coached arriving for the evening performance and crossing Kensington High street amid the Christmas rush – sometime later poor Frances and Ashley returned.

 

Due to the change of day this year we were able to watch the Grand Prix Kur something I was particularly looking forward to; we saw some beautiful horses although Frances, Sarah and I all thought we could give the riders some tips on music choice! The horses were then set fair for the night and we trudged our weary way to our hotel – trying to find a cheap hotel within walking distance that can accommodate 12 of us doesn’t get any easier; one of these years I’ll be bold enough to book it before we have qualified! The kilometre walk was repeated again at 5:30 the following morning, at least it wasn’t raining.

 

This is always a difficult period on competition day as there is a lull between feeding and actually being able to get into the arena to work the horses, however, this year it was filled by a frantic moving operation as the Stable Manager had said we could move the barrier between us and the FEI dressage horses in order to move Connor into the box next to Eric. However, we could only do it if we moved the tack etc that had been left in it outside NEATLY – it did belong to Carl Hester after all. Dolendo who was stabled opposite kept a benign eye on proceedings.

 

Last year Sarah managed to commandeer the float used in the Finale, this time it was a small room behind the stables complete with table, chairs and a decent light! We have honed our procedure for getting horses and riders dressed to the nth degree but it still takes about 2 hours. Much of the costume is very simple and straightforward to put on but both the rugs and the wings take at least 2 people to fit them correctly. In the past the judges have been a bit twitchy about being on time, mercifully this year they seemed more relaxed – we would have been on time but for taking a route through to the collecting ring that didn’t accommodate the wings!! A quick about turn and moments later there they were in the ring.

 

We haven’t received our judging sheets back yet, so we can’t be certain, but the impression we got this year was that they weren’t being quite as nit-picking as they’ve been in the past. This phase completed we just had to wait for our turn to perform. I managed to watch Worlington RC’s Dandy Highwaymen; their routing looked to be pretty accurate but, for me, it lacked the flair that it had had at Addington – first to go is always a difficult slot and with a smaller audience than the usual Saturday crowd it seemed difficult to whip up any sort of atmosphere. Next were, Southerndown RC’s Goldilocks and the Three Bears – I didn’t see much of the routine but they seemed a bit disappointed as they left the arena. The New Forest Pony Enthusiasts followed and had huge foot-stomping support from their supporters who did their very best to get the atmosphere going. Their routine appeared to be a very neat, accurate one.

 

Finally it was out turn. Watching as manager is not an easy task, I knew they could do it – they had practised so hard and ridden it perfectly on numerous occasions – but doing it at Olympia is not an easy thing.

 

Sarah and I exchanged one or two anxious glances at the beginning of the routine but then we started to relax as the Angels got it together. The arena had been ‘measured’ extremely tightly but it is only once you start riding the routine that you can work out where and how to make adjustments necessary to fit your movements in where you want them to be. The final part of the routine looked foot-perfect but I wasn’t convinced that they had done enough to win. Whilst we were all gabbling away the results were being announced – I turned to the team and said “I think you’ve just won!”. To our collective amazement they had – that is perhaps a little unfair as I felt they were hot favourites going into the competition, we had a complicated routine with music that fitted the theme perfectly and told the story beautifully; added to this were the costumes which the judges at Addington had told us were ‘worthy of a West End show’ – in that arena the girls looked truly magnificent and did the Club proud.

 

The Club received high praise not only for winning but simply for qualifying in our first year of affiliation – just shows what hard work and determination can do. Here’s to next year . . .

 

Finally a huge thank you to the team: riders, horses, costume makers, grooms, music finders, lorry drivers etc etc without whom none of this would be possible.

 

On 6th October MVRC sent 4 riders to Addington Manor EC to compete in the Quadrille qualifiers. 4 teams go forward to Olympia on Wednesday 19th December.

 

The 4 qualifying teams are:

Moat View: Furious Angels – A Dance Macabre

Frances Wilson on Limerick; Rosemary Williams on Old Park Rose; Amy Williams on Hortons Pink Panther; Liliane Widdows on Hortons Connor

New Forest PE: New Forest Do Se Do’ers

Southern Down: Goldilocks and the 3 Bears

Worlington: Fine and Dandy

 

SHOWING

Team Captain:

 

 

ENDURANCE

Team Captain:

 

HUNTER TRIALS

Team Captain: