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Derbyshire EGB Newsletter Here is our newsletter for February 2007. From the Chair Congratulations to all of you who received awards at our annual buffet and presentation evening. Good luck to everyone for the coming season! Hope to see you out and about and at our Derbyshire rides. Our rides list is included in this newsletter, but if anyone would like to suggest a venue/route for a new ride, we have some spare dates, so please let one of the committee know, and we’ll provide our help and support. We all enjoy the ‘old tried and tested’ routes, but it’s nice to have somewhere new to explore! Hope those of you who attended the awards liked the Derbys Group zip pullers that were given out on the evening free of charge. If anyone else would like to buy one, they are available at all our rides, priced at £1.50. National EGB badges are also for sale at rides, price £3.99. There seemed to be so many articles and so much information to put in this newsletter that I have had to hold some items over until our April issue. We had a brilliant turnout at the Presentation Evening and it was really heartening that about 95% of people who won awards or mileage rosettes were there on the night to receive them. Unfortunately Sheila and Brenda, who really deserve all the glory for their efforts in working out the results and designing all the beautiful rosettes, had suffered a bereavement and were unable to attend. Our thanks to them both for all the hard work involved. The New Year Ride on 7 January was really enjoyable. For once the weather was kind and we didn’t have to contend with either snow, ice or freezing northerly winds. Nearly 60 riders took part so it was a really successful day for everyone. I would just like to mention the Bridleways Survey article on page 5. This is really important and will benefit all of us, as well as future generations of horseriders, so do take the time to fill it in. Weather warning for 10 December, heavy rain and very windy so got up at six after a sleepless night but weather not too bad when I got to the venue. Lots of motor bikes there so instant Panic Attack but it was okay, they were going in the opposite direction and they moved their vans for us, or should I say Bob told them to move their vans!! Another Panic Attack. The wind and rain came and the thought of 38 wet, cold and crying children with fed up parents was not a good one, but they all came back safe and sound, albeit shivering. One or two even had a smile on their faces and Clarissa Brown even went round twice!! They all soon warmed up at the Royal Oak with hot food and a roaring fire. It was suggested that next year an Easter Egg Hunt may be a better idea, but the Santa’s ride will go ahead again (if my nerves can stand it). It really was an endurance test, so well done to all the children and their mums and dads for braving the elements. Thanks very much to the sponsors of the fancy dress WHT Farm Feeds at Biggin. The winners of the prizes were – first Angelina, second Thomas Brown and third Josh Blythe. Picking the winners was really difficult as everyone had made a brilliant effort. The Awards Night for the 2006 season was thoroughly enjoyable with fantastic food, atmosphere and company. I was quite amazed by the number of rosettes and trophies available to be won by members, definitely something for everyone! I have not been to one of these presentation evenings before and as a newcomer to endurance, I can recommend attending the next one. It really is worth collecting your mileage throughout the year, even if you do not complete many rides. I completed some pleasure rides throughout last year and somehow managed to clock up enough for a 160 km distance award rosette with my horses name printed on it! Thank you to everyone involved in organising it. Many congratulations to all Derbyshire members who achieved national awards. Nippa Trophy – Young Rider, Kay Counter on Cheeky Charlie - 2nd Pixie Trophy – Reserve Champion Young Rider, Kay Counter Mira Trophy – Novice horse, Jean Collins on Ansbacher - 3rd Windard Best New Horse trophy – Kay Counter, Cheeky Charlie - 1st Jasper Trophy – 3 best graded rides, Ann Harrison, Ginger Spice - 2nd Pickreed Masterpiece Trophy – Veteran Rider, Ann Harrison - 2nd Young Rider Grand Prix, Kay Counter, Cheeky Charlie - 2nd Boston Bay Cup – Wetherby’s registered, Ann Harrison, Ginger Spice - 1st Regent Trophy – Top unregistered, Kay Counter, Cheeky Charlie - 2nd New PR Officer Having taken over the reins of PR Officer from Rachel, I thought you might like to know a bit more about me and my PR plans for 2007. Whilst I rode horses when I was still living at home with my parents, I came back into riding after a long break of some thirteen years. So when I bought my horse, Buster, he was ‘an interesting choice’ after such a long time away from riding. Buster is a Welsh Sec D who was 6 years old when I bought him, He had led a very sheltered life previously, mainly doing what he does best…eating! So I have spent the last three years training him from scratch as he had not been anywhere, was totally ‘green’ and had not put his hooves near any sort of show or event! We spent many hours hacking, as this was what we both enjoyed doing and then I thought I might try a pleasure ride, once I had some transport. So my interest in endurance riding only really started last year when I entered some rides to see how he took to it. But upon entering these early rides, no one warned me quite how addictive endurance riding would become! At the time I did not know what to expect and Buster was not experienced at ‘horse parties’! But after a couple of somewhat ‘hairy’ rides at the beginning of the season, we soon learned what to do and became hooked! We have had great fun over 2006, with plenty of help and advice from everyone and took a few turns at marshalling too. It was the marshalling that made me realise how much hard work goes into making these rides happen. Without everyone’s commitment and riders willing to steward, they would not be possible. So when the vacancy came up for the PR role, I thought I should make a contribution towards keeping these rides going…so here I am! Since taking on the role I have attended a PR Workshop in Leeds organised by Endurance GB. I can highly recommend this training day, I found it very informative and took away many useful ideas for promoting the sport, different groups of people to target and how to write effective press releases. I hope to do the role justice by focusing on writing plenty of press articles, increasing membership numbers and rider entries. I am sure this can be achieved through good press coverage, advertising rides at horse related businesses/events and devising good promotional campaigns. So please do get in touch, at cmw@wheatcroft.info if you have any news that I could include or would like me to do a feature on you and your horse. All Derbyshire EGB members will now receive their Derbyshire newsletters completely FREE. This means that some members who have never registered to receive newsletters will now be included on the mailing list. If you do NOT wish to receive newsletters, please contact either Flick or Rachel to have your name removed. The cost of newsletters for associate members is included in their associate membership fee – ie £12 for the year. The cost of newsletters to non-Derbyshire EGB members or members of other groups will remain at £7 for the year – a subscription form is enclosed. Associate Membership RenewalsThis is now due and a form is included with this newsletter. Please fill it in and return it to Rachel Dennett, along with your subscription. Derbyshire Bridleways Derbyshire County Council are looking to make improvements to the rights of way throughout the county and have formulated a draft plan of action based on feedback gained from the public. The council have issued a leaflet entitiled 'Are We On The Right Track' that highlights the main points of the plan, its aims and the areas they are considering for improvements. They are looking for the public to complete some questions in this leaflet in order to prioritise the work. If you live in the county of Derbyshire, you really do owe it to yourself to complete the leaflet questions and provide them with your priorities and wishes for improvements... whether that be bridleways, trails or footpaths. Please either contact Derbyshire County Council on 08456 058 058 and ask for the above leaflet to be sent to you, or fill in the questionnaire online by going to www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/consultation and scrolling to the bottom of the page for the 'Online Questionnaire'. The deadline is 11th March 2007! Obituary - Blue GJackie Goodman and I first saw Blue in the spring of 1984. He was a 15 hand blue roan welsh/thoroughbred cross who somewhere in his past had acquired the genes to make him a perfect blanket spot Appaloosa. He was bred by the sister of a friend of ours and had been backed but then spent most of his first ten years of life lazing in a field because there was no one to ride him. He was consequently woolly, fat and moderately badly behaved. We took him on three months trial, sorted him out a bit and decided he would do the job. We bought him between us for the princely sum of £350. I then bought a trailer and we were ready to go. Little did we know then how much pleasure and success our new purchase would provide! Hundreds of miles of successful competitive endurance rides plus countless more pleasure and training miles and his “hobbies” of working hunter, show jumping, in-hand showing and dressage. Within two years he had won a major endurance award, “The EHPS Jasper Trophy” for the Champion Trail Horse of the Year. Getting there however had not been totally straightforward as we worked hard to turn an unfit novice into a successful athlete. The first hiccup was loading. Going on the trailer was not a problem but as soon as he was on he backed straight off again (once wriggling out under the rear bar) with a big smile on his face. Eventually with a complicated system of ropes and much determination we succeeded in getting the ramp up fairly regularly and decided we were fit to travel. Once on the road he was fine so we were on our way. Having said that his first ride at Hayfield could have been his last as he flatly refused to allow the vet to look in his mouth and even reared up to prove the point. With “V. Stroppy” written on the vet sheet he was fortunately allowed to proceed and proved his point by returning with a pulse of 42 thus gaining the first in a long list of good results. Once into regular competition his endurance strengths came to the fore: having a high opinion of himself and a strong desire to return to base and food, being friendly and co-operative (as long as we were doing what he wanted) and not giving up easily. Basically he was a generous, honest and sensible little horse…... and a lot of fun! With these attributes and after lot of hard work his successes came regularly and over the next nine years Jacky and I toured the country with him taking turns at riding and crewing at most of the major events. I rode him in the Golden Horseshoe for the first time in 1988 gaining a completion, the Farrier’s Award and the added bonus of our picture on the cover of Riding Magazine. He had arrived! That same year we had the honour to be short listed for the British Team to compete at the World Endurance Riding Championships in Virginia, USA. Sadly it was not to be, as, weighing in at well under 10 stone including the saddle my prospects of successfully competing carrying an additional 30 lbs to make the required 165 lbs were remote and although we tried, I have to say that Blue was not impressed. It was however, a great achievement to make the short list. That year we registered him with the British Appaloosa Society and he was placed in the In-Hand class (with Jacky) and the Working Hunter (with me) at their annual show at Stoneleigh. He also came second in their National Performance Competition. We returned to Exmoor the following May this time gaining silver. This was the start of what was to be the very best season of Blue’s entire endurance career. In August he came 2nd in the 130 mile three day Southwell Triple (the icing on the cake was winning the Silver Zora Best Condition Award) and September saw him at the Red Dragon in the 50 mile class for the English Team at the very first Home International which our team won in grand style. In that season he successfully completed 590 miles with the EHPS which was enough to gain him fourth place in the Manar Trophy, the Senior Open Overall Championship. Not bad for a 16 year old! And as if that wasn’t enough he was also part of the north-west team “The Northern Lights” who won the prestigious Green Dragon team award. What a year that was! Blue continued to compete until 1993 when we decided to retire him from endurance. In all he had successfully completed 2332 miles (3,730 kms), 703 of which were to Grade 1 standard. He was very rarely vetted out of a ride and although not always the fastest in the world he was tough and could be relied upon to finish sound. Jacky continued to ride him until last year and he died peacefully in his stable on October 9th 2006. We were privileged to have known him. He gave us both so much pleasure over the years and he will never be forgotten. Top Associate Rider – Angela Gotheridge and Star Anvil Trophy First EGB season 1st Maureen Lees, Tilly 2nd Annette Masterson, Remolino 3rd Jess Hotchin, Libby Donnaway Trophy Points from pleasure and social rides run by the Derbyshire Group. Competitive horses excluded Summer Wine Trophy Rider over 60 years Lara Trophy Top Veteran Hose 21 years plus Countryside Cup Most points gained in all EGB pleasure and social rides. Competitive horses barred.
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