We’ve put that long wet winter firmly behind us and have had great fun together already this year with lots more exciting things planned!
Our flatwork and jump training sessions have as always been well supported in a variety of fabulous indoor and outdoor venues including Knightswood, Barguse and Croan. A massive thanks to everyone who’s kindly organised and delivered these for us – we’ve had lots of options, they’ve all been great fun and really helped to get us going again after our somewhat long, soggy winter.
In February our members put their show jumping training into practice by WINNING the Senior 70 class at the Area 19 Qualifiers at Duchy College – and well done to Becky Kennen, Jane Lavington, Andy Coad and Lisanne Mules, and their trusty steeds.
Our Mixed Bag Team Quest Dressage team has not been out quite so much this year but, hot on the heels of our team success at the BRC Area 19 Winter Dressage Qualifiers, Janet and Sally have stepped right up and affiliated with British Dressage – truly inspirational!
We had a fabulous and well attended evening at St Mabyn Inn for our annual AGM. There were few changes proposed to our committee with those generous volunteers willing to stand again all voted back in. Our chair Janet took us through the formal proceedings before announcing our committee’s award winners for the last year – massive congratulations to:
Endeavour Award - Kathy Baillie for going all the way to Lincoln for the national dressage championships
Best Helper Award – Janet Elston for driving Kathy and Cortez to the champs and being a super star groom!
Most Improved Award – this is always chosen by our trainer Becky rather than the committee. This year it went to Janet who was stunned into silence as she had no idea until she opened the envelope that Becky had sealed and handed to her in advance, managing to keep it a complete secret!
Our committee had decided to introduce some brand-new awards this year for members achieving the highest marks at the BRC qualifiers and very many congratulations to:
Dressage Award – Jane Stevens
Show Jumping Award – Jane Lavington
Horse Trails Award – Helen Lentern
Plus we now have a new Tumblers Trophy which this year was presented jointly to Jon and Lisanne Mules – it was impossible to choose between this husband and wife tumbling duo!
Jane Lavington was drawn as this year’s winner of the Sam Fry £50 training voucher, presented each year in memory of former member Sam Fry who was such a wonderful equestrian.
Shortly after the AGM, 16 members headed to Somerset for what’s become a firm CVRC Spring Pontispool Camp fixture – huge thanks to Janet and Carina for organising it so brilliantly, including the super sunshiny weather that we were blessed with. The horses settled well into their stables and enjoyed hand grazing nearby, the humans’ accommodation was equally ideal with either shared or individual lodges, and we were superbly catered for by the Pontispool team. Pontispool is an incredible venue and, under the expert guidance of Becky and local instructor Tonia Ainsworth, we made full use of the cross country facilities and superb sand school with multiple arena eventing fences including steps and a water complex. With so many options, it was perfect for the young horses just starting out as well as more experienced combinations - there were beaming smiles throughout so clearly a fun camp was once again had by all!
Andy and Rachel Coad brought along a ‘third horse’ which, as you can see, Janet mastered with no trouble at all!
Becky and Carina are currently organising more XC training for us this Spring and in the meantime, some members have already put the training into practice by competing at the Lower Tokenbury Hunter Trial in April. Congratulations to Jane and Becky for securing 4th place in the pairs 65cm class and to Tracy for coming 8th at the same height, returning home with a clear round rosette.
We’ve sadly been unable to identify a venue in Cornwall for our summer camp this year. However, not to be thwarted, our committee are currently organising a full day of training at Knightswood in May with a yummy BBQ lunch in-between two riding sessions each – can’t wait!
Oh, and not forgetting the fabulous CVRC Christmas party that we enjoyed at The Point in Polzeath last December which also helped us forget about the winter blues, which are now firmly behind us!
