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Eldwick Riding Club qualify for the
BRC Quadrille of the Year at Olympia

On Saturday 8th of October 2011 the British Riding Clubs SEIB (South Essex Insurance Brokers) Quadrille Selection Trial was held at Aintree International Equestrian Centre in Liverpool.

Team members were Katherine Wilkinson (Emily’s Mum) riding Delmrose Applejack (Jack), Emily Wilkinson, age 17, riding Geri’s Prince (Prince), Chloe Eshelby, age 15, riding Knockalla Gypsy King (Murphy) and myself Millie Ryan, 13, riding Pilgrims Spellbinder (Spell). As we were all riding Connemara ponies, we decided that an Irish theme would be very appropriate. After careful consideration we selected a Riverdance theme to the music of “Lord of the Dance”.

The other teams entered were Witheridge RC ‘Dragon Riders’, Bath Riding Club ‘Pride of Bath’, ‘Radnor RC ‘Synchronised Swimming, St Edmunds RC ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’, Ettrick Forest RC ‘Taboo’, Rural Fylde Young Riders ‘Disco Fever’, Carousel Riding Club ‘Nuns on Fire’ and ‘The Berkeley and District ‘Busy Bees’. All but two teams had competed in the quadrille selection before, and it was the first time that Eldwick Riding Club had entered this competition.

The quadrille teams were invited to arrive at Aintree on the Friday for a rehearsal in the international arena. After watching other teams rehearse, we began to feel nervous but tried hard to remain confident. Half an hour later, however we were not feeling quite as positive. One of our ponies, who is usually a laid back little Irish boy, took a great dislike to the Aintree International Arena. Therefore, our run through was far from our best performance and left us all feeling very anxious! After this we went straight to the briefing where it was announced that the arena would be free to walk around in between 7 and 8 in the morning.

So alarm clocks were set for 6am, and the bleary eyed team went to plod around the arena before breakfast, leaving the grooms and parents in bed!
After an hour of circuiting the arena our spooky pony became very bored (mission accomplished!) and we all felt much happier. Next was the mammoth task of preparing everything for evening. Our turnout inspection was at 7pm but our performance was not until 9.20pm as the last team to perform.

We sat at the ring side in the afternoon watching the dressage to music classes whist sewing gold ribbon on to reins, carefully guided by our costume designer Maxine Church. We also had to make sure the ponies and tack were absolutely gleaming. Our multi – talented groom and make up artist Laura Sykes did an excellent job of making our faces up with green and gold eye-shadow. Kath and I also experienced our first time at having false eyelashes on, which is not the nicest feeling in the world!

After this, Laura and Lucy Leatherdale (our other groom) skilfully sewed ribbons into the ponies’ manes, painted their feet, tacked up, and secured their capes and sashes. Meanwhile the riders changed into our beautiful Irish dancer costumes which were designed by Maxine and assisted by Chloe’s Grandma Liz Lewis. We put on our riding hats which had been decorated with curly wigs and went to meet the ponies at the arena. Feeling very excited we mounted and went in to parade for out turnout and costumes to be judged.

The next two hours passed very slowly watching the other teams enter the arena in their amazing costumes. We were all very nervous, as we’d all come to the competition not really knowing quite what to expect. We reassured ourselves that our ex Kings Troop trainer Ryan Haigh had prepared us well to perform under pressure and fortunately he was there to give us words of encouragement and reassurance. Within seconds of entering the arena we were all enjoying ourselves and even managed to smile! The ponies also enjoyed themselves and really tried their best for us. The atmosphere was fabulous, with the audience clapping and cheering, which my pony Spell took as a very good excuse to canter for a few strides when she should have been trotting, but it didn’t matter as we still all managed to keep in time. Our gallop scissors through the diagonal got a very good reaction from the crowd, and it was a lot faster than any of us really expected; our ponies were obviously trying to impress! We came out of the arena having really enjoyed ourselves, and agreed that whether we qualified for Olympia or not, we were very proud of our performance and all the training had been worth it.

We called back in to the arena on foot for the presentation; the top four teams qualify for Olympia and were called out in no particular order. First through was ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’, then ‘Pride of Bath’ and then ‘Witheridge Dragon Riders’. We stood together holding our hands tightly, resigning our selves to the fact that we weren’t going through this year. When the commentator announced that the fourth team to go to Olympia was “Eldwick Riding Club” we shrieked, burst in to tears, jumped up and down and hugged each other in delight. What a result, given that three of the team are junior members, none of us have never competed in quadrille riding before, and we are from a very small riding club. Just when we thought things couldn’t any better we found out that we’d got the highest marks overall with 86%, with a 39/40 from one dressage judge! The champagne was cracked open straight away (for the grown ups of course!), and we had a perfect end to what had been quite a stressful but very enjoyable day. Training for and participating in the BRC quadrille competition has been a very worthwhile experience and we work very well as a team with our trainer Ryan. Quadrille has undoubtedly improved our riding and our ponies love it!

We are now very excited and looking forward to competing in the BRC Quadrille of the Year Final at Olympia, London on Saturday 17th December. Our friends, family, Eldwick Riding Club members and Connemara pony enthusiasts from around the country will be coming to cheer us on and we are now back in training to hopefully deliver another winning performance.

By Millie Ryan

Well Done Chloe Sharkey

Well done to ERC club member Chloe Sharkey who went to the Ultimate Showcase Of Champions at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate this summer and had a really successful day! Chloe and her ride Military Boots won a 2nd, a 4th and went in Hunter championship and took home the Reserve Champion. x Good Work! x

BRC QUADRILLE

A group of Eldwick Riding Club members have decided to utilise their British Riding Clubs membership and do something really different...

They have entered the BRC Quadrille Dressage To Music which will be held at Aintree in October.

Events like these are open to all BRC members and as ERC is an affiliated club, you get complimentary membership when you join us!

If you would like to enter this event with a team...or any other BRC events...please let us know!!!!

Schedule Booklet Correction

PLEASE NOTE: The age for both ridden and inhand veteran classes for 2011 is 15 years plus as of the 01/01/11.  The schedule booklet says 16 but this is an error.  Apologies for any confusion

BRC National Winter Dressage Championships -

What a result!

Congratulation to Jenny Lucas & Gangsters Moll, Emily Wilkinson & Delmrose Applejack, Eden-Maia Takhar & Talponciau Dawns Y Glaw and Lizi Rushton & Kilrush Thunder.
This is the ERC Junior Dressage Team, who came 5th at Hartbury Collage at the weekend competing in the BRC National Winter Dressage Championships!

We are very proud of you! x

As seen in the Yorkshire Post....

Feature article: Eldwick Riding Club junior team head off to the national dressage finals!

On 2nd April 2011, a team of junior members will be representing Eldwick Riding club at the prestigious British Riding Club (BRC) National Winter Dressage Championships at Hartpury College Equestrian Centre in Gloucestershire. The team consists of Jenny Lucas, 15 years riding Gangsters Moll, Emily Wilkinson, 16 years riding Delmrose Applejack, Eden-Maia Takhar, 10 years riding Talponciau Dawns Y Glaw (The translation from his Welsh name is Tall Hills Rain Dancer) and Lizi Rushton 13 years, riding Kilrush Thunder. The girls were delighted to be the overall winning team at the area BRC qualifiers at Richmond Equestrian Centre last November, and are now busy training in preparation for the national final. The Club is very excited and proud of their achievement as it is the first time that Eldwick Riding Club has succeeded in qualifying for a national event. Over the years the Club has transformed from being a small show for local riders to compete at, to a very successful BRC affiliated club that is now competing at a national level. It prides itself, however, on providing a friendly and supportive environment for riders starting out in competition as well as providing opportunities for the more experienced.

The Eldwick riding club was established about 35 years ago by a group of local enthusiasts who were keen to provide the opportunity for local riders to be able to compete on their horses and ponies. The club has grown from strength to strength and is currently the only local club to be affiliated to British Riding Clubs, a body made up of more than 440 Affiliated Clubs and 21 Riding Centres with over 34,000 members, from across the UK.
The British Riding Clubs movement aims to reach all types of horse and rider from the dedicated competitor to the happy hacker, offering a whole range of support and encouragement for riders, including national competitions, qualifications and social events.

Eldwick Riding Club currently has a membership of around 150 juniors and adults of all ages, with ponies and horses of all breeds and sizes. The club is run by a dedicated committee led by Club Organiser Cathy Usher, along with the support of many helpers who help to maintain the show ground, paint show jumps and do all the other necessary behind the scenes activities.

Many local businesses and individuals generously sponsor classes at the shows. At the end of the season trophies are awarded at a presentation dance to the winners of each class, and the overall junior and senior champions that have accrued the most points during the season. In 2011 for the first time, a saddle will be presented to the "ultimate club champion", the competitor that has gained the most points in Eldwick Riding Club events throughout the year. The saddle will be generously supplied and fitted courtesy of Ray Kennan, who has many years of experience of making horse tack, and has recently set up a new equestrian supplies & feed shop "Airedale Equestrian Supplies", based in Micklethwaite, Bingley.

Regular training events are held through out the season with qualified instructors, and the club also runs a British Horse Society Road Safety course which is recommended for any rider wishing to hack out on the roads, and is also required for those wanting to take instructors exams.

The Club is located on Heights Lane in Eldwick, near Bingley in West Yorkshire, which enjoys spectacular views across the Aire Valley and Baildon Moor. Shows are held on the fourth Sunday of each month from April to September (with a break in August) and in addition dressage competitions and a One-Day Event are on offer.. A warm welcome is extended to non members wishing to compete, whatever their level of showing experience and also to spectators who can enjoy watching the classes in the safety of a horse free area. Details of the forthcoming season’s events which include points shows, dressage and a one day event can be found on the Club’s website http://www.eldwickridingclub.co.uk/ or by telephoning Cathy Usher on 01274 581180

Web News Editor: kate@eldwickridingclub.co.uk

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