Results for the 2024 RDA National Championships

We had a very successful weekend at the RDA National Championships in Hartpury. The full results are below. We also celebrated Georgia H-P winning the RDA’s Young Volunteer of the Year trophy presented by HRH The Princess Royal. Congratulations to all our competitors and horses.

We are incredibly thankful to our participants, ponies, volunteers, coaches, photographers, and team for making all of this happen. We’re so proud of you all!

The full results were:

Friday

RDA Young Volunteer of the Year

  • Georgia H-P

Novice Carriage Driving

  • 4th – Matthew P driving Jack
  • 6th – Peter H driving Jack
  • 10th – Cheryl N driving a borrowed horse

Saturday

Showjumping Level 3

  • 4th – Alison M riding Star

Grade 6 Walk Trot Dressage

  • 4th – Dennie N riding Star (junior)
  • 9th – Blossom B riding Star (Senior)
  • 12th – Georgia H-P riding Heston (Junior)

Grade 6 Canter Dressage

  • 1st and class champion – Alison M riding Star

Countryside Challenge – Independent

  • 2nd – Georgia H-P riding Heston (Junior)
  • 8th – Ellie F riding Star (Senior)

Best Turned Out Junior

  • 2nd – Georgia H-P riding Heston

Best Turned Out Senior

  • 3rd – Blossom B riding Star

Sunday

Grade 6 Walk Dressage

  • 2nd – Louise W riding Star

Open Grade 6 Walk Dressage

  • 1st and Class Champion – Romily E riding Star

Grade 7 Walk Trot

  • 2nd – Diane F riding Star

Grade 7 Walk trot Freestyle

  • 1st and Class Champion – Diane F riding Star

Countryside Challenge led or 1 side walker

  • 2nd – Florence G riding Heston

Best Turned Out Junior

  • 2nd – Florence G riding Heston

Highest placed RDA West Mercia member in Horse Care and Knowledge

  • Florence G

Trophy for the best Leader or Side walker in the Countryside Challenge

  • Annabel Bolton

Photographs available for download here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1AXz1xWouQ54rxNNZfoFXkFvi36QVKa_B?usp=sharing

Official photographs for download (payment required) here: https://michaelmartin.co.uk/photos/events-2024/rda-2024-55th-anniversary/

Results for the Wenlock Olympian Games

What a wonderful day we had on Saturday for the Wenlock Olympian Games. As our founder Jane Barker said: “The ponies looked super, the volunteers, as always, are the best and the participants all looked amazingly smart. Well done to you all. A great success!”

Thank you to everyone who competed, to our volunteers and coaches for all their hard work, and to the team for putting it all together. And thank you too to our photographers, and to Helen from the Wenlock Olympian Games committee who presented the rosettes and medals.

The full results were:

Dressage

Senior Independent Walk Only

  • Ellie F, riding Theo – 2nd place
  • Delphine W, riding Star – 1st place

Senior Independent Walk & Trot

  • Di F, riding Sion – 1st place

Senior Led Walk Only

  • Emily B, riding Theo – 1st place

Junior Independent Walk & Trot

  • Jessica F, riding Finn – 1st place

Junior Led Walk Only

  • Sienna L-R, riding Archie – 2nd place
  • River-May F, riding Heston – 1st place

Senior Medals: Delphine W (Gold), Diane F (Silver), Ellie F (Bronze)
Junior Medals: River-May F (Gold), Sienna L-R, (Silver), Jessica M (Bronze)

Vaulting

  • Alice G – 1st place & gold medal
  • Lauren N – 2nd place & silver medal
  • Evie N – 3rd place & bronze medal
  • River-May F – 4th place
  • Michael S-G – 5th place
  • Ava O – 6th place
  • Claire H – 7th place
  • Ianthe P – 8th place

Countryside Challenge

Senior Independent

  • Julie K, riding Star – 1st place
  • Ellie F, riding Sion – 2nd place

Senior Led

  • Emily B, riding Theo – 1st place

Junior Independent

  • Florence G, riding Heston – 1st place
  • Jessica M, riding Finn – 2nd place

Junior Led

  • Sienna L-R, riding Archie – 1st place

Senior Medals: Emily B (Gold), Julie K (Silver), Ellie F (Bronze)
Junior Medals: Florence G (Gold), Jessica M, (Silver), Sienna L-R (Bronze)

Photographs available for download here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17gfGAQaHke_w9FLP2NVBprf6ah0Aoy4v?usp=sharing

 

Well done to our competitors – RDA Regional Championships

We want to say a massive congratulations to all of our riders who took part in the RDA Regional Championships last weekend. They did the Centre proud and we’re so thrilled with their participation! Well done everyone. The full results are now in:

Class 115 – Dressage Grade 6 Walk 

  • Delphine Wise, riding Star – 71.18%

  • Louise Wright, riding Theo – 67.05% 2nd place – qualified for Nationals

  • Romilly Esp, riding Sion – 67.35% 1st place (in open class) – qualified for Nationals

Class 80 – Dressage Grade 6 Walk & Trot, Junior and Senior

Junior section

  • Georgia Halliwell-Paget, riding Archie – 64.17% 2nd Place – qualified for Nationals
  • Dennie Neal- 68.05%, riding Star – 1st Place – qualified for Nationals

Senior section

  • Blossom Burton, riding Theo – 60.83% 1st Place – qualified for Nationals
Class 119 – Dressage Grade 7 Walk & Trot
  • Diane Field, riding Sion – 73.33% 1st place – qualified for Nationals
Class 53 – Dressage Grade 1
  • Jacqueline Doughton, riding Sion – 64.05% 1st Place – qualified for Nationals
Class 82 – Dressage Grade 6 Canter
  • Alison Moore, riding Star – 67.06% 1st Place – qualified for Nationals
Class 8 – Countryside Challenge Led or 1 side walker
  • Florence Giles, riding Heston – 2nd place – qualified for Nationals
  • Arthur, riding Star – 4th place
Class 11 – Countryside Challenge Independent
Senior
  • Ellie Forester, riding Theo – 2nd place – qualified for Nationals

Junior

  • Georgia Halliwell-Paget, riding Archie – 2nd place – qualified for Nationals

 

Collaborating with and through horses

Last Friday we were very happy to hold a CPD day for physios, OTs, speech and language therapists and case managers. It was called Collaborating With And Through Horses, and showcased all kinds of the work we do with horses. We’re so grateful to Chris Collins and Irma Prins (Freedom Physiotherapy Services) for facilitating, sharing their knowledge and demonstrating hippotherapy. Thanks to Lynette (Steps), Annabel (RDA riding) and Richard (Quiet Time) for presenting fascinating case studies and to Zara for hosting the grooming session.

And, of course, we couldn’t do it without the support of our award-winning volunteers, so thank you to Di T and Gaynor for supporting the grooming and pony obstacle course activities.

A special mention goes to our lovely ponies Sion, Tommy and Manny who behaved impeccably throughout the day.

And lastly, a huge thank you goes to the brilliant delegates who were a joy to have on site: positive, enthusiastic and full of ideas about how what they saw and heard could help them in their occupational therapy/physiotherapy and speech and language practice.

Hosting the RDA Carriage Driving Regionals

On Saturday 27th April, for the second year running the Cavalier Centre’s Carriage Driving Group ran a Regional Qualifiers competition leading up to the RDA National event in July. Seven drivers participated supported by four of the driving coaches (Penny, Gina, Ann and Julie) plus the wider driving team to keep the show on the road!

The results were Cheryl 1st (Qualifier), Pete 2nd (Reserve), Matt 3rd (2nd Reserve) all 3 will go the Nationals, Andrew 4th, Anna 5th, Fiona 6th and Steve 7th. Results were close and for all but two of the drivers it was their first competition!

The Val Fisher Endeavour Trophy was awarded to Hannah and presented by Malcolm Fisher. Hannah was chosen unanimously by all the driving coaches who admire her passion and commitment to driving, her endless cheer and her own funding raising efforts for pancreatic cancer – she is a joy to be with. What’s more she had no idea she was getting the trophy – her smile says it all.

Well done all – you are all winners!

Visit by HRH The Princess Royal to present the Kings Award for Voluntary Service

We were so happy to welcome HRH The Princess Royal back to the Cavalier Centre. She came to present us, along with seven other Shropshire charities, the Kings Award for Voluntary Service. It was such a wonderful morning and brilliant to be able show the Princess how the Centre has grown and introduce her to some of the new programmes, initiatives and activities we’ve undertaken since she was last here in 2019.

Here is a selection of pictures from the day…

Ludlow Charity Race Day

We had great day at Ludlow Races on 21st March! We were the nominated for the charity race day this year – and some of our award-winning volunteers helped serve a spectacular fundraising lunch! They were all incredible and wore bespoke Cavalier Centre aprons sponsored by our friends MyWorkwear.

The funds raised will make a huge difference to the centre and the work we do! We’re so grateful to the committee and team who put the day together, sourced incredible auction lots and made the day such a success! Thank you so much.

Lift & Shift Boot Camp – Wednesday evenings

Lift & Shift at the Cavalier Centre 6:30pm on Wednesday evenings.

Lift and Shift Boot Camp is designed to improve strength, fitness and wellbeing. With over 20 years experience in the health and fitness industry, our coach John Docherty is committed to helping people achieve their goals. John is passionate about accessibility for all in their pursuit of improving their health and well-being.

Come and join John as he pushes you to do more, lift more and build muscle. It’s an exciting, dynamic and fun workout!

If you’d like to know more, please contact Claire or John via email at [email protected] 

Our volunteers win the Kings Award for Voluntary Service!

We’re incredibly excited to let you know that the amazing volunteers at The Cavalier Centre have been honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

The Centre will receive the award from Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire. The formal process will include the reading of the citation and passing over of a Certificate and Crystal award signed by His Majesty The King at an event in 2024. As part of the KAVS, two volunteers will be given the opportunity to attend The King’s Garden Party later in the summer.

Selina Graham, The Cavalier Centre’s Chair of Trustees said: “It is not only the very hands-on trustees, but all of our volunteers who provide a totally exceptional and wonderful experience to all the people who take part in our activities. They’re an incredibly dedicated and passionate team who support the Centre and each other, as well as caring for our horses in all weathers, 365 days a year. It’s amazing to see how they provide moments of joy to people of all ages. Their impact cannot be underestimated.

Rachel Lambert-Jones, The Cavalier Centre’s Manager, said: “Every day, when I see how hard our volunteers work, I am inspired by their caring nature and their resilience and dedication. They are truly inspirational. We are grateful to each and every one of them.”

 

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