Success at the RDA Regionals, May 2023

We’re very happy to share our rider and horse combinations achievements – as well as results from the regional qualifiers held at RDA National Training Centre.
Class 57:
– Dennie Neal riding Star with a score of 69.7% achieving 1st place
– Blossom Burtion riding Theo with a score of 66.9% achieving 2nd place
– Georgia Hallywell-Paget riding Heston with a score of 66.1 and 3rd place.
All our riders in this class have a place at Nationals!
Class 81:
– Jacqueline Doughton riding Sion achieving a lovely 70.71% to take first place! Again qualifying for Nationals.
Class 87:
– Florence Giles riding Heston with a score or 54% and 1st place.
Class 21:
– Maevie Toole riding Archie with a score of 71.8% and first place.
Class 91:
– Lilia Toole riding Sion with a score of 69% and second place.
– Ruby Smith riding Star with a score of 63% and fourth place.
Lilia will be competing at nationals and Ruby will be competing in the countryside challenge.
Class 61:
– AM riding Star with a score of 70.9% and a well deserved first place.
Class 9:
– AM riding Star in the showjumping class with an amazing score of 91% to again get first place.
AM will be competing at Nationals and received a trophy for Shropshire for her Dressage.
It truly was a wonderful day where the ponies and participants really made staff and coaches proud. Now to plan and prepare for Nationals at Hartpury.

RDA Carriage Driving Regional Qualifier and Fun Event – 22 April 2023

The Cavalier Centre hosted its first RDA regional carriage driving event on 22 Apr 2023 as well as a separate non-qualifier fun class. There were three entries for Novice Qualifier with a very close run class but 1st qualifier Matt Palarmarzuk driving Jack and coached by Anne Connolly from Clwyd centre, hotly pursued by Pete Higgins (Cavalier Centre) taking 2nd qualifier and driving Kenny, with Cheryl Needham also from the Cavalier Centre and both coached by Gina Saunders, not far behind – overall tiny points between them all.

This was followed by a hotly contested non-qualifier/fun round with 6 competitors working in three teams.  Each team drove with coaches Penny McClellan and Julie Wedgbury with ponies Finn and Sion respectively, with the following results:

1st – Shelley Tulloch and Jane Higgins
2nd – Russell Tulloch and Fiona Howland
3rd – Fiona Brookes and Penny Wilkinson

Individual placings are listed below

The Cavalier Centre and the Carriage Driving team wish to thank all those volunteers, helpers and sponsors who supported the event and a special thanks to all the wonderful RDA ponies who love to put their best hoof forward.

National Novice Qualifier Entrants and scores:

Name  Dressage  Conobstacles  Final Score  Placing
Peter Higgins, Cavalier Centre  74/100 (26)  3.20 (6 pens)  29.20  2nd (qualifier)
Matt Palamarzuk, Clwyd  77/100 (23)  3.55 (6 pens)  26.55  1st (qualifier)
Cheryl Needham, Cavalier Centre  74/100 (26)  4.32 (9 pens)  30.3  3rd

 

Dressage was the BC compulsory shapes with a maximum score of 100 possible.  To achieve the overall score the awarded points were deducted from the 100 and the deduction added to conobstacles (incl penalty score) – the lower the final score the higher the placing.

Non qualifier/fun class:

Six drivers split into two teams driving mirror cones/obstacle courses.

Team results were

  • 1st Shelley Tulloch driving Finn with Penny as coach and Jane Higgins driving Sion with Julie as coach
  • 2nd Russell Tulloch as above and Fiona Howland as above
  • 3rd Fiona Brookes as above and Penny Wilkinson as above

Individual results were

  • 1st        Jane Higgins
  • 2nd      Fiona Howland
  • 3rd       Shelley Tulloch
  • 4th       Russell Tulloch
  • 5th       Penny Wilkinson
  • 6th       Fiona Brookes

Val Fisher Award – Presented by Malcolm Fisher

Its first year and awarded to Pete Higgins

Photography

Sara Jane Hayes – official photographer for carriage driving events

Rosette sponsor

Non-RDA rosettes sponsored and presented by Saunders Electrical

Obstacles

Sponsored by:

  • Paintwell Ltd (Kidderminster)
  • Thompson and Parks (Kidderminster)

Made by members of the Cavalier Centre Carriage Driving Team

Dressage Judge

Elizabeth Lawrence

Cakes

The Great Carriage Driving team “cakers” and £56 was raised through cake donations

Online Auction – 27th March 2023

We’re excited to let you know about the Online Auction in aid of the Cavalier Centre, starting on 27th March, 2023. There are plenty of things to bid on from experiences and holidays to dressage lessons, horse portraiture, riding with local hunts, and even a giant Easter egg. Oh, and a lovely box of cheese!

To preview the auction and to bid online just go to: https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/thecavaliercentreonlineauction

And remember – bid early and bid often!

An evening of dressage to music with Mark Walters & Nick Lawson

 

Join Mark Walters and Nick Lawson of Corvedale Equestrian for a fun packed, informative evening.

They will take us through a range of horses from Preliminary to Advanced level, while discussing the scales of training. They will also demonstrate a number of freestyle performances along the way highlighting areas to gain marks and how to showcase your horse’s natural talents.

Mark and Nick will showcase a variety of horses and will also use guest riders in the course of the evening.

Tickets are £15 each and include refreshments from Apley Farm Shop.

Please arrive at 6.30pm and bring a folding chair and blanket with you – we are unable to provide seating. 

 

BUY TICKETS HERE: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cavaliercentre/864329

RDA Carriage Driving Regionals – Saturday 22nd April 2023

 

RDA Carriage Driving Regionals – Saturday 22nd April 2023

 

Dressage 11 am with Conobstacles 1.30 pm

You are invited to compete in the Midlands RDA Dressage and Conobstacle Classes at the Cavalier RDA Centre on Saturday 22 April 2023.  This is a Midlands Qualifier event for the RDA National Championships in Hartpury in July. The competition is open to all members of RDA Driving Groups.

The Val Fisher trophy will be presented to the RDA driver with the highest cumulative score.

There will also be a Non-Qualifying Class for those who want to compete but are not confident with an un-aided dressage test or the Conobstacle Course.

Enter online by clicking the button below

Please note the following points when filling in the online Entry Form:

The competition will be run under RDA Rules 2023 and with RDA Insurance.

  • Turnouts are to be used under the same conditions as they are used in the Group.
  • Turnouts may be used twice.
  • Passports and vaccinations pages will be checked.

PLEASE ENSURE YOUR EQUINES’ VACCINATIONS ARE UP TO DATE TO AVOID EMBARRASSMENT.

  • Dress code is Group sweatshirts as per the RDA Championships with hats, gloves, aprons and whips.
  • The accompanying RDA Carriage Driving Coach will be expected to have experience suitable for this situation, either from driving other turnouts or competing themselves
  • RDA Hartpury Dressage Test 2023 will be used in a 60m x 30m Arena with side markers, A B, E and C equidistant from each corner. F, M, H, and K are each 10 metres from the nearest corner. This test is attached as 2 documents, both the written description sheet (1 page) and diagrams (1 page).

Photographs will be taken at event by a nominated photographer and put on the Cavalier Centre’s  website/Facebook page; and may be used in a future Cavalier Centre/RDA Newsletter as well as to  promote carriage driving for individuals with disabilities through the Carriage Driving Sport Groups (drivers with disabilities). Please indicate on entry form if you do not wish your photograph to be taken.

  • Entries are £15 per competitor (for the 2 phases).
  • ENTRIES CLOSE 8th April 2023
  • Please complete the online entry form and make payment by BACS – details on entry form.
  • Dressage times will be emailed to the Group Organiser.

We look forward to welcoming everyone and hope you all have a wonderful day!

In memory of Neil Jackson

We are hugely grateful to Shropshire Squash Club who donated £450 in memory of Neil Jackson whose granddaughter Blossom is a longstanding group member, rider and vaulter. Pictured vaulting on Sion the pony is Blossom with Rebecca and Annabel.

Rachel is receiving the cheque on behalf of the Cavalier Centre from Tracey of Shropshire Squash Club, Neil’s daughter Helen, granddaughter Blossom and wife Jennifer.

 

Congratulations to our STEPS participants!

We have just completed another successful STEPS Wellbeing & Confidence Building Programme, which is funded by Reaching Communities – National Lottery.  This time around we worked with 12 participants during the 8 week programme where they all enjoyed learning about our ponies, the centre, RDA, horse care and wellbeing. Also between them they have completed a total of 23 RDA Online Horse Care Qualifications.

To celebrate completion we gathered together the steps participants with their friends and families and also invited local organisations by holding a festive event with horse riding lessons in the main arena.  This was accompanied with festive music, homemade bakes, mince pies and lots of hot drinks to keep everyone warm!  Check out the photos to see what we they have been up too.

Cavalier Christmas

As we head towards Christmas, we’re very aware of the multiple competing events and priorities everyone has. That’s why this year, we’ve decided NOT to hold a Christmas event on Saturday 17th December, and instead have a celebratory week instead.

So from next week, for all the sessions, there will be mince pies and cake, as well as hot drinks available for everyone to enjoy. You’ll be able to make Christmas wishes and attach them to our tree, give carrots to your favourite horses and more. And don’t forget there will be raffle tickets for sale in case you want to win a Christmas hamper.

We stop regular sessions from Monday 19th December, but until then, we look forward to seeing you and celebrating the festive season!

Raffle to win amazing Christmas Hampers!

Have you picked up your raffle tickets to win one of THREE incredible prizes? The first is a Christmas Food, Wine and Cake Hamper, the second prize is a Warm and Cosy Hamper and the third is pies from Ryans of Much Wenlock.

Tickets are £1.00 each and available from the Cavalier Centre. The draw takes place on December 17th, so don’t delay. You’ve got to be in it, to win it!

All proceeds will go towards replacing riding hats that need to be retired due to updated safety legislation.

Save the date – events for 2023 (so far…)

We wanted to let you know about some forthcoming dates in 2023, so you can put them on your calendars. They are:

January 11th, 2023 at 6:00pm

A talk about the Retraining of Racehorses – information at https://www.ror.org.uk/training/63488

February 11th, 2023

Side saddle clinic on the mechanical horse – information either by Facebook message “Rachael Forkings Side Saddle Instructor” or her email [email protected]

March 18th, 2023

Volunteer thank you – information to follow

March 2023

There’s going to be an online auction in aid of the Cavalier Centre. Please get in touch if you can donate an experience or prize.

April 13th, 2023

Dressage to music with Nick Lawson – information to follow

 

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