Driving on the marathon - the Ashfields water splash

Anne Clarke, project manager for the British Horse Driving Trials Association’s scheme to get more people involved in horse driving trials, reported a very good response by the closing date, 11 January.

“Ashfields Carriage Driving Centre’s places are full in Essex and there are betweem eight and 14 places still remaining at the other three centres, Bennington Carriages at Newark, Adlington in Cheshire and Mark Broadbent’s Fenix Carriages centre in Devon.”

This new initiative was made possible by the then Marketing Director of the BHDTA Chris Hillman and a £30,000 grant from Sport England. 200 people over 18 will be selected, 50 at each regional centre, after a day of free introductory training. They will have the benefit of four more days of training over the following weeks costing £74 in total. Top UK drivers who wil be delivering the courses include Wilf Bowman-Ripley at Ashfields, Fenix Carriages’ Mark Broadbent and Sue Mart of Bennington Carriages supported by other UKcc coaches.

You can find out more from lucy@instinctivepr.co.uk

The horse driving trials indoor season has begun with strong support at Wix EC, near Manningtree, with drivers from 8 to 83 years young and all sizes of turnout enjoying the fun of this three-phase competition. This is the eleventh season and standards are high for in our midst is Chris Smith of Little Bromley, reigning National Indoor Horse Pairs Champion, driving new horses, and his 11-year-old daughter Grace, a Junior National Champion. Also competing is young Joshua Twitchen, eight, with one of his mother Danielle’s ponies, while Danielle showed us all how to drive four ponies smoothly round the course when she puts her team together. Husband Dan grooms – on the backstep of the carriage – as does father-in-law Barry, making it a real family occasion. Danielle is current Reserve Champion Pony Four-in-hand Driver indoors. Jenifer Barker-Simson of Braintree is our sporting octogenarian with the sparky Welsh D Leswick Lil.
Wix holds six events between October and March, five of them qualifiers for the National Indoor Finals at Keysoe, Beds, 30 March – 1 April. The 31 December event was a fun “world cup”, modelled on the popular continental four-in-hand competition with a course of cones and two obstacles together, which requires skill and speed. “World Champion” was 13-year-old Nadia Hughes, Clacton, with her new New Forest pony Dandy, winning the junior class and beating open pony winner Fiona Powell with Cheverellfield National Secret by 30 seconds. National Reserve Indoor Champion Novice Horse Driver Chris Patrick and dashing grey Lusitano Salvador drove the fastest round but one ball down meant he conceded victory. Brian Burton’s 16-hand grey horses Cloudy and Jimmy won the multiples class against Tod Alexander’s pair. Janet Sycamore claimed the Small Pony prize with miniature Shetland Sydney.
Our next events are at Wix, 28 January, 19 February, 10 March. Please see www.indoordriving.co.uk for more details and the announcements forum for times or call 01473 735732.
Fiona Powell
East Anglia regional organiser, Indoor Horse Driving Trials Club

22 October: six new faces at Wix’s first indoor driving event this season had reason to grin at the end of the day. Thirty entries filled the list and the six first-timers ranged from juniors Joshua Twitchen, eight, driving one of his mother’s ponies, and Haydn Hughes, 11, Danni Claydon, 15, and “grown-ups” Kerry Slack, Lorna Ingram and Danny Millard. There were classes to suit everyone, from the club “starter” class to the championship qualifiers, from novice single pony and horse through open to multiples, which was dominated from the start by Danielle Twitchen (Joshua’s mum) with her pony four-in-hand.

Carriage driving is a sport where all the family can join in and there were three Bradfords, two Smiths, and three Hughes driving, sharing carriages, grooms or ponies, other members of the families joining in. “Scheduling can be a nightmare”, said organiser Fiona Powell, “but now most people enter online and note what they are sharing, so I try to give everyone time to change over and warm up. It’s competitive yet very friendly and we’ll all help each other.”

Everyone performs the same dressage test (called Precision and Paces or P&P), which is new each season. Some drivers threw away points with poor cornering and inaccurate figures however there were many pleasing performances. After the dressage test, a course of ten pairs of cones was laid out and all walked it to choose their best line. There were very mixed results here, as the score depends on hitting the optimum time and leaving the cones standing. Only junior Tor Bradford and Diana Irwin scored 1 penalty and rather too many drivers had scores in double figures. When everyone has driven the cones course, two obstacles – like mad roadworks barriers – were laid out and everyone walked them to learn their best routes. Then the obstacles are driven twice against the clock.

The juniors stole the day with Tor Bradford (15) winning their class with Templedruid Ginga and just 142.2 penalties, chased by Grace Smith (11) and Pickle. Chris Patrick and his Lusitano Salvador overtook Jill Wood’s Appaloosa Kaz to win the open horse class (159.6). In the open pony class, Sammy Moncur and coloured cob Patsy chased eventual winner Harriet Bradford (162.7) rather too hard, and ended second. Novice horse driver Goldie Francis kept us on the edge of our seats as she and young contender Emma Clayden spun round the obstacles but Emma took the red rosette by 0.7 penalties (178.8). Kerry Slack driving Amanda Wells’ pony Jazz took the club class first time out with 197.2 penalties. Danielle’s team was a joy to watch, smoothly flowing and astonishingly accurate in all three phases and she won the multiples turnout on 180.4 against Nina Snow’s pony pair and two horse pairs in a thrilling finish. Rosettes, kindly sponsored by Tay-Dal Surfacing Ltd, were presented at the end along with vouchers from Kingdon Chiropractic to the class winners. Joshua Twitchen summed up his day as “…better than birthday and Christmas presents.”

Our next event is Sunday, 11 December, from 9 am. It’s free to watch: there’s a nice warm café and a good animal feed cash and carry shop on site so why not drop in and see what it’s all about?

See www.indoordriving.co.uk for more details or call 01473 735732.

This was a lovely “proper” country show and I commend it to you. It’s small yet perfectly formed, just 250 yards from Bakewell town centre, with a lovely friendly atmosphere and almost every class of traditional farm animal on show. The new hearse class was a big draw and caused bemused interest to (some of) the crowd, those near me not quite believing they were seeing genuine commercial vehicles still in use – although all shown were reproductions, I understand. Private driving and the light trade classes were very well attended with a high standard of turnout. The heavy horses were there, too, in harness and in hand. Chariots of Fire gave a very engaging display at lunchtime which the crowd loved, Amanda Saville flying over flaming jumps, skipping over people (volunteers from the crowd!) and driving a tandem and pair, the tandem in front of the pair, and a cow… “Don’t try this at home!”

East Anglian Carriage Driving Group holds its club event on the weekend of the three-day national competition, by kind permission of Her Majesty the Queen. Who knows, next year he could be driving at the national himself.

Where else can you see over 120 carriages and over 200 horses and ponies – singles, pairs, teams and tandems, from Shetlands to Gelderlanders? Drivers to spot included World Champion Boyd Exell, former national champions Georgina Hunt, Wilf Bowman-Ripley, Pippa and Karen Bassett, George Bowman, Anna Grayston, Alan Clarke and others rising through the ranks like locals Harriet Bradford, Charlotte Snow and Amy Last. This was a selection event for September’s World Combined Pony Championships in Slovenia so every point counted for the pony drivers involved and there were some exciting hair’s-breadth wins. Best harness and carriages sparkled for the dressage on Friday, while everyone drove a scenic cross-country route and whizzed round the eight obstacles in Saturday’s marathon. These “obstacles” are permanent post-and rails arrangements through which drivers are timed. Routes can be sweeping and easier or tight and technical, the drivers and their grooms/navigators having to memorise the “gates”, labelled A to F, and drive through them in the correct order and as fast as possible. Sunday’s cones driving competition followed which, as in a three-day ridden event, proves flexibility, obedience, speed and accuracy after the physical challenge of the marathon.

Driving his horses as if on silken reins, Boyd Exell was the overall national event champion with one of only two clear rounds in the cones, the other going to novice pony driver Kim Usher.

EACDG drivers performed their dressage and cones on Saturday and drove six obstacles on Sunday. Club drivers can test themselves against the national drivers in the obstacles: was I faster than Boyd? How quick was I compared with national drivers in my class? Sandringham’s a stepping stone for those wishing to move up to national level and is a satisfying experience, given favourable weather, for everyone involved.

It’s free for spectators. Put next year’s Sandringham event in your diary – 22-24 June 2012. Meanwhile visit the EACDG Championships at Ashfields, near Dunmow, 17-18 September 2011, and see our thrilling obstacle driving on Sunday. See www.eacdg.co.uk or call 01473 735732 to find out more.

A few of the drivers – and helpers

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It got hotter and hotter – the sun, the heat, the competition, the mustard in the stewards’ delicious Elveden sandwiches… Lord and Lady Iveagh kindly invited us to use the facilities at Elveden Estate on Saturday for training with Wilf Bowman-Ripley and Sarah-Jane Williams and for a one-day, three-phase competition on Sunday. I don’t know what the arrangement is at Elveden but so far the weather gods have looked on us favourably and the sandy sloping grassland is hoof-friendly and not too hilly for our first outing en plein air this season. Such a huge entry meant that we’d changed the schedule from three obstacles driven twice to four different obstacles (driven once), but I heard not one squeak of complaint. We hate turning people away – but early entries make life a lot easier for us (hint!).

Harry Luff, Technical Delegate,and the staff of Elveden had been working hard to set up road signs, lay out the arenas and dress the obstacles for many days before and it was bliss to turn up and find the marquee up and everything beautifully prepared. David Taylor set out the cones course and Harry Luff found the club’s lovely big numbers and laid those out, too, so even I could see where I was going. It all looked Very Professional.

About half the entry (out of 47, yes, 47!) have been competing indoors so ponies and horses were generally pretty fit and everyone was keen. The night was cold for those who stayed over (especially those who left a window open) and the gas for the catering urn froze but the frost soon disappeared and the day warmed while a persistent breeze kept the horses cool.

John Attenborough and Heather Davenport, Micheal Cooper and Rachel Gallyon judged the dressage, which we limited (almost) to just two tests, 1a and pre-novice, to keep the event simple to organise. We ran two dressage arenas and people went straight to the cones course after dressage. Harry gave a short technical briefing at 1 o’clock and the action-packed afternoon began at 2, with a 7.2kms-section E.

Diana Irwin and her sparkling new dapple grey mare Bella scored the best dressage, 43.6, Amy Last and Cardi 45.6, and Ben Grose 47.6, open horse, open pony and open horse classes respectively. Double-clear cones rounds went to Deirdre Luff, Ginny White (open pony), Diana Irwin, Chris Patrick (pre-novice horse class, in his first event outdoors – but don’t be fooled, Chris is National Reserve Champion in the novice horse class indoors) and a delighted Graham Cooper.

The obstacles had been flagged quite simply and drove sweetly. They were only 200m from the stable field so we all walked them lots of times and enjoyed a good view.

Quickest marathon belonged to open pony driver Amy Last, 28.06 in a class of 10 and Amy ended on 74.19, the day’s overall winner. Louise Garget was very pleased with Kirsty’s third place in the 11-strong open pony class, Anna Goodrum returning to her place on Louise’s Bennington’s backstep. Deirdre Luff ended second and Ginny White fourth. Liz Harcombe, newly promoted from novice class, was unfortunately eliminated and, sadly, had some time faults in the cones as friend Amy had not mentioned the course speed… Jenifer Barker-Simson, icon of East Anglian driving, enjoyed the marathon only with Leyeswick Lil and new friend Boyd Coote backstepping. It was good to see new and new-ish ponies out with Roger and Jackie Driver, Sandra Cook and Janet and Derek Seaman.

Although alone in her class, Barbara Kingsley-Monks had a lovely time with her pony pair while Linda Hill’s Shetland’s just kept in front of Veronica Zwetsloot’s Section A’s in the small pony class.

Among the novice pony drivers Katy Garrett topped Alison Tyas – just – with only 0.15 penalties between them in the marathon, but Katy’s better dressage kept Ziggy ahead. Cathy Gilbert followed then Caroline De Rienzo, Rachel Horton and a delighted Carolyn Bartlett, a welcome “returner”. Margaret Wooding had an unlucky accident in the stable before the event started and withdrew: our best wishes for a speedy recovery go to her.

Another mighty battle was between 2010 pre-novice points league winner Lorna Ingram with Stig and Dean Shelton with new pony Sonic, Jo Shelton grooming, Dean’s mere 6 penalties in the cones keeping Sonic’s nose in front.

Just 3.14 penalties behind open horse winner Diana Irwin was speedy Jill Wood and even speedier Lyn Price was third. Then came the Midlands club regular Jan Grimble then Kelly Jeffery, Steph Richards with her “almost new” horse Tom and a happy Jane and Ben Smith (who are selling a beautifully re-sprayed and re-furbished 7.5 tonne lorry, if you are looking). Clare Iveagh’s HGV horsebox is also for sale: Annette Bond found scoring in there very convenient and strongly recommends its comforts.

Chris Patrick and Jess Hine are hooked, I hope, on outdoor competing as well as indoor, having had such a nice time. I hope that Caroline Parkin, also a keen indoor driver, will be able to join them this season as she had to withdraw this time.

Six novice horse drivers swapped their placings around until Graham Cooper topped the list, closely followed by Fiona Gordon-Clarke of Carriagehouse Insurance and Ian Clarke with ex-trotter Korsa. Unusually, Zoe Napier’s cones score let her down but it was tight at the top. Wendy and Brian Embleton came a companionable fourth and fifth and Yvonne Farmer was, sadly, shown the big E.

Pony tandem class was won by the colourful turnout of Tabitha and Steve King, with a new chestnut wheeler, and second was Martin Yemm and Christopher Bond with a flaxen-pointed new leader. Lone horse tandem driver David Taylor came in safely as did the two-and-a-half horse pairs Martin Wilson and Jacqui Clarke – and Daniel Naprous for obstacle 4.

Wilf Bowman-Ripley and Daniel Naprous of the Devil’s Horsemen took their teams round (most of) the course. Dressage began conventionally enough, then cones were no trouble, however Daniel re-engineered the front of his carriage on a post at obstacle three and was generously allowed to finish the course driving only his wheelers as his leaders were taken home for an early bath. No horses or people were damaged, fortunately. Clare Iveagh took her pony four-in-hand round the dressage and cones but decided to opt out of the obstacles.

The TD Harry Luff, course designer David Taylor, steward organiser Hilary Ray and her band of stewards and volunteers, the schedulers and paperwork organisers, the scorer – Annette Bond using Mike Watts’ new and improved driving trials scoring software – and score-collector Bill Page, paramedic Jon Nice, our judges and writers and the cones party as well as the staff at Elveden, Janet Sycamore for arranging the catering and the restaurant for providing sandwiches will, I hope, all glow with satisfaction at having contributed to making a memorable opening event for so many people at Elveden for our 2011 season. Thank you all!

You can read more about horse driving in Inharness magazine: subscribe now!

Tilly Trotter was driven by Jessie Bowling accompanied by her mother Kate, smart in tweeds as were first-timers Juliet and Richard Fishenden with son James with coloured cob Murphy. Diana Irwin brought her new beautiful new dapple grey mare, husband Tony in attendance. Ed Daniell drove the Friesians Abe and Bauke with a full house of friends, Mike Daniell drove a new tandem of grey ponies, Vanessa Francis brought Albie, and there were many more.

The sandy tracks and off-road driving offered an interesting variety of going and people could drive furhter or take short-cuts, as they pleased. Everyone enjoyed the tea and cakes provided by Eunice afterwards and all voted it a very enjoyable day.  Pictures to follow shortly…

Click to view slideshow.

No, it was Pippa Bassett – just!

More at www.carriagefair.co.uk Next year’s Fair is Sunday, 11 March, 2012.

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Phew! I’ll be glad when it’s Monday, with only a few hundred magazines to post!

Mark was scarcely fazed by having the doyenne of carriage driving, Sallie Walrond, in the audience, along with senior horse driving trials dressage judge Carol Mansfield (and your correspondent, hem, hem). How did he get into making carriages? His father was an engineer and he made one of Mark’s first carriages. Other drivers said, can you make me one? and away went the business – although it wasn’t always easy.

Mark’s distinguished driving career has so far covered almost every occasion – from showing and winning as a junior whip to competing successfully in horse driving trials at home and abroad, weddings and public demonstrations. Alongside these performances he was building his fabulous cocking cart, his “first” coach, and so much more… as well as the success of his wife Joanna with her horse Alex, and her new pony team. Mark’s favourite show for the coaching class is the Suffolk Show, where he’s won the class for the last three years.

Mark Broadbent drives Mr Paul Rackham's private drag.

Mark’s “after” photos of his new premises at Higher Hill Farm in Devon had many in the audience weak at the knees and desperate to visit. I won’t give away any more secrets: you’ll have to hear the stories from him. Why not invite him to your club?

Tip to take away: Always set yourself a target date for getting a new turnout together.

The Annual Tandem Club Meet is in Suffolk this year (Elveden, July 3) and there will be many taking that advice, methinks.

Thanks to the C&WSDC – and for the delicious fish and chip lunch with cakes you would not believe…

Find out more:

www.cwsdc.org.uk

www.fenixcarriages.co.uk