New School Term Starts

Hello, my name is Humphrey and I am a 16.2hh Irish Draught gelding. I arrived at the centre in July and am settling in very well. We have had a very busy summer which started with two of the ponies going to Hartpury for the RDA National Championships.

Group Chairman, Malcolm Haigh, transported Midnight and Rusty in a horsebox on the long journey down south. Sophie, Emily and Laura went too and did a very good job of turning the ponies out to a very high standard and helping the riders achieve in their classes.

Team Pegasus

Junior rider Kaelin Fairgrieve was placed 6th in her Dressage class and Joshua Benkhabeb-House was 4th in his Dressage class and 5th in the Countryside Challenge Competition. This was their first time competing at the RDA Nationals and both did really well to be placed at such a huge event. 

Derek on Midnight with Sophie

Our two adult riders Derek Cleminson and Elizabeth Cockburn were placed 1st and 2nd respectively in the Championship Countryside Challenge class. Derek was also placed 5th in his Dressage class.

Derek was delighted to receive his trophy from RDA National Chairman Sam Orde

After the excitement at the National Championships, we then had more fun by organising a Teddy Bears Picnic for our younger riders.

Hannah and Megan brought their teddies

Storyteller Jim Grant shared his Northumbrian tales with the children

The children had a teddy bear race

The weather did not spoil the children's enjoyment. There were lot's of games and Jim Grant came along to tell his stories https://storytellerjim.wordpress.com/

Our young volunteers enjoyed the bouncy castle

Casper the pony showed off his jumping skills

There was a bouncy castle and Casper the stunt pony came to entertain the children too...

and face painter Chimera did a brilliant job of painting a mask on RDA rider Oliver Crawshaw, pictured above.

In other news, the centre held an XLVets Equine Skills workshop on ‘Understanding the Horse’s Back’ with Gillian Higgins from http://www.horsesinsideout.com/ and experienced vets Ed Chinn and Colin Walker of Alnorthumbria Vets. If you would like to read more information about this, please click on the link above.

Mano, Laura's pony, got painted for the workshop

A group of children came along to the centre in August from  http://www.usefulvision.org.uk/ for a morning of riding and pony care.

Domino enjoyed getting groomed by children from Usful Vision

The girls had a riding lesson after learning pony care

At the end of the holidays we held a clear round jumping competition which our riders and ponies really enjoyed.

Robyn on Chief

Chloe on Chief

Chloe received a rosette from Sam

And throughout the summer, sisters Chloe and Emilie have been doing a brilliant job raising funds for our new arena surface. Well done girls!

RDA trustee Malcolm helped Emilie raise funds

If you would like to support Morpeth RDA Group and help us continue to do the great work that we do, you can make a donation by visiting our website http://thepegasuscentre.org.uk/


After a busy summer we are now excited to be starting a new school term...

and as the new horse, I am really looking forward to meeting all our riders!

End of School Term

Hello, my name is Rolo. I have just joined the team of ponies at the Pegasus Centre and am pleased to be given this opportunity to report on news of the last school term.

Amy has grown in confidence and now rides one of the bigger ponies as her balance has improved so much.

Amy on Domino, with Chairman, Malcolm Haigh

Emilie achieved Grade 2 Riding in her Proficiency test along with other children...

Emilie receives her certificate from Lead Coach, Sam Orde

who showed they could name parts of the pony and tack to receive their Proficiency badges and certificates for Horse Care.

Thomas shows his leader that he can identify parts of the tack

Sam and the children give a thumbs up

Adnan looks at his certificate with Malcolm

Rhys is very happy to receive his certificate

Sam received a lovely letter from the children with a very large packet of biscuits to share with the volunteers.

We are given carrots as chocolate chip cookies are not very good for us!

As the weather has been warm we have had many rides out around the farm.

All the riders have had a very enjoyable term and we are looking forward to seeing them return in September...

But before then Rusty and Midnight are going to the RDA National Championships this weekend. We wish them, and all the RDA riders who are going to Hartpury, the very best of luck...

Derek hopes to do well on Midnight at the RDA National Championships

and hope they have a lot of fun!

There will be fun and games too at our fundraising Teddy Bears Picnic on July 25th between 11am and 3pm. Attractions include a bouncy castle, face painting, name the bear competition and Jim Grant is coming along to tell stories to the children...

also Casper the stunt pony will be making an appearance (I am not sure why our ponies were not asked to perform as we can do stunts too!).

Casper shows off his stunts to the Pony Club Team

It will be a great day out for all the family so please come and support us!

We hope you all have a wonderful summer holiday and when you next look in the office...

O'Malley will have grown even bigger!
    

Spring to Summer

Hello, it is my turn to report on what has been a very busy time for the ponies.

Magic

We had a very successful open day at the centre in May.
I joined Midnight, Robbie and my best friend George in a drill ride. Emily mixed some music together and instructed the volunteers on how to teach us to learn the demonstration.

From left: Kirsten on Magic, Ellie on Midnight & Scott on George

Lily on Robbie

Scott on George leading the drill ride 

Circling to music

Some of our RDA riders had a chance to show off their skills too.

Gayle on Lucca

There was a demonstration by Para Dressage rider, Gayle Bloomfield on her new horse Lucca...  

Gayle demonstrates dressage moves on Lucca

Louise on Ralph

and Louise Fox rode her horse, Ralph, to music.

From left: Louise on Ralph & Gayle on Lucca

In the conference room, there was a table top sale, raffle and cake stall.

Morpeth RDA Group Chairman Malcolm Haigh enjoying tea & cake

It was a fun day, and we had brilliant support from everyone. Thank you!

During half term, a group of children from Useful Vision came to the centre. This is a charity that provides events for visually impaired children and their families in the North East  www.usefulvision.org.uk

Volunteers help Monty's rider to hold her reins

Gilly and his rider wait to hear a 'beep-beep' before moving on

They all had a fun day too!

Last weekend was Belsay Horse Trials, who kindly chose to support us again this year.

We had an event tent which stayed up despite the windy conditions...

Emily leads a rider on Magic   

and I was there with Domino, Midnight and Rusty to raise funds by giving pony rides.

I loved being at Belsay...

they have the best grass!

Finally, the latest news is that we have a new addition at the Pegasus Centre. And it is not a pony...

it is a very tiny kitten called O'Malley...

who belongs to Sophie and Emily. Sadly O'Malley has no mother, so Sophie is bottle feeding him and hopefully he will grow to be a big strong cat.

But at the moment he is still small enough to sleep inside Emily's shirt collar!

North Region Championships

Hello again! 

Midnight

I am pleased to be reporting on the success of our brilliant RDA riders at the North Region Championships earlier this month.

The day got off to an early start for staff and volunteers who had to make us look very smart for the competition.

Magic with volunteers Lily and Kirsten

I travelled in the big horse box with Magic and Gilly...

and Domino went with Rusty in the horse trailer.

It was raining when we arrived at Blackdyke in Cumbria. However, it did not dampen the spirits of the thirteen RDA riders who had come along to compete in Dressage and Countryside Challenge classes.

Ryan on Domino

Ryan Gillespie, riding Domino, was placed first in the independent dressage class and is a Championship qualifier. Derek Clemenson, who rode me, also qualified in the senior class for the Countryside Challenge.

Laura with Daniel on Rusty. Derek is behind on Midnight 

Daniel Hayton rode Rusty and came third in the Countryside Challenge.

Daniel on Rusty with (from left), Sam Orde and Laura Winter

Daniel on Rusty competing in Countryside Challenge

And the youngest rider to compete was 3 year old Connor Bamborough. He rode Gilly in Test 2 Novice Dressage and was placed joint third with Oliver Crawshaw, who also rode Gilly. Both young riders were amazing!

Connor on Gilly with (from left), Sophie, Lily and Kirsten

Connor receives a letter to post on the Countryside Challenge course

 

Riders, parents, family and friends all had a wonderful day...

 A very happy Connor holding his rosette

Daniel was delighted to be placed third in his class

Proud mum Lisa looks on as Ryan receives three rosettes

Big smiles from Connor and his mum Lindsey

and so did our fantastic team of staff and young volunteers.

Connor with Kirsten, Lily and Chloe

Every rider received a rosette and six riders from our group achieved the qualification level for the RDA National Championships in July. Congratulations to everyone!


It was a great day despite three small incidents which were all pony related...

1) Gilly and Magic succumbed to the lush green grass and shiny red apples on the Countryside Challenge course. This is understandable, but definitely not acceptable behaviour when competing.


2) Sam had to endure Magic's great big hoof on her toes until his rider completed the task of opening a gate on the course. This is never acceptable behaviour under any circumstances (and especially when the toes belong to the RDA National Chairman!)

3) Domino tried to steal hay from Rusty's net on the return journey to Northumberland.  This is not only unacceptable behaviour, it is totally unforgivable!


Of course as I am a mare, I behaved like a perfect lady, and am sure to have secured my place again at the National Championships in Hartpury!

Midnight at Hartpury in 2014

For full results of all the riders who competed from Morpeth RDA Group please visit our website for details www.thepegasuscentre.org.uk 


Many thanks to Lindsey, Lisa, Brenda and Martin for providing pictures for this post.