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. 

Chief Reporter

Hello, my name is Chief and I have some very important news to report!

After using the indoor riding school for almost six years, our arena surface now needs to be replaced. And this means we are going to have to start raising funds to pay for it...

so thankfully we have two RDA riders, Chloe and Emilie Wyatt, to help us!

Chloe, aged 11, and Emilie, aged 6, started riding three years ago.

Over the years, they have ridden many different ponies and entered lots of competitions...

Emilie proudly holds up her rosette

Chloe with Dez

Chloe wears her red rosette with pride 

and between them, they have won many rosettes.

The girls receive their rosettes from Cllr. Valerie Tyler

Chloe rode me when she started showjumping on the lead rein...

Chloe on Chief

Chloe on Chico

but now she can canter and jump independently.

Chloe on Chief

 And Emilie now rides much bigger ponies too.

Emilie on Midnight

Their mum, Diane, said that riding at the centre "has given Chloe the confidence and ability to compete at national level and find her voice in a world she usually finds overwhelming. For Emilie, the therapeutic impact of horse riding not only relaxes her, but has massively improved her fitness and core strength".

The girls want to help raise money for our new arena surface through fundraising at school events, and with their name a bear competition. They have also set up a 'Go Fund Me' page for people who would like to help them with their RDA challenge.

If you would like to make a donation, please click on the link below.

www.gofundme.com/t4gbpg

It will make all the ponies, and their hooves, very happy!




Many thanks to Diane for providing the pictures in this post of her lovely girls.