DRESSAGE DAYS.
DRESSAGE DAYS Q&A MEET DUNCAN WHITNEY-GROOM As founder of Optimum Event Management, Duncan WhitneyGroom is the driving force behind BD competition days at Easton College in Norfolk, Martley Hall Stud in Suffolk and later this year, Wix Equestrian Centre in Essex. With many years of experience in the industry as both a rider and organiser, Duncan’s ethos is that attention to detail is key to ensuring that riders and officials alike have an efficient and enjoyable competition experience. We caught up with Duncan, who lives with his partner near Stowmarket in Suffolk.
DESCRIBE YOUR EARLY EQUESTRIAN LIFE. I started riding relatively late having had lessons when I was much younger and not really enjoying it. My parents always supported my sister, brother and me in everything we wanted to try; when I was in my late teens, my brother and I became extremely interested in riding and it too off rom there. I enrolled onto a one-year BHSAI course at Moulton College where I completed with a Distinction. I secured a working pupil position at a mixed yard in the Cotswolds. It was a antastic o ortunity but a huge learning curve and I really started to grow up. That was where I fi rst met Carl ester who d been a u il there a ew years reviously. I was offered a osition in the as rider groom or one o their to event riders, then when I came bac to the went to wor or Carl at his yard in Stow-on-theold. A ter a season with him and having com eted and finished top ten at the Nationals, I moved to ady am ord s at ayles ord. For three years I evented be ore being offered a ob at the awrence David Event Team alongside Jeanette Brakewell.
DO YOU STILL RIDE NOW? Yes, I continue to ride. I have a lovely eight-year-old Thoroughbred mare which I m currently retraining. I m ortunate to be able to ee her at home along with her miniature Shetland companion.
HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED IN THE ORGANISATION OF DRESSAGE EVENTS? I decided that although equestrian sport is a huge passion o mine, I didn t have the same competitive drive as I once did. I didn t want to leave the industry though, so loo ed or a osition which gave me the opportunity to organise competitions and training clinics. I secured the role o Competitions and Events Manager at Merrist Wood College in Surrey; I remember having two gruelling panel interviews or the osition. It was there that I embarked on the organisation o and a liated com etitions alongside everything else we offered. hen the o ortunity to bid or inter Regionals cropped up, I jumped
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at it and the venue has continued to host them ever since. A ter many en oyable years at Merrist Wood, I set up Optimum Event Management in 2013. I wanted to do what I enjoy but with the added e ibility and sco e o being able to do it anywhere.
they ace. I always send emails detailing im ortant in ormation to help them plan their day, but now that in ormation is a lot more lengthy.
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CHALLENGES OF LOCKDOWN?
I ve had a antastic res onse rom competitors. The measures put in place to help protect everyone have been greatly welcomed and everyone has been abiding by the rules. I think the overwhelming response is that people are thrilled to be able to get out again and enjoy their horses, take part in competitions and slowly be making steps back in the right direction.
The only challenge was being unable to organise anything or so many months, es ecially when we were unsure how long lockdown was likely to last; so there was no date we could start wor ing towards. hen you re used to being busy and planning or com etitions scheduled on a weekly basis, to have everything ut on hold with immediate effect came as a big shock. We did slowly ada t to a uieter li e, but I m leased to be able to crack on again.
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL COMPETITION DAY CURRENTLY LOOK LIKE? ight now, it s most im ortant to manage people rather than the com etition itsel . ore than ever, com etitors and o cials need to be aware o social distancing protocols way ahead o setting out on their ourney to a venue. When they arrive, there are then no issues and they eel sa e and well re ared or what
HOW ARE COMPETITORS RESPONDING TO THE PROTOCOLS?
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE COMPETITION-DAY ANECDOTE? There are many, but I think the unniest must be when an inexperienced writer handed some score sheets over, at the to o the sheet where it as s or udge s osition, they d written sitting nce I d com osed mysel , I managed to oint out they probably just needed to put the letter C in that s ace.
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN THREE WORDS ynamic, ro essional and ambitious.
