Riding Jane Paterson

from Issue 6 - Volume 18 - Mendip Times

Property

It’s all going on with horses for courses . . .

AUTUMN is here. Misty chilly mornings, falling leaves, and glorious light in the late afternoons before we get the horses in. Any minute now the clocks will go back and we will be wearing our head torches again. Oh no!

But there’s a lot going on and more to look forward to. Team Ditcheat down at Paul Nicholls’s yard must surely have been celebrating after the first of the season’s Chepstow jump meetings.

Three great wins for jockey Harry Cobden will have given Paul’s campaign for a 14th National Hunt Trainer Championship a cracking start. We wish him all the best for another fantastic year.

Local Hunter Trials are in full swing. Lots of our local riders were at Mendip Plains competing as individuals, in pairs, and in teams. It was an exciting day in beautiful sunshine.

Dido Harding and her daughter Emma Penrose from Winscombe produced a lovely clear run in the nearest to the optimum time to secure first place in the teams event; Samantha Busbridge was 4th in the 80cm. class, and Frankie Drury came 8th in the 70cm.

Many more local riders went clear, including Safia Woodward, also Jason Hobbs and Tom Sloper out with their young horses from Ham Farm Yatton. All did well but it’s only those who get nearest to the optimum time who get the rosettes.

However, to get round without any refusals or run outs is an achievement in itself, so there were plenty more who went home happy, and some who will work on what went wrong to get it right next time.

The event was a qualifier for the Eland Lodge National Hunter Trial Championships, so the first three in each class will be qualified to enter that in 2023 at Eland Lodge near Derby.

This year, Izzy Penfold and William Falango, both ten-year-olds from Mendip Farmers Pony Club, qualified for the 2022 final in the 70cm class in the national championships, and travelled up together with their mums.

With JANE PATERSON

Both were very excited and certainly William had also been a bit apprehensive in the run-up, so even a fortnight beforehand it was not at all certain that he would be able to hold it together and manage to complete the course.

But conquer his nerves he did, and rode a lovely fluent round almost bang on the optimum time, winning first prize out of 81 competitors! Everyone was ecstatic and speechless, then laughing because Izzy, who had also ridden an amazing clear round, was a whole minute too fast!

William won £60 in vouchers to spend at the tack shop, as well as a rug for Just be Jack, a lovely sash, rosette, and other bags of goodies to take home. Definitely worth the trip, William and Jack are already honing their skills ready to try for the 80cm. class next year.

They were off to a good start with a steady clear round at Mendip Plains, confidence restored. Izzy and Eclipse will try to slow down just a little, and will no doubt be joining them for another go.

William and Just be Jack, proud champions William on the winning round

A happy atmosphere at Divoky Riding School

DESPITE reports of riding schools up and down the country having to close down for all sorts of reasons, the Divoky Riding School near Shepton Mallet is thriving, with 25 horses in residence, including the little Shetland pony. The indomitable Pat Bishop, with the help of her very devoted staff, runs classes for all abilities. Ages at the moment range from around five to adult, to quite old! Claire and Nobby at Divoky Classes include the popular Pony Stars scheme and the Changing Lives programme, both helping to keep young people busy and active whilst learning valuable skills not just in riding, but also in building confidence, increasing knowledge about the environment and learning how to socialise with other people and make friends.

It’s a really happy atmosphere at Divoky, with everyone being there because of a shared love of horses. Everyone can learn at their own pace, there is no pressure, and that seems more important than ever these days with all the outside influences which bear down on young people.

At Divoky they can just be themselves. It’s relaxing and friendly. I decided to join a session on Coffee Club morning to see at firsthand what goes on. I thought I had hung up my hat and jodhpurs for good a few years ago when I fell off the mounting block at home, getting on my grandson’s whizzy pony in a high wind with my enthusiastic daughter saying: “Come on mum, we’ll just take them round the block.”

But once at the Coffee Club morning, with Holly saying “Do you want to borrow a hat?” I found myself feeling quite excited at the thought of another chance to be in the saddle.

There were only two of us as it turned out, so it wasn’t too intimidating and Holly was very encouraging, so after grooming and tacking up I was duly launched into position atop a very willing cob called Tommy, with my seasoned class mate Claire on a Shire cross horse called Nobby, who amazed me with his athleticism and agility, flying round a course of poles and looking the business.

Holly is a fantastic teacher, so if anyone out there is hesitating… don’t. You will be fine. Claire and Nobby had more stamina than me, but I enjoyed my lesson before heading back to the barn to take the tack off and go for a cuppa and a chat before heading home.

What a lovely morning. Leave all your troubles at home and go and do something different. It’s so good for the soul.

An award-winning riding school in the heart of Mendip

CHRISTMAS IS COMING!

H Help your loved one take up a new sport or continue to enjoy riding with a gift voucher H Email us at: info@divoky.co.uk and we will organise a voucher to any value H Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries or just to say YOU CARE!

Riding Club Sessions for adults of all abilities: £60

Mondays: H 5pm and 6pm: flatwork and jumping according to the group you choose H 5.30pm: riding for fun. An hour in the saddle in the school with a different theme each week. A fun group for those who just want to ride without the structure of a lesson (coaching help always available) Tuesdays: H 4.45-5.30pm: Jump Club ursdays: H 5.30-6.30pm: Dressage Club Fridays: H 5.30-6.30pm: Riding Club (a mix of flatwork and jumping) H Hacking available most days and times during the week.

Divoky Riding School, Manor Farm, Downhead, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 4LG www.divoky.co.uk • Email: info@divoky.co.uk T: 01749 880233 • M: 07971 207037

Thumbs up for festival ride

DOZENS of horseriders took to the home of the Glastonbury Festival for the return of the Festival Ride, organised by Mendip Bridleways and Byways Association.

With a choice of a nine or 11-mile route over farmland, tracks and bridleways, the riders were joined by a number of people on foot or on bikes.