Active Magazine // March 2013

! takING up the reINs? E E Our extensive guide for those saddling up for the first time

FR

ISSUE 9 // MARCH 2013

STA M FOR D & RU T L A N D’S SPORT A N D L E I S U R E M AGA Z I N E

Get into golf!

ISSUE 9 // MARCH 2013

20 pAgE SpECiAl: how to start, how to improve, where to play and what to wear

plus

Stamford rugby A club with ambitious plans

Extended school sports section Cottesmore football stalwart Allan Westray

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1664 GPL-GLR Full Page Advert-Final_GPL-GLR Full Page Advert 19/02/2013 16:41 Page 1

Relax… and cycle?

Do you want to get back into cycling? We want people in Rutland to start enjoying Rutland again. Use the car less, be in the fresh air and be with the family. No Excuses!

Get Lost In Rutland is A New family business retailing everything for Walking, Cycling, Camping, and Golfing.

Go Geocaching with a Magellan handheld GPS device or a Sat Nav so hopefully you won’t get too lost in Rutland.

Get Lost in Rutland specialize in a power assisted electric bike. Experience a new way to travel in style without the stress.

Our clothing range includes: Bear Grylls, Regatta, Craghopper and Hi-tech walking boots and Bridgedale socks.

Got your interest yet?

Get Lost In Rutland are hosting a DEMO WEEKEND SAT AND SUN 16TH/17TH MARCH. Come and have a go on the bikes and see what you think. Promotion on the 20” folding bike and win a bottle of Champagne.

If biking isn’t your thing well what about walking or bird watching with Barska binoculars and Páramo clothing. We have equipment for all weather conditions.

Stay warm and dry without being too hot wearing Páramo directional clothing systems with Nikwax.

Find us: Rutland Village Rutland Garden Centre Ashwell Road Oakham

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Páramo technical clothing in stock!

For more information visit www.getlostinrutland.co.uk

Editor’s Letter OF ALL SPORTS, GOLF IS PROBABLY the one that can turn its participants into babbling wrecks more quickly than any other. There’s the putt that veers left when you were certain it was heading right, the brilliant tee shot that disappears for no fathomable reason (delinquent ball stealing rabbits?), the days when your driving has the unerring certainty of a cruise missile, but your putting has the touch of a drunken elephant, and the next day when the roles are inexplicably reversed.

But the great thing about golf is, when you are doing well, when you’ve hit a shot that matches the pros (for the laws of physics and anatomy suggest every now and again all the stars will align) you can luxuriate in your brilliance, striding down the fairway to your precisely deposited ball, pointing out to your playing partners how they lack your skills.

In most sports, that moment is gone in a few seconds and you’re being kicked again. Golf lets you enjoy your moment.

The thing is, all that time between shots also has the opposite effect. The pressure of bad shot after bad shot builds and builds, and there can be no escape.

But we celebrate the start of the golf season in this issue, because there are few things finer than being out with your mates on one of our excellent local courses on a beautiful, sunny day.

And if you haven’t played the game before, we have some top tips on how to start. Golf clubs aren’t the intimidating places you might think they are: they’re very keen for new members and will be happy to help you get started.

If golf really isn’t your thing, then what about horses? We’ve a guide to getting started on one of those, too. It’s that time of year, with the weather getting better, when we can finally come out of hibernation and start getting active again.

Enjoy the issue.

Thanks, Steve

Twitter // @theACTIVEmag Facebook // www.facebook.com/theACTIVEmag

Publisher Chris Meadows chris@theactivemag.com Editor Steve Moody steve@theactivemag.com Deputy Editor Rich Beach rich@theactivemag.com Production Editor Julian Kirk julian@theactivemag.com Art Editor Mark Sommer mark@theactivemag.com Contributors Martin Johnson, William Hetherington, Dean Cornish, Jon Tyrell, Alexa Cutteridge, Sandie Hurford, Jeremy Beswick, Julia Dungworth, Simon Cooper, Mike Warner Photographers Nico Morgan, Jonathan Clarke, Harry Measures Production Assistant Abigail Sharpe Advertising Sales Rachel Meadows rachel@theactivemag.com Paula Scott paula@theactivemag.com Jess Wade jess@theactivemag.com Ellie Wilson ellie@theactivemag.com Accounts Amy Roberts amy@theactivemag.com Active magazine, The Grey House, 3 Broad Street, Stamford, PE9 1PG. Tel: 01780 480789 If you have information on a club then get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com. If you would like to stock Active magazine then email distribution@ theactivemag.com. If you would like to discuss advertising possibilities please email advertise@theactivemag.com Printed in the UK by Warners Midlands plc. Active magazine is published 12 times per year on a monthly basis.

Distributed by Grassroots Publishing Ltd ISSN 2049-8713 A Grassroots Publishing Limited company. Registration company number 7994437. VAT number 152717318 Disclaimer Copyright (c) Grassroots Publishing Limited (GPL) 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from GPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of GPL or its affiliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, GPL and its affiliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws. GPL and its affiliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material.

Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.

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CONTENTS NEWS 11 I GET ‘RAT RUN’ FIT

Special training plan for entrants to Burghley event

12 I ON TWO WHEELS

A host of cycling-based events to choose from

Issue 9 /// March 2013

24

15 I FINAL PUSH FOR SKATEPARK

Will this Stamford facility finally get off the ground?

HEADS UP 16-17 I KITBAG

All the best gear and gadgets

19 I MARTIN JOHNSON

The Sunday Times writer on the tricks of the news trade

19

55

11

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FEATURES 20-23 I STAMFORD RUGBY CLUB

A focus on developing young players has given the club success both on and off the field

24-43 I GOLF SPECIAL

How to get started, where to play, what to wear and 10 top tips to make sure you get the most from your round

44-47 I HORSE RIDING

How to get involved, how much it costs, what you need, where to go... Julia Dungworth has all the answers

REGULARS 50-51 I GREAT WALKS

Will Hetherington and Ella go off the beaten track on the Stockerston triangle

53 I SPORTSMAN’S DINNER LF GO

Dean and JT head out of town to enjoy a meal at the Jackson Stops in Stretton

ACADEMY

55 I GREAT RUN

GOCLIAFL

Alexa Cutteridge offers up a Burghley Park-based run which will help you prepare for the Rat Race

SPE ISSU E

56-59 I SCHOOL SPORT

Our monthly focus on the latest achievements from pupils in schools across our region

ROUND UPS 60-65 I ROUND-UP

53

How clubs in the Stamford and Rutland area are getting on

66 I STALWART

Cottesmore AFC chairman Allan Westray

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In Play

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The love run The Stamford Striders’ 30k St Valentine run saw more than 700 runners turn out to take on the demanding rural route. It is the 20th year the race has been run.

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In Play

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Photography: Nico Morgan

Point-to-point begins The point-to-point season comes around again in March, and Garthorpe has two meetings this month on the 3rd and 24th. Ideal for a flutter and pint or two.

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Ocean Colour Scene to play at Dirty Weekend Top band to headline at post-event party

BUGGY FIT CLASSES You may already have heard of Buggy Fit in the newspapers – The Times described the national franchise as ‘the ultimate fitness class for mums and babies’.

Run by a huge network of personal trainers across the country, the class is now in Uppingham and Oakham.

Sessions are held on Thursday mornings: from 10-11am at the Bandstand on Cutts Close, Oakham; and 11.30-12.30pm by the playground on Uppingham Park.

A session costs just £2, which we think is a bargain for an hour of entertainment for your little ‘un, let alone the fitness class. // Contact Jenny on 07887 655379 or turn up on the day.

Muck Off

Get Training

The World’s Largest Assault Course

20 miles 200 obstacles

Enter Now at www.ratracedirtyweekend.com Save £10 off Solo Entry - Enter code: RatRaceHQ

Ratracedirtyweekend

ACTIVE10

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News

Your Rat Race training plan With two months until the Rat Race Dirty Weekend in Burghley Park, the organisers have devised this bespoke training plan to get you in shape for what promises to be a tough but enjoyabe weekend event

Training Planner Half Mucker Wk

From

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

1

Feb 18

CST 15min

Intervals

Rest

XT 45min

Rest

2

Feb 25

CST 15min

Blaster

Rest

XT 45min

3

Mar 4

CST 15min

Hills

Rest

XT 45min

4

Mar 11

CST 15min

Tempo

Rest

5

Mar 18

CST 15min

Intervals

Rest

Sat

Sun

Total*

LSR 8mile LSR

Rest

200min

Rest

LSR 9mile LSR

Rest

210min

Rest

LSR 10mile

Rest

220min

XT 40min

CST 15min

LSR 10mile

Rest

230min

XT 45min

CST 15min

LSR 11mile

Rest

245min

Rest

XT 50min

CST 15min

LSR 12mile

Rest

260min

6

Mar 25

CST 15min

Blaster

7

Apr 1

CST 15min

Hills

Rest

XT 55min

CST 15min

LSR 13.5mile

Rest

280min

8

Apr 8

CST 30min

Tempo

Rest

XT 60min

CST 15min

LSR 13.5mile

Rest

300min

9

Apr 15

CST 30min

Intervals

Rest

XT 60min

CST 15min

LSR 15mile

Rest

320min

10

Apr 22

CST 30min

Blaster

Rest

XT 75min

Rest

LSR 16.5mile

Rest

330min

11

Apr 29

CST 30min

Hills

Rest

XT 60min

Rest

LSR 12mile

Rest

285min

12

May 6

CST 30min

Easy run

Rest

XT 30min

Rest

Event Day!

Party!

120+?

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

*Assuming LSR at 10min/mile

Full Mucker Wk

From

Sun

Total*

1

Feb 18

CST 15min

Intervals

HIIT 15min

XT 45min

CST 15min

LSR 11mile

Rest

244min

2

Feb 25

CST 15min

Blaster

HIIT 15min

XT 50min

CST 15min

LSR 12mile

Rest

257min

3

Mar 4

CST 15min

Hills

HIIT 15min

XT 55min

CST 15min

LSR 13.5mile

Rest

270min

4

Mar 11

CST 30min

Tempo

HIIT 15min

XT 50min

CST 15min

LSR 13.5mile

Rest

285min

5

Mar 18

CST 30min

Intervals

HIIT 15min

XT 60min

CST 15min

LSR 15mile

Rest

308min

6

Mar 25

CST 30min

Blaster

HIIT 15min

XT 70min

CST 15min

LSR 16.5mile

Rest

330min 348min

7

Apr 1

CST 45min

Hills

HIIT 15min

XT 60min

CST 15min

LSR 18mile

Rest

8

Apr 8

CST 45min

Tempo

HIIT 15min

XT 75min

CST 15min

LSR 18mile

Rest

363min

9

Apr 15

CST 45min

Intervals

HIIT 15min

XT 75min

CST 15min

LSR 20mile

Rest

380min

10

Apr 22

CST 45min

Blaster

HIIT 15min

XT 75min

CST 15min

LSR 22mile

Rest

397min

11

Apr 29

CST 45min

Hills

Rest

XT 60min

Rest

LSR 13.5mile

Rest

280min

CST 30min

Easy run

Rest

XT 30min

Rest

Event Day!

Party!

120+?

12

May 6

*Assuming LSR at 8:30min/mile

Key

to what will be your “stop” location. Rest for 1 min, then run hard back to the “start” to try and KEY match the time. Rest for 1 min. Pace yourself to repeat for 30mins. Easy 15min run to warm down.

General Training CST: Core Stability Training: exercises focusing on the control of the torso, such as Parkour, Yoga, Tempo: 15 min warm-up run, straight into the fastest pace you can maintain for 30 mins. Easy Pilates or balance/resistance exercises.

15min warm-down run.such as Parkour, Yoga, Pilates or balance/resistance Core Stability Training. Exercises focusing on the control of the torso muscles, XT: “Cross”CST: Training. Any other non-running, or non-core specific exercise. Must include periods of Blaster: 15 min warm-up run. 30secs of hard cardio drills (such as press-ups, burpees, pull-ups, exercises using own-body or freeweights. high intensity activity. crunches, lunges, tuck jumps, standing sprints etc) then 2ó min easy running. Repeat for 30 LSR: Long Steady Run. Can include walk intervals, but you must be able to make the distance. minutes. Easy 15min run.

XT: “Cross” Training. Any other non-running, or non-core specific exercise.

Such aswarm-down cycling, rowing, racket sports, swimming, martial arts, HIIT: High Intensity Interval Training. 3 min warm up, 60secs intensive cardio exercise (eg burpees, ball sports, climbing, gym classes. Must include periods of high intensity activity. press-up variations, box jumps, etc), 75 secs rest. Repeat 10 cycles.

PLEASE NOTE: These training plans have been created by an experienced race director and obstacle designer, a UKA qualified Leader in Running Fitness. They are an example only, and may LSR: Tuesday run sessions Long Steady Run. Can include walk intervals, but you must be able to make the distance. These shouldn’t be the hardest session of your notin bethe achievable by all. Anyone deciding to act upon information provided does so entirely at their you can run beyond distance, tweak the pace mid third.

Hills: 15 min warm-up run,week. to reachIfthe foot of aalready 1-2 minute long hill. Run this hard uphill, then gently own risk. Anyone wishing to start a physical training plan, or to increase or modify their level or downhill. Pace to repeat for 30 mins. 15 min run to warm down. type of physical activity should do so only having first discussed their plans with their GP. HIIT: Training.

3min warm up,run 60secs Intervals: 15 min warm-upHigh run to Intensity reach “start”Interval location. Set your watch for 1-2 mins, and hard intensive cardio exercise (eg burpees, press-up variations, pull-ups, bicycle crunches, rifle lunges, box jumps, tuck jumps, standing sprints etc), 75secs rest. Repeat 10 cycles.

Tuesday Run Sessions

10-11 NewsCM.indd 13

Hills:

Easy 15min warm-up run, to reach the foot of a 1-2 minute long hill. Run hard uphill, then gently downhill to recover. Pace yourself to /// M A R C H 2 0 1 3 repeat for 30mins. Easy 15min run to warm down.

Intervals:

Easy 15min warm-up run to reach “start” location. Set your watch for 1-2 mins, and run hard to what will be your “stop” location. Rest for 1 min, then run hard back to the “start” to try and match the time. Rest for 1 min. Pace yourself to repeat for 30mins. Easy 15min run to warm down.

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News

Electric bike demo weekend Open weekend at cycling shop Get Lost to sample its fleet of electric bicycles RUTLAND VILLAGE’S camping and cycling shop Get Lost is holding a demo day with its electric bike fleet on March 16 and 17.

Managing director Kathy Horner believes e-bikes are a great way for people looking to get fit, but who find cycling too much hard work currently. “The point is that if you don’t ride a bike o en then cycling can be hard work,� says Kathy. “Riding with a push up the hills is great fun and not having to dismount up the steep hills makes the whole ride more satisfying, which is more likely to encourage you to stick at it. You’re getting exercise because your legs are still working. It’s a great start to getting fit again.�

The demo weekend will offer the range of ByoCycle bikes, which will travel for 30 miles on a single charge, costing around 4p, and can reach speeds of around 18mph, under power. The top-of-the-range model costs ÂŁ1,499 and there are two folding bikes in the range at ÂŁ799 and ÂŁ899. Experts will be on hand to answer questions. // For details telephone 01572 868712 or email getlost@ rutlandvillage.co.uk

Top field for CiCLE race THE RUTLAND MELTON CiCLE Classic is returning to our roads on Sunday, April 21.

Britain’s only one-day international road race is a gruelling 183km on- and off-road course, mimicking a continental classic as close as is possible in Britain, and it’s become a premier event on the international road cycling calendar attracting competitors from across Europe.

This year the Giant Store Rutland Water will share the event’s main sponsorship with Schwalbe Tyres, promising the best event to date. Rutland Cycling’s managing director, David Middlemiss, said: “Professional teams from Belgium, Poland, Ireland and Austria have so far confirmed their participation and several more foreign squads are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks.�

British Cycling race director Colin Clews said: “I firmly believe that we have created, in Melton and Rutland, a truly world-class event which, with proper support, can see the very top teams in the sport racing on our roads within the next few years. “In the new sponsorship from Rutland Cycling Giant Store and Schwalbe, the race has found partners who share this aim and with whom we look forward to working to develop Rutland as the cycling county of Britain.�

Rutland Cycling event RUTLAND CYCLING IS GEARING UP for its biggest ever Road Demo weekend, and it promises to be unlike any other in the UK. The current roster of major suppliers who’ll be supporting Rutland Cycling with a huge demo fleet is already unparalleled: the new season of road bikes from the likes of Trek, Scott, Moda and more will be available to test on one hour rides on local country lanes led by team riders and the product experts from these leading brands. The rides will include a break for a Q&A with the product specialists, offering a rare chance to get the low-down on the bikes from the people who design and ride them for a living.

Rutland Cycling’s all-day Road Demo events are on Saturday, April 13 at Grafham Water and Sunday, April 14 at Whitwell, Rutland Water. The days cost just £10 per rider – which will be donated to the local air ambulance service. Booking in advance is required.

WIN! A FREE PHYSIOTHERAPY CONSULTATION WITH CELL REGENERATION STAMFORD BASED CELL REGENERATION is offering a free physiotherapy consultation to Active readers suffering from any joint or back pain through a sports injury. One lucky reader will not just receive a consultation as you’ll also get a course of MBST treatment to help relieve your pain.

MBST or Multi-Bio Signal Therapy, is essentially Magnetic Resonance therapy that uses targeted electromagnetic fields to help damaged cells by stimulating their regeneration. There are no risks and it’s pain free. The treatment can last anything from five to nine hours, taken an hour at a time on consecutive days.

To win, email cell@theactivemag.com with details about your injury, plus your name and contact details. The winner will be picked at random. Closing date is March 22.

Your data will only be seen by active magazine and Cell Regeneration LTD. Cell Regeneration may contact you by email to send you further information about MBST if you do not wish to receive further information please write “Do not send further information� in your entry email. Your details will never be passed on to a third party.

As a winner active magazine may want to take pictures and run an editorial story on your progress with the MBST treatment. By entering you are giving consent for this.

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A new made-to-measure knee Rugby playing Deeping woman is recipient of a pioneering new knee replacement procedure MODERN MEDICINE MOVES at a brisk pace and now knee surgery has taken a leap into the future, with a local sportswoman being the recipient of a revolutionary new procedure.

Rugby-playing Linda Hickson, from Deeping, has become one of the first in the UK to receive the new made-to-measure knee, which will last much longer than a standard replacement due to its precision. Less wear and tear means the new procedure - called Visionaire Knee Replacement - is perfect for the more active patient.

The 44-year-old mum underwent two key-hole surgeries on her deteriorating knee before being offered the treatment at the Fitzwilliam Hospital in Peterborough. Twelve months ago her beloved rugby, playing for the Deeping Devils, was out of the question.

“I feel 100 times better now,” said Linda. “I really can’t believe how much difference this has made.

I’ve been on bike rides, horse riding, playing table scans combined to build up a 3D image of the tennis and I even sneaked in a gentle rugby knee, which is sent to America where a replica is training session!” produced and sent back to the hospital.

NE082 Active Mag advert 188wx125h v1:Layout 1 14/12/12 11:09 Page 1 The procedure involves multiple x-rays and MRI “Linda is young and we know she has still got a

Below centre

Linda with her Deepings Devils team-mates

lot of activity ahead of her so we wanted to give her the best possible chance of a long-term replacement solution,” said Richard Hartley, Linda’s consultant orthopaedic surgeon.

Service with excellence.

25 years of passion, experience and commitment to Land Rovers make Nene Overland a global specialist business.

10 minutes from Peterborough centre we service, repair, tune and enhance all models of Discovery, Range Rover, Freelander, Defender and Evoque, new or old. We also offer a dedicated in-house body repair facility with courtesy vehicles or city collection and delivery. Servicing your Land Rover with us will not affect manufacturer’s warranty.

We stock over 100 new and used Land Rovers for sale or hire, backed by a professional team that care about getting the job right. For your next Land Rover experience call or visit www.neneoverland.co.uk and explore your next adventure on or off road, anywhere.

www.neneoverland.co.uk sales@neneoverland.co.uk T: 01733 380687

Service | Sales | Hire | Accessories | Parts | Expedition Preparation | Tuning | Tyre Fitting | Bodyshop

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Stand up and be sculpted!

ARE YOU THE TONED, SINEWY epitome of athleticism, vigor and fitness? Are you a sporting legend in your own right and want to be immortalised for time immemorial?

Highly-acclaimed Stamford-based sculptor Theodore Gillick is looking for sporty subjects for his new body of work, which focuses on the human form and structure of the athlete. He has been working with local gyms and athletic clubs but is still looking for more subjects for his amazing bronze sculptures.

Theodore’s work has mainly focused on native fauna, inspired by his time working with deer on Scottish estates. His bronze deer, hares and other wildlife have featured at Burghley Horse Trials, Henley and last year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. // If you, or anyone you know, could be a suitable model for Theodore’s new work, contact Samantha Gordon on 01780 238578 or email sam@gillicksculpture.com. You can see more of Theodore’s work at www.gillick-sculpture.com

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News

Above

The proposed plans for the new Stamford Skatepark

Last push for skatepark plans Stamford campaigners hopeful of new facility for the town after years of fund-raising and local objections FOLLOWING YEARS OF FUND RAISING events, campaigning for local support and defending the objections of opposers, it seems the Stamford Skatepark campaign has one more obstacle to overcome before skaters finally get a new facility.

October’s announcement that the plans for an exciting new concrete skatepark had been submitted and approved sent champagne corks flying and marked what seemed to be the end of a very long journey for the campaigners, who had managed to raise £155,000 for the project.

But, a er six weeks of waiting for the district council to draw up planning conditions, planning officers asked for a separate, detailed management plan to be submitted detailing how the park will be run. This comes a er concerns have been raised over potential noise disturbance.

Committee chairman Marc Stanier now urges

locals to help get this final plan passed by expressing their support via the South Kestevan website. The plan has been submitted, featuring numerous conditions, which include regular acoustic monitoring, and will be considered by the development committee on March 26.

Marc told Active: “We’re tired and frustrated but it’s been a long process and this is just one more step. But it’s crucial that the Stamford public make their feelings known to the council at this stage, as to lose out on the grant funding through delays and hold-ups would be a travesty, considering how many organisations and individuals have supported the campaign, and donated funds, including Lincolnshire County Council.”

Marc urges readers to express their views to SKDC or on the forum of the skatepark website: www.stamfordskatepark.co.uk

Time to splash out!

THE ANNUAL SWIMATHON EVENT returns to Catmose’s 25-metre indoor pool on April 27 and 28, and there’s still time to enter.

The fund-raising event supports Marie Curie and takes place all over the country, encouraging swimmers to take on distance challenges and raise money for the vital work undertaken by Marie Curie nurses.

Since 2007 Swimathon has raised over £7 million for the charity helping provide thousands of hours of care for terminally ill cancer patients. Swimmers can choose to between 1.5km, 2.5km and 5km distance challenges, either as a team or individually.

Sarah Charlton, duty manager at Catmose Sports Centre in Rutland said: “Swimathon is a fantastic way to bring our community together, to raise money for charity, and provides a great challenge for all ages and abilities. The whole family can get involved by entering as a team.” // Visit www.swimathon.org to get involved.

TIMELINE 2008 – dilapidated wooden skatepark is closed 2008 – skatepark committee started 2009 – begin fund-raising for new park 2009-2010 – Stamford Town Council begin long process of taking over the land from district council 2011 – Sep, £100,000 grant is awarded from National Lottery, Lincolnshire County Council, Harry Skells Trust and Thornaugh Environmnetal Association 2012 – Oct, proposal seemingly approved 2013 – Feb, new management plan required.

Decided on in March

CORBY WALKING FESTIVAL The 2013 Around Corby Walking Festival kicks off on May 4, 5 & 6.

And, in its fi h year, the programme offers even more to interest walkers with routes from just a few miles, up to the complete 35-mile Around Corby walk to be completed over two days.

All will feature the stunning countryside surrounding the town, its pretty villages and the wonderful Welland Valley. // The full programme and other information can be accessed from www. corbywalkingfestival.org.uk or calling Mel Jarvis on 01536 772109 or email mel.norma@btinternet.com

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Feature /// Gear

Kitbag

Got the idea, but no gear?

Here’s some great sporting stuff to spend your hard-earned on Adidas FF80 rugby boot This new boot features a 5x2 stud configuration to specifically cater for the unique requirements of specialist flankers and number 8 s, offering ‘explosive acceleration’ with the extra traction. But don’t take our word for it: Welsh captain Sam Warburton says: “Overall I think the performance of the outsole is better than a 4x2 boot as I find it much more stable, and the extra stud gave me much better traction.”

From www.adidas.com and local stockists Price £160

Charge Zester bike This great-looking Zester hybrid men’s bike is perfect for the commuter who’s used to the precision kit of his road bike, but needs something that won’t scare from potholes. Featuring a tough but lightweight aluminium frame, Sram Apex groupset and Avid Elixir 1 hydraulic brakes, it’s a bargain now that it’s been reduced by £350 From www.rutlandcycling.com Price £549.99

OMM Ultra waist pouch 6 Original Mountain Marathon make great outdoor kit because they’re behind the original two-day mountain marathon event, so their kit is well tested.

This 6-litre waist pack will carry your essentials while orienteering, trail running or just out for the Sunday dog walk. Features two zipped hip pockets and gear loops for extra kit. Comes with water bottle.

From www.advance performance.co.uk Price £33.50

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Bianchi Infinito Athena If your looking to do long distances on a road bike the Bianchi Infinito offers a more forgiving geometry for cycle sportives and endurance events. It even comes with a free bike fitting by one of Windmill Wheels’ in-house bike fitters.

From www.windmillwheels.co.uk Price £2,850

New Balance 890 shoes Vango Airbeam Velocity 400 tent These brilliant quick-pitch tents feature the all-new Vango inflatable beam technology, making pitching really quick with a foot-pump (supplied). Visit Get Lost near the end of March and they’ll have them on display. A demo day is planned where the fastest to pitch an Airbeam tent wins a prize. This 400 model will sleep four.

From Get Lost, Rutland 01572 868 712 or getlost@rutlandvillage.co.uk Price £535

Brighten up your fitness regime with these new super-light (217g) ladies running shoes from New Balance. Featuring REVlite foam, which is 30% lighter than other EVA materials, they’ll transform your running. New Balance have also made their soles of this shoe more resilient to withstand serious miles.

The men’s version is the shoe of choice for Team GB star Andy Baddeley.

From www.newbalance.co.uk and local stockists Price £79.99

Lezyne floor pump This CNC machined aluminium floor pump from Lezyne could be used as a stylish ornament or have its long-travel piston pumped to deliver a whopping 220psi of air to sagging tyres. Flip-Thread chuck fits Presta and Schrader valves and secures to aluminium foot when not in use. And then there’s that varnished wood handle... We want one.

From www.cyclewright.co.uk Price £59.95

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Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra featuring GILSON LAVIS

with special guest ROLAND GIFT the voice of Fine Young Cannibals and guest vocalists RUBY TURNER & LOUISE MARSHALL

BURGHLEY

SATURDAY 8TH JUNE Tickets £37.50 available from www.burghley.co.uk

STAMFORD ARTS CENTRE TEL: 01780 763203

24hr TICKET HOTLINE TEL: 0844 209 7364 CONCERT PRESENTED BY LIVE PROMOTIONS EVENTS LTD

BY ARRANgEMENT wITh ONE FIFTEEN

Guest column

Don’t believe everything you read: Fergie and Monty aren’t always fuming The Sunday Times sports writer Martin Johnson on the journo’s art of getting quotes out of dull sports stars

“

If I had a pound for every time…”. We can all complete the sentence (my wife, for example, would go for something like “every time you’ve left the kitchen looking like a pig sty”) but my preference would be for “every time I’ve picked up the sports section of a newspaper and seen the headline: “Fergie Fumes!”.

We are, of course, talking about Sir Alex Ferguson who, if the papers are to be believed, lives his life in a permanent state of fumigation. There are less fumes coming from a pile of steaming manure than there are from the top of the Manchester United manager’s head, who is unable to go anywhere without setting off every smoke alarm.

There it was again the other day….”Fergie Fumes!” Normally, this is my cue to move swiftly on, but on this occasion I decided to find out what he was fuming about. And guess what? He wasn’t fuming – merely making a fairly reasoned observation about Sky TV’s broadcasting schedule leaving his team without much of a break before their Champions’ League tie against Real Madrid.

I mention this because not all of you will be aware of how a journalist can make it appear as though a sports star has walked into a room and started spouting furiously without even being asked a question. And why is it that these people never “say” anything – they choose instead to “insist”, “blast”, or “storm”.

I remember the first time I saw a sportsman stitched up by the media – at Lord’s in 1988, when the West Indies’ slow over rate saw play end on the Saturday at ten minutes to eight. John Emburey was the captain and the representative from the Daily Mirror asked him (in an era when there was no official sanction in place for slow over rates) if there should be some kind of punishment.

Emburey: “Well, it’s not something I’d really thought about.”

Hack: “Yes, but don’t you think it’s time something was done?”

Emburey: “Such as?” Hack: “By hitting them in the pocket.”

Emburey: “Well, I suppose it’s something the authorities might think about addressing perhaps.”

Headline in the Mirror? You’ve guessed it. “FINE ‘EM!” Embers Blasts Caribbean Crawlers!”

Many years ago, a sportsman’s comments would never get twisted or misinterpreted, for the simple reason that no-one was interested in what they had to say. The journalist went to a match, gave his considered views on what had taken place, and then went home. By the early 1990s that had changed so much that writers for the tabloid newspapers faced the sack if they missed a quote. Which led to the practice of, if there were no quotes available, making them up. A resourceful cricket journalist from The Sun even invented a way, when he had to file his piece from the West Indies with play still going on, of quoting a batsman while he was still batting. With the simple trick of “Hussain looked at the umpire as if to say: “Come on, mate, how can that be out?”

However, it has to be said that there are few sports that haven’t been enriched by what’s known in the trade as the “nannies”.

Nanny Goats, in cockney rhyming slang, equalling “quotes.”

Wimbledon was once infiltrated by a foreign reporter compiling some bizarre feature and she spent the fortnight asking every player what they thought about strawberries. And guess what? They all answered, as seriously as if it had been about that crucial double fault. All except Andre Agassi who exploded: “This is a tennis tournament – what’s it got to do with strawberries? Who is this dumb broad?”

I once sat through an interview with Martina Navratilova in which, after the obligatory question about tennis, quickly moved on to the more interesting topics of gay rights and Martina’s new dog.

Tennis players are, in my experience, happy to talk about any old rubbish. Golfers, too, will happily spout on about things totally unrelated to hitting a small ball around, and in the case of Colin Montgomerie, you can ask him what he thinks about the political climate in the Middle East, or the NHS, and he’ll not only have an opinion, but share it with the world.

Monty also hands out marks at press conferences. “Yes, yes.

Mmmm. Good question.” He’s an extraordinary character, Monty.

Off the course you can imagine him helping old ladies across the road. On it, he’s a freshly lit blue touch paper, just a cough on the backswing away from a nuclear explosion.

At least when I see the headline “Monty Fumes!”, I don’t need to read the article to check on its accuracy.

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Feature /// Rugby

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Le and below

Stamford RFC are winning plaudits for their open, attacking style of rugby which is bringing with it league and cup success

S

Jeremy Beswick visits Stamford RFC, an ambitious club with a vast youth set-up and plenty of recent success Photography: Harry Measures

tamford Rugby Football Club has a proud tradition. Founded in 1902, they occasionally fielded six senior sides plus colts in the 1970s and were Notts, Lincs and Derby (NLD) Champions twice in the 1980s. They reached the second round of the John Player Cup in ‘81 when 3,000 spectators, including other local sides who’d cancelled their games, packed into Empingham Road to see them play a Liverpool team featuring England captain Mike Slemen and several B internationals. Famous alumni include their own England cap Dave Caplan and the Barbarians’ Steve Worrall.

Colin Harrison, one of three honorary life members, along with Ron Bodily and Steve Fowkes, remembers those times well. He played his first ever game of rugby for the seconds in 1969, turning up in hiking boots. He was told to stop the opposing winger at all costs and, as he’d only played the round ball game before, recalls: “I made a sliding tackle with my feet in the first minute. I seem to remember a fist being thrown in response”. He learnt pretty quickly after that.

Since those halcyon days there have been shadows as well as sunshine. Along with promotion in 1995/6 to level 6, the club’s highest league position to date, there’ve been four relegations, two due to league re-organisation and one for mis-spelling a player’s name on his registration form.

The problems weren’t just on the pitch either. One morning a wall fell down and their neighbour rang to ask if they’d kindly remove the clubhouse from her garden. The VP’s lunch still went ahead that day, but it nearly had to be a picnic. In any event the gods, against them so often in their recent past, now seem to be smiling as they regain past

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Feature /// Rugby

glories. From season 2008/9 they’ve been winners of the Lincs Junior Cup (twice), NLD Plate, NLD Vase, NLD Shield and have been promoted twice.

Current president Steve Fowkes is credited by everyone (other than himself) as a major force behind their recent revival. He made his first team debut in 1981, became first team captain in 1996 and club coach in 2004. Having played his last game at centre at the age of 46, it’s no surprise that he puts much of the resurgence down to excellent youth development work involving the likes of Rupert Gibson, Jai Nairn, Nick Grimoldby, Jim Bodily and Del Smith.

They start with under fives. “In fact, we’re thinking of opening a maternity unit,” says Steve – and in total have more than 300 youngsters running around on a Sunday. Although infants are a pretty long-term investment, five of the current first team have come through the youth sides, as did 18-year old Louis Grimoldby who now, sadly, plays for a minor southern outfit called Harlequins.

Every junior player gets a welcome pack for them and their parents, full of useful information and gentle guidance. An example of such is: “Last season Stamford RFC managed to both win

with dignity and lose with grace and we are proud that our young teams are as renowned for their fair play as for their successes”.

Amen to that. Go and see the kids on Sunday mornings and enjoy the best Grasmere breakfast roll in Christendom courtesy of hard working Kev and Liz Paige.

It’s not all about the youngsters, though. The thriving Veterans have just returned from touring Gibraltar and have wrested the annual Gin Bottle Trophy from Peterborough for the past seven seasons. Other recent seniors tours included Prague, Spain, Portugal, Budapest, Venice and, most glamorously of all, Whitley Bay. Leading light is Chris ‘No Neck’ McLaren who used to eat prop forwards for breakfast – along with everything else on his plate. Once past the Veteran stage you officially become an ‘Old Fart’ such as Taff O’Dea, Neil Jolly and Dai Salmon who follow the side home and away every week.

The club’s also a staunch supporter of several charities including Parkinson’s Disease, The Matt Hampson Trust, Sport Relief, Sue Ryder, Help for Heroes and the Poppy Appeal.

What are their other strengths? Coaches Dave Laventure and Rich Mardling deserve much of the credit and Fowkes also mentions camaraderie.

Well, you certainly need to trust your team-mates when a favourite post-match activity is bar diving (launching yourself horizontally as far as you can from atop the bar as they wait to catch you) as well as human skittles, which is a rolledup scrum-half, fly-half or even skipper Matt Albinson (due to his resemblance to a ball, according to Steve) being bowled at chairs doubling as skittles.

However, if that all sounds a bit testosteronefuelled, the demographic of supporters include a healthy proportion of yummy mummies and kids and there is a friendly, welcoming feel to the place. Currently leading their division, playing open attacking rugby and with a newly refurbished clubhouse and bar expertly run by Terrie, Sandra and Nicola (I can recommend the steak pies) Stamford RFC is a good place to be on a Saturday afternoon. See you there.

FANCY PLAYING? Senior training is on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7pm and minis and juniors play and train on Sundays at 10.30am. For all enquiries, go to www.stamfordrufc. co.uk as SRFC have 15 age groups from under fives to veterans, so the site can direct you to the right person to contact.

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Above, le and below

The team are a tight-knit unit; supporters enjoy a pint on the ‘terrace’, president Steve Fowkes is a major force behind the club’s recent revival

‘PLAYING OPEN ATTACKING RUGBY, STAMFORD RFC IS A GOOD PLACE TO BE ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON’

‘THERE’S PRIDE IN PULLING ON THE JERSEY’ Stamford RFC first team captain Matt Albinson on the club’s success “In 2010 we’d just completed a season in the fi h tier of our league. Fast forward to today and we hope to be celebrating promotion to the second. It’s the result of high quality coaching and an influx of young talent but, most importantly, the commitment of a core group of players who’ve worked tirelessly on the training park to ensure that, come game time, the team are in the best possible nick to win rugby games. Add to this our five cup successes and the pride that comes with putting on a Stamford jersey has certainly been restored.

“I believe this crop of players to be the best the club has had for several years. It’s a privilege to play alongside them let alone be their captain. The boys are skilful, enthusiastic, quick, physical and 100% committed to playing the game at pace and with width. For the most part that has been too much for the opposition to handle.

“We have eight league games,

the NLD Quarter Final and Lincolnshire Cup semi-final yet to play and competition to be part of the squad is fierce. Our focus right now is on finishing as league champions, with cup success an added bonus.

“Promotion would be just reward for all those directly involved with senior rugby at the club and an unforgettable achievement for the squad who’ve played with their hearts on their sleeves week-in week-out. An ex-player and coach, who shall remain anonymous, voiced his concerns back in August that “You may struggle to stay up this year”.

“Well, if we complete the job over the coming weeks I look forward to him buying the boys a couple of jugs to apologise for under-estimating the determination Stamford RFC has to proving anyone who doubts us, even one of our own, wrong.”

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Feature /// Golf

L F AC A D E M Y O G

Get into the swing Everything you need t o k now a bout golf, from a beginner’s guide to tips from PGA professionals, as well as a r un-down of the best local courses. Time to tee up... ///

Words Mike Warner

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© LOURENS SMAK / ALAMY

Feature /// Golf

A beginner’s guide to golf Fancy becoming the next Rory McIlroy? Let Active help with everything you need to know to get started

T

o newcomers, golf can seem complicated, expensive and exclusive.

But that isn’t the case. Of course, the terminology will take a bit of getting used to, a round doesn’t come for free and ripped t-shirts aren’t deemed acceptable on the fairway, but you’ll soon know birdies from bogeys, find some superb deals and look forward to pulling on your freshly-pressed polo shirt.

Anyone can take up golf, regardless of age or sex. Every beginner’s priority should be speaking to the Professional Golf Association (PGA) pro at a local course (see panel for your nearest options) – preferably one with GolfMark and RangeMark, the national awards given to

junior and beginner-friendly clubs and driving ranges. A few lessons help you avoid the common mistakes those who head straight for the course make. With bad habits engrained it becomes very difficult for an instructor to overwrite those faults down the line.

A 30-minute lesson could cost £20-£30, but most pros will also have clubs you can borrow, saving you from splashing too much cash straight away.

Aside from one-on-one lessons, many clubs hold beginner group sessions from as little as £5.

Rutland Water Golf Course, Rutland County Golf Club and Melton Mowbray Golf Club are all due to start sessions this month, with full details available from Get Into Golf (www. getintogolf.org) and the Leicestershire & Rutland County Golf Partnership (lrcgp.org.uk).

‘DURING YOUR EARLY ROUNDS DON’T EXPECT MIRACLES. ENJOY EVERY ROUND REGARDLESS OF YOUR PERFORMANCE’

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Le

Many clubs hold beginner’s group sessions, costing from as little as £5 per person. Got to www.getintogolf. org for more details

Once you’ve got to grips with the basics you may want a few clubs of your own. You’re allowed 14, including a putter, in the bag. Ask your pro about clubs that specifically target beginners and always try before you buy. Ask for a stiff and regular shafted 6-iron (a stiffer shafted club suits players with a faster swing) and hit them on the range to see which is easier to control. Don’t feel pressured into buying the latest clubs (previous models will often be considerably cheaper and only marginally different) and don’t be afraid to buy second hand – www.golfbidder.co.uk is the PGA’s official club exchange and a great place to start.

As your game progresses a professional club fitting, matching the clubs to your exact specifications, is well worth consideration.

You’ll also need some balls, but don’t break

the bank because you will lose quite a lot in your early golfing career.

With clubs and balls sorted, it’s time to leave the safety of the range. Playing a shortened course, such as the nine-hole, par-3 academy layout at Greetham Valley is a sensible step up.

A par-3 course allows you three shots on every hole. In golf a shot below the hole’s par is a birdie, two shots below par is an eagle and three shots is an albatross. A shot above par is bogey, two is double bogey and so on.

Heading out on to a course is also a great way to get to know basic etiquette and rules of the game. Dress codes in golf have certainly relaxed in recent years with louder colours and trendier designs, but wearing conservative tailored trousers and a simple polo shirt (tucked in) is your safest bet until you know your club’s code.

Golf shoes vary hugely in price and style so always ensure they are comfortable, waterproof and come with a guarantee.

As a basic rule on the course play your ball as it lies and the course as you find it. Always remain silent when another player is taking a shot and be sure to shout ‘Fore!’ and the direction in which the ball is travelling if you hit a shot towards fellow players. If you hear this shout you should duck and cover your head.

It’s also important to look after the course by raking bunkers, replacing divots (the clump of earth you dig out when hitting the ball) and repairing pitch marks (the dents your ball leaves when it lands on the green). For more on the rules and etiquette visit www.randa.org or ask at your club for a free Rules of Golf book.

Once you feel ready to play a full round, choose your course and book a tee-time for a maximum of four players (known as a fourball).

Greens fees (the price for the round) can vary greatly depending on the time of year, time of the week and even time of day. As an example, Toft Golf Club, near Bourne, charges £22 for a mid-week winter adult round and £25 at weekends, but just £15 after midday.

Club membership is also worth considering once you’re committed to the sport as it allows you to pay an annual fee and play as often as you wish, enter competitions and enjoy discounts in the pro shop and bar.

Stoke Rochford is offering a one-month membership ‘taster’ for just £50, while Stapleford Park is offering Academy Golf Membership for £750 per year, giving a one-hour lesson, unlimited golf, access to the short game practice area and preferential driving range rates. The £200 joining fee will also be waived for the first 100 members.

Once the day of your first round arrives make sure you arrive early to warm-up at the range and practice a few putts before heading for the first tee. Men should play from the yellow tees, ladies the red and juniors and seniors the green (red if the course doesn’t have this option).

Holes will vary in length (measured in yards) and there will be a mixture of par 3, par 4 and par 5 holes, with overall par around 70.

Don’t be put off by the course’s par or length.

One of the beauties of golf is the handicap system – an allowance of shots per round based on ability. Handicaps start at 28 for men, 36 for women and 54 for juniors, and are subtracted from your gross score to provide your net score.

As you improve your handicap reduces.

During your early rounds use what you have learnt but don’t expect miracles. Remember the good shots and learn from the bad.

Finally, enjoy every round regardless of your performance, be dedicated to the game, keep talking to your pro and be sure to try new courses to vary the challenges and experience the beautiful surroundings golf has to offer.

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Feature /// Golf

Tips from the pros Slash your scores this season with the help of our PGA-qualified experts

E

Blend Images / alamy

ven the best golfers in the world need advice to keep moving their game on.

You’d never see Rory, Luke or Tiger bashing balls at the range without a coach looking over their shoulder, tweaking this and adjusting that. So why do the majority of amateurs think spending hours alone at the range will make all the difference? The best way to improve is to spend some time with a local pro who will quickly identify your problems and put fixes in place. In the meantime, let Active help. We’ve spoken to 10 of the area’s top PGA pros to get their best tips for lowering your handicap in 2013...

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Work out what’s your problem Angus Dow, Stoke Rochford Golf Club

Get your game assessed. Ten 14-handicappers could have completely different problems stunting their progress. Too many amateurs spend big money on the latest driver in the hope of miracle scores when in fact their driver is fine and instead they could benefit from swing tweak or changing another club. An assessment, which costs the fraction of a new driver, will identify exactly what needs changing.

Also, try to dedicate more time to the game. It’s no coincidence that people who play twice a week see far more improvement that those who play twice a month. // A 40-minute lesson with Angus costs £40, while a nine-hole assessment is £50.

Get the right shaft Mark Underwood, To Hotel Golf Club

Understanding club sha flex is key if you want the maximum opportunity to improve – the wrong set-up can seriously damage your game.

The standard sha flex options are: Extra Stiff (X), Stiff (S), Regular (R), Senior (A) and Ladies (L). Having the wrong flex will result in clubface misalignment at impact, causing off-target shots.

A simple but reliable way to identify your sha requirement is driver carry distance. If your carry is 275 yards plus go for XS, 230-250 yards requires S, 200-230 yards would be R, and 200 or less requires A or L. // Mark charges £20 for a 30-minute lesson, or you can book six for £100.

Be brave and swing Jim Hetherington, Greetham Valley Golf Club

Fearful swings rarely produce courageous shots. A loss of trust occurs when we break routine by thinking about technique and the shot’s importance.

To practice your swing discipline, chip six balls while looking at your target instead of the ball.

Then putt six different putts while looking at the hole. Next, from an address position, throw six balls with your right hand toward the flag, send the ball freely toward the target (initial throws may go le if you hold on too long). Notice how your energy is released outwards and towards the target and not downwards towards the ground. // Book a one-hour assessment with Jim for £25.

Subsequent lessons are £60 per hour.

Putt for perfection Tom Sharpe, The Luffenham Heath Golf Club

If you want a lower handicap, work on your putting.

Keep the clubface square to where you want the ball to start rolling. Square your feet and

shoulders off to this point too. Without the correct aim you cannot hole putts.

Keep the stroke smooth. Too o en players’ strokes get quicker the longer the putts becomes. Keep the same rhythm and pace but adjust the stroke length.

Finally, practice for consistency. Hit putts to six feet, 12 feet and 18 feet, feeling how the length of stroke changes accordingly. Make the target smaller to ensure practice is always difficult. // Tom charges £20 for a 30-minute lesson and £40 for one hour, or seven for the price of six.

Always be in game mode Ian Fulton Belton Woods Golf Club

Split your practice time into 50% long game, 50% short game.

Work on your grip, alignment and routine. Take your time and hit every shot as if you were on the course, even imagining you are playing your favourite hole so you play a variety of shots with different clubs, always being target specific.

When hitting your wedges, note the distance for each club from a half, three-quarter and full swing. Chip with different clubs and not the flight and roll.

Practice putting from three to six feet as these are the putts you’ll need to hole most o en. // Book a 30-minute lesson with Iain for £20, or take six for £100.

Practice the right way Ian Burnett, The Luffenham Heath Golf Club

Every golfer has to be judged individually but I would remind people that practice makes permanent, not necessarily perfect.

Ensure whatever you are doing at the range is correct from day one otherwise you will be doing more harm than good.

Secondly, never under-estimate the importance of practising your short game. Most golfers can hit the ball over 150 yards (men) and 100 yards (ladies) yet many miss the green from 50 yards or 25 yards, cannot escape a bunker first time and then three-putt. Hitting the ball a long way looks great, but a double or triple-bogey on your card certainly doesn’t.

Finally, take a lesson. It is critical to helping you improve the above. // Ian charges £25 for 30 minutes, £50 for one hour or offers seven lessons for the price of six

Don’t get beached Richard Alderson, Stapleford Park

Countless rounds are ruined in bunkers.

A simple technique is to stand virtually parallel to the target, open the le foot 45 degrees and move the le knee slightly forward so the weight moves onto the ball of the le foot and threequarters of your bodyweight is on the le side and stays there. Now open the club slightly to increase bounce and prevent digging. Feel like

you pick the club up with your right hand in the backswing and then slap the sand with the back of the club as you swing smoothly through, hitting the sand two-four inches behind the ball. // Richard charges £25 for a 30-minute lesson and £40 for one hour.

Get a short game John Pengelly, Rutland Water Golf Course

A good short game is key to lowering your handicap.

In practice, select between a 5- and 8-iron and, gripping down for more control, aim at your target with your feet slightly le , shoulders square, the ball slightly back in your stance and weight favouring your le side.

With firm wrists, swing as though you’re putting, and allow the lo to li the ball. Note where the ball lands and how it releases with each club. // A 30-minute lesson with John costs £20, or book six for the price of five.

Get back to basics Mark Jackson, North Luffenham Golf Club

Go back to basics. If your basics are wrong other parts of your game will suffer, so getting your grip right is absolutely vital.

If you have a consistent shot fault, such as a hook or slice, then there’s a very good chance it could be traced back to a poor grip so have your grip checked by your club pro.

Regardless of the grip you choose, the thing I always teach is ‘lightly, not tightly’. The tighter you grip the club, the less clubhead speed and control you get. Get your grip, feel and posture right and from a small acorn a big tree will grow. // Mark charges £23 for a 30-minute lesson and offers six for the price of five.

Get off the tee Gary Casey, Thorpe Wood

Too many golfers have difficulty with their driver because they over-complicate matters or get the basics wrong.

Firstly get used to teeing your ball at the right height with half of the ball higher than the roof of the clubhead.

Now ensure your club’s face angle is correct.

Let your driver sit on the ground exactly as it came out of the factory. Don’t twist it.

Ensure your ball position is correct. It should be opposite the le chest (for a right-hander) to allow for a slight upward strike. // Gary charges £35 for a 30-minute lesson, £60 for one hour, or three for the price of two.

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Feature /// Golf

Tee off!

Westend61 GmbH / AlAmy

Find your nearest course with our at-a-glance guide

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Greetham Valley Golf Club Courses Lakes, Par 72, 6,769 yards; Valley, Par 68, 5,595 yards; Academy, Par 27.

Green fees From £15. Academy £5.

Contact 017780 460666, greethamvalley.co.uk Wood Lane, Greetham, LE15 7SN “Set amidst 276 acres of picturesque countryside just a few minutes’ drive from Rutland Water, since 1991 Greetham Valley has been carefully developed from traditional undulating farmland to create three diverse golf courses, each with their own unique challenges for every level of player.”

New Academy Golf Membership

The Golf Academy at

Stapleford Park

Unlimited use of the golf course One hour lesson £750 per year £200 Joining Fee (waived for first 100 to join) For more information call 01572 787044 or email clubs@stapleford.co.uk

�e Golf Academy at Stapleford Park, Stapleford, nr. Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 2EF t.+++(())))) ) ) (++ | f.+++(())))) ) ) (() | clubs@stapleford.co.uk | www.staplefordpark.com

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Feature /// Golf

Stapleford Park Course: Par 72, 6,465 yards Green fees: From £60 Contact: 01572 787044, staplefordpark.com/golf Stapleford, nr Melton Mowbray, LE14 2EF “Designed by Donald Steel, the Championship Golf Course at Stapleford Park is not only challenging but it is also amongst the finest luxury golf courses in the Midlands. It was selected by the PGA European Seniors Tour to host their newest golf tournament in May 2010. The greens and tees are immaculately maintained to the highest championship standards, allowing members and hotel guests the opportunity to play the course throughout the year.”

Toft Hotel Golf Club Course: Par 72, 6,327 yards Green fees: From £15 Contact: 01778 590616, to hotelgolf.co.uk Bourne, PE10 OJT “Situated on a steep hill that means some challenging shots face even the most skilled players, the course has undergone some big changes recently. With two new tees now in use and the 14th hole, the shortest of the four par fives, being made longer.”

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Belton Woods

Courses: Lakes, Par 72, 6,364 yards; Woodside, Par 72, 6,287 yards; Red Arrows Academy, Par 27 Green fees: From £35 Contact: 01476 514332, www.devere-hotels.co.uk Belton, North Grantham, NG32 2LN

Belton Park Golf Club

Courses: Brownlow, Par 71, 6,472 yards; Ancaster, Par 70, 6,227 yards; Belmont, Par 69, 6,016 yards Green fees: From £17.50 (members and guests only on Saturdays).

Contact: 01476 542900, beltonpark.co.uk Londonthorpe Road, Grantham, NG31 9SH

Burghley Park Golf Club

Course: Par 70, 6,068 yards Green fees: From £35 (members only at weekends) Contact: 01780 753789, club-noticeboard.co.uk/burghley St Martin’s Without, Stamford, PE9 3JX

Elton Furze Golf Club

Course: Par 71, 6,246 yards Green fees: From £35 Contact: 01832 280189, efgc.co.uk Bullock Road, Haddon, Peterborough, PE7 3TT

The Luffenham Heath Golf Club

Course: Par 70, 6,139 yards Green fees: From £35 Contact: 01780 720205, luffenhamheath.org Stamford Road, South Luffenham, Ketton, PE9 3UU

Melton Mowbray Golf Club

Course: Par 70, 6,040 yards Green fees: From £29 Contact: 01664 562118, mmgc.co.uk Thorpe Arnold, Melton Mowbray, LE14 4SD

The perfect venue for all occasions • Modern dining room along with new menus • Unique function suite with garden, licensed for wedding ceremonies • Al Fresco dining • 20 en suite bedrooms • 18 hole golf course, driving range and golfer’s tuck shop • The perfect venue for all occasions • On site hair stylist and beautician

Orton Meadows Golf Course

Courses: Par 67, 5,613 yards; Pitch & Putt, Par 36 Green fees: From £12; Pitch & Putt from £4.25 Contact: 01733 237478, neneparkgolf.com Ham Lane, Peterborough, PE2 5UU

Rutland County Golf Club

Course: Par 71, 6,202 yards; Short course, Par 27 Green fees: From £13 (short course £6) Contact: 01780 460330, rutlandcountygolf.co.uk Pickworth, Stamford, PE9 4AQ

Thorpe Wood Golf Course

Course: Par 70, 6,875 yards Green fees: From £12 Contact: 01733 267701, neneparkgolf.com Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, PE3 6SE

Tel: 01778 590614 Fax: 01778 590264

tofthouse@btconnect.com

www.tofthotelgolf.co.uk Toft Country House Hotel & Golf Club, Toft, Nr Bourne, Lincs PE10 0JT

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Feature /// Golf

Stoke Rochford Golf Club GRAHAM MILLER

Course Par 70, 6,133 yards.

Green fees From £10 Contact stokerochfordgolfclub.co.uk The Great North Road, nr Grantham, NG33 5EW “Stoke Rochford’s course is one of the most attractive and interesting golf layouts in Lincolnshire and the East Midlands with its challenging contours, four river holes over the Cringle Brook, and the tremendous variety of flora and fauna.”

1662 GPL-GVG Half Page Landscape Advert_v2_GPL-GVG Half Page Landscape Advert 18/02/2013 08:48 Page 1

Greetham Valley Hotel, Golf and Conference Centre

Beyond Expectations

Swing into golf this Spring at Greetham Valley!

Enjoy our two superb championship standard courses, The Lakes and The Valley, plus • 9 hole par 3 Academy course • driving range with covered & outdoor bays • video teaching bay • chipping & bunker practice areas • putting green • Teaching Academy • golf shop

Also on-site: • trout and salmon fishing • archery • outdoor bowls and petanque • 4x4 off roading & quadbiking • walking • lounge bar, restaurants & accommodation

Wood Lane, Greetham, Oakham, Rutland LE15 7SN t: 01780 460444 info@greethamvalley.co.uk

Full seven day golf memberships available only £58.00 per month Visitor greenfees from £20.00pp Golf day packages from £22.50pp

www.greethamvalley.co.uk

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North Luffenham Golf Club Course Par 70, 5,803 yards Green fees From £15 Contact 01780 721960, nlgc.co.uk Welland Road, Edith Weston, LE15 8JE “Great value, unpretentious and friendly, North Luffenham is a course ideal for those who are taking up the game. The course is now more than 30 years old and characterised by established trees and conifers which give definition to each hole, and it’s not too long either at less than 6,000 yards.”

Rutland Water Golf Course Courses Normanton, Par 72, 6,221 yards; Hambleton, Par 27, 1,415 yards Green fees Normanton from £20, Hambleton from £7 Contact 01572 737525, rutlandwatergolfcourse. co.uk Lodge Farm, Oakham, LE15 8HB “Having been extended in the last few years the Normanton course, running alongside Rutland Water, has some tough holes and fiendish greens. It’s a welcoming club with excellent new facilities, and a handy par-three course for those just starting out.”

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Feature /// Golf

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The

19th Hole A golfer’s favourite hole! Why not spend some time postround in a selection of Rutland’s finest pubs, wearing the latest in golfing fashion?

Photography: Nico Morgan

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Feature /// Golf

Watering holes THE TOBIE NORRIS STAMFORD A tricky but stunning hole full of all manner of fascinating hazards.

Be careful not to drive into the roaring fire, and the ancient paved floors can leave some tough lies, but the risk is worth the reward.

THE CROWN HOTEL STAMFORD One of Stamford’s signature holes, with wide open expanses and beautifully tended bar.

Plentiful birdie opportunities and lots of shots to choose from!

THE WILLIAM CECIL STAMFORD Lying alongside Burghley Park, the William Cecil offers slick wood-floored fairways and lots of club options, but there’s plenty of greenery you could end up in should your shots prove wayward.

THE MARQUESS OF EXETER LYDDINGTON Firstly, a good drive down into the gorgeous Lyddington valley. Get yourself into a good position near the bar and you could happily sink a few easy ones from short range, and a great spot for a mid-round snack, if eating isn’t cheating.

THE VAULTS UPPINGHAM A long climb into Uppingham, followed by a tricky shot through the car park, just like Seve all those years ago at Royal Lytham.

The best tactic is to lay-up on the picnic tables outside.

THE CROWN INN UPPINGHAM This Uppingham hole requires nerve and a steady stroke. A proper hole for serious players, with many excellent awardwinning real ales. Good luck.

THE LORD NELSON OAKHAM A recently refurbished Oakham hole, it now has many more characterful features and a few more traps for the unwary. But there are plenty of easy get-out shots for those who are finding the course tough going.

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LEFT

The Crown Hotel, Stamford Sarah wears Ping visor £14.99 from Greetham Valley GC. Gant cropped chino, pale blue £95 and Gant polo shirt, lemon £55 from Cavells, Oakham.

FJ Contour IV shoes £89.95 from Rutland Water GC. Ping Serene Driver £199 from Rutland Water GC and Stoke Rochford GC

RIGHT

The Crown Hotel, Stamford From le : Katie wears Gant polo shirt, pale pink £55, Gant cable sweater, coral £85 and Oui turn-up trouser, beige £95 from Cavells, Oakham. FJ AQL shoes £69.95 from Rutland Water GC. James wears Ralph Lauren polo shirt, white £75, Gant slipover green £65 and Gant trouser, navy £125 from Cavells, Oakham. FJ Dry Joys Tour shoes £74.95 from Greetham Valley GC. Adam wears Ralph Lauren polo shirt, smith blue £70 and Hackett trouser, pale blue £105 from Cavells, Oakham. Adizero 6 spike shoes £74. 95 from Rutland Water GC. Georgie wears Gant rugger shirt, navy £70 and Gant cropped chino, coral £95 from Cavells, Oakham. Adidas Driver May 2 shoes £59.95 from Rutland Water GC. Mat wears Ralph Lauren polo shirt, blue £70, Ralph Lauren sweater, pink £110 and Gant trouser, blue £125 from Cavells, Oakham. FJ XPS-1 shoes £109.95 from Rutland Water GC

FAR LEFT

The William Cecil, Stamford.

From le : Mat wears Ralph Lauren polo shirt, white £75, Ralph Lauren sweater, pink £110 from Cavells, Oakham. Royal & Awesome bright blocks trouser £49.95 and FJ XPS-1 shoes £109.95 from Rutland Water GC. Adam wears Ralph Lauren polo shirt, smith blue £70 from Cavells, Oakham. Royal & Awesome pink trouser £49.95 and Adizero Tour shoes £119 from Rutland Water GC. James wears Srixon hat £11.99 and Greetham Valley polo shirt, red £15.95 from Greetham Valley GC. Royal & Awesome Hawaii blue trouser £49.95 and Adizero 6 spike shoes £74.95 from Rutland Water GC

LEFT

The Tobie Norris, Stamford Mat wears Ping Answer G20 cream hat £14.99 from Greetham Valley GC. Ralph Lauren polo shirt, blue £70, Ralph Lauren sweater, pink £110 and Gant trouser, blue £125 from Cavells, Oakham. FJ GTX glove £10.95, FJ XPS-1 shoes £109.95 and Taylor Made White Smoke putter £129 from Rutland Water GC

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Feature /// Golf

ABOVE

The Vaults, Uppingham Sarah wears Ping Collection waterproof jacket, pink £59.95 from Greetham Valley GC. Ping Pioneer golf bag £109 from Greetham Valley GC. Wilson Ci7 irons £399.00/set from Stoke Rochford GC. Flags from To Country House Hotel and GC

RIGHT

The Marquess of Exeter, Lyddington Mat wears Ralph Lauren polo shirt, white £75 and Ralph Lauren sweater, pink £110 from Cavells, Oakham. Royal & Awesome bright blocks trouser £49.95 from Rutland Water GC. FJ Dry Joy Tour shoes £109.95 from Stoke Rochford GC. Georgie wears Gant rugger shirt, navy £70 and Gant cropped chino, coral £95 from Cavells, Oakham. Adidas Driver May 2 shoes £59.95 from Rutland Water GC

LEFT

The Marquess of Exeter, Lyddington From le : Mat wears Ralph Lauren polo shirt, white £75 and Ralph Lauren sweater, pink £110 from Cavells, Oakham. Royal & Awesome bright blocks trouser £49.95 from Rutland Water GC. FJ Dry Joy Tour shoes £109.95 from Stoke Rochford GC. Georgie wears Gant rugger shirt, navy £70 and Gant cropped chino, coral £95 from Cavells, Oakham. Adam wears Ralph Lauren polo shirt, smith blue £70 from Cavells, Oakham. Royal & Awesome pink trouser £49.95 Rutland Water GC. Sarah wears Gant cropped chino, pale blue £95 and Gant polo shirt, lemon £55 from Cavells, Oakham. Daily Sports slipover £49.95 from Rutland Water GC. James wears Greetham Valley polo shirt, red £15.95 from Greetham Valley GC. Royal & Awesome Hawaii blue trouser £49.95 from Rutland Water GC. Katie wears Gant polo shirt, pale pink £55 from Cavells, Oakham. Daily Sports slipover £49.95 from Rutland Water GC

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Feature /// Golf RIGHT

The Crown Inn, Uppingham From le : Georgie wears Gant rugger shirt £70 from Cavells, Oakham. Katie wears Gant polo shirt, pink £55 and Gant cable sweater, coral £85 from Cavells, Oakham. Ping visor £14.99 from Greetham Valley GC. Sarah wears Ping visor £14.99 from Greetham Valley GC. Gant polo shirt, lemon £55 from Cavells, Oakham. Daily Sports slipover £49.95 from Rutland Water GC

BELOW, TOP TO BOTTOM

The Vaults, Uppingham.

Srixon towel £9.99 from Greetham Valley GC. Ping G25 iron £65 from Stoke Rochford GC. FJ GTX Extreme glove £10.95 from Rutland Water GC The Lord Nelson, Oakham.

Mulberry Antony satchel £450 from Cavells, Oakham The Crown Inn, Uppingham Tiger head cover £19.95 from Greetham Valley GC

BELOW

The Lord Nelson, Oakham From le : Katie wears Gant polo shirt, pale pink £55, Gant cable sweater, coral £85 and Oui turn-up trouser, beige £95 from Cavells, Oakham. FJ Lo-Pro Casual £64.99 from Stoke Rochford GC. Georgie wears Gant rugger shirt, navy £70 and Gant cropped chino, coral £95 from Cavells, Oakham. Adidas Driver May 2 shoes £59.95 from Rutland Water GC. Ping umbrella £29.99 from Stoke Rochford GC

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STUART AYLMER / ALAMY

Feature /// Horse riding

SADDLE UP Learning to ride is not just a brilliant life skill, but it can also help you keep fit and lose weight.

Julia Dungworth tells you how to get started

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E

ver had the romantic notion of galloping bareback through buttercup-filled meadows on a free-flowing grey horse with the wind whistling through your hair and the sun on your face? Well if you have, then let me tell you that riding is so far removed from that, even top professionals can tell you that would be their worst nightmare!

Learning to ride is a brilliant life skill to achieve and having empathy with a horse is a relationship that is beyond words to describe... as Winston Churchill so famously said: “There is something about the outside of the horse that is good for the inside of a man.”

As the nights draw out and the sun starts to break through the damp, spring is a great time to start learning to ride, then maybe by the summer you may at least be able to canter in an open field with tack and appropriate clothing on, securely fastened head wear and an instructor by your side.

Riding is also a brilliant and fun way to get fit and burn off those excess winter pounds. You can go on your own or with friends but ideally you need to be of the same standard if you want to ride together.

There are many riding schools in the local area (just search on the internet and there is sure to be one within 10 minutes of most people). One of the most important things to make sure of is that they are BHS (British Horse Society) approved, which means they meet the governing body’s standards, and should also mean the school will be insured.

Two local stables, Uffington (01780 754044) and Langtoft (www.langtoftstables.co.uk), can help you get started. Or try Somerby in Leicestershire which also offers Riding for the Disabled through the Mount Group (www.mountgroup.org.uk).

FIRST STEPS

When you have chosen your riding school, get in touch with them. You will be asked for your experience, although this doesn’t mean your life story and the fact you rode a donkey once on Brighton beach does not count!

You will also need to give your height and weight, so don’t make the call in front of anyone you are trying to

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Ashwell Road Oakham Rutland LE15 7QH

Equine Hospital, Referral Centre and Equine Fertility Services We are a long established equine hospital with purpose built facilities and an extensive range of diagnostic equipment. As a clinical associate of the University of Nottingham Vet School we benefit from their specialist staff who work alongside our experienced veterinary surgeons and nurses.

Together they provide the highest level of veterinary care and expertise as required by our RCVS Tier 3 hospital status. A complete equine veterinary service is available from routine yard visits to specialist diagnostics and surgery.

✓ 24 hour emergency service available at yard or hospital

✓ MRI and Scintigraphy

✓ Competitively priced yard visits

✓ Specialist medicine and surgery

✓ Routine healthcare including vaccinations, passport ID, microchipping and dentistry

✓ In house lab providing rapid results

✓ Prior to Purchase examinations ✓ Digital Radiography, Ultrasonography, Endoscopy and Gastroscopy

✓ Weekly remedial farriery clinic

✓ BEVA approved AI service ✓ DEFRA approved semen collection, freezing, storage and distribution to the UK and Europe ✓ 24 hour, CCTV monitored foaling service

www.oakhamvethospital.co.uk find us on Facebook

Equine: 01572 722647

BLEND IMAGES / ALAMY

Feature /// Horse riding

HORSEOLOGY impress as this could lead to a pony being squashed by your ample frame.

If you a haven’t ridden before then a 30-minute lesson will be perfect for your first attempt and this will cost you around £28.

Children seem to be a bit more natural, so you can often put them straight into group lessons, which start from £12.

Clothing is very important. You do not need to turn up in a tail coat and bowler hat, but it is advisable to wear comfortable, well fitting trousers. The rule of thumb is: if you have trouble getting in your own car, they are not the right ones! It’s also important to wear gloves; not for warmth but mainly because the leather will rub your fingers and give you blisters.

Layering on the top half is good as if you get hot, then you can shed a layer, but nothing flappy that doesn’t shut. If you have a cardigan on you will be asked to a take it off or run the risk of doing it up and looking like your gran.

Also, no scarves or loose items, and this includes jewellery. You will not be allowed out in big earrings, long necklaces or with that rock on your hand. Most importantly is footwear: you can wear either a shoe or boot, but it must have a small defined heel and a smooth sole so that your foot does not get stuck in the stirrup.

No wellies please.

Most riding schools have got riding hats that you can borrow, although you will need to check this when you ring up.

It is really nice to have your own hat but

‘RIDING IS A BRILLIANT AND FUN WAY TO GET FIT AND BURN OFF THOSE EXCESS WINTER POUNDS’ prices start from about £60 so I would recommend that you don’t buy one until you know you like riding. You must also take advice from the shop to get the correct safety standard hat as you may find that your chosen riding school will not be insured for you to ride in it, therefore, you will not be able to ride.

From there on, your instructor will take over, (or for the next 30 minutes, your new best friend) they will show you how to do everything, including breathing, as this is something beginners often forget to do. Try to relax and enjoy it, as those that do tend to make the best riders.

Finally, book in for next week before you go as it will take you three to four lessons before you feel like you know what you are doing and you will not be allowed out into the countryside until you can canter in the school by yourself.

And then the fun really starts.

Although horses are naturally wild, they have been domesticated for four thousand years so don’t worry if you’re a bit nervous about getting on one!

One of their most important survival instincts is flight – they will run rather than fight, and this has served them well. Riding schools will have tested their horses in all manner of situations many times prior to any clients getting on. The horses and ponies in riding schools will have been specifically chosen for their docile and willing temperaments.

It is also true that horses can smell/sense fear. Again, they are used to it, and it will make no difference to you.

They are actually more likely to have a sense of humour, and are more likely to want to stop and eat some grass than they are likely to gallop off. In fact, given the opportunity it is quite likely that they will stop and have a nibble of a passing tree, and that is something they will definitely find amusing.

In your first lesson you will be only required to do very basic tasks and some people are quicker at progressing than others. Your instructor will be very used to this and will never push you faster than you are happy with.

You will more than likely spend a lot of time in walk and mastering your position before you have a trot. Don’t be surprised when you find this uncomfortable - it’s not just you. It will take you a few sessions to master rising trot. Your 30 minutes will fly by and if it doesn’t, it’s possibly not the sport for you.

If you love it though, be prepared: horses are an addiction and you may well find they run through your blood and you will be hooked for life.

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Feature /// Health and Wellness

Health and Wellness

Everything a woman needs to be fit, healthy and fantastic. Edited by Sandie Hurford

10 tips to lose weight faster A new report dismisses some traditional dieting advice 1. Go easy on the starches Cereals, bread, rice, pasta, cakes, pastries and biscuits, as well as vegetables such as potatoes, yams, carrots, parsnips and swede, are all starchy carbohydrates. These foods cause our insulin levels to ‘spike’, resulting in our bodies storing fat (particularly around the waist). Great alternatives are cabbage, kale, runner beans, spinach, sprouts, leeks, broccoli and cauliflower.

2. Opt for the red wine Red wine contains fewer “empty” calories and is higher in the good stuff (flavonoids, nonflavonoids, polyphenols and heart-protecting reservatrol) than white wine, beer or spirits. The evidence surrounding this issue is mixed – the bottom line is that no alcohol is best.

3. Skip breakfast So you’ve been told to eat first thing in the morning, then every couple of hours to “stoke your metabolism” and keep burning fat throughout the day. Nothing could be further from the truth. Give your body a break, allowing it to process the food from the day before. Waiting 14-16 hours after your last meal the night before will allow your body to control insulin (the key to fat loss) and reset the hormones ghrelin (hunger hormone) and leptin (the carbohydratesensitive hormone). You will now become a fat-burning machine when you do eat, also reducing blood pressure and improving digestion.

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4. Drink water before bed and on waking At night this will ensure you’re hydrated while you sleep and will help to flush any alcohol through your stomach. In the morning it will boost your metabolism and rehydrate you after several hours without a drink.

5. Do your own baking Shop-made pies, cakes and puddings are often full of stabilizers, emulsifiers and preservatives, not to mention loads of sugar and a raft of chemicals. When you make your own, use less sugar then the recipe suggests (you won’t notice the difference) and use high-quality animal fats such as butter or lard instead of vegetable oil or margarine as these convert to bad trans-fats in the high heat of the oven.

6. Have your main meal at lunchtime Eating a large meal in the evening encourages your body to store more of it as fat than if you eat it at lunchtime.

7. Clotted cream with your pudding?

Sounds crazy but adding a little good-quality clotted cream will cause the sugar to be absorbed more slowly and reduce the insulinspiking effects.

8. Choose dark chocolate with a high cocoa content Cocoa has been found to contain flavonoids than may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

One study that compared the total antioxidant activity in single servings of cocoa, green tea, black tea and red wine scored cocoa markedly higher than the rest.

The more cocoa in a chocolate product, the higher the antioxidant flavonoid content is; dark chocolate is more concentrated in cocoa content (choose 70% or higher), it is higher in flavonoids than milk chocolate. White chocolate has no cocoa content.

9. Avoid snacking between meals or at night If you must snack, go for a slice of meat or cheese rather than crisps, cakes or biscuits.

Snacking between meals really is the way to pack on the pounds – ensure your meals are sufficiently dense in nutrition to last you until the next one.

10. Go organic Avoiding fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and fungicides is important as these toxins get stored in your fat tissues. The more toxins, the more fat that needs to be created to store them. Also, some of these chemicals mimic the hormone oestrogen in men and women, upsetting your hormone balance and increasing fat storage around the pectoral area in men – “man boobs” – and around the hips and thighs in women. * The Ripped to Shreds report by fitness trainers Shaun Petafi and Dean Connor is available to download from www.rippedtoshreds.co.uk

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Brits to spend £2 billion fighting the flab in 2013 And the average person will spend £85.67 on new gear

F

rom juicers to jogging bottoms, trainers to treadmills, Brits will spend over £2 billion fighting the flab in the new year, according to research from shopping website VoucherCodes.co.uk.

As the country vows to experience 2013 in better shape, nearly two-thirds (61%) are planning on getting fit, with the average person spending £85.67 on new kit. Gym-loving guys will splash out a little more, spending £105.53, compared to £68.90 spent by women.

The health kick began back in January but the study revealed that our good intentions didn’t last long, with most fitness attempts lasting just 25 days and ending on February 1.

The VoucherCodes.co.uk study found out that more than two-fifths (42%) of respondents are planning on eating more healthily, while more than a fifth (22%) say they’ll take up a new sport to keep fit. One in seven (14%) will buy a fitness DVD, while one in eight (12%) will download a fitness app to help them get them trim. One in nine (11%) will be cutting out booze.

ALAMY IMAGES

“You can never be too rich or too thin,” said Wallis Simpson.

And more recently and controversially: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” (Kate Moss). Whether you agree or not, most people will have tried to lose weight at some stage in their lives

More ready meals than ready steady go for men New research has revealed that 91% of men have no plans to cook more meals at home this year. They have also vowed not to cut down on the amount of ready meals they buy.

But women are actively taking steps to improve their fitness in 2013. Health and fitness brand Fitbit found that over 50% of women have vowed to take more exercise this year, 10% more than men. Almost a quarter of women say they will stop snacking and over a fifth plan to get more sleep.

However, some Brits have been making a conscious effort to become more active. The research revealed that 53% of people took more exercise and 55% ate a healthier diet last year. Also, over a quarter drank less alcohol, with a sixth changing their behaviour thanks to national health and wellbeing campaigns.

Perhaps because of this, 29% claim they are healthier now than a year ago.

The research of 2,000 people was commissioned by OnePoll on behalf of Fitbit to mark the launch of its wireless activity tracker. The Fitbit One™ (pictured below) tracks steps taken, distance travelled, stairs climbed, calories burned and even sleep quality.

Available for £79.99 from Apple stores, John Lewis, Firebox, Amazon and direct from www.fitbit. com.

MORE WAYS TO SHED THE POUNDS Have an affair The positive feelings of affirmation and restored vitality generated by an affair can engender life choice changes for the good.

UndercoverLovers.com, a dating website for married people seeking affairs, has revealed that being unfaithful can be one of the most effective ways to lose weight. Undercover Lovers asked 3,000 of its adulterous members (1,500 of each gender) whether they’d lost weight since having an affair and if so how many pounds they’d shed. Some 53% of male and 62% of female respondents said they’d lost some weight a er embarking on an affair. The philandering men lost an average of 6lbs (2.7kg) while the women claim to have lost 10lbs (4.5kg) on average.

Tuck into some slimming soups It’s not always easy to eat healthily and when purse strings are tight it’s easy to stock up on cheap junk food – but there are plenty of affordable ways to buy and eat nutritious food for the whole family. A simple bowl of soup is perfect to reduce hunger pangs and is quick, cheap and easy to create. Bulk up a soup by adding canned vegetables, pulses, beans and lentils for a super-quick hearty meal. Canned Food UK has plenty of delicious and free recipes created by celebrity chef James Martin. Find them all at www.cannedfood.co. uk, including low-fat, low-calorie recipes using canned ingredients to help people to reach their weight-loss goal.

Take a food supplement Eutrim is a new product for overweight people who want some extra help to lose that weight.

It uses a form of vegetable chitosan derived from edible fungi claimed to complex with fat from food and transport it through your body without the fat being digested (and so absorbed by your body). It is also said to make you feel fuller for longer by promoting satiety (the feeling of fullness) and reducing appetite.

Available in sachet form, Eutrim can be taken with water or sprinkled over food.

Try raspberry ketones Raspberry ketone experienced a rapid rise to fame in 2012 a er being featured as an effective weight loss supplement on a U.S. television programme. Since then, the UK market has exploded with an influx of raspberry ketone fat burners being released in health shops and online stores. Bio-Synergy claims to have produced the most complete bottle of diet pills ever to be made from a raspberry ketone extract.

And if you must eat jam...

Experts believe the Great British Bake-Off effect is set to bring jam back to the nation’s tables. A survey by Weight Watchers reveals that women’s fear of carbs contributed to a drop in jam sales of 3% over the past 12 months, with 48% of women polled admitting to having banned bread and cakes entirely from their homes in the past 12 months – leaving little to spread their jam on!

However, supermarkets are now seeing a change in shopper behaviour thanks to the resurgence of home baking spurred on by shows such as The Great British Bake Off and Master Chef, with Weight Watchers Jam seeing a particular spike.

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Feature /// Great walks

Clockwise, from above

Not a soul to be seen from miles around... this walk takes in some fairly remote countryside and from the top of the hill offers great views of Eyebrook Reservoir. Stockerston Hall is a stunning country house.

Ella enjoys her walk in the snow. St Peter’s Church in Stockerston

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TOP STAT

Stockerston triangle

s formed by The reservoir wa the Eye Brook the damning of and 1940 by between 1937 yds to provide Stewarts & Llo rby steelworks. water for its Co in trials It was also used ter raids. for the Dambus

A steep climb and some stunning views makes this a special walk, as Will Hetherington discovers Photography: Will Hetherington

THE ROUTE

Stockerston is a small hamlet nestled into the valley above Eyebrook Reservoir, and it has that special feeling of being untouched by the hustle and bustle going on in the wide world beyond.

To get there from Uppingham drive out west on Stockerston Road and drop down the hill via some steep, almost Alpine, hairpins. When you get to the hamlet look for the right hand turn on to Church Lane and park on the verge anywhere around the church.

On the day we did this walk we were met with a Downton-esque scene as the participants in a pheasant shoot were returning to the main house for some welcome refreshments. With tweeds, labradors and pheasants in abundance that sense of being somewhere special was reinforced.

Once you have parked up, take the footpath, which is signposted in the gateway on the left of the lane. This path goes in a straight line for approximately one mile straight up the hill to Stockerston crossroads which is marked on the OS map as 158 metres high. It’s a good climb and will definitely get the heart rate going, as well as giving some splendid views back down towards the reservoir and Stockerston Hall.

When you get to the crossroads turn right and

walk along this quiet country lane for half a mile to a layby where you will see the footpath sign to take you down Burn Hill and back towards Stockerston. Or, if you want a slightly longer walk you can keep going north from the layby and take a right turn back down to Stockerston a bit further along.

Either way you head down Burn Hill with Bolt Wood on your right and you can really enjoy the views back towards Uppingham as they spread out before you. Pass through a couple of field boundaries and you will soon be back at the car.

At about two and a half miles this isn’t the longest walk but with a steep climb you will certainly have worked up an appetite for lunch back in Uppingham or nearby Lyddington.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

This is a good walk for the dog. There were no sheep or cattle in any of the fields on the day we did it and there was plenty of water around, too.

Difficulty rating (out of five)

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION Where to park On Church Lane in Stockerston anywhere on the verge near the church.

Distance and time Two and a half miles, one hour.

Highlights The hamlet and area feel surprisingly remote, in a good

way. Stockerston Hall and St Peter’s Church are both stunning and there are some great views down towards Eyebrook Reservoir.

Lowlights There’s no pub in the village!

Refreshments The Vaults in Uppingham Market

Square is a friendly place for a pint and Don Paddy’s, also in the Market Square, is good for a drink and food. There’s also The Crown in town to try. Meanwhile, the Lake Isle on High Street East is a good place for lunch or dinner.

Otherwise head to the Marquess of Exeter in Lyddington.

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Feature /// Sportsman’s Dinner

The Jackson Stops, Stretton Dean and JT head to a village pub which is accruing a reputation much faster than Dean accrues runs Dean We’d heard the Jackson Stops in Stretton had become a real ‘foodie’ favourite, so with our highly trained gastronomic tastebuds it seemed only right to give it a once-over. It’s a cracking thatched cottage location, and has been in the running recently for some prestigious local awards.

JT I’d not been before, but can see why it’s got a good reputation and it’s now in the Michelin guide. They say first impressions count, and the welcome that we got from owner/manager Julia was first class. They obviously care about their regulars. I lost count of the number of people she said ‘hello’ to while we were having a beer in the front room.

Dean The opening room was beautiful. Nice roaring fire, wooden floor. If it was quieter, I would have showed off my nurdling skills.

JT Isn’t that what you do on the cricket field for three hours, scoring about seven runs with a poke here and a nudge there? God knows I’ve sat watching enough of these Boycottian efforts.

It’s the Yorkshireman in you – you can’t help it.

Dean You seem to have fogotten my rapid 43 at St Ives a couple of years ago. No, nurdling’s an old bar game – the pub stages the world championships here each May. But the main attraction was the food here. We ate in the old bakery, nice and atmospheric, classy lighting, and an old antique bread oven next to the fire, too.

JT I reckon that oven is more than 200 years old, and it still looked cleaner than your one at home.

and a scumpy jus. I couldn’t fault it. The pork just fell apart and the crackling was outstanding.

Dean We had a look around some of the other dining rooms, all available for private hire, and individually decorated. There is even some paintings by old kid’s favourite Timmy Mallet.

Remember him Jon, or were you more of the ‘Bill and Ben’ generation?

Dean I went for the fish and chips, it being a Friday and all. Beer-battered haddock, nice chips and peas a la francaise.

JT I’ll have you know Dean I was a big Wacaday fan, I could often be seen with my big mallet playing Mallet’s Mallet. Mustn’t pause, mustn’t hesitate...

Dean They certainly were. The whole thing was outstanding. Not had fish cooked as well as that for a long time

Dean I’ve noticed on the extensive menu that a lot of the produce is locally sourced. Robert Knowles, the head chef, is very passionate about sourcing the best local produce and he’s building quite a reputation for his quality menu.

JT For my starter I opted for the timbale of West Runton lobster. Fantastic dish with prawns, shrimp, crayfish and caviar dressing.

Dean I had the goat’s cheese crouton.

Wonderfully tasty, and topped with an expertly cooked poached egg. Along with Robert in the kitchen is sous-chef Bart who prepares many of the starters.

JT Picking a main course was a real dilemma with so many great looking dishes, but finally I decided on the pork belly, locally sourced from Grasmere Farm, with chorizo and sage mash

JT I hope their peas were better than their rugby team.

JT My desert was also first class. I had the chocolate three ways: chocolate brownie, profiteroles and double chocolate ice cream.

Good job I did the Valentine’s 30k run the other week.

Dean My tiramisu cheesecake was also class.

Topped with Cognac ice cream. Great way to end a perfect evening’s dining.

Overall, the Jackson Stops is ideal for that special night out. It has a wonderful location, friendly staff, traditional feel and the food is top notch. A return trip in April is a must once the a la carte menu is released.

The Jackson Stops Rookery Lane, Stretton 01780 410237 www.thejacksonstops.com

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Feature /// Great runs

Burghley and Wothorpe run Wondering how to train for the Rat Race Dirty Weekend in Burghley Park?

Alexa Cutteridge has an obstacle-filled run that could help

Photography: Harry Measures

Follow the path to the top of the hill which bears left until you reach a stile in to a field.

Run downhill to the corner of the field, go over the stile and over a little bridge which takes you among some houses. At the end of the path turn right towards the First Drift.

When you get to the First Drift you will see a footpath sign. From here you cannot go wrong – this takes you down a narrow hedgerow, over another bridge and diagonally across a field above the SES Astroturf with the beautiful backdrop of Stamford in the background.

Keep following the footpath until you reach Kettering Road opposite the football club car park.

Enjoy the last stretch on the path before you return back to the start at the back of the Girls’ School.

STATS BURGHLEY AND WOTHORPE RUN DISTANCE 3 miles TERRAIN Road, grass, track and three hills (one big, two gentle) TIME 30 minutes

///

This month’s run was inspired by local Stamfordian and Active reader Cam Park. Cam says this is one of his favourite runs, and with its mixed terrain, various obstacles, stiles and gates to climb it is an excellent way to train for the Rat Race Dirty Weekend. Good luck to Cam and his team!

Start at Burghley Lane at the back of the Girls’ School and enter Burghley Park through the wooden swing gate (not one to climb!).

Head between the cricket club and the Diana Memorial Garden and continue up to the fork in the road and head back towards Bottle Lodges.

Exit through Bottle Lodges, through the gate rather than over the cattle grid, and take a left on to London Road and head up the hill towards the golf club.

Carefully cross the road opposite the golf club and run along the dirt track (Warren Road) uphill over the A1. Here is a great view of Stamford and the surrounding area.

Turn right just after the historic Wothorpe Ruins and head downhill between a beautiful avenue of small trees.

Hop over the stile ahead and run across the field continuing down hill towards some trees.

Head to the right hand side of the trees and keep to the right of the stone hut. This brings you to a steep but short downhill muddy path.

Go through the gate at the bottom and under the A1. At the end of the A1 tunnel turn 90 degrees to your right and run up the path.

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Feature /// School sports

Oakham triumphs at county hockey OAKHAM SCHOOL swept the board at the County Hockey Tournament, with its U18 Boys (pictured right) becoming county champions.

The U16 Boys, who have won the County Cup three years running, also won their tournament to be crowned County Champions, and now have their eyes on becoming Midlands Champions for the second year running.

U18s player Monty Flynn said: “The U18 team became champions after beating Uppingham, Ratcliffe and Loughborough. The team had a convincing win over Ratcliffe in their

first game. Last year’s winners, Loughborough, provided a more resilient defence using the majority of their team to form an impenetrable semi-circle around their coveted D. “Oakham received many chances, wasting them in equal abundance until Josh Adlam ruptured the deadlock and ended the game 1-0 for Oakham.

“The last game against Uppingham was a fierce contest. Oakham came out victorious courtesy of a flick from Monty Jefferson and a buzzer beating short corner from Charles Hurley; leaving the score line a distinguished 2-0.”

UCC handball honour FIVE STUDENTS FROM UPPINGHAM Community College have been selected to play for the Rutland U16’s Handball team. Morgan Severn and Tom McFarlane (Year 8) and Tom Beach, Oakley Wilkins and Jacob Lockyer (Year 9) played in the East Midlands Regional Competition against Lincolnshire. The match was a tight contest, finishing 14-14 at full time. Extra time still couldn’t split the teams finishing 16-16. In the end, Rutland just missed out, losing in a penalty shootout.

Oakham are cross-country champions OAKHAM SCHOOL pupils fought off some tough competition to become county champions in the Leicestershire & Rutland County Championship at Ratcliffe College.

The Inter Boys Team became county champions and as a result, Tom Loring (from Exton) and Josh Greaves (Whissendine) have both qualified to represent Leicestershire & Rutland in the English School Cross

Country competition which is taking place in Derbyshire in March.

The Senior Girls Team also placed second and Inter Girls team took third place.

All of the pupils ran a gruelling course that was a classic mix of undulating grassland and woodland tracks, along with having to cross a stream and a very muddy ploughed field during the race.

Sofia wins gold again SOFIA PALMER has won her second Judo gold medal.

After winning gold at the Welsh National Judo Championships, Sofia has just represented Stamford High School at the HMC Independent Schools & IAPS Judo Tournament at High Wycombe.

Sofia fought in the under 12 years and under 48kg weight category, winning four straight fights to gain her gold medal.

Head of PE Heidi Myles said: “Everyone at Stamford High School is extremely proud of Sofia’s achievements and we look forward to following her future successes in Judo.”

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Chloe moves up in UK badminton rankings TEENAGER CHLOE SIDWELL is continuing to move up the women’s UK badminton rankings after her latest Senior Bronze tournament.

Chloe is currently ranked 79th nationally, though her ranking is set to improve significantly in the coming weeks after she won the Bedfordshire tournament last weekend.

Chloe, a year 13 pupil at Stamford High School, was victorious in all her games leading up to the final, and she then went on to beat Erin Parkes (Kent) in the final.

She also played in the doubles tournament where she was crowned runner up.

Although Chloe’s exact ranking has not yet been confirmed, it is expected that she will be ranking in the 60s – impressive for a 17-year old.

Toby represents U20s EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Toby Wilson had the distinction of playing for the Leicestershire Under 20 XV last month.

As starting openside flanker, he helped the team to an 8 – 6 victory over Cumbria and they now progress to the quarter finals of the National Under 20s competition.

Toby was spotted by the Leicestershire Under 20 selectors while taking part in the trials for the Independent Schools XVs. The day proved very successful as he was also selected to be part of the Independent Schools XV squad and will go on their tour to Ireland in April. The team will take on some tough opposition during the tour including Leinster, Munster and Connaught.

Uppingham’s director of sport, Paul Westgate, said: “Toby has been one of the stand-out rugby players during his five years at Uppingham.

“He has always been totally committed on the rugby field and he is greatly respected by his peers.

“I am delighted that his abilities as a young rugby player have been recognised and that he has been given the chance to play representative rugby at the next level.

Toby has a bright future in the game.”

CRICKET COACHING

Tom Leonard, Leicestershire and Rutland’s cricket development coach, has been visiting Uppingham Community College every Friday to run coaching sessions and assembly visits. The first indoor competition took place with the U15 Girls hosting the schools tournament involving Catmose and John Ferneley.

BASKETBALL CUP FINAL TRIP Forty five students from Uppingham Community College had the opportunity to attend British Basketball’s version of the FA Cup – the BBL Cup final, with the aim of providing them an opportunity to experience a live basketball game at professional level and to encourage participation in the sport.

The game was between Leicester Riders and Newcastle Eagles, and eventually won by the Riders. Throughout the day, those attending were also able to watch England vs Ireland, the BBL Slam Dunk Contest and were even treated to some high flying acrobatic Basketball Dunks during half time by the ‘Crazy Dunkers.’

BADMINTON OLYMPIAN VISIT

Tigers give tips to rugby sevens squad THE OAKHAM SENIOR Sevens squad were given a boost when they were treated to some expert coaching from two top rugby players.

Leicester Tiger and England player Anthony Allen and the recently retired Jeremy Staunton

UPPINGHAM COMMUNITY COLLEGE NEWS

put the boys through their paces. They were impressed with the squad’s work ethic.

The squad is looking forward to seeing them for more expert coaching in the near future, as they build towards upcoming tournaments.

Former GB badminton international and Olympian, Anthony Clark, visited UCC as part of the Sky Sports Living for Sport Programme. He spoke to more than 200 students about his career, his training and the values of sport. He also spent two hours coaching the college’s Badminton squads, pictured above.

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Feature /// School sports

Shires head to ancient Egypt Rutland school for severely autistic children presents its first art exhibition THE SHIRES SPECIAL SCHOOL in Rutland has put on its first Art Exhibition.

This is the first time the school, which caters for severely autistic pupils, has put its artwork on display for the public to see.

Following the termly topic of Ancient Egypt the students supported by the staff used lots of different materials and techniques to produce the pieces, including origami pyramids, decoupage death masks, using clay to make pottery and using acrylic paints.

Students Daniel Franklin, Abdullahi Munye, Lydon Williamson, Hayden Fairbanks, Ben Halsam, Jayne Crockett, Uzair Pasha, Curtis Evans, Mark Pell, Alex Badialli, Tina McKenzie and Howard Johnson all produced artwork for the exhibition which ran during February in the Oakham Library.

Right: some of the pupils with their artwork

Explorer inspires pupils MATT DICKINSON, world-renowned film maker and writer, has inspired budding explorers in a thrilling talk about his adventures in the Antarctic and on Everest.

His talk, pictures and video clips provided a fascinating insight into the world of exploration for pupils at Oakham School.

As well as describing his travels through Antarctica and the Sahara Desert, he also gave an account of his successful ascent of Everest’s north face. Matt beat hurricane force winds and

temperatures of minus 70 degrees Celsius to climb the world’s highest peak.

Steve Gorman, outdoor activities co-ordinator at Oakham, said: “Matt’s enthusiasm for what he does is infectious. He is one of those inspirational characters that help young people to realise that if they grab the opportunity they can achieve anything they want.”

Dickinson added: “I hope the presentation will inspire some pupils for future studies or even their own journeys of exploration.”

England success for OB LOCAL RUGBY PLAYER Michael Allen became the latest Old Stamfordian to don the colours of his country and celebrate success as a member of the England Universities Rugby XV. The squad flew to Portugal to play their national side, with a view to preparing for upcoming matches against France and Wales.

The students won the fixture 25 - 20.

Mike represented the First XV at Stamford School in 2006 and 2007 as well as Stamford RFC from an early age. He is currently studying business studies at Hertford and playing for OAs (St Albans) in RFU National League 1.

Mike said: “It was an honour to pull on an English shirt for the first time and a great game to be involved in. Who knows where it may lead? But I am really proud to get my first cap and want to thank everyone at Stamford School

and my rugby club who have helped me.”

His former First XV coach David Laventure added: “Students’ rugby is at a very high standard with all the players attached to Premiership and National league clubs. Mike has done brilliantly and should enjoy every minute of it!”

Mike’s school colleague Jeremy Cunnew also made the squad as a non-travelling reserve.

CHRIS QUALIFIES FOR NATIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY Stamford School Sixth Formers, Chris Allison (pictured) and Harrison Miles did exceptionally well at the Anglian Cross Country Championship, which was held at the PGL Centre in Caythorpe.

The boys were representing Lincolnshire as well as their school and they faced tough competition from across the region.

The field was well spaced out by the end of the race, with many Suffolk and Norfolk boys finishing in the top ten. Harrison Miles finished in a respectable 40th position, 8th for Lincolnshire. Chris came in as the second Lincolnshire runner and in tenth place overall. As a result, Chris has been called up for the National Championship and the English Schools Cross Country Championship.

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Roundup The scores, star performers and stats from a month in Stamford and Rutland sport

Football

Sides back in contention after enforced ‘winter break’

I

t’s been a good start to February for the Stamford Daniels, as they try and keep up the pressure on Evo Stik League leaders Coalville Town. The Daniels got back to action after the weather enforced ‘winter break’ with a hard fought 1-0 away win at Market Drayton, captain Richard Jones nodding the ball home to give new boss Wayne Hatswell his second win in three games.

That was the Daniels’ first clean sheet in 12 games, and Hatswell’s defensive acumen then produced another the following week, with a 3-0 home win over Brigg Town, with goals from new signings Ben Saunders, Jordan Hempenstall, and the impressive Andy Hall.

Realistically, the Daniels will be hard pushed to make up the 14-point gap at the top of the league, but finishing second would give them home advantage in the play-offs.

Blackstones’ new manager Dave Stratton had a good start to his career at Lincoln Road in January, with a 2-1 win against Long Buckby. The poor weather meant a

three-week break though for Stones, and they couldn’t repeat the success at home against Desborough Town, losing 2-1 with ex-Stamford Daniel Kevin Byrne scoring a brace for the Northamptonshire side.

In the Peterborough league, Oakham United have slid down to sixth position in the Premier League having not won in the league since November. Once again their defensive frailties were shown by conceding five at home to Moulton Horrox in a 5-2 defeat, and losing 3-2 away at Peterborough ICA. Oakham have now conceded 60 goals this season, the third worst defensive record in the league.

Uppingham Town remain in mid-table having also lost twice since the return to action, losing 2-1 away at Whittlesey and going down 2-0 at home to Crowland.

Ketton FC and Ryhall FC are battling to see who will be Rutland’s top side in Division One. They played out their first competitive game in more than 10 years on February 9, with the game finishing 1-1 – Barry Burton giving Ryhall the lead, only for Jamie Hill to score a long range effort to

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Ryhall (in yellow) are battling to be Rutland’s top side in Division One of the Peterborough League

equalise for Ketton. The previous week, Ketton had beaten Farcet 3-0, while Ryhall had drawn 1-1 away at Macca Sports.

Stamford Bels’ return to form since Christmas continued into February with a 0-0 draw at home to Langtoft. The Bels are now unbeaten in five games, having previously lost 13 on the trot before Christmas.

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6 0 M A RC H 2013 ///

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Rugby

Pause, thaws and tours

BY JEREMY BESWICK

S

tourbridge Lions visited Stamford Town for the semi-final of the Midland Senior Vase, a tough test but with much to play for as a possible date at Twickenham is the prize.

Town, in their usual purple/blue and white stripes and black shorts waited as Lions emerged clad in....you’ve guessed it.

Honorary life member Pat Harrison recalled a similar time in the ’70s when “the ref made the away team play in skins” when the visitors turned out in the same kit as the home team.

Lions shaded the first half by two tries to one for Town from Matt Jane, stretching their lead with a top drawer score early in the second. Gradually Stamford played their way back into the game, Stourbridge receiving a second yellow as Town’s stamina told.

Lions helped themselves to several breathers for injuries to their players, some of which may have been genuine. “Canny” is the kindest adjective I can think of.

Now clearly the stronger side, Stamford came close repeatedly but had to wait for the try they deserved. With the clock ticking all the pressure came from town but time ultimately defeated them. Final score 12-17 and a brave effort. “It just didn’t quite

click for us today,” a disappointed club president Steve Fowkes summarised. So, it’s back to the fight for promotion, where earlier they’d recovered from last month’s shock defeat at Rushden and Higham with a crucial win at Rugby St Andrews 33-20 to regain top spot. Tries from Mark Taylor (2), Bruce Parker, Chris Fletcher and Tom Lindley ensuring the bonus point.

After the snow that caused so many postponements, Oakham Town slid into second spot in the table with a clean sweep of three wins.

Following an 18-6 win at Aylestone St James, ice cool Joe Lund starred with a hattrick as Nottingham Casuals were brushed aside in a first half that saw 29 points rain in with no response, ending 36-10 as town eased their foot off the gas.

Adam Stimson was man of the match.

Away to Bakewell Mannerians is never a piece of cake, especially with your first choice front row of Ryan Corner, Rhys Grieve and Alun Meadows all unavailable.

Town really took the biscuit though, running out 36-19 winners in a match played at Matlock Bath as the thaw flooded Mannerians’ ground.

The remainder of their season includes hard-baked away fixtures to local rivals Melton and table-topping Coalville, but a

promotion in time for next season’s opening of the new clubhouse and ground would be a cracker. Veteran John Hamilton said: “We have six games left, four of which are against top six sides, but the team is hopeful of finishing in the play-off spot.”

Stamford College Old Boys’ problem with a front row prone to absenteeism continues, conceding the away fixtures with St Neots and Brackley.

At home Swifts crushed them 0-52, skipper Carl Walker describing the opponents flying back row as ‘awesome’, but did at least put points on the board in the 7-30 defeat by Bourne, Walker creating a try from a well rehearsed penalty move as they ‘dominated the scrum all game’.

With fellow strugglers Corby and Westwood still to play there’s hope they’ll avoid relegation and optimism for next season as a new coach is on the way.

Walker is sworn to secrecy – but just what is Clive Woodward up to these days...?

The less said about Deepings’ month the better as they lost all three matches. Is this related to the fact that most of the first team seemed to be on tour in Vegas as we went to press? Better luck on the tables guys!

Even the ladies lost their 100% record, drawing 0-0 at Peterborough – or were they in Nevada, too?

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Roundup

Equestrianism

Snow sees local hunts take to foot

A

s yet more snow settled on the Stamford and Rutland area it has been another long month in the horse world, with nearly half of February under a blanket of white stuff.

This meant that nearly all the local hunts, the Fitzwilliam, Cottesmore and the Belvoir, took to hunting on foot, and with the latter having nearly 40 jockeys out, it more resembled army training than hunting.

Many more events fell foul of the weather: the JAS at Arena UK had 150 entries and had to cancel, which was a shame as many locals saw this as a good opportunity to get their eventers out, so they are hoping to re-run.

Also, sadly, the highly anticipated Melton Hunt Ride had to be cancelled, but on the plus side there was a small break in the weather so that the infamous Household Cavalry ride and Bernard Weatherill Side Saddle race could take place in early February.

Not only was it not snowing, but the sun was out and it was a glorious day, although the ground was fairly bottomless, and 14 riders tackled eight rustic hedges and rails over about a mile and a half of the best Leicestershire country at Ingarsby Hall.

Although definitely not for the fainthearted, this is similar to The Melton hunt

ride. Irish rider Susan Oakes took the Diana of the Chase Cup and in a very close second place was Lizzie Harris.

The Cavalry ride ran just before this over a longer course with another six fences and attracted a much higher class of field than normal due to the Melton Ride cancellation.

It was also open to Cottesmore and Quorn subscribers and was won by Zoe Gibson on Vicality, with Kelly Morgan in second and local horse dentist Louisa Fear was third.

The popularity of the former Sidesaddle race has also led to talk of a sidesaddle gate jumping competition very soon, which will be really exciting.

Mark Williams, our local show jumper from Brooke, has been having a winning time of it recently in what is normally a quiet time of year for the jumpers.

Mark has been doing really well, winning the Foxhunter and 1.30 on Dawn Ross’ Extensa G at Vale View Equestrian Centre near Melton Mowbray, and they are also off to Arena UK for their Premier Show to jump some even bigger classes.

As the nights start to draw out, the eventing buzz is back in the air, and one of the first local events to run is again Oasby which is due to run from March 7 for four days.

It has already attracted nearly 1,000

Photography: Nico Morgan

BY JULIA DUNGWORTH

Above

Local rider Piggy French will be among nearly 1,000 riders in eventing action at Oasby

entries including some of the top riders in the country such as our local Piggy French and from further afield Zara Phillips has several entries.

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Hockey

Rutland Girls head to national finals qualifiers

BY SIMON COOPER

I

t has been something of a fractured month in the hockey world, as the snowy weather has hit the fixtures list hard and made for what looks to be a very busy March as rearranged fixtures stack up.

With their matches already completed, the girls of Rutland’s U16s squad looked on with interest as the final qualifiers in the National Championships were played out over the weekend of February 15/16.

The next round, to be played on March 3, sees Rutland face a trip to Beeston, one of the country’s larger and more successful clubs, to take on their youngsters as well as those of Worcester and Pelicans (King’s Lynn).

This stage of the competition (Tier 2) sees the four sides play each other once, all on the same day, with matches lasting 40 minutes across two halves. At the end of that little lot, the top team qualifies for the National Finals, to be played this year at Wakefield Hockey Club on April 13/14.

The Men’s side has had a mixed couple of weeks, first travelling to Newmarket for a rather unsavoury encounter that saw plenty of testosterone flying around. All rather unnecessary, and thankfully that is that away trip done and dusted for another season.

The Rutland lads managed to cope with

the rough and tumble stuff well enough, at least not bringing home too many bruises, but were given a lesson in finishing, eventually losing 5-1.

The next weekend saw the return of Jonny Ashwin to play alongside his travelling partner Marcus Parsons, and with those two back in the groove Rutland comfortably dispatched a visiting Alford team 8-2.

Although goalkeeper Luke Hardy was required to make a couple of fine saves in the opening moments, after that the Rutlanders found their mojo, with Robert Forster causing plenty of problems up front, and there were also goals for Chedd, Harford and Robertson.

Rutland’s Ladies 1st X1 reclaimed the lead in the Cambs Premier Division with five rounds left to play, with Anne Pollock in fine goal scoring form as they cruised to back-to-back 2-0 victories over St Ives.

Meanwhile, main rivals Newmarket and Wisbech were involved in their own double-header, first playing out a 1-1 draw before Wisbech prevailed in the second encounter to leave themselves clinging to Rutland’s coat tails, trailing by a solitary point.

Before those league fixtures, the Rutland side had travelled to Newmarket for the last game in the cup group stages. They

paid the price for missing a few chances and really only getting going after they were already a couple of goals down, losing 4-1 and missing out on a place in this year’s cup final.

The two teams play each other again shortly, this time in the league, which could have a large bearing on who ends up in the promotion slots come the end of the season (it has yet to be confirmed whether only the champions, or the top two, will gain promotion into the East system at the end of the season.

The Ladies Seconds have managed just the one game, losing 3-1 to Cambs Nomads in their own cup competition, meaning they too fell at the round robin stage.

Still, a second place in their group is a decent return for a team making their first appearance at this level, and they now have five league games left to try and finish as high up the table as possible.

Turning our eyes to the mixed leagues of Leicestershire, also heavily affected by the white stuff, the Rutland Horseshoes suffered a 4-2 defeat at the hands of the Barbarians and lie sixth in the top division.

Down in the third tier, the Rutland Oaks are having a better time of it, recently beating the Loughborough Carillon Falcons 6-2 to shore up third position to leave them still with an outside shot at promotion.

Show your support for local sport and advertise in our classifieds Email advertise@theactivemag.com or call 01780 480789 /// M A RC H 2013

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PORTRAITS

Roundup

Golf

Local clubs see winter leagues warm up GREETHAM VALLEY The winter order of merit saw yet another first time winner last month, with past captain Jim Wheeler coming out on top with 36 points.

Neil Harris also had 36 points but was pushed into second on countback after a poor back nine.

Three players returned a score of 35 points, but Steve Anderson had the better back nine and so took third place. He will now play off six. The other two, Martin Boughton and Ian Cunningham, were tied for the fourth spot.

Paul Jenkinson retains the top position in the order of merit with a 25-point lead over Ian Copley. The consistent Steve Anderson climbed two places into third while Neil Harris leapt 10 places into a tie for fifth with George Grant.

So far 38 players have seen their handicaps cut in the series this year and with only six more games to go, anybody making a run could win it.

With only one game to go in the round robin knockout stage of the winter league it was extremely tight at the top of most of the four groups.

In group one, Gary Graham and Kevin Burdall look favourites to be one of the top two to go forward to the quarter finals, while in group two, Bernard Bell and Neil Crees and the team of Bill Skinner and Graham Day have nine points.

However, if they were to lose their final game and the third place pairing of Dave Morgan and Iain Bain were to win theirs, they would all have nine points and it would depend on countback.

BURGHLEY PARK Following the conclusion of the group stages of the winter league competition at Burghley Park last month, the line-up for the quarterfinal knock out phase is now clear, with the top two teams in each league progressing.

In league A, Bob Emmins and Chris Bradshaw maintained their grip at the top, beating Chris Lees and Bob Chapman 4&3 to go through to the knockout stages as group winners with 15 points.

Stuart Blesset and Martin Ash needed just a draw to go through as runners-up, but made sure of qualification with a 7&6 defeat of James Longbone and Harry Tee to finish with 13 points.

In league B, a 2&1 win for Paul York and Mark Duffen over Doug Hunter and Brian Barber ensured they finished top of the table with 16 points, three ahead of Paul and Lewin Auciello, who halved their last match against James Vaughan and Dan Carr. This was the tightest league of all, with only four points covering second to seventh places.

League C was dominated throughout by two teams, who could only be separated by holes won on countback.

Paul Wilkinson and John Mayman beat George Beadle and Richard Vaughan 3&2 in their final match to finish on 18 points, pushing John Tilley and Charlie Gardiner (also 18 points) into second place.

In League D, a late run from David Jackson and Javan Argent saw them grab top spot with a 5&4 defeat of Stuart Pringle and Andy Vaughan, to finish on 18 points.

Long-term leaders Graham Camp and Steve Hopkins halved with Jon and Jake Brown to hang on to second.

NORTH LUFFENHAM A magnificent victory over Stoke Albany in the Mail on Sunday competition was the highlight of this month’s golf at North Luffenham.

Stoke Albany sent a very strong team but the home team came out on top with an impressive 4-1 scoreline.

Detailed results were Peter Barker (off 8) beat Ray Shocklidge (off 7) by one hole; Derek Cooper (16) lost to Toby Clarke (5) 3 & 2; Tom Little (11) beat Sam Clarke (5) 3 & 2; Bob Dixon (13) beat Andy Bruce (3) 5 & 3; Gordon Knox (11) beat Rab Wilson (2) 5 & 4.

In the month’s Sunday medal, scores were generally high on a bitterly cold day. Division One winner was Keith Bellamy with a nett 74 playing off 18, followed by Dom Freckingham with 74 off 15 then Peter Kelleher scoring a nett 77 off 14.

Show your support for local sport and advertise in our classifieds Email advertise@theactivemag.com or call 01780 480789 /// M A RC H 2013

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Feature /// Stalwart

Allan Westray CHAIRMAN, COTTESMORE AFC

W

inston Churchill was prime minister, Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile, Elvis made his first record and a 14 year-old Allan Westray made his debut for Cottesmore Amateurs FC. Can you name the year? 425 games, 234 goals and 24 years later Allan’s playing career came to an end but, feeling he hadn’t contributed much, he then became secretary for 27 years before – doubtless believing he’d shown a lack of commitment – taking on the chairmanship in 1991, the position he still holds to this day.

Cottesmore is an archetypal village club, drawing nearly all its team from the local area.

Games were played on farmer Cecil Hollis’s field until the league deemed a cattle trough doubling as a shower no longer acceptable. So off Allan trotted, forelock firmly in hand, to see Lord Gainsborough (Armistice Sunday, 1979, since you ask) who generously leased them the land they stand on today. Add some secondhand floodlights, posts and rails and you pretty much have Rutland’s own Maracana.

The team punches well above its weight in the Leicestershire Senior League, with assistance

Words /// Jeremy Beswick from sponsors The Sun Inn, The Cottesmore Chip Shop and Premier Logistics and one of the best playing surfaces in the league – not entirely without outside help though.

Allan takes up the story: “Two suited gentlemen appeared at the ground and the one who spoke English explained his colleague was technical director of the Croatian national side.

They were coming for Euro ‘96 and due to be based at Barnsdale Lodge.”

“Boss say want team train here. Is proper English football ground. But pitch is no good.”

So (after Allan had checked with ‘You’ve Been Framed’) some money from the FA and help from Dave Jones the fireman with his engine – it wasn’t raining enough – he ensured that three weeks later the playing surface was pristine.

“And that’s how Prosinecki and Davor Suker swapped the Nou Camp and the Bernabau for Rogues Park, Cottesmore.” Later Allan did try to tap up some of the squad, especially midfielders Stanic and Boban, sadly with no success.

Over 58 years there will be highs and lows.

His happiest playing memory is going to Stamford’s ground for the Ketton Charity Cup Final as rank underdogs, accompanied by most of the village in buses. He scored twice as they

won 3-1. President of the club at the time was the former Bishop Stewart of Jerusalem, so perhaps opponents Blackstones were playing 12 men.

And the lows? “It was 11:45pm, Sunday, July 24, 2011 when the fire started. We’d only just celebrated our 70th anniversary”. The wooden pavilion, generator, two mowers and pretty much everything else was destroyed in an act of vandalism.

“The next morning I was standing amongst the debris and thinking I just can’t do it anymore. Then I heard an engine and through the mist came David Hollis (son of the late Cecil) and started clearing up the mess with his tractor.

That really rallied the troops, not to mention me.”

It’s been a long haul, but the club is now firmly back on its feet. Go and support them or, if you’re a prospective player, turn up for training on Thursdays at 7pm. And if there are any businesses out there looking to sponsor a team playing all over Leicestershire...

So, back to that question about the year.

Allan’s debut was back in 1954 but he didn’t hesitate when I asked: “We won 3-2 at Kettering.” Somehow, I just knew he’d know.

‘THE CROATION NATIONAL SIDE WERE COMING FOR EURO ’96 AND DUE TO BE BASED AT BARNSDALE LODGE... BOSS SAY WANT TEAM TRAIN HERE. IS PROPER ENGLISH FOOTBALL GROUND. BUT PITCH IS NO GOOD’

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