Golden Castle

News

The weather has dominated this last month – lots of events cancelled including two of Sam’s events at Cheltenham and Berrington Hall and the Le Trec down at Cefn Mably. Fortunately the rain did not deter 14 of you turning up for our show jumping competition on July 16^th – read more about that below. A big thank you from Sam also for all the engagement cards and presents for her and Steve – everyone was so kind, we were really thrilled with everything – you spoiled us! Here’s to a sunny August! Sam & Fiona

Out and About!

Hunt Ball – July 6

Smart frocks and blokes in dinner suits – well that was our group anyway, Sam, Steve, Kate, Nathan, Rhianne, Rhys, Sarah, Chris, Fiona and Eleanor, enjoyed a sit-down dinner and dancing till 2pm. It’s inspired us to have our own “ball” this Xmas – see over the page…..

Allensmore Evening SJ – July 11

Rhiannon, Sam, Sarah, Kelsey, Eleanor, Michelle rode (variously) clear round, 2’3 and 2’6 with Kelsey and Ali and Rhiannon and Bonnie getting ribbons in the 2’3 and 2’6 and Eleanor (Merlin) and Kelsey (Ali) both getting double clears in the two classes they took part in. Nice to see Tom and Jo there also on Seren and Batty.

Ice’s only event this month – July 14^th

Stockland Lovell was one of very few events to run this month, with the showjumping moved to an all weather arena. The most technically challenging xc this year, with a hefty number of skinny fences, either on their own or to/from another obstacle – including a fiendish water-in/water-out/skinny combination!

GC Show Jumping – competition and clear round – July 16 and 30th

14 people took part in an evening show jumping competition ranging from minimus to 3ft – lots of scary fillers followed by clear round jumping on the 30^th, giving lots of people a chance to take part in their first show. More planned for August – see below. And see also the detailed write up of these two events on page 2.

Endurance goes ahead – despite the rain – July 13, 14, 15^th

Fiona and Toby completed three 50k rides at Ludlow and two 40k rides at Tregaron, taking second place at the Tregaron competition with a time of 14.2k/h.

Evening Ride – July 31st

Another one of our popular evening rides, welcome Susan on her first ride, look out for more this month.

Mags and Chester! (pictured above – couldn’t fit the photo in here with the text!)

We are the veterans of Golden Castle , our combined ages only 2 years away from the century .( Chester’s 38, so work it out!) We’ve been together for about 3 years, now, but ours was not an auspicious meeting. Fiona’s airy “ tack up Chester, Mags” seemed straightforward enough -BUT HE KNEW…. not only that I was  a novice  but that I was, also, still, petrified of horses. His response was to turn and lunge at me, ears flat to his head and teeth bared, every time I approached him. Difficult to believe, I know – and neither of us suspected that, some months later, I would become his “mum”.

Chester has, since, accepted me with grudging tolerance and we’ve compromised, happily, for the most part.  When he isn’t in the mood he does a brilliant impersonation of a donkey on those “would you treat an animal like this??” pictures, whereas, when he’s enjoying himself he can gallop up the hill like a 6 year old. He’s taken me , safely, over the jumps at last year’s Golden Castle mini cross country and, brought me home, safe and sound from two trecs (although that was, mostly thanks to Marian, without whose compass and map reading skills Chester and I would still be wandering up Lord Hereford’s Knob.) And, then, of course there was the business of the pigs. Pigs are Chester’s pet hate, on a par only with donkeys who are, it seems, the two most dangerous species in the universe, their sole purpose in life being to eat the Chesters of this world. Unfortunately, the very first trec circuit featured a family of very small pigs right in the middle of the P.O.V. course.. Chester knows only too well that size doesn’t matter and that even the teeniest piglets are vicious Chestervores –and to be avoided at all costs. We managed to avoid being disqualified by walking what seemed like miles to avoid the pigs without missing any of the obstacles. When we finally made it, me red faced and triumphant, long suffering Fiona had walked the course, wondering where the hell we’d got to, as the time ticked by with no sign of us, the other horses already boxed and ready for home. I was going to finish off by saying that our recent experiences have been uneventful- quiet, evening rides across the hill with a grudging “tranter” or two on the way out and a proper canter on the way home, an occasional hack with kind friends for company. Well, I was going to say all that, but, then there was the ride to the Vine Tree, only last week….suffice it to say that there were scary gates, scary sheep, DONKEYS, lots of getting on and off and being FIRM! Chester never stops surprising me; he’s a wily old bird with a fantastic character who has me “sussed” - which is why I hope we’ll make the century together.

Mags and Chester (picture from the Welsh Trec Championships 2006)

Golden Castle Competitions – come and join in!

Show Jumping competitions were held on Monday July 16^th and Monday July 30^th, classes for the first event and clear round jumping for the second. For those who are new to competing the difference is this: with jumping classes, competitors ride in turn at the height of the class competing for places (the number of “places” varies based on the number of competitors – but usually ranges from 1^st – 4^th/6^th). Places are based on (a) number of faults; (b) time; (c) jump off – where (a) and (b) both apply. For our competitions we have given places based on (a) and (b) so far. Faults are allocated as follows: fence/part of fence down – 4 faults; refusal – 3 faults; crossing tracks (ie circling in front of a fence) – 3 faults (as a refusal). Rosettes are given for each placing. Competitors can only jump the same class once, with the same horse.  Clear round jumping is basically what it says – the goal is to go round the course clear, and everyone achieving a clear round gets a rosette. Competitors can jump the same horse around the same course more than once (within reason…….!) giving riders an opportunity to improve something if they have a run out/fence down. Courses are varied, with 9 jumps in total, including a & b combinations, and range from cross poles and uprights to small spreads and jumps with fillers (zig-zags and the pigs!). And in both cases, don’t start to jump until you hear the “beep”……

July 16^th, 5pm, if everyone can remember, was one of the wettest afternoons/evenings of the month! As the classes started the rain hammered down, but undeterred everyone got stuck into their classes, the muddy school an extra deterrent from falling off – really big thank you to everyone for carrying on (and thanks back from the competitors to Sam, Fiona and all the helpers who stood in the rain judging and putting poles back up!!). It was a great evening, excepting the weather and the results were as follows:

• Minimus – 1^st Rose and Buttons; 2^nd Sarah and Lola
• Mini – 1^st Rose and Buttons; 2^nd Sarah and Lola
• 2ft – 1^st Chris and Maverick; 2^nd Sarah and Hollywood; 3^rd Wayne and Ali; 4^th Morgan and Merlin
• 2’3ft – 1^st Eleanor and Merlin; 2^nd Chris and Maverick; 3^rd – Marian and Stranger; 4^th – Sam and Mouse.
• 2’9ft – 1^st Kate and Mini; 2^nd – Rhianne and Toffee; 3^rd – Rhiannon and Bonnie
• 3ft – 1^st Rhiannon and Bonnie; 2^nd – Rhianne and Toffee; 3^rd – Kate and Mini

Congratulations to Rose and Buttons who were doing their first competition together and to Sarah and Lola for Lola’s first competitive jumping outing – it’s a great test for horses and riders without the extra pressure of trailering somewhere and competing in front of lots of strangers!

The clear round jumping was (a) sunny; (b) an opportunity for some new faces to take part in the jumping – Cath, Cath and Jill who were not able to take part on the 16^th rode a number of classes on Hollywood and Chester and had great fun – they’ll be back! Wayne certainly took the speed record on a fast-moving Ali – one to watch in a jump off! There are heights suitable for everyone so watch out for the next competition on the 20^th and come along and have a go!!

Out and About - continued

DVD Lessons continue

Rhiannon and Bonnie completed their first DVD lesson, focusing on complicated jumping lines and combinations.

Coming up – things for the diary

August 11^th – agricultural shows at Chepstow and LLanigon (nr Hay-on-Wye) – with show jumping/working hunter classes.

August 12^th – Toby and Fiona in action at Barbary Castle – an 80k ride.

August 14^th – Ice and Sam take part in their next Novice event at Sapey.

August 15^th – Sam and Benson and also Kate and Mini (doing their first Intro level competition) at Sapey again – we’ll get Kate to do photos and a write up for the next news letter – good luck to them!

August 17^th – Day Ride and Picnic to Cwm Du and in the evening Midnight Steeple Chase in Brecon.

August 20^th – clear round show jumping here at Golden Castle from 5pm onwards – heights from minimus to 2’9/3ft depending on time. This is a great way to get some experience of riding into an arena and jumping under “competition” conditions –  although Sam and Fiona are both on hand to help. See opposite for details.

August 23^rd – have-a-go cross country at GC.

August 30^th – dressage at GC.

November 23^rd – Golden Castle Christmas Ball!! - Yes it is early notice, but we wanted to make people aware of this well in advance. This year the Xmas party will be a “drinks – dinner – dancing” affair at The Old Rectory. Posh frocks and DJs if you want to, a good opportunity to dress up as the Xmas season starts. Keen to welcome partners/friends – the more the merrier so people who want to book as a group/table, very, very welcome to do so. £25 per person with a £5 deposit. Ask Sam/Fiona for details.

More events/competitions and feedback

Do please complete the feedback form we sent out last month and let us know what else you’d like us to arrange or organize – there’s lots on this month and good to see so many people taking part – we’re keen to do more!

Joiners and Leavers

Welcome Michael, a hang gliding instruction, who has started having private lessons and is learning to ride for the first time – he wants to see the countryside from a different angle!

New to our loan owners, Cath now has Murphy on loan – she’s also joined Jackie’s riding “posse” – getting people together to ride out from the yard.

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

No “real” leavers again – Maverick, Ceri and Lola are on their holidays at Sarah and Chris’s for the summer (along with little Jeeves, Mouse’s foal, now a yearling). Lots of hacking out and munching grass – they did come up for the jumping on the 30^th and will be come up for the clear round competition on the 20^th as well.