Powys Carriage Driving Group

Mid Wales has held two more events – making three so far - with Ann Ham organiser saying ,”I am thrilled with the high standard of driving and also the friendly spirit of enjoyment- it seems to me that this is what indoor driving is all about”. With some entries lost to flu there are still new ponies and drivers who are growing in confidence and love taking part.

The strong competition between the two single open drivers Jonathan Rees (Open Horse) and Emily Ham (Open Pony) keeps everyone enthralled with impressive dressage ( scores are above 80%), accurate cones and really fast obstacles - Emily having the fastest obstacles of the day in one event and Jonathan at the other. At the November 4th event Emily had the best dressage and clear cones but was too six seconds fast while but Jonathan had a double clear in the cones. The obstacles were hard fought with less than three seconds between them after the four but Jonathan built on his cones lead to take an impressive best score of the day.

Alison Dascombe is putting in a strong performance in Intermediate Pony with Tommy.Paul Curnock is unbeaten in Novice Pony after the three events so far this season, with the Best Novice Dressage each time, and with his new backstepper Rebecca Jones,15, looks set to be a strong challenger at Keysoe. Jack Kedward is the strong young junior and after thoroughly enjoying her competition on 23rd October Wendy Morris hopes to compete more regularly with a single Shetland to qualify for Small Pony. Cheryl Ogden with her Shetland Alfie is new to it all but loving the whole indoor driving experience and Vicky Kedward’s home bred pony Gurnos Chives, taking up trials this season, is definitely one to watch as he grows in confidence indoors. It was good to see Rebecca getting some drives ..with Alison's Lady in october and the cones class with Dollar Curnock in November.

Spectators welcome ..event is at Llwynon Saddlery Trecastle, off the A40 opposite the derelict motel .Please do not arrive before 9.30 then I’d really appreciate wiling helpers to assist Vicky, Jack and I setting up the dressage arena ready for walking. Wrap up warm! Please check paperwork in with me on arrival. As usual your dressage time allows you 5 mins driven warm up of your choice in the indoor arena followed directly by your test. Thanks to Kathryn Curnock for offering to dressage write for Anthea. Rebecca is kindly offering to backstep and assist as needed

10.15 Paul Curnock (Novice Pony)

10.25 Jack Kedward (Novice Pony)

10.35 Nikki Shutt (Club)

10.45 Vicky Kedward (Club)

10.55 Jonathan Rees (Open Horse)

11.05 Emily Ham (Open Pony)

11.15 Wendy Morris (Open : Small Pony)

11.25 Vicky Kedward (Short Class)

11.35 Cheryl Ogden (Newcomers)

All welcome to come and find out about this exciting sport! Please do not arrive on site before 9.30am and please no dogs by request oif the owners. A BIG welcome to Cheryl driving for the first time at an indoor trials with her little Shetland pony Alfie!

DRESSAGE TIMES Sunday 23rd October : Affiliated Mid Wales Indoor Driving Trials

10.10 Emily Ham (Open Pony)

10.20 Jonathan Rees Gwyn Rees (Open Horse)

10.30 Alison Dascombe ( Intermediate Pony)

10.40 Paul Curnock( Novice Pony)

10.50 Wendy Morris (Club)

11.00 Cheryl Ogden ( Newcomers)

ALL WELCOME to spectate and discover the thrill of fast paced indoor driving trials!!!

DRESSAGE TIMES for Sunday 2nd October

As long as you are ready for your timeslot the first 5 minutes is your warm up time in the indoor arena before driving your test,

10.00 Rebecca Jones ( Novice Pony Junior )

10.15 Jack Kedward ( Novice Pony Younger Junior)

10.30 Paul Curnock ( Novice Pony)

10.40 Alison Dascombe ( Intermediate Class)

10.50 Emily Ham ( Open Pony)

11.00 Jonathan Rees ( Open Horse)

11.10 Vicky Kedward ( Club Class)

11.20 Hazel Knight ( Dressage & Cones Class)

11.30 Wely ( Dressage and Cones Class Junior)

After dressage there will be the cones. The course is driven TWICE the first time only counting for your competition the second to see if you can improve on it as training.

There is a CONES ONLY CLASS for those not driving competitively in the other classes:

Hammy Ham ( Veteran ), Janis and Juris Kesans ( Younger Junior and Extra Young Junior)

These drivers will drive twice and BOTH rounds together are taken to obtain their score. It’s driving to the optimum time not as fast as possible!

After cones there will be the obstacles- two each driven twice.

Presentation of the rosettes for the short classes ( ie those not driving all three phases)

Clearing away

Presentation of the day’s rosettes for the three phase competition

James Broome worked tirelessly to give each turnout individualised training to improve their schooling and skills for dressage, cones and obstacles over the two days at camp using the great facilities at Cricklands. The first day the club ran the British Carriagedriving National Qualifiers for the Evolution Classes and Young Pony and Horse classes with 12 entries.

Club member Alison Dascombe won the Evolution Horse class with her lovely Eddie and Rebecca Jones, driving Alison's pony Lady was 4th and a qualifier in the Evolution Pony.Emily Curnock, another young driver from the club was second but had already qualified. We wish these members all the best at the weekend at Cirencester National Championships!

Di Hayes was the national dressage judge capably assisted by Anthea Birch and Hammy. Emily, Sally, Jackie and keen new young driver Kathryn all came along to steward. A HUGE thank you to them all!

After a Chinese Take away and socialising  long into the night, the next day was busy with more individual training and in the affternoon the chance to focus on the new indoor test with a thorough course walking session with James who then gave a driven demo  and individual practrice under his guidance. Giselle Lockett enjoyed developing her performance with her pony pair and for Cheryl Ogden camp was the first time of dressage for shetland Alfie who was a popular favourite!

Everyone who came had a lot of fun and felt they had really improved!

Powys Carriage Driving Group is  excited to be holding these classes at Cricklands - thanks to the generosity of the Broome family - on Tuesday 30th August at 5pm onwards. The details of the competition are explained fully on the British Carriagedriving website. The event is open to any member of a club affiliated to BC and we will put on multiples and open classes with rosettes in each . To qualify for the National Championships however you need to meet the qualification criteria. The format is similar to an indoor event in many ways - a dressage test , course of cones and two knockdown type obstacles ( driven once) but the scoring is somewhat different...the obstacle pens are scored like in outdoor events so  each penalty is reduced in weighting by x0.25. 

Entry forms are available by emailing Ann Ham ( Secretary) at [email protected] 

We look forward to hearing from you! Volunteers much appreciated as you will be needed to help steward and do timekeeping!