Hodgemoor Trec 18 April 2022 results page

The results of the Hodgemoor Trec today show that any competent rider on a willing and quiet horse can excel… and we all enjoyed watching them doing the obstacles before about half the competitors departed for a couple of hours orienteering in the woods.

The field was divided into 4 classes…

Class 1 was for Beginners doing just two phases, the Obstacles and Control of Gaits. Winner was Monique Millington on Laika, an experienced rider trying Trec for the first time. Her Obstacles (she was 2nd) and her Control of Paces (3rd) were so good that she was placed first in those two phases, better than any rider in any class. Sheila Grimshaw and Kayleigh Dear made up the podium.

Class 2, Open, was for riders who have done Trec before, those choosing to do just two phases, Obstacles and Control of Gaits. Georgina Wright on her regular favorite horse John won from Francesca Jones and Caroline King.

Class 3 was for beginners doing all three phases. The winner was Sara Caley on Jack by just one point from Sienna Chambers with Olivia Warner close behind. All three scored better than any of the class 4 open riders.

Class 4, Open, was our blue riband class for riders who have done Trec before and chose to do all three phases. Alison Cheetham won from Katherine Wall and Vicki Baber.

Some comments on the individual Phases… Katherine Wall was the best round the obastacles scoring 140 points out of 150 available, remarkable. Well done. Monique Millington was 2nd and Alison Cheetham 3rd. Control of Paces? Vicki Baber was best with 60 points out of 60! Can’t do better than that. Francesca Jones was 2nd and Monique 3rd. In the Phase 3 Orineteering, four riders found all the clues and were within 10% of the target time and would have scored 240 out of 240 but for 10% deductions for riding in pairs rather than solo. They were Sara Caley, Sienna Chambers, Olivia Warner and Laura Newton. Well done.

The complete results are in the spreadsheet in this link: Today’s results – click here

Don’t miss the detail you can find by clicking the tabs at the bottom of the page. Please email marcus@bicknell.com with any queries or omissions.

 

Oldefields 6th March 2022 dressage times

We have pleasure in providing you the times for each competitor in this Sunday’s dressage event, 6th March 2022 at Oldefields, issued by The Hodgemoor Riding Association and Oldefields on 3rd March.

Click below to download. If it does not open directly please click on the downloads icon of your browser.

dressage_times_oldefields_6mar2022

1) In order to protect our community and the short-staffed livery yards, no-one should come to the event if they are testing positive or have covid-like symptoms.

2) There is an outdoor warm-up arena. We will be sticking strictly to allotted times so you will need to present yourself to the steward, all ready to go, a few minutes before your start time.

3) No spectators

Don’t forget to pick up your rosette(s). Have fun!

Leather repair locally

I was so impressed by the leather work by Malcolm Sage; my riding boots were too tight round the calf so he let in a new piece of leather. They fit beautifully, there is less stress on the zip and the work looks like new. Thank you. Bridles, saddles, boots and bags. Highly recommended, private and artisanal service. Farnham Royal direction. 07979 535067. More suppliers to equestrian royalty at https://hodgemoor.org.uk/equestrian-businesses/

Volunteering, COVID-19 style

At the suggestions of a couple of members, we invite each of you to spend an hour or two doing regular jobs in the woods. Call Marcus on 07748 111444 of Susie 07876 581144 or email chairman@hodgemoor.org.uk or susie@hodgemoor.org.uk to say when you can come and what you’d like to work on. We will not only be socially distanced but also socially time-slotted, i.e. you will NOT work alongside and at the same time as other volunteers (unless you bring others in your family/bubble). Please do not break government health guidelines for Tier 4.

You can choose from
1) Cutting back growth a metre each side of the horse trails anywhere in Hodgemoor Woods (hand clippers or long-arm clippers). Go deeper with holly which is pernicious because its shade prevents winter sunlight drying the trail off; mud and erosion is exacerbated.
2) Cutting off overhanging branches anywhere in Hodgemoor Woods (lopping saw). The height of horse and rider can reach well over 3 metres, so please reach high.
3) Clearing branches cut by someone else and lying on the ground (gloves)
4) Digging out the drainage channels (called “grips”) each side of the trails (spade). Dig to a full spade depth and discard the earth as far as possible away from the trail.

Xmas Dressage at Waylands – Sunday 20 December 2020 – MEASURES

UPDATE 18h15 Saturday 19th December

By unanimous decision of the committee of the Hodgemoor Riding Association, the Christmas Dressage tomorrow is cancelled.
 
We regret very much the interruption to our festive and sportive pleasures, but the seriousness of the infection risk is too great. The event will be rescheduled in the future whenever we get to the new normal.
 
Happy Christmas to everyone despite the bad world news and the impositions of Tier 4 on your lives. Stay safe.
 
Marcus and Susie

 

UPDATE 17h40 Saturday 19th December.

Dressage: decision at 19h tonight.
 
At 17h30 on Saturday the Government’s official web page has not been updated. There is however the transcript of the PM’s speech (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/prime-ministers-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-19-december-2020) which puts us into Tier 4 as of tomorrow. The relevant passage reads “Non-essential retail, indoor gyms and leisure facilities, and personal care services must close” i.e. outdoor sports can continue.
 
However, some of the organising team join us in thinking that the serious health risk of the “rapid spread … now being driven by the new variant of the virus” means an unwarranted risk for competitors and officials at the event tomorrow. It is also likely that some wouls think of a decision to continue with the event as contentious, i.e. flying in the face of the basics of the new Tier 4 advice, which is “stay at home”.
 
We expect to make a decision on cancellation at 19h today Saturday.
 
End of update
 
At the dressage event tomorrow, Covid-19 measures will be in force. A competitor may be asked not to compete if the measures cannot be respected.

Spectators are not permitted, apologies. Each competitor may bring just one other person as a helper or companion. Therefore, if you are not involved, please do not come.

Competitors: Susie has already emailed you, but do please make sure you have read the Covid-19 Measures, which we attach here in case you do not have them to hand. Most important:

  1.    Ensure the NHS Covid-19 app is loaded on your smart phone and that of your companion.
  2.    Check in with the Covid-19 marshal on arrival (Kay Miklausic till 10h45, then Geoff Gudgion, in the car park before mounting, armed with your smart phone and wearing a mask (not required when on horseback).
  3.    When mounted. do not leave the car park until called forward by a marshal (max 3 horses in the warm-up arena).

Covid-19 Measures_20dec2020

We also await (at 16h45 on Saturday) news of the imposition of Tier 4 in Buckinghamshire and what that means for the event.

 

Local artists 28 Sept – 4 Oct – Amersham and around

Cécile Gallina, Beverley Parkin, Jenny Thompson and Liz Grammenos of Simpatico and Candida Hackney, having missed Bucks Art Weeks due to the lock down, are now taking part in

Amersham Art Unlocked
 
28th September – 4th October
10am – 5pm Monday – Saturday, 1pm- 5pm Sunday
at St Michael and All Angels Parish Church, Sycamore Road, Amersham, HP6 5DR

Amersham Art Unlocked is supporting Mind – for better Mental Health – Buckinghamshire
(20% of all Picture Sales will be split between Mind and St. Michael’s Church)

More at http://www.simpaticart.com/

We have now taken the plunge and finally printed our Art Trails which give you details of opening times and location of all studios taking part in the event (image below). We are also offering you a chance to win a £25 voucher for ‘A Little Street Kitchen’ in Amersham. Simply collect as many stamps as you can from the Amersham Art Unlocked venues between Saturday 26th September and Sunday 4th October. If you have not received an Art Trail in your letterbox, you might find one in your local Library or in one of the venues; complete the form and hand it in to your last venue to enter the prize draw. The more stamps you collect the greater your chance of winning! One lucky winner will be chosen at random and notified by 12th October 2020.

Looking forward to welcoming you to the exhibitions in all safety.

Thames Valley Air Ambulance – donate and win

Announcing a fund raiser with some fun for two winning donations… be the guests of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance at their event in Thame on Friday 24th April from 14h-16h. Meet the crew and see the helicopter/critical car response vehicle. Two tickets are available to the two highest donations from Hodgemoor Riding Association members received by the end of March 2020. Donation bids are expected to be in the range of £50 to £250… what a good cause it is, especially if you have a fall sometime.

The background is… The Hodgemoor Riding Association decided in its AGM of November 2019 to donate £250 to Thames Valley Air Ambulance www.tvairambulance.org.uk and £250 to The Brooke Hospital for Animals https://www.thebrooke.org. Both have expressed their gratitude and the Air Ambulance people have extended the invitation to two people to represent us at their event. The idea to raise further donations for them and auction off the two tickets is our idea not theirs.

Place your bid by replying to our Facebook posting as a reply (if you are happy for it to be public) or by Facebook Messenger / email info@hodgemoor.org.uk. Winning donations will be payable in the first week of March, preferably with gift aid. If your bid is for two tickets then please say so, knowing that your competitive bid would be half the total.

Thank you for participating and for helping such a good cause

Trail repairs September 2019

Renovations to the cycling and horse trails in Hodgemoor commence Monday 30 September 2019 for one week. There will be earthmoving equipment in the woods. The car park on Bottrells Lane will be closed. Please don’t park anywhere close to entrances to the woods as the trucks will be in and out from several directions.

You can download a map of the woods showing the trails needing work (about £40,000 worth!) and a tabular list of the detail:

map

detail

The Forestry Commission (Wendover is our regional office, Rob Bell responsible) and Neil’s Plant apologise in advance for any disruption this might cause. Susie and I were out with them this morning 23 Sept for a site inspection.

Repairs on the trails have been done 5 times since 2000, phase by phase, in coordination with the Hodgemoor Riding Association whose funds go towards the works and who represent cyclists, riders and walkers here.

Please get in touch for further info. Marcus Bicknell, volunteer Forest Warden 07748 111444 marcus@bicknell or by Facebook Messenger. Thank you for you understanding.

The Hodgemoor Wildlife Junior Photography Award

NEW AT THE CHALFONT ST GILES SHOW THIS YEAR: The Hodgemoor Wildlife Junior Photography Award.   The Hodgemoor Riding Association and its 300 members are sponsoring an annual cup and a cash prize in the Junior Photography Section for the first time this year. Since 1999 the Association has raised over £110,000 for the renovation and maintenance of the 6km of horse-riding trails in the woods, improving this popular amenity for all users, whether walkers, cyclists or horse-riders.  Southbank Photography in St Giles is offering framing of the winning entry or a £20 voucher.  

The winner each year keeps this engraved one-pint glass tankard