Delighted to report that 26 happy riders and their horses competed in the Hodgemoor Trec today, sunny in the morning, overcast but warm in the afternoon. No-one got lost in the wood doing the Orienteering Phase! Thanks to the recently-engaged ebulliently-happy camera-hotshot Alice Bicknell, we present a complete set of photos in high resolution free-of-charge. Definitely worth looking through every one rather than ego-surfing; some wonderful studies in equine and human body language. https://photos.app.goo.gl/eZgR4MKJ1PoSfWS88
This album is open to anyone with the link. Pass it on and enjoy.
There were half a dozen superb performances, maybe the best we have ever seen in the Hodgemoor Trec. In phase 1, those fifteen obstacles requiring control, Maggie Miodek on Phoenix and Coleen Douglas on Indie scored 145 and 144 respectvely out of a maximum available of 150. Amazing. Well done. Katherine Kennedy, Kelly Stokes and Melanie Ralph all got 138. Phase 2 Control of Paces was a tie between Kelly Stokes on Otis and Francesca Jones on Buffy with 48 points out of 60. 15 riders embarked on Phase 3 Orienteering; Laura Newton on Mayday and Sara Caley on Jack got all ten clues correct, all times neatly written, in a total time within 2 minutes of bogie time for 225 out of 240. They were riding as a pair and so lost 10% of their score, otherwise it would have been perfect. And they had fun.
When you add the three phases together and divide the riders into their classes, the results are as follows:
Class 1: 2 Phases: Obstacles and Control of Gaits. Beginners.
Vicki Barras
Clemmie Cullen
Sophia Evans
Class 2: 2 phases: Obstacles and Control of Gaits. Open
Mary Doherty
Alice Labed
Francesca Jones
Kayleigh Dear
Class 3: Obstacles, Control of Gaits, Orienteering. Beginners
Katherine Kennedy
Sarah Staines
Kelly Stokes
Coleen Douglas
Cara Foster
Class 4: Obstacles, Control of Gaits, Orienteering. Open
Sara Caley
Laura Newton
Alison Cheetham
You can download and peruse the full spreadsheet of the results by phase and by class with the link below. To see the results by phase you need to click on the Tabs at the bottom of the screen. Let me know please if there is anything you do not understand. Results with small corrections are below, posted 5 May 2023 MB. Mary Doherty Obstacle 8 should be 5 3 not 5 36, and for Katherine Kennedy Obstacle 3 should be 7 3 not 78 3. Apologies for the typos. Everyone has their rosettes!



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 of the Chalfont St Giles Show on Saturday 3rd September 2022. Since 1999 the Association has raised over £250,000 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. Entries for the Hodgemoor Wildlife Junior Photography Award may be of a horse or horses but must have a significant wildlife feature in the photo, i.e. not just a portrait of the horse. Photos of “wild life” will be preferred by the judges. If you would like some inspiration then take a loook at the 2017 compilation by 15-year-old Harry Whiting of Chalfont St Giles at
Prizes will be awarded as follows: 1st Prize £3.00, 2nd Prize £2.00, 3rd Prize £1.00. The winner will also receive an engraved tankard to keep. Southbank Photography in St Giles is offering framing of the winning entry or a £20 voucher.
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