Riding Association

Hodgemoor Dressage 28 December 2025

Marcus Bicknell
Hodgemoor Dressage RESULTS
Sunday 28th December 2025, at Waylands Equestrian Centre
 
 
The festive spirit was in evidence today at Waylands for the second of two Hodgemoor Dressage competitions… riders, horses, team members and spectators came dressed for, and pre-disposed to, having a jolly time. Mulled wine and other hot drinks flowed, but only to help down the mince pies, marshmallows, biscuits and chocolates. The standard of riding was very high with six tests earning over 65% in marks attributed by the judge for both events (multi regional and national dressage event winner, Rob Waine Rob Waine Dressage https://www.robwainedressage.com/about-rob/).
 
WINNER. We congratulate the winners of each of the four classes, Annabelle Tripp, 13-year-old Isla French, 15-year-old Lily Hannigan and Louise Maeers and their horses. 16-years-and-under riders were classified alongside the adults and also in junior rankings for rosettes. You can see the full results in PDF at the link above.
 
CHRISTMAS CHAMPION. The prized horse statue trophy was awarded to Isla French , the champion across the two events, 7 and 28 December. The criteria were marks, achievement compared to previous, youth, Christmas dressing-up and entertainment value as accorded by Rob Waine, Susie Bicknell and Marcus Bicknell (secretary and chairman of the Hodgemoor Riding Association).
 
AWARDS CEREMONIES. The event was in memory of Geoff Gudgion, long-time treasurer of the Hodgemoor Riding Association, friend and rider at Waylands of the mare Ida who competed beautifully today with Juliet Booth. He died of cancer in the summer of 2025. His family, led by granddaughter Ruby Mayor, made several class presentations and the Christmas Champion award. In the company of her sister, mother Sophie, father Bill Mayor and Sophie’s mum, Geoff’s widow Deborah Gudgion.
 
FUND-RAISING FOR CHARITY. The riders’ entry fees are being donated to Iain Rennie Hospice at Home (now part of Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care) who were so marvellous to Geoff.
 
THE HOME TEAM. We thank Susie Bicknell who undertook the considerable task of organising the event including entries, Marcus her husband and Christopher their son (scoring). Lana Craker provided the excellent indoor venue at Waylands and her partner Frank, who has made the yard so functional and elegant, was on hand to help. We thank the judge Rob Waine, the reader Jane Braithwaite, and another scorer Judy Burns. Moya Merola was caterer-in-chief and others helped make teas and coffees, thank you all. So nice of the Gudgion family to brave the cold and to be with us on the day.
The Association’s AGM 2025

The Association’s AGM 2025

Marcus Bicknell

We had a very productive meeting on Wednesday 12th November with about 30 members present.

Read the minutes at https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/agm2025.pdf

The meeting opened with an excellent talk by Ruth Dunkin, Head of Community & Events at Thames Valley Air Ambulance. What makes their rescue service different from the NHS is their highly equipped helicopters and road ambulances bring an A&E capacity to the location itself. Time is of the essence, with heart attacks being the most frequent call out. CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a life-saving emergency
procedure that involves chest compressions (and, for trained individuals, rescue breaths) to keep blood flowing and oxygen moving through the body when a person’s heart and breathing have stopped. If you encounter an unresponsive person who is not breathing normally, immediately call emergency services (999 or 112), and then begin CPR, which includes hands-only compressions for untrained rescuers. We have put the map of defibrillators closest to Hodgemoor on the last page of these minutes.

Support the Thames Valley Ambulance with their lottery https://www.tvairambulance.org.uk/support-us/lottery/

Having had a few moments of silence at the opening of the AGM to give some thoughts for Geoff Gudgion, our friend and long-time Treasurer who died of cancer on 3rd August, we made two decisions:
a)   A proposal to name a trail or entrance after Geoff Gudgion was fully supported. It was decided that “Geoff’s Jolly” for the Western Bridleway was the best, as Geoff used to love having a good old canter up it!
b) A bench in memory of Geoff was also discussed. The committee will progress on alternatives, maybe in the raw-hewn style of Frank Everest’s at Waylands.

We urge members to have a look through the useful topics in the minutes and to plan on coming next year.

 

Christmas Dressage at Waylands 28 Dec 2025

Christmas Dressage at Waylands 28 Dec 2025

Marcus Bicknell

Hodgemoor Riding Association

In memory of Geoff Gudgion, who was based at Waylands with his horse Ida.

A Between-Christmas-and-New-Year Dressage

Waylands Equestrian Centre, Indoor Arena, Seer Green HP9 2RQ

Sunday 28 December 2025, from 9.30

The times for each competitor were published here at 13.00 on Boxing Day 26 December…
https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/Dressage_times_WAYLANDS_27_December_2025.pdf

Download your entry form in MS Word here: schedule_dressage_waylands_28_december_2025

Download your entry form in jpeg here, details on the first page. You need the second page to fill out your entry:

https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/schedule_dressage_waylands_28_december_2025_page_1-scaled.jpg

https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/schedule_dressage_waylands_28_december_2025_page_2-scaled.jpg

 

Prizes for best Xmas or New Year’s Eve outfits! Photos will be taken on the day of any outfits (horse or rider or both) and posted on the Hodgemoor Facebook page. Prizes will be awarded on the number of Likes after a week and the judge’s assessment. However, dressing up is not obligatory, just correct dressage attire is fine. Mulled wine. Special Rosette and gift for those who take part and also at the Hodgemoor Dressage at Windmill Farm on 7 December (for which the entry procedure is via MyRidingLife.com not Susie, see poster below).

  •  Class 1: Intro 1
  •  Class 2: Prelim 1
  •  Class 3: Novice 1
  •  Class 4: PYO Novice 2  or Elementary 2

Young riders (two age groups; 11 years and under; 12 to 16 years on the day of the event) will be classified with the adults and also judged separately, so give your age on the entry form. Cost:  £15 per class, £20 if you are not a member of the Hodgemoor Riding Association.  Entries close: 8 p.m. Wednesday 24th December (extended by one day on 22nd December).  Numbers will be limited.

Download your entry form here: schedule_dressage_waylands_28_december_2025


CHRISTMAS CHAMPION. This solid gold / Cartier jewel-encrusted / much loved / previously owned / life size / patina of ages (delete whichever inapplicable) horse trophy will be awarded by the Secretary and Chairman to the champion across the two events. Criteria considered will be marks, achievement compared to previous, youth, Christmas dressing-up and entertainment value.

STOP PRESS 7 December: We are delighted to announce that Geoff’s family, led by granddaughter Ruby, will make the presentation at the end of the dressage tests on Sunday 28 December at Waylands probably at 2pm, to be confirmed, and we express our thanks to them

Hodgemoor donation to Thames Valley Air Ambulance

Hodgemoor donation to Thames Valley Air Ambulance

Marcus Bicknell

On Saturday 10th May the Thames Valley Air Ambulance, at their Stokenchurch HQ open day, received a donation for £500 from the Hodgemoor Riding Association, Frank Everest, Susie and Marcus Bicknell. Our photo shows, Nicola Bishop (Community Fundraising Manager) and Ruth Dunkin (Head of Community & Events) of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance with Marcus Bicknell (chairman) and Susie Bicknell (secretary) of the Hodgemoor Riding Association. £300 of the donation was from Frank Everest whose fee for maintenance work in Hodgemoor Woods he wanted to give to charity. Frank at Waylands Equestrian is a great support to the riding community. £200 was from Susie and Marcus.

We can strongly recommend you attend one of the open days of the Thames Valley Air Ambulance (Open Days 15 Aug & 12 Dec https://www.tvairambulance.org.uk/hq-open-days) where you can get to understand the extraordinarily high medical skills deployed by the organisation across Berkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire on an average 9 times a day by helicopter and by car. Their objective and specialisation now is to co complete as much treatment as possible on the scene of the incident including surgical operations, setting wound fractures and administrating advanced drugs. Of their 3000 interventions per year 65 are equestrian related. We horse riders remain grateful for the knowledge that they can come to help if required.

The charity is totally funded by the community it serves, receiving no government or lottery funding – there are lots of way you can support from making a donation, taking part in an event or even leaving a gift in your will. In addition volunteering is a huge help to the charity, whether as a one-off or more regularly. The team would love to hear from you to discuss any of the above further and can be reached via fundraising@tvairambulance.org.uk

The Hodgemoor Riding Association has raised over £300,000 since 2000 to encourage horse-riders away from busy traffic and into the woods and horse trails in the Seer Green, Jordans and Chalfont area. www.hodgemoor.org.uk

Look at the media release or forward it in pdf: Thames Valley Air Ambulance Hodgemoor donation 10May2025

Pay by standing order

Marcus Bicknell

If you pay your membership by bank transfer please consider making it a standing order. This greatly reduces the work to be done by the Hodgemoor Riding Association secretary, work done since 2000 by Susie Bicknell. We have put the standing order form on our website now, to encourage you to download it, fill it out and get it back to us (email or post). The form is in MS Word so you can type in your details easily…

https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/so_standing_order_mandate_hodgemoor.doc

We confirm that the Association will reimburse you any monies paid on a standing order after you notify us of your leaving the area and the Association.

By the way, if you pay be PayPal then setting up a PayPal annual payment to us is even easier. Then the secretary does not have to remind you and chase you every year.

Thanks in advance, Marcus

Trail works in Hodgemoor, July 2024

Trail works in Hodgemoor, July 2024

Marcus Bicknell

Following the decisions of the Hodgemoor Riding Association’s AGM of November 2023 (see footnote [1]) we have received and accepted contractors’ quotes. Forestry England undertakes the works at the cost of the Hodgemoor Riding Association under the contract of 2016 (see footnote [2]) under which horse riders have the right to use the permissive trails in Hodgemoor and the obligation to fund maintenance. Since 2001 we have raised over £250,000 and have helped make Hodgemoor Woods into an amenity of such value to all users including walkers.

Cyclists are permitted to go on the bridleways (a statutory right) and the horse trails (a permissive right accorded by Forestry Englanbd and the Hodgemoor Riding Association) but are not allowed to ride on footpaths or anywhere else in the woods. Horse-riders pay and annual membership; cyclists are encouraged to contribute by joining (link at footnote [3])

Works start on Wednesday 31 July and will continue for about 10 days. The car park in Bottrells Lane will be closed during the works to minimise danger to walkers, cyclists, riders and dogs around the heavy earth-moving equipment. Work is done respecting the woods’ status as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Natural England’s requirements including the use of pH-neutral hoggin. Each part of the work in the list below has an alpha-ident relating it to the map at https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Hodgemoor-trails-2023-needing-work-2024-MB-SAB-alpha-idents.jpg

D – Amber’s Trail link to Bracken Ride.  

Rebuild 10 metre section of the trail which has turned to mud – 250mm depth of 50mm limestone and 50mm depth of hoggin.

10T limestone and 2T hoggin.

E – Yellow Brick Road. 2 x 10 metre separate sections half way up trail- 250mm depth of 50mm limestone and 50mm depth of hoggin.

20T limestone and 4T hoggin.

F – Rawlings Corner. Build up the ground between the two southerly posts preventing vehicles from getting into the woods, puddle all year.

3T type 1 granite

I – The Mount. Break-up of surface on the slope due to uncontrolled flood flow. The solution is to install water bars or interceptor dykes, large stones or strong wood embedded diagonally in the trail at intervals.

5 x 2m length waterbars – made up of 150mm-300mm limestone rocks.

J – The Mount. 20m section of path. The tree roots at the top of the Mount are quite an obstacle now – raise the surface of the path with new material – 250mm depth of 50mm limestone and 50mm depth of hoggin.

20T limestone and 4T hoggin.

K – The Glade. The Glade needs 10 metre resurfacing as it has turned to mud over the culvert pipe. Second area further up needs 10 metres resurfacing – 250mm depth of 50mm limestone and 50mm depth of hoggin.

20T limestone and 5T hoggin.

 L – The Glade. Large puddle at the bottom of the Glade towards Widmer Corner, junction with the Dell – 2 x Culverts and 25m resurfacing required – 250mm depth of 50mm limestone and 50mm depth of hoggin.

25T limestone and 5T hoggin.

300mm diameter culverts – 10m and 3m lengths

M – Western Bridle Path (aka Old Bridle Path). break-up of surface on the slope at the Widmer end creating gorge. Install culvert and ditching.

300mm diameter culvert – 5m length.

Circa 15m ditching (300-500mm depth)

N – Western Bridle Path (aka Old Bridle Path). Some work needed one third of the way to join sections of surfaced track – 50m length – 250mm depth of 50mm limestone and 50mm depth of hoggin.

45T limestone and 10T hoggin.

Total Materials Required

140T 50mm limestone, 30T hoggin (locally sourced), 3T granite type 1, 18m 300mm diameter culvert and 10m length of waterbar (large rock/limestone)

 

Map at https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Hodgemoor-trails-2023- needing-work-2024-MB-SAB-alpha-idents.jpg  

 

Marcus Bicknell, chairman, Hodgemoor Riding Association

and voluntary Forest Warden, Hodgemoor, Forestry England

Susie Bicknell, secretary, Hodgemoor Riding Association

 

Hodgemoor Riding Association

A Charitable Unincorporated Association under the United Kingdom’s 2011 Charities Act.

Homefarm Orchard, Kirby Close, Threehouseholds, Chalfont St Giles, Bucks HP8 4FF phone 01494 872447 – Marcus mobile and WhatsApp 07748 111444 – Susie mobile and WhatsApp 07876 581144.

https://hodgemoor.org.uk     https://www.facebook.com/hodgemoorwoods

[1] https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/trail_works_2024_with_map_november_2023.pdf

[2] https://hodgemoor.org.uk//wp-content/uploads/2017/06/forestry_commission_hodgemoor_agreement_2016.pdf

[3] https://hodgemoor.org.uk/cycling/ and scroll down to payment options.

New map of Hodgemoor

Marcus Bicknell

Thanks to our friends Bob Beresford and Mark  Thompson in the Thames Valley Orienteering Club, we are proud to make available to riders, cyclists, walkers and all users of Hodgemoor Woods a new detailed map (thumbnail on the right).

The bridle-paths are shown in red and the permissive horse trails (where cyclists may also ride) are shown in blue. Neither cycling nor horse-riding is permitted on the footpaths (in black) or elsewhere in the woods (Forestry England bye-laws). Roads are in light brown.

You can download an A4 copy at 830kb at https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/hodgemoor_map.jpg

This map has a QR code which is used on display posters in the woods and in horse livery yards for users to access on their smart phones. Point you smartphone camera at the QR code, then click on the yellow link which appears towards the bottom of your screen.

We also have a high definition copy at 2.16mb which you can get from us by email; request at chairman@hodgemoor.org.uk