Riding Association

Hodgemoor Le Trec, Easter Saturday 8 April 2023

Marcus Bicknell

Hodgemoor Riding Association: Le Trec
Homefarm Orchard, Kirby Close, Chalfont St Giles HP8. Easter Saturday 8 April, 2023. 10am to 1 pm

Le Trec will be on Easter Saturday this year. Those who want to do the West Wycombe ride on Easter Monday can do both.

Come and enjoy yourself at Le Trec, the competition which demands a calm horse and skillful handling. Competitors enter singly but can go round with a friend. The Hodgemoor Trec, which has been running since 2009 on the same site on the Bicknells’ fields between the White Hart in St Giles and Hodgemoor Woods, is warmly informal and so is an ideal opportunity for beginners to have a go. You can do the first two phases (obstacles and the control of gaits) or all three (those plus the orienteering which usually takes you round a course in the woods and small lanes of an hour to an hour-and-a-half). You can also compete as a beginner or “open” and there are rosettes for the leading placings in both. The obstacle course will be emailed to entrants so they can learn the route which saves time on the day. Entries close Monday 3rd April.

Funds raised from the event go to maintaining the horse trails in the woods and around Hodgemoor. Our website is at www.hodgemoor.org.uk

Download the schedule and entry form in MS Word here…

hodgemoor_trec_entry_form_8_april_2023

 

The Hodgemoor Wildlife Junior Photography Award 2022

The Hodgemoor Wildlife Junior Photography Award 2022

Marcus Bicknell

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 https://hodgemoor.org.uk/walkers/nature-videos-and-photos/.

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.

For this award, “Junior” means you must be under 18 years old on the day of the show. Work that has been done at school or at outside activities may be entered, as well as that produced at home. Your birthdate must be entered on your entry form, and all work submitted must be entirely the Junior’s own work. The deadline for the return of paper entry forms is SATURDAY 27th AUGUST 2022, at 12 NOON, unless otherwise indicated in the class. The entry form ONLY may be handed in to one of the show agents (please do not leave exhibits at the agent’s shops).

Common Buzzard: note the rounded tail

Online entries must be received by midnight on Sunday 28th August 2022. Please note: your entry will only have been logged by our system if you receive a confirmation email to the email address specified. Check your spam box if you are unsure or check with the competitions manager, Christine Drury 07747 867879. On Show Day, we advise that your finished photo, in paper form not digital, should be brought well before 9.15am. It is easy to underestimate the time needed to locate the classes (especially if you have more than entry in the show) and display exhibits. All photographs may be colour or black and white. They may be digitally enhanced but not manipulated in any way. All photographs may be up to 10” x 8” (25cm x 20cm) excluding mount if used and can be taken using any device. eg Camera, smart phone etc. The photograph(s) exhibited must NOT have been shown at a previous Chalfont St Giles Show.

We would like to encourage you to enter competitions through our online entry system, which will be available on our website at www.csgshow.org during the summer. Online entries must be received before midnight on Sunday 28th August 2022. The link to the photo and details of the entrants’ names and ages should be emailed to competitions@csgshow.org and to chairman@hodgemoor.org.uk by the deadline for online entries which is midnight on Sunday 28th August 2022

#csgshow
facebook.com/ChalfontStGilesShow/
http://www.csgshow.org/
www.hodgemoor.org.uk

Dressage at Widmer 1 May 2022 – results and series standings

Dressage at Widmer 1 May 2022 – results and series standings

Marcus Bicknell

Here are the results for today’s Hodgemoor Winter Dressage 2021-2022 round 7 (the last) at Widmer on Sunday 1st May 2022. We had 26 entrants, 3 of which could not participate because of illness, and a very relaxed but proficient atmoshere. Susie and Marcus Bicknell and the whole of the Hodgemoor Riding Association thank Dawn Fleming for judging, Francesca Jones for organising, Rachel and her mum Julie Smith for scoring and all those who wrote, read and otherwise helped. Click on the link just below.

widmer_results_1may2022

In the Novice class, our hostess Francesca Jones on Otto won her section A as the only entrant but also got a better score than series organisers Marcus Bicknell on Prince (first in section B) and Susie Bicknell on Blueby (2nd in section B). Section A beginners, B experienced.

In Intro, Charlotte Bodega on Maesteg Nancy won section A, from Eleni Antoniou on Impossivel and Adrian Scott on Tai. In Section B, Francesca Jones rode to victory on a different horse, Sandy, followed by Alana Brown on Patrick and Sarah Martin-Keyte on Story Tale. Jessica West on Foxy won the Youth class (11 and under)  and Charlotte Bodega, of course, the Teen class (12-16 years).

In Prelim, Charlotte Bodega on Maesteg Nancy triumphed over the adults again in section A over Sara Caley on the imposing Jack and Pasha Allam on Otto. Section B was won by Czech stable lady at Widmer Lucie Vendlova who sat on Eric for the first time on Friday. Sarah Martin-Keyte on Story Tale was 2nd and Vicky Smalley on Jumping 4 Joy 3rd.

Charlotte Bodega on Maesteg Nancy won the Teen class with Alana Brown on Patrick and Sienna Chambers on Derrinduff 2nd and 3rd.

The quality of riding was very high throughout. The little ponies and the BIG horses (notably Geoff Gudgion on Ida and Sara Caley on Jack) were a joy to watch. Thank you to all competitors for coming.

The final series champions across seven events are as follows:

HODGEMOOR RIDING ASSOCIATION
WINTER DRESSAGE – SEVEN EVENTS
SERIES POINTS CHAMPIONS 2021-2022
FINAL RESULTS – PROVISIONAL UNTIL 15 May

Intro Section A Beginners Charlotte Bodega, Measteg Nancy
Intro Section B Experienced Claire James, Cookie
Intro Section A Teen 12 to 16 years Charlotte Bodega, Measteg Nancy
Intro Section B Teen 12 to 16 years no entries
Intro Section A Youth 11 and under Sadie Braybrook, Honey Dew
Intro Section B Youth 11 and under Grace Braybrook, Marshmallow

Prelim Section A Beginners Charlotte Bodega, Measteg Nancy
Prelim Section B Experienced Georgie Gammage, Fred
Prelim Section A Teen 12 to 16 years Charlotte Bodega, Measteg Nancy
Prelim Section B Teen 12 to 16 years no entries
Prelim Section A Youth 11 and under Sadie Braybrook, Honey Dew
Prelim Section B Youth 11 and under Holly Delport, Foxhey

Novice Section A Beginners Lucy Butler, Ollie
Novice Section B Experienced Diana Barham, Mole
Novice Section A Teen 12 to 16 years no entries
Novice Section B Teen 12 to 16 years no entries
Novice Section A Youth 11 and under Lucy Butler, Ollie
Novice Section B Youth 11 and under no entries

Series points, any class or section Georgie Gammage, Fred

Download the complete series points table here.

 

Action photos from Marcus’s camera are available free of charge on Google drive https://drive.google.com/…/187OEivAg83BLlFasDVAAP9GKkLo…
Marcus thanks Francesca’s neice Amelia for taking the photos on it when he was competing and hacking home. Apologies to Adrian Scott who might be the only person of whom we have no photos… if anyone has some please do send them to me marcus@bicknell.com or post in comments.

 

Sacha Hamilton at work

Dressage at Austens 11 April 2022 – results and series standings

Marcus Bicknell
Hodgemoor Winter Dressage event at Austens, Twitchells Lane, Jordans, on Sunday 11th April 2022.
I stole this pic off Georgie’s Facebook, thanks! Olivia Warner, Sienna Chambers, Georgie Anne Gammage and Sara Caley (pictured here at Austens) hacked from Dibden Hill which is off Narcot Lane between St Giles and St Peter.
 
We had 16 riders for the winter dressage on Sunday, nice competition weather. Those that hacked from other yards were pleased to see “SLOW – Horse Event Today” signs down Twitchells Lane and cars did seem to be going quite considerately. Everyone remained very jolly and the riding standards were high. Teenager Eleni Antoniou on Impossivel was unbeatable in Intro Class A with 73.5%, well done. Claire James won class B. In Prelim another teenager Sienna Chambers won Section A and Monique Millington Section B for experienced riders. In Novice, it was a stitch-up for the Bicknells, the only entrants, with Marcus pipping Susie for the first time. Thank you so much to Sacha Hamilton and her band of helpers for organising and for judging, to Jane Braithwaite for writing and to Kevin Malyon for scoring. The updated series points table, with one event to go, is also posted below
 
 
Sacha Hamilton at workThe image on the right is of Sacha Hamilton in competition, but not in the Hodgemoor event! She was the judge for us.
 
I have updated the series standings and you can see them at here.   Percentage marks from each of the Winter Dressage events are averaged (plus a % point to encourage participation at many of the 7 events) to give a series champion in each class and section. In the Intro Walk-Trot class, teenager Eleni Antoniou has jumped into the lead of Section A thanks to her excellent marks at Austens, and Sheila Grimshaw into third. Charlotte Bodega is bumped into second. Similarly in the Section B for experienced riders Nicky West has been toppled by Claire James who hacked over an hour each way to come and compete. In Prelim Charlotte Bodega on Measteg Nancy keeps her place at the top of the less experienced leader board Section A, from Mia Okuyama and Sadie Braybrook, while Georgie Gammage on Fred jumps into the lead of Section B ahead of Delia Gomez Dominguez and Jaimi Roehrig. In the Novice class, Lucy Butler still leads Nozomi Okuyama and Kim Dudko in the less-experienced riders Section A while in the Open section B there is no change; Diana Barham on Mole is in the lead from Delia Gomez Dominguez and Charlotte Fleming. One event to come in this series.
 
The series trophies and sponsor’s prizes will be awarded early on the evening of the Hodgemoor 21st birthday party on 9th July.
 
 
Just one more winter dressage event now,
Sunday 24th April at Widmer Livery Stables, Rawlings Lane, Seer Green.
 
Hodgemoor Trec – Easter Monday 18 April 2022

Hodgemoor Trec – Easter Monday 18 April 2022

Marcus Bicknell

Come for an enjoyable go at our popular Trec event. Competitors enter singly but can go round with a friend.   There is a choice of either 2 or 3 phases. The obstacle course will be emailed to entrants so they can learn the route which saves time on the day. Entries close Wednesday 13 April in the evening.  

Homefarm Orchard, Kirby Close, Chalfont St Giles HP8
Easter Monday 18 April, 2022. 10am to 1 pm

Download the entry form here

Download a sample Phase 1 and 2 plan (2018 event), to get an idea

Download the instructions for the 2022 orienteering phase here. Some improvements from last time thanks to Ann Maisel

West Side Story – screening at Pinewood for charity, 21 April

West Side Story – screening at Pinewood for charity, 21 April

Marcus Bicknell

This looks like fun and the Thames Valley Air Ambulance is a service which any one of us riders might have to use one day. The Ukraine Appeal is close to everyone’s hearts. Our thanks to Jenny Owen of the ROTARY CLUB OF JORDANS & DISTRICT for opening it up to us.

Charity Film Night, Thursday April 21st, 2022 7.00pm for 8.00.pm. ‘West Side Story’– produced and directed by Steven Spielberg Pinewood Studios (John Barry Theatre) Pinewood Road, Iver Heath, SL0 0NH. For tickets contact Jenny Owen 01494 677571/ 07707 386415 Cost £16 to include a glass of wine and nibbles – cheques payable to Jordans Rotary Trust 

Download the A4 mini poster to display, here

Grand barn dance, hog roast and 21st birthday party, SATURDAY, 9 JULY 2022

Grand barn dance, hog roast and 21st birthday party, SATURDAY, 9 JULY 2022

Marcus Bicknell

SATURDAY, 9 JULY 2022 AT 19:00
Grand barn dance, hog roast and 21st birthday party
Drink, dine and dance with the Hodgemoor Riding Association
Flexmore Farm, Bottrells Lane entrance, Chalfont St Giles HP8 4NT.

You are invited to a big party to celebrate the creation of our Association in 2001 and the contribution everyone in the riding community has made to creating such an extraordinary outdoor facility and community spirit.Just £20 per person to include merriment, hog roast, live band The Austin 7 with popular cover music. Costs underwritten by your Hodgemoor Riding Association

Drinks and alcohol sold for cash on the night; no bring-your-own please. Covered barn, tables and chairs provided. We invite you to have lots of fun but please drink responsibly and respect Stephen and Vicky Hind’s very kind use of their barn and facilities to us. Music ends 11pm, doors close midnight. We will be raising money for Cancer Research and a Charity supporting a teaching hospital in India due to band donating their fee.

Bookings are now open for any number of tickets and for tables of 10. Please email Francesca at francesca_jones@hotmail.com with your name, phone number, email address, the number of tickets, the names of the guests and whether you would like the vegetarian option. For a table of 10, please pay £200, without which we are not holding a table for you. To pay, please transfer to Hodgemoor Riding Association at Barclays Bank 90054410 sort code 20-02-06. Put your family name and PARTY as the reference please. Bank transfer is our preference; otherwise you can pay by PayPal to info@hodgemoor.org.uk.

Grove Farm Dressage results Sunday 13 March 2022

Grove Farm Dressage results Sunday 13 March 2022

Marcus Bicknell

Dressage this morning was friendly and full of qualities… hacking down Narcot Lane for some and then negotiating a fallen tree, warming up in the arena just before one’s test, braving the quacking ducks and the silent black pussy cat and enjoying some hours out before the rain started. Thank you so much Jenien Cunningham and her merry band of helpers for organising, to Dawn Fleming for judging and to Shona Fraser for writing. It was a smaller field than usual, mainly because of the roadwork needed to hack there, but the standard of tests and the community spirit shone through. As we pass the half-way mark in our 7-event series, we have had over 100 entries and raised £1400. The updated series points table is at the bottom.

Get the results in an Excel spreadsheet here

The winners in the Intro Class were Emily Everitt in section A and overall, and Sky Collett in the Teen section. There were two competitors in the Prelim Class, one in A (inexperienced riders – Skye Collett) and one in B (open, Monique Millington) so they each got a 1st place rosette from Susie Bicknell’s Save-the-world Rosette-Recycyling initiative, and Skye, of course, got the Teen win. Marcus Bicknell won the Open Novice and Charlie Harper took Section A honours.

A special mention to Sarah Caley for coming on her huge 17h3 horse black Jack who has only been with her 10 days, and then doing her first dressage test ever, on any horse. Nick walked with Sarah from Dibden Hill… thanks. And Monique Millington did a long route all the way from Austens to Grove, leading Laika “The Ginge” down tricky Twitchells Lane and getting on for the rest of the way to do her first dressage test in 2 years.

I have updated the series standings and you can download them at the following MS Excel link. We have three classes each with two sections and the leaders are Charlotte Bodega, Nicky West, Mia Okuyama, Jaimi Roehrig, Lucy Butler and Charlotte Fleming (the same as after the last round, at Oldefields). The scoring was initially a plain average of scores including zeroes (for an event at which a rider did not compete) but that would have un-necessarily marked down a good rider who cannot do every event. We have therefore established rankings on the average of the points the rider scored when they competed plus a 1 percentage point bonus to incentivise riders to compete in as many rounds as possible. 4 rounds down, 3 to go. Please look at your series scores NOW and contact me with comments or errors… marcus@bicknell.com. Corrections can be made if you let us know within a month of the event (within a week of the penultimate event and within a day of the last event!). You can download the updated series points table here. I anticipate trophy and junior awards at the 21st birthday party 9th July.

Our next dressage event is at Highclere between St.Giles and Seer Green on Sunday 27 March. There are spaces available. Entry forms at …https://hodgemoor.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/hodgemoor_winter_dressage_series_2021-2_entry_form-rev-27Jan.docx