The latest edition of the ECCTG Newsletter is now available.
Welcome to the new ECCTG website – we hope you like it!
It has everything the old website had, plus a few extra bonus features:
We’ve got a few more ideas to add in yet too, like trainer profiles and a gallery for all the photos of our lovely members out and about at training and competitions. If there is anything we’ve forgotten or any mistakes we’ve made, let us know and we’ll see what we can do!
Less than a week to go til the East Cheshire Summer Games on Sunday 20th May! The combined training is now full, though a wait list is being held and you can still enter the show jumping. Contact Gemma Kippen (07887 547082) to get your entries in. Times will be available on the website from Thursday May 17th.
New (non-ECCTG) event added to the calendar; starters dressage at New Barn, Chelford. See the event page for more details.
If you want to be in a team please contact the chef d’equipe now:
Juliet Foden if you are interested in riding for the club at the Area 20 Dressage Summer Qualifier
Gwen Robinson if you are interested in riding for the club at the Area 20 Show Jumping Summer Qualifier
Lisa Deaville if you are interested in riding for the club at the Area 20 Horse Trial Qualifier
Calling all Eventers with BE Points!!
Eventers wanted to enable us to field an Intermediate and an Open Team for the Riding Clubs Horse Trials Qualifier on Sunday 24th June at Kelsall Hill.
Eligibility:
Intermediate – for horses with 5 points and under (not to have completed a BE Novice competition in the current year at the close of prelim entries (mid May) Open – for horses with unlimited points
01260 252801 or lisadeaville@hotmail.co.uk before the end of April.
On September 18th the newly formed ECCTG Endurance Riding Team, the “Cheshire Challengers” took part in the Endurance GB Riding Clubs Team Event Final over 33kms (20.5 miles) at The College Equestrian Centre near Bedford. Our squad of four riders, myself, Jane Wyatt, Sue Williams & Marjory Higgs, had qualified at the Wirral Ride in July with the leading score in our area thus making us determined to contest the final. Sadly Marjory lacked the time to maintain her horse’s fitness due to family commitments but as three riders counted for a team the rest of us decided to go anyway.
The venue was at a very smart equestrian centre with excellent facilities. After heavy overnight rain, the day of the ride dawned fine & breezy giving near perfect conditions. The course was a flat circular route with marvellous going almost entirely off road on fields & bridleways. Jane was heard to remark on several occasions that she had never cantered for such a long distance before! The horses all went well together & we maintained a steady pace of over 13 kph (8 mph) throughout giving us time to walk in calmly at the finish. Success in endurance riding depends not only on a good riding speed & a sound horse but also on the final pulse rate which needs to be low. Generally the fitter the horse the lower the pulse, but often outside influences come into play to upset this. Fortunately all our horses were calm & vetted well with excellent pulse rates. As we had ridden at the optimum speed we were delighted & dared to hope our chances could be good.
As we gathered in the indoor school for the prize giving tension was mounting as awards were given from 6th place in reverse order. As we had not been mentioned by 3rd place we began to realise that we had either done very well indeed or come nowhere. We were announced in 2nd place which at our first attempt was amazing. The winners were Delamere Forest giving Cheshire riding clubs the two top spots out of twelve teams from across the country. Now the East Cheshire Combined Training group is definitely on the endurance riding map!
Pat Guerin
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Membership costs £40 a year and has a host of benefits. Contact Alison for more info. Competitions are open to non-members at an increased rate. Non-members must abide by club rules and have their own public liability insurance as they will not be covered by the club’s insurance.