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A round up of the recent goings on at Contessa Riding Centre
Welcome to this new edition of the Contessa Newsletter. We are calling this the “Summer Newsletter”, but given the recent weather we are yet to be convinced Summer is going to happen.
We have a now have a new member of the Contessa Team! Head Girl, Dawn has given birth to a beautiful baby girl, named Tori. Mother and daughter are doing well, with lots of help coming from Tori’s big sister, Millie! Congratulations Dawn and Phil!
We are proud of the continued developments which have gone on round the yard. One major project which was undertaken over the summer months was the laying of the new surface in the indoor school. We hope you are enjoying riding on the new surface!! The horses are definitely feeling the difference.
We would like to thank you for your patience and support while we do the work. Hopefully you will agree with us that the work is making a big improvement to the facilities that we offer.
We have an awful lot that we would like to report in this issue of the newsletter, and so we have decided to save the horse and staff profiles for next time. They will be back! We have a report on the dressage competition at Contessa on 9 August and an account of Queijada’s day out at a competition. So it may have been the summer holidays, but things haven’t slowed down at Contessa!
A date for your diary is the Mini Dressage Demonstration on 6 September. This is an opportunity to watch the staff training the horses up to Advanced level. If you’ve ever wanted to see what the advance movements such as piaffe and passage look like this is a must. Tickets are available from the office.
In addition to the demo we’ve got lots of things coming up in the next couple of months so please keep an eye on the forward planner and notice boards.
Enjoy our newsletter.
THE CONTESSA TEAM
We have to say goodbye to Lea and Julie this edition. They made a great contribution to the team while they were at Contessa and we would like to wish them good luck in their new positions.
We’d like to welcome Sarah to the team. Sarah joins us from Yorkshire. We hope she enjoys being part of the team.
It is with great sadness that we have to report that, after 20 years at Contessa, Sophie passed away on 20 August 2008. To read the story of this special pony see edition 7 of the newsletter for her profile.
Dressage Competition at Contessa Riding Centre
9 August 2008
Saturday 9 August saw the second of the summer’s competitions where the first two classes are for clients on Contessa Horses only. This has proved to be a popular format, with many clients having a go! Clients can take part in any of the competitions we run, so you may like to have a go! It’s a great way to have your riding independently assessed, have fun and possibly win a rosette!
The test for the first class was the Contessa Test Z. This is done in walk and trot only. This was a very popular class with the horses from Contessa performing some very good tests. The class was won by Chris Oxford riding Seren. He rode a calm and accurate test to take the red rosette. Also in the class were mother and daughter, Claire and Ella Corrigan. Ella rode a lovely test and came third.
Class 2 was a tightly contested class with Peter Hale and Jane Wilkinson both having the same overall percentages of 63.1%. Jane received the first prize as her collectives were one mark higher.
The car park and road field were full of lorries and trailers as the external competitors arrived for class 3. This was the Pick Your Own class. They could choose from Prelim 10, Novice 28 or Elementary 41. It was great to have so many competitors coming to visit us.
Despite the rain it was a well attended competition, which we hope all those who took part enjoyed.
RESULTS
Class 1
1st C. Oxford Seren
2nd E Bainbridge Maisie
3rd E Corrigan Sandy
4th= J Wilkinson Detzky
4th= N Banting Maisie
Class 2
1st J Wilkinson Detzky
2nd P Hale Charmer
3rd M Hayward Connor
Class 3
1st S Turner Yorkhouse Hannah
2nd J Palmer Kilmiston
3rd S Turner Yorkhouse Hannah
4th S Cannon Sedino Babe
 Queijada’s First Advanced Medium
On Thursday 21 August, we loaded Queijada onto the lorry and headed east to Norton Heath Equestrian Centre for a day of competition. Q was entered into two classes one at Medium level and the second was Advanced Medium. This would be the first time Q would have competed at Advanced Medium level.
Q is incredibly good to handle from the ground and behaved perfectly while she was tacked up and made spotlessly clean by Kate.
Once warmed up Tina then entered the area for the Medium test. Q went really well and tried hard. It pr oved to be worth it as they won the open section of the class and were also overall winners! So that was one red rosette to bring home.
The next class they were entered into was an Advanced Medium. This was the first time that Tina had taken Q into a competition of this level, so it was a real test for her. Again Q tried hard and produced a lovely flying change at the judges end of the school. She had produced a nice test and Tina was pleased with her. And there was even better news when Tina went to collect her results – THEY HAD WON!! Well done Tina and Queijada!
We’ve got a packed schedule of events coming up in September and October!
If you are feeling inspired by the report on the competition on the left of the page, there is another one on 14 September and another on 15 November.
Saturday 6 September is a Contessa Mini Dressage Demonstration. This is an opportunity to come and watch the staff training the horses to advanced level. You get to see what lateral movements should look like. Tickets are available from the office.
Mum’s and Grans lessons are re-starting after the summer break on Wednesday 10 September. And to mark this we are running a stable management and riding day course on that day.
John Bowen is returning to Contessa for a clinic on Wednesday 17 September – See Tina for a chance to ride with this Olympic trainer. John Adams will be taking a Show Jumping Clinic on 24 September.
We’ve got a showjumping day course on Saturday 20 September and a clipping afternoon on Sunday 28 September.
October started with a Double Bridle lesson with Tina on Saturday 4 October and Vaultise is back on Saturday 11 October.
There is much more in the planner so check it out either on the internet or get your copy from the office.
The Equine Club Launch – 23 September 2008
 We would like to invite you to a launch of our involvement in the Equine Club.
The Equine Club has been set up by Colin Baker and QBE Insurance (Europe) in conjunction with the ABRS. It has been designed as an online community to cultivate, encourage and assist the enthusiasm for riding and general interest in horses and ponies. The aim is to bring something for the complete novice through to those that aspire to become an Olympic champion. The benefits of membership include:
- Insurance – public liability and personal accident cover.
- Forums – communicating with friends.
- Find anything equestrian – from vets to tack shops and much more
- Discounts! – possible discounts available on a number of products and services.
- Plus much more!
Why not have a look at the Contessa Riding Centre page!
 Please join us for Cheese and Wine Party on 23 September 2008 at 7.30pm. The launch will be at Contessa Riding centre and we will be introducing Colin Baker to explain in full the benefits of membership. Please bring along your invite which you should have received. If you’ve not got one, please let us know. So we know how much wine is needed, please RSVP!
This year’s summer party was a great fun with no-one allowing the wet weather to spoil the afternoon. At the beginning of the afternoon everyone was divided into groups and got to choose their own names. The teams were called: Lucky Horse Shoes, Champions, Girl Power and Flying Horses. Each group then got to have a go at show jumping, the handy pony course, a quiz and games. It was a packed afternoon which everyone seemed to have a fantastic time.
At the end of the afternoon there was the awarding of the Pony Club Progressive Awards and the Contessa Awards. Congratulations!!!!
Pony Club Progressive Awards Contessa Awards
Bronze Silver
August Spicer Jessica Glock Most Improved Rider Danielle Meehan
Kitt Spicer Danielle Meehan Most Improved Confidence Thomas Millar
Thomas Millar Helena Austin Shown most potential over last 6 months Charlotte Brown
Marianne Drew Most Improved Pony Club Rider August Spicer
Amy Durbin Rider shown the most kindness towards ponies Ida Beer
Adam Genga Most Helpful Rider Georgina Cunningham
Natasha Bell Best Rider under 6 Years Lauren Edwards
Nieve Baker
Imogen Kearney
The party finished with refreshments before everyone headed off home to dry out! Everyone went home with lots of goodies including gold and silver horse shoes and certificates. We hope you all had a great time and look forward to seeing you all at our next party!!!
News From Tally's Stable
Hi everyone – As explained in the last edition, Tessa decided that each time a different pony would get to host that page and it’s my turn this edition.
The weather hasn’t been very good this summer, but that hasn’t stopped the ponies having fun with you all over the summer holidays. We all hope you had a great time at the Summer Party even though the weather wasn’t wonderful.
I got to enjoy a special trip out in the lorry earlier in the summer when I attended the Puller Memorial School fete. It was lovely to get to go out all on my own and to meet many new friends as they tried to guess my weight! I hope you enjoy reading my page and that I will see you all at the stables soon.
TALLY xx
Mini Kids Club
On top of the weekly sessions on Saturdays and Sundays we’ve got lots of other events coming up for them to enjoy!
Monday 1 September Mini Kids Club Pony Day
Saturday 20 September Feeding the ponies session – get to make their tea!
Sunday 28 September Grooming and plaiting session
Sunday 12 October Grooming and plaiting session
Sunday 26 October Feeding the ponies session.
We hope to see as many of you as possible enjoying these Mini Kids Club events with us.
SEE YOU SOON!!!
Pony Club – September 2008
 We hope you have all had a relaxing summer holiday and it was great to see so many of you at Contessa over the holidays. We’ve got a busy Autumn planned to keep us all busy.
The current set of six weekly sessions have started and we are working towards missed badges. We are working towards the “Bandaging and Rugs, “Plaiting” and “Handling and Grooming”. The badge rally is on Sunday 21 September. Please sign up on the board for the badge you would like to take.
The next set of tickets will begin the week beginning Monday 22 September 2008.
But there are also a lot of other events coming up which we think you will enjoy. Saturday 6 September is the Mini Dressage Demo. A chance to see how the staff work and train the horses and see what the you are aiming for in your riding!
I’m sure you aren’t wanting to think about returning to school, but when you are getting your school uniform sorted, please don’t forget that pony club members need to wear your Pony Club uniform or Contessa Young Rider tops when attending Pony Club.
If you aren’t a pony club member and would like to join us then please see us in the office for a form and we can talk through the benefits and discounts available. If you have been a member, please remember to renew to continue to benefit from the savings open to members.
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