Competitors from North Midlands triumph at RDA National Championships!
The RDA National Championships is running again this year at Hartpury University & College, Gloucestershire on Friday 15th - Saturday 16th July 2022 after two years of national championships being cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic.
In light of the Met Office’s specific weather warning for Sunday 17th July, the organisers of RDA National Championships took the decision to suspended the competition on that day which is a very huge disappointment for our competitors and our groups as part of North Midlands Region, one of RDA UK’s eighteen regions.
27 competitors representing seven groups across North Midlands including Belvoir Vale, Cleethorpes & Grimsby, Helen Atkins, Kesteven, Lincolnshire Wolds, Mount and Wenlo RDA went to the RDA National Championships to compete in disciplines such as Arts & Crafts, Best Turned Out, Carriage Driving, Countryside Challenge, Dressage, Showing, Show Jumping and many more.
Derbyshire County Coach Chris Marbrow was presented the Dudley-Smith award by RDA on Friday to recognise her important contribution to Carriage Driving through the hard work and unsung efforts as a volunteer which was truly well deserving achievement as Wenlo RDA group took three RDA drivers to compete in this discipline for first time.
Some of our competitors attended the medal ceremony for the Dressage Anywhere’s online dressage RDA championships show on Saturday afternoon where they are being invited to collect their medals and rosettes in the prize giving afternoon.
Lisa and Mark Griffin of Cleethorpes & Grimsby RDA group in Lincolnshire making their final appearance at the RDA National Championships this year. Lisa, grade four dressage competitor riding First Class IX (Indie) have won Grade 4 Championship class with the score of 71.25% as overall champion which she received the class trophy named ‘Groove Farm Jester Memorial trophy and also collect her winner medal from Dressage Anywhere’s online dressage RDA championship show in Grade 4 class few months ago.
Mark who were supposed to compete on Sunday in the Grade 3 Championship class attended the medal ceremony for the Dressage Anywhere Online RDA championships to collect his winning medal and rosette.
“Competing through RDA has given both myself and Mark so much confidence and given us something to aim and strive for.”
Lisa Griffin, Cleethropes & Grimsby RDA participant
“We were so lucky Indie came into our lives last May by chance. The first few months were tricky to say the least she has such big paces at 17.2hh but we perceived and day by day we improved and we now have a fantastic relationship and enjoy hacking as well as RDA lessons and now we have just moved on to Para Dressage.
“Competing through RDA has given both myself and Mark so much confidence and given us something to aim and strive for.” Said Lisa.
Lisa and Mark’s RDA journey has came to the end as we wish them the best of luck in their Para Dressage chapter as they now moved on to compete para dressage from now.
There were some incredible results from our first time competitors including Jessica Limb of Helen Atkins RDA won the showing class riding Hexden Dancing Stranger and Tara Redfern of Wenlo RDA who went to win Grade 6 (1-6) Walk & Trot class with a fantastic score of 78.05 as well as the freestyle dressage class for Grade 6 walk & trot.
RDA National Championships were live-streamed for first time on Horse & Country TV on both days, featuring some disciplines such as freestyle dressage, show jumping and vaulting. One of our qualifying competitors, Olivia Langley exclusively spoke to RDA during her interview on the live stream.
“This will be my first national championships and I’m feeling equally nervous and excited, probably more so. I’ve never competed at a national level, so that’s something that’s going to be absolutely incredible for me.
“I’m looking forward to the atmosphere and seeing everybody else there – and being able to rid at Hartpury – for anyone in the equestrian world it’s an incredible venue to be able to ride at, to be able to say that I’ve competed at Hartpury will be a big deal as well.
“If it wasn’t for RDA, there would have been no way that I would ever have ridden again. There would be no opportunities, three would be no facilities, there would be no equipment, nobody trained or experienced enough to be able to help me. Thank you to RDA, to Dawn at Wenlo RDA, to Clancy the horse. If it wasn’t for RDA none of this would exist at all. I’m so lucky.” Said Olivia.
“If it wasn’t for RDA, there would have been no way that I would ever have ridden again. There would be no opportunities, three would be no facilities, there would be no equipment, nobody trained or experienced enough to be able to help me. Thank you to RDA, to Dawn at Wenlo RDA, to Clancy the horse. If it wasn’t for RDA none of this would exist at all. I’m so lucky.”