North Midlands Regional Countryside Challenge 2022
Monday 23rd May 2022
After the success of the Regional Dressage Qualifiers recently we were delighted to host another fantastic Regional Qualifiers - this time with Countryside Challenge!
24 participants from five groups across our region came to the Regional Countryside Challenge Qualifiers at Scropton Horse Centre in Derbyshire on Monday 23rd May 2022; Belvoir Vale, Cleethorpes & Grimsby, Kesteven, Scropton and Wenlo RDA.
Stephen Green who rides with Wenlo Riding for the Disabled began the competition in some glorious sunshine across our outdoor arena. Our participants rode their Countryside Challenge course watched by our judges Doug Smith and Sarah Smith with their writers Jane and Pat.
One of our Countryside Challenge judges, Sarah Smith from Kimberley House RDA judging the second part of RDA Countryside Challenge course said “I feel very honoured to have been part of the judging team and witnessing such great riding. Well done everyone”
“I feel very honoured to have been part of the judging team and witnessing such great riding. Well done everyone”
- Sarah Smith
Doug Smith, the other judge was delighted to be asked to judge the first part of the course for the Regional Countryside Challenge yesterday at Scropton alongside the writer Jane Corrall, Leicestershire County Chair.
“It was wonderful to be at Scropton on Monday as one of the judges for the Countryside Challenge. After last year’s video competition it was great to see many familiar faces and, encouragingly, new faces. The standard of equines and competition was excellent with some memorable performances. The arena, as always, was beautifully laid out. Many congratulations to all involved.”
- Doug Smith
We also want to thank some of our fantastic volunteers who played their part to make this so very successful including scorers Jane & John, first aider Chris McGarity, score collector Jackie Selby and Matt Dalley doing publicity work. Additional volunteers from Scropton RDA helped with stewarding the event and running the coffee bar, keeping riders and volunteers refreshed and the competition running smoothly.
Congratulations to the following riders who have secured their qualification to the RDA National Championships this year: Tom Dawson of Belvoir Vale, Kesteven RDA’s Victoria Neasham & Lilly Andrews, Chloe Pegg & Danielle Knapp from Scropton, Holly Crawford of Cleethorpes & Grimsby and finally Phillip Brothers & Liam Mahoney representing Wenlo RDA. They will all be heading to Hartpury in July. A huge well done to all of our competitors who took part in the Countryside Challenge qualifiers.
This year’s highest scoring junior and senior received certificates from Gabriella Blake, BD’s Para Dressage athlete in the prize giving after the competition. The highest score for all junior classes goes to Chloe Pegg, Scropton RDA with 93.25% and the highest score for all senior classes with 86.75% went to Phillip Brothers of Wenlo RDA.
