Wakefield Riding for the Disabled Association

Our dressage competition was well attended on Sunday and everyone seemed to enjoy the day with lots of riders winning rosettes.
There were some lovely horses and the judges both commented on the high standard of turnout and excellent riding skills.

Here are the results:

Class 1 Intro A
1st Adele Taylor & Maizy 82.17%
=2nd Joanne Hewitt & Taylormade 78.70%
=2nd Gerry Savage & Blues Tip Top Two 78.70%
4th Ruth Nixon & Wrda Willow 76.96%

Class 2 Beginners Freestyle
1st Adele Taylor & Maizy 76%
2nd Joanne Hewitt & Taylormade 73.5% (22.5)
3rd Lauren Woodward & Paddy 73.5% (21)
4th Samantha Cammack & Todleyhall Issac 71%

Class 3 Prelim 4
1st Joanne Gill & Dylan 78.64%
2nd Katie Lomas & Boris 67.73%
3rd Harriet Haslem & Just Fred 66.82%
4th Oliver Bates & Tommy Tickle 66.36%

Class 4 Freestyle
1st Polly Edmondson & Regal 82%
2nd Deborah Cayton Lee & Wrda Amber 79%
3rd Elizabeth Holdsworth & Topper Harley 69%
4th Stacey Higgins & Honey 66%

Class 5 Prelim 18
1st Joanne Gill & Tosh 79.58%
2nd Joanne Gill & Dylan 79.17%
3rd Katie Lomas & Boris 77.92%
4th Adele Taylor & Maizy 74.17%

It was great to watch the entries in the two Freestyle classes. Some riders had worked out their test to music, others put some moves together without music. It was obvious that riders had spent a lot of time working out the routine and finding the right music to match the horses paces.
On Sunday all the tests looked fantastic and great fun; and I hope this will inspire other riders to try our Freestyle classes in future.

Thank you to everyone who came, your entry fees will help to keep our RDA group up and running & thank you to the volunteers who gave up their Sunday to help run this event.

Look out for our next competition in April 2009

WRDA Raffle

Tickets are now on sale for our Christmas Raffle. We have some great prizes including an Asda Trolley Dash, His & Hers Rotary watches and a Scalextric.

Buy your tickets now from our instructors or drop us an email and we'll put your name on some. All the proceeds will help us care for our ponies and allow us to continue offering our first class service to disabled riders in Wakefield and the surrounding areas.

Thank you to the following people and companies for donating prizes.

Uriah Rennie, Asda, Queensbury Jewellers, Hoops-a Daisy, Redcats, Mr Sztencel & Philips Hairdressers.

The draw will be made in the indoor school in 12th December.

email enquiries @wrda.org.uk
tel 01924 241341

Brilliant New Tractor

 

 

We have just taken delivery of a brand new compact tractor to help with work around the stables. Our old mini tractor broke down in June 2007 when Wakefield was hit by the floods and was not repairable.

 We will use the tractor to level the sand and rubber surfaces in the indoor and outdoor 20 x 40 metre riding arenas, for moving hay, straw and horse muck as well as awkward objects such as jump wings, poles and cones. 

 

Over the past months staff and volunteers have been raking these huge areas by hand which is very hard work, dusty, very boring and time consuming - time that could be much better spent on other activities.

Carolyn said “Our disabled riders receive most benefit from a smooth, rhythmical ride on the pony and our ponies benefit from working on a level riding surface, long term it is better for their backs and the tendons in their legs. The ponies can easily trip on lumpy uneven ground, which may unseat the rider. It is also much easier for volunteers helping with the sessions to walk and run on a level surface”.

 

The Siromer 204S tractor that WRDA chose is very good value for money because it comes flat packed from China and comes with instructions - ready to build.

 

WRDA formed a group to assemble the tractor which included students with learning disabilities from Pennine Community, two Pennine tutors and Riding for Disabled volunteers. It took around two weeks to bolt together.

 

The tractor is now up and running and is used every day thanks especially to Bob and Pete from Pennine, volunteer Mark, Dr Hancocks for buying all the different oils, Brian for lifting the crate off the lorry and Pete W the auto electrician.

 

Carolyn said “We are very grateful to The Harrison Trust who awarded WRDA a £3000 grant towards purchasing the tractor and to West Riding Masonic Provincial Charity for donating the other £1400, without their help we could not have afforded this wonderful piece of equipment”.

 

 

Our long serving New Forest pony, Red, retired from RDA work last week. He has worked at WRDA for approximately 14 years and is loved by hundreds of disabled children from all around the Wakefield District.
We will all really miss him as he is a cheeky character, but we are very happy for him to be re-homed with one of our volunteers, Sarah M.

Sarah was recently presented with the RDA 'Over & Above Award' for her many hours of volunteering over the past 6 years. Sarah has helped with lessons, care of the ponies, fundraised, helped at our dressage competitions and groomed at the National Championships.

Red is now enjoying large grassy fields and scenic hacks out.

WRDA are now looking to raise funds to replace Red.

   

Sarah & Red