DRESS AGEIre l a n d

D re s s a g e Ire l a n d New s l e t t e r

Ap r i l 2 0 0 8

Message from DI Chairwoman - Gillian Kyle

I am delighted to be writing a Welcome Message to you for this revitalisation of our Society Newsletter. The Newsletter is hard work to produce and needs a lot of support so my thanks to Alison & Jenny for organising it and to all who have contributed. I think the Newsletter is a vital tool to us and I believe its absence has affected us as a Society. To that end can I encourage you all to consider submitting something for future newsletters; it is everyone’s communication channel, not just the board’s!

This is a time of change for us all with the advent of HSI and at present we are still negotiating aspects of the management of dressage with them, such as international selection, high performance funding, Potential Dressage Horse and Silver Spurs to name but a few. There is no doubt that HSI is going to radically alter the equestrian landscape in Ireland and Dressage will be a part of that.

It has been great to see the growth in participation in Dressage recently with entries growing at all levels at shows, membership rising and our e-mail mailing list is probably one of the largest of any equine discipline!

We have also seen a marked increase in International participation, which is superb, but to be taken seriously as a dressage nation we must enforce a quality line at the selection stage. The board have carefully considered the criteria for International selection and travel and further details will be published soon.

Increased participation at national level has put pressure on our judges list and a team has been working away to produce a plan for testing judges onto the list and upgrading those already on it. This has already borne fruit with a number of new judges on List 6 and upgrades to List 5. If there is anyone out there who would like to know more about dressage judging let us know and we can sign you up for some training and perhaps an exam!

Our next highlight is the National Winter Finals at Boswell, Co.Wicklow on April 22nd. Boswell is a superb venue and we have some great overseas judges coming to make this a true championship, I look forward to seeing you all there.

Ir i s h C o m p e t i t o r s a n d Su p p o r t e r s a t t h e Su n s h i n e To u r 2 0 0 8

From the left: James Rooney, Katy Price, Jill Moffatt, Katie Moffatt, Rosemary Gaffney, Gerd Liekens-Schurmans,Sue Smallman, Anne Kirwan, Anne Marie Dunphy, Mary Cox, John Cox, Maureen Dwyer, Wouter Liekens, Kate Dwyer

Para tests will also be included.

BD 15 (2008)BD19 (2008)BD 22 (2007)BD38 (2005)BD 53 (2007)BD 58 (2004)BD 64 (2006)BD 73 (2007)BD 98 (2002)BD 94 (2002)BD 104 (2007)FEI PSG 2000FEI Intermediaire I 2002FEI Intermediaire II 2001FEI GP B 2003BD Elementary Freestyle 2006BD Medium Freestyle 2006BD Advanced Medium Freestyle 2002FEI Young Riders (Prix St. Georges) Freestyle2006BD 15 (2008)

Preliminary

Novice

Elementary

Medium

Advanced Medium

AdvancedPrix St. GeorgesIntermediare IIntermediare IIGrand PrixElementary FreestyleMedium FreestyleAdvanced Medium FreestylePrix St Georges FreestyleYoung Dressage Horse

National Championships 2008The National Championships 2008 will take place in Necarne, Co. Fermanagh from 26 – 28 September 2008.

The tests for the National Championships 2008 will be as follows:

Volunteers still needed for Winter FinalsIf you are willing and able to help out at the National Winter finals, please contact the secretary at info@dressageireland.ie.

Vaccination and Passports required for Winter Finals and National ChampionshipsAll horses and ponies registered with Dressage Ireland must be vaccinated against Equine Influenza and Tetanus. Under FEI Rules all horses MUST receive a booster vaccination every 6 months.

Passports are required at both the Winter Finals and the National Championships and MUST be presented when declaring.

Please see:

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/farmed/transport/guideandpub.htmfor information on requirements in Northern Ireland in relation to welfare of horses during transport.

http://www.nihorseboard.org/info.phpfor information on NI requirements in relation to passports. You can also consult the NIHB leaflet on passports athttp://www.nihorseboard.org/documents/Passports for All.doc

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/animal_health/transport_rules/InfoLeafletontheTransportofHorses.pdffor information on the ROI requirements in relation to welfare of horses during transport

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/index.jsp?file=animal_health/equine_ID/equine_id.xmlfor information on ROI requirements in relation to passports

Winter FinalsPlease note that the venue for the 2008 National Winter Finals will be Boswell Equestrian and not Coilóg as published in the Schedule for Winter 2007/08. The date remains unchanged: the Winter Finals will be held on 20 April, as previously advertised. The Dressage Ireland committee is grateful to Mr and Mrs G. Gorman for making their venue available for this event.

For further information about the venue please visit www.boswellequestrian.ie.

Click here for directions to Boswell Equestrian.

Dressage Ireland National News

New Grades for HorsesHorses may compete only at the level at which they are graded or higher. The new bands will come into force on 1st May 2008 which will be after the Winter Finals but before Necarne Festival. The points limit for each grade will be as follows:

Preliminary 0 - 49 points

Novice 50 - 124 points

Elementary 125 - 199 points

Medium 200 - 299 points

Advanced Medium 300 - 374 points

Riders/owners must keep a note of points won at each affiliated show, and should not enter classes for which they are no longer eligible.

The Rule book is being updated at present and will available soon on the downloads page of the website as Rule Book 2008.

Please remember that it is the responsibility of all members to familiarise themselves with the rules and any updates.

Judges' News

Judges List up-datedFollowing the recent judges examination which took place in Boswell EC on 9th of February, the following candidates have been successful in becoming a judge and have been placed onto List 6: Breda Bernie, Naomi Butler, Paul Byrne, and Andrea Colfer.

Also, the following List 6 judges have successfully passed their upgrading examination and have been placed onto List 5: Pat Barry, Margaret Coonan, Bernie Foley, Gerd Liekens, David Patterson, Margaret Pettigrew and Bernie Webb.

Congratulations to all the successful candidates.

The list of judges has been up-dated an is available on the Dressage Ireland website atwww.dressageireland.ie/judges/judgeslist.htm

Judges Training Plan 2008All judges and potential judges need to let the secretary of Dressage Ireland know which of the training sessions they wish to attend and if they wish to upgrade. Please contact the secretary before 10th April 2008: tel: 059 9771728 or email: info@dressageireland.ie.

Training for all lists and exam for all judges up to list 4 to 3 andpotential judges

20th April Boswell E.C. Training for all levels (No exam due to most judges wanting toride)

19th May Maryville Stables,Carrigaline, Co Cork

Training for all levels and especially list 3 upwards withJenny Loriston-Clarke

21st June Danescroft E.C. Judges up to list 3 and potential judges training and mock exam

5th July Danescroft E.C. Exam for all judges up to list 4 going to 3 and potential judges

19th July T.B.C. Venue Training and mock exam for judges up to list 4 going to 3and potential judges

11th - 16th August FRYS, G.B. Exam for list 3 judges upwards at C.D.I. in FRYS

16th August Boswell E.C. Exam for all judges up to list 4 to 3 and potential judges

26 – 28 September

Date Venue Details

Necarne Castle

Important Information: Judges at all levels MUST sit a mock exam before they will be considered eligible to sit the exam proper.

Put it in your DiaryDressage Ireland is also holding a training and judging seminar with Isobel Wessels at Kill E.C. on Monday 10th November. This seminar is aimed at everyone, Judges, trainers and riders.

New Dressage Ireland Rule BookThe new Dressage Ireland Rule Book will be available soon on the web. Before the start of the Summer Season it is hoped it will be available in a ring-bound A5 format. Any future amendments will be issued as a new sheet to be inserted into the ring binder. Rule Books will be free of charge to Judges and can be purchased by members at a moderate price, still to be fixed, which will be determined by printing costs. The Rule Book will also be available to download from the Dressage Ireland website.

News from the Regions

Northern RegionNecarne Dressage Festival 3rd & 4th May 2008

The Necarne Dressage Festival will take place on 3rd and 4th May 2008. Full schedule and entry forms will be available for download fromwww.northernirelanddressage.com. Entries close on 21st April 2008.

Northern Ireland Dressage would like to wish Carolyn Mellor a speedy recovery following her recent injury while schooling a young horse at home.

On a happier note, hearty congratulations to Sasha and Andrew Stewart, who are expecting twins in the autumn, to Elaine Duncan on the occasion of her recent engagement and to David Patterson from Newtownards, County Down, who passed the judges up-grading exam held at Boswell Equestrian Centre on 9th of February and moves from list 6 to list 5.

Leinster DressageWinter League Prize GivingThe prize giving for the Leinster Dressage Winter Leagues will take place at the final show of the winter season, to be held at Killossery Lodge Stud, Rolestown, County Dublin on Sunday 13 April. Leinster dressage would like to thank all the sponsors of the Winter leagues: Maureen Dwyer, Sunset House Stud, www.Horseplay.ie, E.I.S. Ltd. Bloodstock Shipping Agents, www.foxequestrian.com, Ballinapark Stud, Ashbourne and Copperfield Riding Club.

Please visit www.leinsterdressage.com for full details of the Summer Schedule 2008 and the leagues.

Leinster Dressage phone numberThe Leinster Dressage telephone (086 3206390) is not functional at the moment. If you would like to contact Leinster Dressage you can call Clare Fitzsimmons at 087 7928359 or send an email to info@leinsterdressage.com.

Leinster Dressage Winter Schedule – changes:The Winter Schedule for 2008 is available at www.leinsterdressage.com. Please note that for the last two shows of the Winter Season the test used for class 12 will be BD 86 (2002) instead of BD 93.

News from North Munster RegionCongratulations are in order for Sarah Jane Geoghegan of Adare Equestrian Centre, owner and rider of Sraghmore Shadow, who was presented with a dressage award for 2007 from the Connemara Performance Pony Association. Sraghmore Shadow, known at home as Gismo, is by Monaghanstown Fionn and was bred by Patrick McCormick of Athlone. In accepting the award Sarah Jane, a regular competitor at North Munster Dressage Club shows, expressed particular thanks to Jill Moran for the help she has given with Gismo's training.

South East Region

South East Region members who do not receive e-mailed news from the secretary and would like to receive it, please e mailmary.sedressage@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list.

I n t e r n a t i o n a l N e w sPara Riders Success in EnglandThree Irish Para riders were in England recently as part of the Para Equestrian Ireland (PEI) senior squad advanced training and competition programme, competing in British Dressage Para competitions at Richmond Equestrian Centre, North Yorkshire and at Vale View Equestrian Centre, in Leicestershire.

The team consisted of Breda Bernie riding Tula, Eilish Byrne riding Youri and Kathryn Wheelock riding her new horse Taurus III.  They were accompanied by Team Trainer Donie McNamara.At 15 February at Richmond Equestrian Centre, at a training session with judge Margot Tiffany, Breda and Tula achieved a score in excess of 71% in the Grade IB Team Test, Eilish and Youri posted 68% in the Grade II class while Kathryn and Taurus III scored 64% in the Grade III.

On the following day, at the same venue, riding in the British Dressage Para Winter Qualifier, Eilish scored 66.66% to win the

Grade II team test class and also competed in the Elementary class scoring 62% and placing third, while Breda scored in excess of 67% while winning the two grade IB competitions and Kathryn won the Grade III team test class, posting a score of 65.38%.

The trio continued their strong, consistent performances at Vale View Equestrian Centre, riding in the British Dressage Para Winter Qualifier on 17 February.  Here Kathryn scored 63.08% and 66% in the Grade III classes, Eilish recorded a morning score of 63%, winning the restricted section and taking third overall in the Elementary class, then delivered an impressive 74.28%, taking 2nd place in the afternoon Grade II class, while Breda achieved a personal best of 75.29% in the Grade IB Team Test, taking 3rd place and 71.76% in Grade IB test 10, placing 2nd.

News from the Regions (continued)

Change of venueThere is a change of venue for the show on Sunday May 4th to Skevanish EC, Inishannon, Co.Cork. The schedule is unchanged except the closing date should be Tuesday April 29th.

Change of dateThe postponed South Munster show at Woodlands EC, Killarney has been rescheduled to Sunday April 13th

Judges' Training with Jennie Loriston-ClarkeSouth Munster Dressage is pleased to announce that Jennie Loriston-Clarke will be visiting Maryville Stables, Carrigaline, Co Cork on May the 19th and 20th.

Jennie has been one of the most influential dressage riders, trainers, judges and breeders in the history of the sport in Britain. She won individual bronze at the 1978 World Equestrian Games and competed in five Olympics. She has run Catherston Stud since the late 1960s, is a FEI international judge and was the chef d'equipe for the British young rider team for six years. Jennie is also one of the trainers for the under-25s national training programme. Jennie's long list of achievements led to her receiving an MBE in 1979 and she was awarded the first ever Queen's Award for Outstanding Services to Equestrianism in 2006.

She will be giving a judges training seminar on Monday 19th May "The Dressage Horse from Preliminary to Grand Prix". It is

especially targeted at list 3 judges and above but it is also an accredited training day for judges wishing to maintain their current list status. However it will also be extremely informative for all riders, owners, trainers and indeed parents of young riders as they will see what judges are looking for in a number of tests at different levels. Jennie will be using a combination of video and demonstration horses in her presentation and an interesting evening is guaranteed. It will start at 4.00pm and continue until approx 9pm, with a break from 6 to 7 for refreshments. Admission is €20 for students/under 18s, €25 for DI members and €35 for adult non-members. Enquiries to Naomi Donoghue, 086-0681998.

The following day, thanks to generous sponsorship from equestrian photography website www.SportingIreland.com, she will be giving a series of individual lessons. Places are very limited and priority will be given to South Munster Dressage members, with a waiting list available for members from outside the region.

These lessons will be open to public viewing and questions will be invited from spectators after each session, so again many people would find it worthwhile just to come along and watch. Booking is not essential for this day, but an admission fee of €20 will be charged, which will give people access to the viewing gallery for the whole day.

Marlton Under 21s Festival – 5th and 6th July 2008The schedule for the Under 21s Festival to be held at Marlton Stud on 5 and 6 July is now available at http://www.marltonstud.com/marltondressage.htm.

News from South Munster Region

I n t e r n a t i o n a l N e w s (continued)

Friendly International at Myerscough International Arena, Lancashire Friday 25th to Sunday 27th July 2008An invitation has been received from British Dressage for our pony, junior and young riders to participate in a 'Home International' to be run at Myerscough International Arena, Lancashire from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th July 2008.

This is a friendly international. The invitation is for up to 2 teams from the south of Ireland and 2 from Northern Ireland, each team to consist of 4 riders one pony, junior and young rider and one other who can be a "fledgling".

Horse/pony and rider combinations wishing to participate in this competition must have achieved a minimum score of 63% riding at a Dressage Ireland affiliated show at the relevant level.

Anyone needing further information or wishing to be considered for teams should contact Robert McCormick.

The full schedule can be downloaded by clicking here

International Shows in Great Britain

17-20 July -

21-27 July -

13-16 August -

Hartpury CDI *** Gloucestershire (use Birmingham or Bristol Airport)

Hickstead CDI West Sussex (very close to Gatwick Airport)

Frys CDI Yorkshire

C A Judges thoughts on the difference between 5, 6 and 7 cAlison Mastin-Moore

A wet Saturday evening saw me thinking about marks, and how we as judges should be using them. There is a great deal for a judge to take in, and all in fractions of a second at times! While I want to look into the ‘low’ and ‘high’ marks at some point, it is the decision making between 5 and 6, or 6 and 7 that got me thinking.

If we see nothing obviously in need of much repair, the mark is likely to be in the 7-10 range. If we can see very obvious problems then we may need to visit the lower end of the marks. Somewhere we do not like to go.

As even top international riders still strive to achieve a mark of over 70%, it is expected that they too have many 6s’ and 7s’. So regardless of level, Preliminary to Grand Prix Special, the middle marks need to be right.

How to make those decisions? Judges are required to follow absolutely the FEI definition of paces and movements. These are all clearly set out in our Dressage Ireland Rules which can be downloaded from www.dressageireland.ie. Brilliant! All we have to as judges, riders or coaches is read them and off we go! 80-100% please…..

No! Reading those directives is not enough. It would be possible to believe that anyone not following the directives to the letter should be given a 4, and we know that that is absolutely not the situation. So how do we learn to graduate our marks and remarks to reflect fairly the performance we have seen on the day?

Judges who have ridden at a decent standard will have an advantage - simply because they understand the difficulties involved in training horses. For them it is easy to see a Preliminary horse working generally in the right way, under a rider who is able to develop them towards the next level. A less experienced judge will find it less easy to see the ‘good points’, but will of course be able to see any little problems.

POINT 1. Many little problems will be seen, and are acceptable in a mark of 7.

7 is a mark for the general impression of a particular piece of work. We have taken 30% off for the ‘many little problems’, but overall things are going fairly well. FAIRLY GOOD). This is not out and out praise, rather an acknowledgement that there is an element of good work showing through, but at present there are too many inconsistencies for a clear cut 8.

Now then, if 7 has many little problems, then what can we accept in a 6? We will still see an inner core of what is wanted but there will be less clarity in many areas. For instance I read in the FEI Dressage Handbook ‘Guidelines for Judging’ (Available from www.horsesport.ie or www.horsesport.org ) the following areas are all acceptable at times under the mark of 6: Read on and be surprised!

Slight loss of rhythm. Small resistance in a transition.

Slightly tilted or contracted neck.Either hurried or laboured.

Contact not light or steady enough.Lacking engagement.

Not fully straight.Moment of suspension needs definition.

Self carriage is limited.

This list is not exhaustive and does not apply rigidly to every pace and movement. What I think it does do is open our eyes to the meaning of the word SATISFACTORY. For me it means the task required was recognisably performed, but not particularly well performed.

As the tests get more difficult, problems that may have been acceptable at Novice level should be disappearing, but new problems associated with the degree of difficulty will arise. The judge needs to be able to differentiate between the ‘old and now well entrenched faults’ (less acceptable), and the new ones which are likely to be seen during a particular stage of development ( more acceptable).

So! Now we approach the mark of 5. SUFFICIENT. No doubt by now you are ready for an even bigger list of problems that ‘belong’ in the mark of 5. Of course! To give a 5 we have to have seen quite a lot that is not going to plan. So much so that we feel the unhappy need to take 50% off!

Exercise. Look at the list attaching itself to the mark of 6 and ask yourself if you would normally have given a 5 for them.

Remember, nothing is exact, there are times when the decision between marks is hard to make. If in doubt I try to be positive, yet let the rider know what I want ‘more’ of, or what they have ‘too much of’, but I try to keep the mark up if I can.I do not intend giving a list of the acceptable problems associated with a 5. Suffice to say that the small problems accepted in a 6 will be more obvious for us to have to give a 5.

When you see what you want to see as a judge it will not get a 7. It will get an 8, 9 or 10. Tests are often varied in their standard and we owe it to the rider to reflect their performance fairly.

POINT 2. No rider comes down the centre line trying to do badly.

POINT 3. Mark UP in spite of little problems, and mark DOWN because of bigger problems.

Breda is a regular competitor in Dressage Ireland shows and also competes both in Ireland and abroad as a Para rider. She took some time off from her busy schedule to answer questions posed by Judy Devine from North Munster Region:

How long have you been doing dressage?Since 1998.

How did you catch the 'bug'?Dressage is very exciting and rewarding, particularly when I try something new and there is always something to learn.

What level do you ride?Paralympic Level, Grade IB. There are five Grades ranging from Grade IA, Grade IB and Grade II to Grade IV, the higher the grade, the greater the physical ability.

What are your plans for 2008?I have just returned from a British Dressage Competition and competed against the British Para Riders in my Grade and was placed 2nd and 3rd, in two competitions achieving a personal best of 75% on my own horse called Tula. I recently sat examinations and have become a list 6 Dressage Judge.

In April of this year, I plan to compete in Belgium at an International Para Competition on my own horse. Other International Competitions on the Para Dressage Calendar are: Holland in June and Hartpury College, Britain, in July. I have met the qualifying requirement for selection at the Paralympic Games in Hong Kong in September. Irish Equestrian Athlete(s) slot(s) have yet to be confirmed to date.

What other hobbies do you have?Dressage is my first love, then Swimming and Pottery. I enjoy following Wexford Hurling, both my parents are originally from Wexford. Dad played hurling for Wexford at county level and was on the winning All-Ireland Senior Wexford Hurling Team in 1968. Mum played hockey competitively, so I guess I inherited my competitiveness from my parents. I also enjoy going horse racing.

What is your 'day' job?Work full-time Grade V, Administrator, with the Health Service Executive based in Dublin.

Rider profile:Breda Bernie, Eastern Region

How do you feel dressage could be improved in Ireland?One way of improving any sport is to look at the winning competitors at the top level of the sport and model what they do.

Where do you live?Cabinteely, Dublin 18.

How often do you come to North Munster Region for training or competition?I travel to Donie MacNamara, my trainer for lessons as often as I can, usually over a three to four day period once a fortnight. I like to keep fit by swimming and going to the Gym. As International Competitions approach, the time I spend on dressage training is extended. My horse Tula is kept with Donie. I compete at nearly all of the

North Munster Dressage Region Shows, where the Secretary of each show kindly arranges that I can compete in a “1B Para Test”, (these are the tests that I compete in internationally), which I really appreciate.

When did you start riding?Before I could walk at age five in Marino Clinic, (now Enable Ireland), in Bray, Co. Wicklow, as recommended by my physiotherapist Noleen Fox. Noleen was a fantastic support as horse riding is an excellent and most enjoyable form of therapy as it helped to improve balance and co-ordination.

Major achievements to date?I have competed at two Paralympic Games in Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. The Athens Paralympics was the first ever Paralympic Games where competitors competed on their own horses. In Athens at the Opening Ceremony, the Irish Paralympic Team was so close to the Olympic Flame, it was giving off heat. Athens was a successful Games, I achieved a 60% in the Championship test and 61% in the Freestyle, the Freestyle is my competition of choice. I have participated at three consecutive World Championships, in Denmark, Belgium and Hartpury. The latest World Championships was last year in Hartpury, where Tula and I were placed 10th.

dD

D Rider profile: dRosemary Paterson,

Long time Northern Ireland Dressage member and working mother Rosemary Paterson found some time in her busy schedule to answer some questions posed by Dressage Ireland PRO Alison Kirkpatrick:

How long have you been doing dressage?I have always enjoyed horses. I've taken part in many disciplines over the years and this has included eventing, side-saddle, showjumping (even at Dublin!) and all kinds of riding club competitions and dressage.

Why dressage?Being a busy working mum the dressage really suits me due to knowing approximately what time I am competing. Forward planning is a must in my life, so its simple to arrange lessons and compete when I have an idea of what the family time table will be. Juggling competitions and lessons with my trainer Carolyn Mellor while the boys are at rugby training or some other activity.

What level do you ride at?Currently I have two horses competing regularly. My sister Sylvia Henry bred both: Blackberrie is a 17.1hh piebald gelding at medium level and Homegrown Exchange is a 17.3hh gelding who started his career in dressage last year - even finishing 3rd in the Young Horse Class at the Nationals. Homegrown Exchange also won the prestigious Jack Stinson Memorial Trophy for combined training at my Riding Club, - an ambition of mine for the

past 20 years. During 2006 Blackberrie spent some time in quarantine due to the Swamp Fever outbreak in Ireland. I think he really enjoyed all the time off and the spoiling BUT now its back to porridge!

What other hobbies do you have?My other hobbies are reading and needlework when I have any spare time after horses and a full time job!

How do you feel dressage could be improved in Ireland?I think the recent change in the points system in dressage and the new open and restricted classes will be of particular benefit to the amatuer rider with the average horse.

What are your plans for 2008?I am looking forward to competing at Necarne and Marlton this year.

For Sale5year old KWPN bay gelding 16.1hh, by Polydox, genuine, honest and handsome, this gentleman is green but willing attitude sensible in all respects. Won first unreg prelim with 65%. Reluctant sale but current home has no time to do him justice to realise his true potential.tel 087 9831583 or 094 9545865 Galway area

16.3 hh 5yr old black stunning State Premium Westphalian mare by Showstar X Sandro Hit. Three uphill extravagant loose paces. Professionally scholed to Elementary level . Placed Potential Dressage Horse Class in 2007. Lightly schooled over coloured poles. Scopey jump. Enjoys hacking. Kind temperment. No vices. Change of circumstances forces sale.Tel 028 4272 9639 or 07800588420.

alleviate this acute shortage of hands on deck? That's easy – YOU can volunteer. Even if you are competing yourself, helping out for a few hours before or after your class can make all then difference to the smooth running of a show.

The main jobs for which volunteers are needed are:

Scribing/writing – this really is the plum job! You get to sit in a nice warm car while everyone else is outside freezing in the rain, people bring you cups of tea and buns at regular intervals and you get a one-to-one tutorial from the judge on what is, and isn't, the right way to present a dressage test. The only skill needed is the ability to write (legible writing is a plus, but not essential). The downside is the potential for writer's cramp if you are partnered with a talkative judge. In these cases a talent for summarising is desirable.

Call-up – the most important job to get right if a show is to run smoothly! Tends to have a bad reputation because a) the caller-upper is generally outside, freezing in the rain (while those smug scribes are sitting in nice warm cars, drinking tea and eating buns) and b) urban legends are exchanged between show volunteers about the spectacularly bad behaviour of certain competitors towards the poor unfortunates doing call-up. Needless to say, both the severity of the weather in Ireland, and the extremes of violence of competitors are generally exaggerated. Is there anything good about doing call-up? Well, it's a great way to get to know everyone, because sooner or later they will all have to pass by you. It's also a job where you can have a real influence on what time everybody gets home at. For those who are actively competing, it's a job where you can usefully volunteer to do even if you only have an hour or two to spare. Some shows even offer caller-uppers cups of tea from time to time.

Scoring – a job for those among us who are not still scarred by juvenile experiences of maths classes from hell. If you are reasonably numerate and not intimidated by calculators, this may be the job for you. It's usually possible to do it somewhere warm and sheltered (in fact the best thing to do is to hide in your car while doing it, so you don't get interrupted in mid-tot) and it's another job that can be done for an hour or so at a time.

Show Secretary – depending on how things are organised in your Region, this may involve taking entries, doing times, finding volunteers, finding and preparing the venue, facing the public, dealing with enquiries and glitches on the day and feeding the judges and volunteers. This last one is the one that fills me with dread – my cooking has been described as a weapon of mass destruction. Often the show secretary is someone who has been involved in the Region and running shows for a while, but that doesn't mean that someone new to the whole business can't help out with various aspects (will someone please volunteer to feed my judges!).

Other jobs that often have to be done are stewarding the car park, putting up and taking down arenas, general running around – all things that anyone can do.

While the experience varies from Region to Region, in Leinster it is certainly getting harder all the time to find enough help. As a competitor, you will know when there aren't enough helpers: the classes will run late, the scores will not be posted for hours after the class finishes, you'll find grid lock in the car park and there will be a lot of cross people in the generally vicinity. So the next time this happens, don't wait to be asked –just swing by the show desk and offer to help. Volunteering makes the whole show run better for everyone.

When I first started to attend Dressage Ireland shows, not so many years ago, as a timid novice rider and feeling completely out of my depth, it appeared to me that those shows were well-oiled machines, run by ferociously competent people hailing from a planet far, far away, where everyone knew everything there was to be known about dressage and the business of running shows. The idea that I might play a part in helping a run such an event was as bizarre and foreign to me as the suggestion that I might don a tutu and perform the pas de deux from Swan Lake, together with Carl Hester, in the middle of the long arena. One of these things actually did happen later – can you guess which?

About one year later (and I'm still not quite sure whether it happened through subconscious masochism or a simple failure to take one step backwards quickly enough) I found that I was on the committee of Leinster Dressage and on a dizzying learning curve, discovering, more by error than trial, what it takes to run a show.

Very rapidly I found out that:

The well-oiled machine is mainly oiled by sweat, tears, and the occasional cup of teaThe ferociously competent officials are panicking inside tooPeople new to Dressage Ireland seemed to think that I hailed from a planet far, far away, where everyone knew everything there was to be known about dressage and the business of running showsSome people say "thank-you" often enough to make the job worthwhileSome people express themselves more colourfullyThere is no such thing as too much helpRunning and helping to run shows can be fun, when it's all going wellWhen it's not going well, it's useful to remember that what does not kill us makes us stronger

So, if you asked me if you should volunteer to help, what would I say? A resounding 'yes!', and here's why.

The simplest reason for volunteering is that if you want to have dressage shows, you have to have volunteers. Ironically at a time when we are seeing growing entry numbers, we are also seeing plunging numbers of potential volunteers. Why should that be? There seem, in my humble opinion, to be a few factors involved:

Competitors tend to come to shows with fewer 'followers' these days – everyone is busy, so it seems that only those who have direct involvement in shows actually come along. Mothers, husbands, sisters, brothers, teen-aged children and best friends seem to have other commitments at weekends these days (the inconsiderate beasts!);As we see more novice riders taking up dressage, we have more competitors who are already very challenged with just getting themselves and their horse to the competitions, facing the pandemonium of the warm-up and the terror of the centre line. Asking these neophytes to help with the running of the show as well is tantamount to cruelty. (Having said that, once they have a few shows under their belts, I reckon they're fair game….)We are also seeing more professional and semi-professional riders, competing with multiple horses in multiple classes, who really don't have a spare moment on the day.

This leaves a small and overused pool of competitors in the middle, who volunteer time and again, until age, infirmity or burn-out puts a stop to their involvement. So what can be done to

Who, me? …or why you should volunteer to get involved By Jenny Egan

Y o u n g R i d e r F e e d b a c kMy trip to Scotland and Addington in 2007By Josephine Delahoyde

It all started from the Irish Under 21’s held at Marlton Stud in 2006, when Carol Hogg invited the Irish riders to come over to the Under 21’s UK event in Addington Manor, so in 2007 I did. We also got an invitation to the Scottish U21’s in Rowallan from Karen Ryder. It was well timed for us with the Scottish U21’s on Tuesday and Wednesday and Addington Manor on the Saturday and Sunday.

Robert McCormick, who organised the trip to Scotland grouped us together into teams. We ended up with two pony and two young rider teams. The journey over was great fun and it was a great experience for me and pony Springer Bob.

It wasn’t the looking after of my pony that was hard because I love him so much, but it was the strange environment and some added extras, like paint balling over the ditch and my pony deciding that the bedding was very tasty. We got on really well there with one of our pony teams coming fourth and one of our young rider teams coming third and Lynne McCormick won the Young rider Novice Championship.

Unfortunately there was only Tara ffrench and myself who went on to Addington as most parents couldn’t be away that long. We were travelling together in the one lorry so the long journey was great fun.

There was again a great sense of help and encouragement amongst our team of two riders. All the British were very helpful and friendly and really pleased to see us there. The competing itself though is tough because, while it all seems cool to be there and to decorate the stables with the Irish flags and Irish bunting and to wear Irish flags on our numnahs, it suddenly hit me, as I was riding around the huge indoor competition arena and the man on the microphone announced my name and my pony’s name and that I had come all the way from Ireland. I was representing my country. Yet it was an amazing feeling when I stood

on Springer Bob in the arena with a sash and five rosettes, which we had won during the show. Then it was announced that I was representing Ireland and that I was Swallowfield Reserve Novice Champion

All in all it was a great experience and I thank Dressage Ireland and all the parents that made my trip possible and will say one thing, if you ride dressage on a horse or a pony and are between 12 and 21, I would give it a go. It was a brilliant experience for me and taught me lots of different things.

Forthcoming Shows

April 2008

Saturday 05.04.08 NR Danescroft RF P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,PSG,+Saturday 05.04.08 ER Boswell EC P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,PSG,JR, CTr, TrSunday 06.04.08 M&W Woodlands EC, Sligo P,N,E,M,AM,PCSaturday 12.04.08 Marlton P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,PSG,Int I,P JR YR,WELC,TT,BSSunday 13.04.08 LR Killossery Lodge P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,Pony Am, P Am, N AmSunday 13.04.08 SMR Woodlands EC RescheduledThursday 17.04.08 SER Kildalton College Cancelled P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,PSG,Int I, InterII, GP,WELCSunday 20.04.08 National Winter Finals P,N,E,M,AM,PSG,GP

May 2008

Saturday-Sunday

03.05.08-04.05.08

NR Necarne Dressage Festival P,N,E,M,AM,PSG,Int I,Int II,GP

Sunday 04.05.08 SMR Skevanish EC New Venue P,N,E,MSaturday 10.05.08 Marlton P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,PSG,Int I P JR YR,WELC,TT,BSSunday 25.05.08 ER Boswell EC P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,PSG,JR, CTr, TrSaturday-Sunday

31.05.08-01.06.08

Marlton Summer Festival P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,PSG,Int I P JR YR,WELC,TT,BS

June 2008

Wednesday 21.06.08 ER Boswell EC P,N,E,M,AM,ADV,PSG,JR, CTr, Tr

Extract from rule 32 - Under normal circumstances no horse either ridden or led may enter any arena, other than the practice arena, except when actually competing in a contest, on penalty of elimination.

Please also note the rule change adopted in 2006:

Leaving the arena at the end of the test: All tests finish with the final salute - as soon as the horse moves forward. The competitor should leave the arena in the way that is prescribed in the text of the test. However, if the arena is intermittent it’s now possible for the competitor to leave the arena at any appropriate point.

However, please note that if the boards are continuous there will only be one suitable gap - at A.

Do pass left hand to left hand when meeting another rider coming in the opposite direction unless he/she is in counter canter in which case you should give way by circling.

Do make tack adjustments outside the arena if possible or near the middle of the arena without obstructing the outside track, diagonal or centre lines.

To avoid an accident, do announce by voice or knocking, that you intend to enter an indoor practice arena.

Do ensure that your use of the whip does not upset a passing horse.

Do not halt or walk on the outside track but always leave room for other riders to pass.

Do not lunge in practice arenas without permission of the Organiser and only if there is sufficient room so as not to cause inconvenience to other riders.

Do not gallop horses in the vicinity of the collecting ring or test arenas.

Riders with impaired vision may wear a white armband whilst warming up as an indication to other riders

29a)

29b)

29c)

29d)

29e)

29f)

29g)

29h)

Reminder – safety!From the 2005 Rule Book:

29. Riding in Collecting Ring or Practice Areas/Arenas.

In order to extend courtesy to other riders and to prevent accidents, it is customary to practice the following conduct;

Message from the Editors

We hope you've enjoyed this first issue of the New Dressage Ireland Newsletter. We would like to express particular thanks to our contributors, Breda Bernie, Josephine Delahoyde, Judy Devine, Rosemary Paterson and

Alison Mastin, who were brave enough to offer articles for this new and unknown enterprise. And special thanks to Rob D'Arcy, who took all our contributions and turned them into this beautiful work of art you see before you now.

Now it's your turn! We need your feedback, news snippets, reports on dressage related activities, opinion pieces and photos! We hope to produce the next Newsletter in June and to include new features, such as 'Letters to the

Editors', in the future. Remember, this Newsletter can only be as good as members make it, so send your contribution now to Alison and Jenny at pro@dressageireland.ie

Alison Kirkpatrick +44 7800 588 420Jenny Egan +353 87 232 3159

For all the latest news on Dressage Ireland activities, please visit:www.dressageireland.ie

www.easternregiondressage.com

www.northernirelanddressage.com

www.leinsterdressage.com

www.midlandwesterndressage.com