GVRC
Chairman’s Report 2002
Welcome to everyone and thank you for coming to the 3rd AGM of GVRC. Also thanks again to Summerhill for playing host and feeding us.How nice to be reporting on an active year of horsey events rather than last year’s rather dispiriting talk of no events and FMD.
GVRC has had a great year – both competitively and non-competitively. I’ve chosen just to highlight a few notables and I’m sure that many people have their favourites but we can’t mention everyone. I’d like to start with a few thankyou’s:
There are 2 departing committee members. Amye Farrington off to university in Swansea – we all wish her good luck. Will Holland, thanks for the input – don’t think that now you’re off the committee it gets you out of helping with events!
Thank you to all the current committee members – particularly Anna for unfailing hard work and Helena for unfailing good humour and organising some great training events and forever being on hand with knowledge and expertise.
Special thanks to everyone who helped at the Area Qualifier, both on the Friday night and during the day on Saturday and particularly to Laura Middlemiss who arrived at the secretary’s tent completely unasked and then did everything from putting up jumps to making tea!
Talking of which (and this isn’t a moan….well, actually it is a moan!), the same people always help at events – mainly the committee but others help and they are always the same and NOT always those taking part. We can’t run things without support and those few people who do help are soon going to get tired. The new jumps are plastic and are not heavy!!!! I spent ages ringing round the week before the Qualifier and felt thoroughly disheartened at the end of it – in fact I had more response from a friend of mine who actually came and wrote for the whole day and who isn’t a member and doesn’t ride….what does that say?
So to events:
Talking of the Area 15 qualifier, I have to say that despite the aforementioned moans, it was a great day and a credit to us. We learned a lot and have some things that we will do differently and we have taken on board all the suggestions/criticisms so hopefully when we hold the Area Open Dressage Qualifier (yes you did here me correctly!!) next year we’ll be spot on.
We’ve held several Dressage/SJ comps over the summer, each making about £300 and which has helped us add to the biggest and most exciting purchase of the year – the showjumps!! I think that anyone who’s seen them will agree that they look fantastic and they are really easy to use. We’ve just ordered some more so we will have a really good full set for next year.
It hasn’t all been competitions though with the Treasure Hunts and Pub ride. Fortunately Maz managed not to lose anyone on the pub ride but we we’re so lucky on the Treasure Hunt…. Laura wrote a poem about getting lost and as we really enjoyed it, this is below for you to read too.
And it wasn’t all riding either. We had a very successful table top sale and some of us did our first aid course and are now qualified to appear on Casualty! And don’t forget the annual GVRC Canoe race…We had some excellent guest trainers. David Greene (memorable for his megaphone) and William Miflin (memorable for being much better looking than David!) and Karen Eacock for excellent flat work sessions. I think we’re really lucky to have contacts within the club to get such excellent guest trainers. However some of you, I’m sure, are thinking “it’s all a bit highbrow for me, all I want to do is tootle round and not be competitive”, but don’t be put off, they are really good, down to earth trainers who don’t expect anything from you and can cater to all levels. They all think it’s a really nice club and they have really enjoyed themselves teaching us.
We had remarkably few hiccups or accidents. Becky’s wrist was the only casualty that I know of which was quite a relief after Will’s leg last year!
I need to just say a few Congratulations:
Our brilliant teams – the junior showjumpers came second in the qualifier and our seniors won their qualifier and came 3rd at the championships. Maz and Llanigon Llewellyn cleaned up at the Welsh Pony and cob performance show with Champion of Show. Our novice dressage team came 5th at the area qualifier and Kate Morris won both the unaffiliated tests. Well done to everyone who’s been competing in all disciplines this year, from Dressage to Showjumping to Eventing. Let us know how you get on, I think we should celebrate our members’ achievements.
However, ultimately it’s up to you. Are we organising what you want? Too much or too little of anything (please bear in mind we all have full time jobs and horses!) Contact either me or Anna by phone or email or you can always drop into the shop. I’m usually there on a Saturday. Please support us. We’ve got a great club with an excellent reputation. We need to keep moving forward and not rest on our laurels.
But the biggest thanks goes to all of you. Keep up the support. Those of you who want to ride, get clipping and come to the monthly training sessions at Cabalva. The yummy William Miflin’s back after Christmas and then it won’t be long before the season is back underway. Those of you who don’t want to ride then start saving your money and dust down your glad-rags in readiness for the GVRC summer ball – it’s going to be a glittering affair and we’re going to raise money for the air ambulance – a cause very close to my heart as some of you will be aware after I was availed of their services last week!
So that’s it, the end of another year and we look forward to 2003.
Sara Bowie
The Lost Treasure(rs)
There is a place in a far away land where people can disappear
A triangle, so the story goes, over water calm and clear.
But listen close, Wales does have its own, of that we can be sure
The Bryngywn version is just right here say we who sought the treasure.
We joined the GV on that fateful day, my friend, her cob and mine
To ride the hills and valleys too and have a time divine.
So off we set, we climbed the hill, we stopped, admired the view
Towards the crossroads canter bound – turn right pleeeaase Taz …. Thank you.
We gathered the leaves of different sorts just like Becky had asked us
And looked for roofs of differing colours, we even counted the rafters.
We crossed the stream, well Splodge she jumped – “It’s just a little hip hop”
Then found the farm with collies three who tried to round our Taz up.
We wound our way around the hill to find a green triangle
And this is where our tale becomes a rather messy tangle
We came upon a grassy mound, that with imagination,
Three sided it could just appear – and left we did indeed turn.
More hoof prints they were plain to see, of course we’re on the right track
But move on quickly we must do – as soon it will be dark.
So down this road we wound our way until we reached a corner
A road went left, a road went right and green fields we saw yonder.
But gate and sheep we could not spy, our seats they needed cushions
It’s getting dark, the phone won’t work, those hills are now a nuisance
We must be lost, I don’t know how – we must have gone wrong somewhere.
We’ll be back late, our friends will fret – or maybe fire a flare?????
At last some lights, perhaps a phone, a message to the base
Perhaps directions we can have to help us save our face.
I brave a hound that guards the house, his barking saves me knocking
But woman’s on the phone we see and cannot do our bidding.
Ah yes says man, you’ve gone quite wrong, on that you’ll have to ponder,
The place you want, you were quite near, tis over that hill yonder
So back we trot as light’s so dim, wherever is the moon???
Our cobs are tired but they tried hard, we hope we’ll be there soon.
At last we’re back to where we diversed, some lights we see in the distance
They cross our path too far away and o’er the hill before us.
Back through the gate, twenty paces we go, and there’s our green triangle
We’d figured it wrong, we didn’t seek enough of the right angles.
The words of the clues I now cannot see, we hope my memory’s not faded
We know we need gates, and sheep and a ford – and a sign on a gate that’s not jaded.
There’s a gap in the trees, and yes there’s the gate, and ye gods by chance it’s the right one.
A gate to pass through, and then a huge field, we see lights upon the horizon.
So near to us now and yet still so far, we can’t see how we will get there
Till my phone lights up, the signal is back, the answer has come to my prayer.
I then speak to Anna – although she’s still home – and she telephones on with our problem
And soon we hear voices as sweet as the angels, that call us on upwards towards them.
We thank all those folk who had stayed behind to gather us poor little strays
Who helped us to load and feed both our tums and helped us to get on our way.
Bobbie and I had had a wonderful time, Splodge and Taz were splendiferous nags
Just next time we ask, someone order a moon – or blue lights for the top of our hats!!!!!
Thank You all
Laura, Taz, Bobbie and Splodge.
By Laura Middlemiss
