Dressage News

Welcome to the Ashford Valley Pony Club’s Dressage News Page!  We will be regularly up-dating this page with the most recent news at the top so stay tuned!

Barrier Health Spring Qualifier – 21 January 2024

In the Grassroots a brilliant performance again from Lilly (7th), was followed by 3 outstanding tests in the Novice class from Ruby (1st), Jess L (2nd), and Sophie B (4th). As a combined team are quartet secured a fabulous win, to qualify for the finals. Red showed that her amazing results at the summer championships were no one off by joining the winning streak and taking first place in the Intermediate class! This meant that all of our five dressage entrants have secured a place at the championships and are heading to Arena UK in Grantham.  Well done everyone we are so proud of you!

East of England Grassroots Regional Championships – September 2023

Lilly and Boris headed off to Norfolk to contest the Grassroots and the PC 70 Regional Championships respectively.

Lilly continued her amazing form and finished a very impressive 7th place in her arena while Boris riding the young Willow, achieved an creditable score and gained lots of experience for the future – well done to you both.

The JCB Pony Club National Championships – August 2023

A massive well done to Red and her wonderful horse Harry, who came a very impressive 5th in the Open Novice section at the championships, after an equally impressive 3rd in the warm up class. Well done, we are all so very proud of you. Well worth the trip to Warwickshire!

Area Dressage – 21st May 2023

The Area Dressage was held at Hickstead and we were represented by Red in the Intermediate and the open Novice sections, Jess and Annabelle C-E in the Novice section, Lilly in the Grassroots and Boris in the 70 section.

Sadly Tilly and Jacob had to withdraw on the day due to family illnesses.

All performed good tests in a busy Hickstead environment. Red had a amazing day, winning her Novice Open section arena and thus qualifying for the National Pony Club Championships. She then followed this up with a 6th in the Intermediate section.

Jess and Annabelle C-E both performed great tests to finish 7th and 11th respectively.

Lilly and her new horse Charlie were thrown in at the deep end, having to enter the Grassroots class, as Lilly had already ridden at a Grassroots Regionals previously. They certainly rose to the challenge, finishing a very impressive 2nd, and qualifying Lilly for the Regional Championships for a second year in a row.

Boris then finished the Ashford Valley successes with a fabulous 5th and a Regionals qualification in the 70.

Well done all!

Spring Festival Qualifier – Dressage Sands Farm 21st January 2023

Wow it was a very cold looonnggg day and everyone riders and pony/ horse looked immaculate. Everyone rode really well with some great tests and fabulous scores

Walk trot test

5th place for Jacob

Grassroots 3rd place Jess 7th place Lilly 9th Carolina Team 2nd – Jess Carolina Tilly and Amelia

Team 6th Jacob Lilly and Hope

Novice

Team 2nd – For Ruby Hope Sophie and Red Team 5th – Hope Jess and Beatrice Team 7th – Lilly Annabelle and Harriet

With 11th place for Harriet, 10th for Lilly and Annabelle, 9th Hope and Beatrice, 7th Sophie, 5th Hope, 3rd Jess, 2nd Red and 1st Ruby

Sadly they only took one team through to qualify, but Hope Jess Red and Ruby Qualified as individuals – fantastic after such a huge class

Red also did a brilliant Intermediate test to come 2nd and Qualified for both her classes

Amazing – HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to you all

Regional dressage championships – 26th August 2022

A team of three dressage divas headed up to Cambridge for the Grassroots Championships. Sadly Freya was unwell and unable to join us we hope she feels better soon.

Sophie , Izzy and Lilly warmed up independently and came together to enter the arenas to all ride at the same time. It was tricky to watch three simultaneously but all three rode really well With 60.21 % 60.21% and 65.42% all very creditable results however they were in high class company today and not high enough to challenge the leaders. A lovely opportunity to experience Championship level competition in glorious sunshine and the girls enjoyed their day coming home with a lovely commemorative plaque.

Area dressage – 12th June 2022

Congratulations to our dressage riders who had a very successful day in the sun at Hickstead. Ruby and her pony George were 8th in the busy novice section.

Our grassroots team were 5th and qualified for the Regional Championships!

Huge congratulations to Lilly 2nd individually, Freya 6th, Izzy 7th and Sophie 13th. Looking forward to seeing you at the Regional Champs later in the summer.

Area Final of the Spring Festival Dressage competition at Sands Farm – 12th March 2022

Very proud of Ruby who was 5th in the Novice in a strong class. Well done and many thanks for representing us.

Tickham Pony Club – Area 11 dressage – 21st November 2021

Lilly 1st Walk Trot test

Freya 1st Prelim 7

Lilly 2nd Prelim 7

Ruby 2nd Novice

All 3 ponies and riders looked immaculate and you all rode beautifully. Very proud!

Mid Surrey Pony Club – 14th November 2021

Well done to Ruby who was 2nd in the Novice Dressage at Mid Surrey pony club, qualifying for the Spring Festival. CONGRATULATIONS

Regionals Championships at HorseHeath – August 2021

We were thrilled to have two members representing us at the Regional Championships this year. Isabella and her beautiful grey and Ruby and her beautiful dappled grey rode very well under pressure. We thought that they should have both been higher placed but sadly on this occasion the judge did not agree with us! Thanks for representing us, we were very proud to have you there.

Area Dressage at Hickstead – June 2021

Such a beautiful day and location for area dressage. Poor Mia had a hideously early start for her Intermediate class, the standard was very high and her and her horse found it difficult to concentrate, so not the score they would have hoped for. Thanks for representing us though Mia.

Red and her young horse Harry were 3rd in the PC90 warm up class and 6th in the main class, very impressive. You must have done a lot of training during lockdown as your pony has come on massively in the last year, well done!

Our grassroots team of Sophie, Izzy, Ruby and Isabella missed out on a placing by one mark between them, how frustrating.  Massive well done to Sophie and Izzy whose entrance down the centre line at Hickstead was their first every competitive dressage test, you held your nerve well girls! Congratulations to Isabella and Ruby who were 6th and 4th respectively in their arenas, giving them qualification for the Regional Championships in September.  Very proud of you all – well done.

Walton on the Hill Dressage – 2nd February 2020

A fabulous day at Walton on the Hill dressage for Amy Tate. A very windy dressage arena on the top of a hill was not Cheeky’s idea of a perfect venue (especially after having crossed the xc course to get there!), but they both did an amazing job. 1st in the Novice and 2nd in the Intermediate to qualify for the 2nd round of the Pony Club winter series in both, joining Mia who qualified last week.  Well done!

ES Pony Club at Golden Cross – 27th January 2020

First Pony Club dressage of the year and our members at both ends had a good day.  Well done to new member Dylan who won the Intro Test on his lovely pony and at the other end of the day Mia W had a win in the Novice and was 2nd in the Intermediate to qualify for the Winter League at both levels. Congratulations!

Regional Championships – 31st August 2019

Well done to our Regional Dressage team of Hope, Isabella S, Isabella R and Mia who competed at the Regional Championships in Cambridgeshire having qualified in the summer.  We were thrilled that Mia was 5th and Isabella R 6th and the team 13th overall.  Well done for making the long journey there to compete on our behalf.

Area dressage 2019

A very long day at Area Dressage, well done to our Regional Team who were 5th and have qualified for the champs!! Individual rosettes too for Isabella R 4th, Mia 8th and Aidan 8th at Novice.

Amy started our day early by making the big move up to Intermediate, well done.  Our three Novice team members were sadly not placed this time,  Aidan was 8th and Fred and Georgie did good tests and ended with square halts and a smile but not individually placed this time.  Lovely to see Georgie out on Finch again.

There seemed like hundreds of children and ponies in the Regional class so we were thrilled to come 5th and the whole team of Isabella R, Isabella S, Mia and Hope qualified for the Regional Champs in Cambridgeshire in August.  Well done to Isabella R 4th individually and Mia 8th individually too.  Congratulations, thanks to Chief and Charlie for helping us all look and ride beautifully too!

Regional Championships – 8th September 2018

Poor 11 year old Isabella was first to go!  A very well ridden test and the glorious Blue went like a dream, we thought she was harshly marked to come 12th, you are a winner in our eyes!  Well done.

(Yes the picture was in the warm up, tail bandage was removed and stirrups added for the real thing!)

RMPC Dressage – 23rd August 2018

Well done Isabella, first at RMPC dressage!

Area Dressage -1st July 2018

Well done to our Area Dressage Competitors, another very long and hot day. Isabella R was 4th and QUALIFIED for the Regional Champs, Jess was in a mixed team who came 5th, our Novice Team of Fred, Olivia, Red and Aidan were all competing at this level for the first time with Aidan 9th and Fred 10th. Well done everyone. Have fun at Keysoe Isabella!

Combined Training at Eridge Pony Club – 20th May 2018

A lovely weekend for our members. Combined training at Eridge Pony Club, with Charlie winning his class, Matilda & Tommy who were competing in their first ever event took 3rd place in the 40cm, Sophie was 3rd in the 80cms and Holly took 2nd place in the 70cms with all going clear in the jumping. Well done

Merrist Wood Dengie Finals – 25th March 2018

A much higher level of competition today, with all the competitors having qualified from their local classes.  Aidan and Skips were 3rd place in the warm up class and just missed out on a top 10 placing in the 2nd round Dengie Dressage competition.

Golden Cross Dressage – 21th January 2018

Well done to Aidan and Mr Skips, who braved the horrible weather at Golden Cross, won the Prelim and were 2nd in the Novice qualifying for the Dengie 2nd round!

Area dressage – 2017

Amazing team effort from our Grassroots dressage team who had a personal best from Daisy and Melon, 4th place from Beth and Henry and a win for Aidan with 83%!

Also EP was 2nd, Tilly was 3rd, Jess 6th and Emily 10th in the Novice section.  Well done to Aidan off the Regional Champs and EP off to the Nationals.

RMPC Dressage Show – 16th August 2016

Well done to our competitors at RMPC Dressage show today.   Amy came 4th in the Novice Dressage qualifying for the Dengie 2nd round.

Area Dressage – July 2016

Another fantastic day for the Ashford Valley.
Our team for the Novice Dressage consisted of Tilly Hastilow, EP, Emily Brightling,and Amy Tate (pictured below) and achieved a very respectable 4th place.
Amy came 2nd, Tilly 5th, EP 5th and Emily 9th individually in their respective rings.
Lara Jackson was also placed 4th in the Intermediate class.

Well done everyone, a great weekends riding.