DECEMBER 2015

1965-2015 – Celebrating 50 years of Fife Riding Club

BEST WISHES OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON TO ALL OUR MEMBERS

So here we are once again, heading towards a new year – a good time to have a look back at what’s happened since the last newsletter and a chance to look ahead to 2016.

In October, we sent teams up to Auchlishie to take part in the resurrected Scottish Riding Clubs Championships sponsored by Saddle Up International and our members did us proud. Our Novice Showjumping team of Edna & Lucy Moffat, Tracy Millar and Amy Preston were crowned Scottish Champions. Lucy also won the Individual. The same team also clinched 4th place in the Style Jumping. Meanwhile our Riding Test teams were also in the ribbons with the C team finishing 2nd (Deborah Devaney, Joy Clark, Anne Lindsay & Emma Defew) while the A team of Lynne Harvie,, Sam Dupen & Jayne Sledmore came in 6th place. Joy, incidentally, had a whopping score of 99 in her test. There were also various individual placings. We also had several riders in the Horse Trials but although all did well over what was a really challenging course, sadly no rosettes on day two. Well done to all our riders, and also to Chef D’Equipe, Elsie, and our Club volunteers & supporters who ensured that the competition was able to run! A great weekend’s competition in glorious sunshine. The full results have been posted on the BRC Area 22 Facebook page. The good news is that Saddle Up International have agreed to sponsor the competition again in 2016 so make sure you are free to ride or help in early October next year – details to follow.

AGM Update

The 50th Annual General Meeting was held at Freuchie on 10th October attended by around 60 members. The Treasurer, Andrew, reported that the Club had ended up with a small surplus but it is apparent that some shows are seeing a reduction in entries, possibly due to the impact of a revived Howe EC and the popularity of the new xc course at Foresterseat clashing with our events. The weather had also been a major factor. The committee will need to think about how to attract riders back to our shows in the new season. One point that came out in the discussion that followed is the increased demand for jumping at lower heights – committee will be taking this on board. In her report to the Club the Chair said we had had another very busy programme over the year and she thanked everyone who had helped in any way whatsoever pointing out that Clubs cannot function without the unpaid volunteers. She congratulated members for their success at Area 22 Qualifiers and at the Scottish Championships. She also paid tribute to outgoing Vice Chair, Gillian Kettles, who has decided to stand down. Gillian had been a terrific support throughout her tenure, always prepared to organise & run all sorts of events from Opening Nights, to Craigie and yet had still managed to represent the Club. She will be a hard act to follow and her contribution will be sadly missed. Elsie Pollock-Smith has kindly agreed to be Vice Chair. The rest of the committee remains unchanged. There is still a vacancy on committee itself but the committee has the discretion to co-opt a member if they choose–so if anyone out there is interested, let us know.

To mark the 50th Anniversary, we ran a Ceilidh & Casino Night at Myers Castle, near Auchtermuchty on 31st October – and what a great time was had by one & all. This was (again) organised by Gillian who - true to form – drafted in help from the family to get this show on the road. Few could have guessed that barely two hours before kick-off, Gillian’s Mum had been dangling from the rafters whilst attempting to decorate the hall with bats, spiders and cobwebs. Many thanks therefore to Gillian and family and also to the various individuals and organisations who donated such brilliant prizes to the raffle.

To round off the year we had a two day training clinic with NICOLA WILSON, (2012 Olympic Silver Medallist) held at Howe in early December. What a delight! Totally down to earth, self-deprecating and very funny – no airs and graces. It’s fair to say she proved hugely popular with all who took part in her clinics. The evening Q & A session & buffet night was also sold out and so popular that we were on the point of running out of time due to too many questions coming from the floor. The good news is that Nicola herself had such a great time at Fife that she is checking her diary out for dates next year – we will keep you posted. Many thanks to Shona Brearley for organising this visit and also to Howe for being so accommodating on prices – much appreciated.

Nicola Wilson with FRC members at Howe Following the discussion at the AGM we had hoped to run a small jumping show at the start of December, incorporating a 45cm class. Unfortunately, once again, the wet weather left the field saturated so this was put on hold. We will do our best to rerun this show once we get some drier weather.

AREA 22 update

The Area 22 AGM was held at the end of November (the day it snowed). There was a good attendance with representatives coming from as far away as Sutherland and the Western Isles – we sometimes forget just how huge our area is. The Area 22 rep, Catherine Stott and Chair (Sam Turpitt) have stood down after several years in office and they are replaced by Carol Kyle (Findon) and Marie Graham (Strathmore) respectively. There are a number of changes looming for Club organisers including new legislation requiring Clubs to have a PVG certified Child Safeguarding Officer and changes to hats for competitions in 2016. This is important – if you don’t have the appropriate hat you will not be permitted to ride at Area level. Details of the hat changes can be found on the BRC website or on the Area 22 website/Facebook page. We also had a notice about this at the club field last summer. If you are thinking of upgrading your hat soon, make sure you get one that meets the new standard.

Dates for Area 22 qualifiers are to be finalised but it looks like the Horse Trials will once again be tied in with the Burgie BE competition which would be run over the weekend of 11/12 June.

The Dressage & SJ etc will be held again at Brechin – dates to be confirmed and DTM will again be at Ladyleys, Aberdeen (also to be confirmed).

REMINDER!

By now most of you will have paid your annual subscription. A few will have had letters from the Secretary, pointing out that your payment is overdue and must be paid by the end of the year. There is still time to get your payment made before then – if necessary, pop it through Liz’s letterbox – just don’t delay as otherwise your name will have to be removed from the members list; worse still, if you decide later on that you do actually want to renew then you will have to re-apply through the normal channels (and have to pay another £20 joining fee).

Incidentally, the padlocks at the club field will be changed at the turn of the year – as only paid-up members are eligible to use the facilities. It’s simpler – and cheaper – just to pay now.

LOOKING AHEAD

Committee have been hard at work trying to sort out a programme for the new season. Here are some provisional dates for your diary!

Craigie Hunter Trails – 3rd April and 11 September

Opening Night – Wednesday 6 April

Open Showjumping Show – Sunday 8 May

Open Dressage Show – Sunday 29 May Open Showing Show – Sunday 12 June

Members Mini XC - Wednesday 20 July

Open Mini XC – Sunday 24 July

Open Showjumping Show – Sunday 7 August

Open Mini Horse Trials – Sunday 14 August

(All dates subject to confirmation)

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

Not too many Clubs make it to their 50th anniversary – but we at FRC have done so. To mark the occasion, committee organised a number of “extras” including a special calendar, featuring photos of the club in action over the years. Rosettes throughout 2015 carried a special commemorative logo and members attending the AGM were given special commemorative rosettes as well. And, of course we had our “Big Bash” at Myers Castle just a few weeks back

We have been exceptionally lucky that throughout those 50 years we have been able to rely on hundreds on unsung heroes – our volunteers. These are the people who are prepared to stick their heads above the parapet and take on task of organising and running various shows, competitions, social meetings, training etc etc – the list is endless. Indeed if it had not been for the initiative of a handful of like-minded individuals, linked only by a common love of horses, coming together at a meeting in the back room of the Crown Hotel, Thornton way back in 1965, none of this would be here. We would not now be part of one of the biggest Riding Clubs in Britain, with one of the busiest programmes of any club. We would not now be in the position of owning our own facilities, allowing us to offer far more than many other clubs can manage. Familiarity can sometimes breed contempt and it is very easy to take what we at FRC have for granted. Sometimes it is only when people from outside the club come along and express astonishment at what we have and what we do as a Club that we realise that Fife is exceptional. Ambition and drive have brought the club to where it is – let’s ensure that going forward we still have that ambition and drive to take us to bigger and better things. The people who got us here did extraordinary things– but they were just ordinary people – people like you and me. People who got involved through something as simple as picking poles at a show, or offering to help with the teas and coffees, or offering to jump judge at some Area competition so that the Club could actually take part. So, if you want to see the Club continue to go from strength to strength over the next half century, why don’t you consider making a contribution, however small, to ensure that Fife Riding Club has a future worthy of its past? You will be very welcome.

To conclude we thought we’d have a bit of fun, called “Twenty things you never knew about Fife Riding Club” – so here goes:-

1. The Club was set up following a public meeting held on 14th October 1965

2. The first Annual General Meeting was held in January 1966

3. The first annual subscription was £1 4. The first committee comprised 12 people, including three office bearers; the membership totalled 18

5. Riders had to wear hard hats but chin straps were optional; jodhpurs had “wings”

6. The first competition ever organised by the new club was a hunter trials held at New Farm, Lochgelly on 2nd April 1966. It didn’t start ‘til 1.00pm, the entry fee was 5/- (25p). The prize money was £1.00 to the winner. The time allowed was worked out by sending a good horse and rider around the course ahead of the competition and seeing how long it took to get round.

7. The club took part in its first Area competition in July 66, finishing third.

8. The first Horse Trials consisted of three events – Turn Out of Horse & Rider, a simple Obedience Test included, Show Jumping, Cross Country.

9. In 1967 the Club leased a field from Glenrothes Development Corporation at the site of what is now the Fettykill Fox. What is less well known is that they also had the use of loose boxes and a tack room at Balgeddie (later Glenrothes Riding Centre);

10. The committee offset the field rent by letting the field out for grazing cattle. The cattle had to be rounded up prior to all meetings

11. On one occasion, on a very hot show day, the cattle stampeded out of their paddock and galloped to the water trough at the opposite end of the field via the lorry park, scattering all before them.

12. The Club originally met on a Tuesday night

13. In 1986, FRC won the British Riding Clubs National Showjumping Championships. They also were runners up in 1987

14. In 1993, FRC members became the BRC National Quadrille Champions. They subsequently performed at the Royal Highland Show, then were invited, on the recommendation of Princess Anne, to perform at the RDA World Championships at Hartpury the following year. Our unique British Olympic Dressage Display Team performed at the evening cabaret at the same event.

15. FRC was the first club in Scotland to own its own facilities. Negotiations to acquire the ground took the better part of three years during which time members were involved in serious fundraising to buy the ground.

16. Prince Charles once landed his helicopter in our main ring. The day before he was due to arrive, there were several dozen police officers in the field clearing cow pats in case of bombs

17. We used to hold our winter meetings indoors at the Glenrothes Riding Centre.

18. We once organised a huge bonfire right on top of a high-pressure gas main! (well, we had no idea it was there…..).We survived.

19. We get all sorts of odd requests. Once, in the middle of Craigie Hunter Trials, we were asked to stop the course to allow a car to go through to another part of the woods. Apparently, someone wanted to scatter their loved ones ashes……. We stopped the course. 20. Another odd request. The Chief Steward at Craigie was asked to warn jump judges not to be alarmed if a rider’s leg fell off – apparently she had an artificial limb which had been known to part company in the event of a fall.

That’s all for now. Here’s to a happy and successful 2016 for all our members!