North Eastern Driving Trials Limited

2008 Entry Forms Available Here

Current Points Championship Standings Now Available

Escrick Results Now Available

PLAY DAY Details And Entry Form Available Here

Organisers, Judges and participants at the recent Escrick Park Training Event.

WEBSITE - HANDING OVER THE REINS

After three and a half years of maintaining the NEDTL website, which has involved the creation of over 400 web pages and dealing with in excess of 1,000 emails, it is with some relief I can announce David Wagstaff-Myers will be taking on this role in the near future.

Having had no previous experience when I took on the role it has proved to be an interesting learning curve for me and I hope my efforts have served the purpose well.  David has a little more experience than I had when starting the site and I know he has already been working hard putting together the new version.

I wish David the best of luck and would encourage all members to give their support by providing him with material for the site.

I would like to thank everyone who has provided content for the site, in particular Heather Clark who has written the vast majority of the news articles that have appeared at the site to date.

Philip Thompson

Following on from the success of the training weekend, two more dates for training at Escrick Park are being organised. The first one will be on Sunday 20^th July and will be aimed at more novice/pre-novice drivers although anyone is welcome. Jackie Herd, Judy Hilditch, Philippa Thompson Jane Wilson will be presiding to give help with dressage, cones and obstacle driving. We want to keep the cost to a bare minimum and obviously this will depend on numbers but the aim is for it to be no more than £10 per driver.

The second date is on Sunday 17^th August when ridden dressage instructor Joyce Fearn will be there to teach drivers and horses/ponies who are a little bit further on in their training. Everyone who had a session with Joyce at the last training found it to be extremely helpful and I think most will be keen to repeat the experience. Again the cost will be dependent on numbers but will be in the region of £30 to £40 per driver. For more information or to book a place, please ring Jane Wilson on 01430 828133 or email at jane_m_wilson@yahoo.co.uk

TRAINING WEEKEND

The second ever training weekend was held at Escrick Park on the weekend of 7^th and 8^th June. Ten drivers took part over the two days, most of whom arrived to set up camp on the Friday evening. Margaret Brockie very kindly brought along two of her friends, Faith Billington and Jenny Harris who acted as spare grooms for anyone who needed one!...Read more here 

A SET OF HARNESS FOR A FIVER?

The NEDTL’s Escrick Park event saw the last competitive outing for the British Para-Equestrian squad before they leave for Germany at the end of June. To help raise funds for the trip they raffled a set of cob harness which had been generously donated by Rene Schoop. Ben and Jane Smith bought five tickets and were delighted when their number was called out. Jane had only been whingeing at the start of section A harness check that she needed a new driving pad, so her guardian angel must have been listening! There were many wry looks and much disappointed crumpling of tickets as Ben picked up his prize from Heather Clark, whilst Jane performed what can only be described as a joyous caper! Perhaps this will go some way to compensate them for having missed out on the novice qualifier ticket.

ESCRICK PARK 

Two days of completely opposite weather marked NEDTL’s recent event at Escrick Park – scorching hot sun on Saturday, torrential rain on Sunday! However, most people had packed enough clothes to cope and all 55 entries soldiered on bravely.

Split across ten classes including two novice qualifiers and a para-equestrian section, the two dressage arenas were kept busy all day. Best open score of the day including the multiples went to Lynn Howard with her tandem of lovely bay ponies who scored a creditable 43.6 with the best club novice score of 47.8 going to Tony Mould with his Welsh Section A pony.  Read more here

Despite a fine and sunny Saturday, recent wet weather spoiled the ground conditions for the Club’s annual Ripley Castle event on 3^rd/4^th May. The dressage arena down by the lake suffered particularly badly and the best that could be said was that it was the same for everyone! Rein back was made especially difficult due to a very boggy patch in just the wrong place, causing the carriage wheels to sink in.  Read more here

Brian Anderson started the planning for the NEDTL warm up event over the winter, with plans for a new water obstacle, using a pump to fill the moat like ground structure around one of the permanent obstacles. This was tried and tested the week before the event and it worked very well, creating a great water obstacle with up to five water crossings but options for the water shy!...Read more here 

LET THE SEASON COMMENCE

In 2007 the North Eastern Driving Trials Group had an active year holding 19 different events ranging from a Dinner Dance to a Sponsored Drive and all things in between including a very successful weekend of individual training for several Club members that will hopefully be repeated this year....Read more here

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN ABOUT DRIVING TRIALS

There will be a great opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about all that’s involved in the sport of Carriage Driving Trials on Sunday 27 April 2008, when The British Horse Driving Trial Association and The North East Driving Club will be combining all aspects of driving and stewarding for Driving Trials at their permanent training ground at Escrick Park near York.

The British Horse Driving Trials Association, will be holding a Stewards and Helpers day. It is open to any one interested who would like the opportunity to enjoy future days or week-ends out (with their caravan if they wish) throughout the season in some beautiful estates around the country. (Please note that no training will be given on sun-stroke, frost-bite, midge repellents, picnic menus, etc. but will be given on rules, time-keeping, stewarding, obstacles judging and so on!) For those interested in getting started as a competitor it will be an ideal opportunity to talk to drivers and to look at various turn-outs.

If you are interested please phone Mrs S Hawkin Tel. 01977 682298

In parallel with the Stewards Training Day the North East Club will be holding one of their popular PLAE Days developed by the Club. These PLAE days are designed to introduce new drivers gently to the intricacies of Driving Trials without the pressures of competition. The objects of the day are to Practice, Learn, be Assessed and to Enjoy and each novice driver will be allocated an experienced driver to act as their "Godparent" for the day.

At Escrick new drivers, stewards and helpers will have the use of a dressage arena, a cones course and a mini marathon with two obstacles to practise around.

The three PLAE Days this year will be held on Saturday 22 March, Sunday 27 April and Sunday 18 May. Observers without a turn-out are very welcome to come along.

For details please telephone Douglas Strachan 01482 632170

BIKE, BOOZE AND BIN-LINER

Read all about Kieth Hampshire and family who travelled to Denmark for the World Pony Driving Championships here.

STOLEN CARRIAGE

Bennington XL silver with red wheels. Easily identifiable as this trap has been converted into a 3-phase vehicle. If you’ve been offered this trap for sale or know anything that might help to recover it please ring Belinda Rees-Evans 01724 711927 (N E Lincs)

PHOTOGRAPHS GALORE

An excellent professional photographer was present at the Titlington event this year.  Dave Thompson and his team took a massive 2,500 photographs over the weekend and all are available to see at Dave's web site www.dltphotography.co.uk David can be contacted on 07802 929 017 or (0191) 217 1860.

More photographs are available here from the recent Escrick competition.

John Hartley of jwhphotography.com has lots of photo's available at his site which is well worth a visit.

Further photographs are available from Tim Maloy of Fairview Studios on 01430 425546 or email tim@fairviewstudios.co.uk

HELP, HELP HELP!

2008 DRESSAGE TESTS AVAILABLE HERE

MEMBERSHIP

Find out how to become a member of the North East Driving Club here