Chris's Blog - The Blog of Talygarn Equestrian Centre: Horse Riding in South Wales

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I posted 3 photos on Facebook in the album "Staff & Students 09 - 10" http://fb.me/B5aPtTnk 1 week ago
I posted 21 photos on Facebook in the album "Julie and Sharon" http://fb.me/G1cqtI46 1 week ago
Big Thank you to everyone who stayed and helped with the party tonight :) will be putting on a free ride tuesday... http://fb.me/FxoLfNk2 1 week ago
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September 6, 2010

Fun Dog Show

Filed under: Home, Pony Club, Shows — Chris Rogers @ 12:35 am

On Sunday The Talygarn Pony Club Centre Committee (comprising of 9 members between the ages of 14 and 19) ran what is fast becoming the Annual Fun Dog Show. I did think as the weather wasn’t very pleasant it might have put a few off coming if they weren’t aware that it was held indoors but needless to say we had a very good turn out. The girls arrived early and set up the wonkiest looking rings I have ever seen with rope and electric fencing stakes. The dog Agility course had several jumps, a hoop to jump through some bending poles and a tunnel. There were 9 classes including waggiest tail, prettiest eyes, best trick, fancy dress, best puppy, best veteran etc. We had an absolutely fab judge Jane who was very friendly and encouraging to all competitors. I loved the winner of the best trick Cerys Green who had two dogs and when she asked one dog who its best friend was it put its paw on the other dog. Carys Morgan won the Fancy Dress with her Jack Russell Patches who was dressed as a sheep and covered in moulting cotton wool balls. Lots of dogs had a go at the dog agility some amazing and some not so keen. The girls always make cakes at these events to sell which are really yummy and hard to pass up. Glad the diets not starting till tomorrow. Pictures are on our Gallery

September 5, 2010

Chloe Reakes

Filed under: College, Home, Pony Club, Riding School — Chris Rogers @ 11:39 pm

Every year in September we always lose one or two clients to Uni. This year we are losing Chloe Reakes. Chloe has ridden at Talygarn for 10years, starting in a beginner lesson at 9yrs old Chloe has worked her way up through every level. Chloe started helping out on the yard at 12yrs progressing to a Saturday job, she then became a part time student passed some BHS Exams and starting teaching. Chloe has been a Pony Club Centre member taking part in just about everything possible. Chloe has been a member of teams that have won the Team Show Jumping, the Area Quiz, the National Quiz, the Area Horse Care and the Centre Equitation Competition. Chloe has never owned a horse of her own but through sheer hard work and dedication she has become an excellent rider. Chloe is well known at the stables and will be definitely be missed. Last Wednesday we had a surprise party in the local pub and it was lovely to see so many turn up to wish her well. Chloe has always had an ambition to be a vet and we were all thrilled to hear that she has been accepted into Liverpool University. Here are some memories from the last ten years Chloe Reakes.

August 30, 2010

Summer Holidays

Filed under: Home, Horses, Pony Club, Riding School, Shows — Chris Rogers @ 1:18 am

Our Summer Holidays activities are over for this year and a busy summer its been as well, The weather has been extremely good for us all of our shows have gone ahead outdoors this year, (up until last week) We managed to run all three mini hunter trials, brilliant weather for the Open Day and another important time weather wise was the Champs in Derby as we were staying on the showground for 3 days in the lorry and tents, rain was forecast but we only had one small shower and it rained once in the night. Camps we didn’t have great weather for, not too bad but we weren’t able to get out into the fields at all. I think everyone enjoyed the camps though, they are good fun if not somewhat tiring when some of them don’t go to sleep till 3am (Libby and Freya). We finished our activities for this summer holidays with our Riding School show jumping for Clients last friday. We held several of these events through the holidays but the last one is always run by the Pony Club Committee to raise funds towards the Halloween Party (Sat Oct 30th) Children and Teenagers tend to take part but this time we had two (nervous) adults who decided to have a go. They came dressed the part Polo shirts and cream jodphurs and after much discussion as to whether they would look silly being beaten by six year olds they opted to go for a bit bigger classes. Sharon settled for the 1ft 9 but Julie decided to go for a bigger class 2ft. First though as a bit of a warm up they decided to go in the pairs. Julie went first jumping a clear round on Phoebe well nearly a clear round after coming to a halt in front of fence three then Sharon went next, I think the excitement got the better of Sharon, I was standing by the double ready to take a picture of Sharon jumping fence six but Sharon got a little lost and jumped the double backwards (needs a Sat Nav I think). Both did extremely well – but were beaten by the youngsters. Pictures on the Talygarn Face book page. The show was fairly busy and the Pony Club Members sold cakes to boost their funds. Photos http://www.talygarnec.co.uk/Gallery.php Two Horses have gone this summer. Both have been here a few years. Lizzie we have sold and Athena has gone home. Fun Dog Show next Sunday Sept 5th 1pm also being run by the Pony Club Centre. Lots of fun classes and clear round agility.

August 18, 2010

The Pony Club Championships 2010

Filed under: Home, Pony Club — Chris Rogers @ 2:47 am

The Pony Club Championships are held in Derby in August. This year our senior horse care team consisting of Chloe Reakes, Carys Morgan and Sarah Blake won the area round back in April and qualified for the champs. We also had Carys Morgan taking part in the Dressage to Music and our Centre team taking part in the Centre Equitation team competition. As the competitions were on different days we decided to travel up on the Sunday and camp on the showground. We arrived on the showground at 12 noon settled Fred and Lucky into their stables. The senior team got themselves ready and then we went to declare for the Horse care competition. This competition is a series of tests based on practical ability and knowledge covering topics including plaiting, traveling, feeds, lunging, bits etc. 21 teams took part. I believe we were the only Centre to qualify (branch members have their own horses, Centre members do not own horses but have to rely on a riding school for their skills and knowledge) The girls felt the rounds went well and were very pleased to receive 5th place rosettes. Monday was an early start as Carys’ Dressage to Music time was 9.38. Fred had to be plaited and spotlessly turned out. Carys rode her test to music from Lady GaGa and the timing was perfect. Unfortunately Carys and Fred were just outside the places but again Carys was the only Centre member competing against Branch members. Tuesday was another early start for the Centre Equitation Competition. This competition is only for Centre members and it comprises of 2 junior members age 12 and under and 2 senior members age 13 and over, both juniors ride the same pony in a round of dressage and show jumping and both senior members ride the same horse. There were 23 teams taking part. Each member has a score for their dressage and a score for their jumping (jumping is marked on style, position, use of arena, balance etc) the scores for the two disciplines are added together and the three highest scores added to give the final score, each team member is in a different section competing for individual prizes in their section as well as the overall team prizes. Our Talygarn team were Juniors Zoe Morgan Section A Molly Groves Section B riding Lucky and Seniors Chloe Reakes Section C, Sarah Blake Section D riding Fred. All the riders rode very nice dressage tests Chloe and Molly had the 2nd highest dressage scores in their sections. After the Dressage came the show jumping Molly and Zoe jumped very nice accurate rounds but we were a bit disappointed that their marks weren’t higher than what they were given. Chloe and Sarah jumped exceptionally good rounds and received very high marks. At the presentation Zoe was 6th in section A Molly 9th in section B Chloe 1st in section C and Sarah 1st in section D. The overall winning team was TALYGARN. We are so proud of them and it was great to see them on the podium presented with their Sashes, Salvers Trophies and Rosettes It is a big achievement to be the best 4 out of 92 riders and a Huge well done to Team Trainer Amelia Rogers who gave so much of her time and lots of support to the team. Pics on www.talygarnec.co.uk/gallery

The Winners

August 15, 2010

****** Computers

Filed under: Home, Pony Club, Shows — Chris Rogers @ 4:18 pm

Computers are great when they’re working but a nightmare when they don’t and mine hasn’t been working properly for ages, hence no blogs. The speed is so slow it takes days to open a page. Trying to get it fixed is the problem the BT call centre in India try to confuse you with all sorts of attempts to fix things over the phone. I tried to tell them it was a line fault not an internal fault eventually they sent out an engineer and discovered it was a line fault. So hopefully we are back on line again. Today we have travelled to the Pony Club Championships in Derby taking Fred and Lucky with us. We have 5 centre members taking part in Horse Care, Dressage to Music and Centre Equitation. Weather is good today but I’m told its going to rain the next 2 days.