Category: Dressage Update

Dressage glamour returns to Hickstead this year when the site’s proprietors will host a Premier League show. Out and About asked Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn about this year’s plans and the support they are looking for to put dressage at Hickstead firmly back on the annual national calendar. We also learn how founder Douglas Bunn first introduced dressage to the All England Showjumping venue

SHOWS ARE RESTARTING and online magazine Out and About Dressage will be back in action and continuing to focus its coverage in support of the community of competitors, trainers, show venues and other equestrian businesses in Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire. 

Show centres are getting ready for their first shows as the Covid-19 lockdown eases. With preparation for national Winter semi-finals and Area Festivals as well as young horse and summer qualifications on the agenda, riders will have to plan their campaigns carefully and quickly. Classes are filling up fast.

Completed questionnaires continue to arrive in Out and About’s secure mail box. Thank you! Some people have queried aspects of OAAD’s suggestion for new qualifying rules to find gold and silver Regional Champions at all current levels. To explain more clearly:

A big thank you to everyone who has so far responded to Out and About Dressage’s Re-regionalisation and Viable Venues questionnaire.

THE INTER-COUNTY CHALLENGE, organised by BD Southern’s Sharon Walker and Craig Messenger of Aster Horses, ran its first qualifying round on Sunday, 11 October, at Belmoredean, West Sussex.

JOSH HILL, a professional dressage rider is soon also to be a fashion entrepreneur with the launch of male equestrian clothing brand, Half Step.

Dr Wendy Jago, a professional consultant and author in the field of Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP) is collaborating with well-known grand prix rider and Training the Teachers of Tomorrow educated Tania Grantham in an interesting approach to training.

Hickstead’s brilliant show secretary Marie Mepham will soon be back in the saddle! It’s great to have some positive, encouraging news when Southern — especially, the eastern three-quarters of the region — has been taking some sad knocks!

Out and About visited Felbridge, East Grinstead, West Sussex, when it held its first affiliated British Dressage competition on Friday, 24 July. The images show riders yet to put the venue into their show diary what the centre has to offer.