Other competitions open to British Riding Club members
Dear Member,
Do you fancy taking part in a fun dressage competition with friends? Then why not join the Breakspear Blazers 2024 Quest Team!
The Breakspear Blazers enjoyed great success this year qualifying for the Semi-Final at Codham Park where they came 2nd! This in turn qualified them for the National Championships where they had great fun competing over two days at Arena UK and placed a very respectable 12th out of 24 teams!Â
Key Information
Three levels - Intro, Prelim & Novice (dependent on eligibility)
Maximum of seven riders can be registered per team
Unlimited horses can be registered per team
Competing teams of three or four combinations with best three scores contributing to to the overall team total
Points awarded depending on team placing which are added to the regional leaderboard
Top 10 teams from each regional leaderboard qualify for Semi-Finals with the chance to then qualify for the National Championships
Opportunity to also compete in the individual My Quest competition which runs alongside Team Quest with regional leaderboard points awarded on scores achievedÂ
A minimum of British Dressage Club Membership is required for both riders and horses / Run under BD rules
For full details, please visit https://www.britishdressage.co.uk/competitions/championships-and-qualifiers/quest/
Eligibility details can be found in the BD Rulebook at https://www.britishdressage.co.uk/competitions/competition-rules/
2024 Key Dates
Qualifying period 1st January 2024 - 31st August 2024 (local qualifiers held at Amersham Dressage, Bury Farm, Snowball Farm & Widmer Equestrian)
Semi-Final at Codham Park 21st - 22nd September 2024
National Championships at Arena UK 8th - 10th November 2024
Please contact Sarah Hetherington if you would like to join the 2024 team - saz.hethers@gmail.com
British Riding Clubs Quadrille
The British Riding Clubs Quadrille is held at the Dressage to Music & Introductory Championships at Bury Farm Equestrian Centre. The Quadrille is held on the Saturday evening of the championships in the International Indoor Arena with the costume and turnout judging being held earlier in the afternoon. Each club is allocated a rehearsal slot on the Friday afternoon.
The display is set to music with a team of four combinations wearing themed costumes and performing a routine choreographed to tell a story. The display should demonstrate horsemanship, but doesn't necessarily have to be based on dressage movements.
They were back in 2023 with a "Here Come The Clowns" theme in which Dipsy, Doodah and Whatsit were struggling to bring apprentice clown Chuckles up to performance standard in order for them to graduate from Clown Academy! A fun and colourful performance resulted in Breakspear being placed 3rd out of 12 teams which was an amazing achievement for all the riders and support team.
The 2024 Quadrille is being held on Saturday 9th March
Please get in touch if you would like to join in the fun!
As well as the four combinations that perform, the Quadrille requires a whole team of helpers and support crew plus one or two reserve combinations / riders just in case. Getting involved is a great way of having fun with lots of fellow club members from planning meetings in the pub, riding or supporting at ridden practices, costume making get togethers and a great day at Bury Farm on the day of the competition itself. Or why not come along on the night to watch all the performances but make sure you cheer loudest for Breakspear!
Breakspear made their Quadrille debut in 2022 with a "Thinking Outside The Postbox" routine depicting the Royal Mail throughout Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's reign in her Platinum Jubilee Year.
British Riding Clubs Team Show Jumping Competitions are held each year at both Rockingham International Horse Trials & The Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead.
(Members are responsible for making their own entries for these competitions but please contact Sarah Hetherington in the first instance if you are interested in joining with others to make up a team. All competitors must be a fully paid up member of Breakspear Riding Club at time of entry.)
Rockingham Horse Trials - 2024 Date TBCÂ
This is a team competition for teams of 4 riders open to British Riding Club members under BRC2024 rules. There are 4 heights of 70cm, 80cm, 90cm & 1m with a member of each team competing at each height.
Full details can be found at www.rockinghamcastlehorsetrials.com
The Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead - 2024 Date TBCÂ
This is a team competition for teams of 3 riders open to British Riding Club members. There are 3 heights of 85cm, 95cm & 105cm with a member of each team competing at each height.
Full details and eligibility can be found at www.hickstead.co.uk
Breakspear have enjoyed great success at Hickstead over the past few years with a win in 2019 for Claire Bowman, Charlotte Ward and Katie Quigley. There was an enforced break for the competition due to the Covid-19 pandemic but when it returned in 2022, our team of Charlotte Ward, Claire Bowman and Claire Ward were narrowly beaten into 2nd place.Â
2023 saw the team of Morgan Nichol, Charlotte Ward and Katie Quigley return to the top spot with another fantastic win! This is always a fun day out for both the competitors and fellow Breakspear members who go along to cheer them on!
2019
Claire Bowman, Charlotte Ward and Katie Quigley
2022
Charlotte Ward, Claire Bowman and Claire Ward
Photo credit: Spidge Event Photography
2023
Morgan Nichol, Charlotte Ward and Katie Quigley