Ayr Riding Club - Chairperson's Report - AGM 2006

Yet another busy year has passed!

Throughout the year we held 3 very successful combined training shows at Rowallan Activity Centre.   This has proved to be a very popular venue and dates have been secured for 2007/2008.  However it comes at a price.   The venue hire rate has been increased quite substantially for 2007/2008 session.   Kirstine, Kerrie and Susan have been hard at work doing costings and looking at alternative ways we can support continuing at Rowallan.    At the very best turnout dates we can just break even without increasing entry fees with the new charges.    Susan is going to apply for a Sport Council Grant of £200 which would help us cover the 4 dates of CBT.    I think also the time has arrived again to be a bit more creative and re-visit previous formats.   We have our 50th Birthday coming up in 2008 so its time to look forward and plan.

Due to popular demand an elementary dressage and an intermediate combined training class was introduced and these have been growing in popularity.   Our CBT schedule now contains 5 levels of jumping heights and 3 levels of dressage – unheard of at most regular RC shows.   We must be catering for every type of member surely. 

We also hosted the BHS Working Hunter qualifier for the 4th year running which was very popular.   This year saw the introduction of a BHS Equitation Jumping Qualifier which was well supported.   Both classes qualify for the Final at Blair Castle International Horse Trials.   At the working hunter show we also had hunter, riding horse and riding club horse classes.   We had planned a Dressage day at Rozelle but this had to be cancelled due low entries and the BE Oatridge Event changing dates.   We are planning to hold this event next year and will combine it with the WH and Equitation Jumping qualifiers.   The club has offered to host the Area 1 Open Dressage Qualifier and the Dressage to Music qualifier at this beautiful venue.

On a more social side, the December beach ride is now established on the riding club calendar, a chance to meet fellow members without the pressure of competition.   This year’s ride is again at Irvine Beach Park on Sunday 3rd December, followed with soup and crusty bread, mulled wine and mince pies.   Carrots and mints for the horses.   All members and families welcome. 

Training opportunities were abundant with both flatwork and jumping lessons on offer.   There were two chances to take part in Area organised XC/SJ training at Titwood Equestrian and an Ayr RC XC day at Auchinleck.   The Area also organised a training day with Mark McGowan, BSJA Advanced Course Builder.  The theme was to plan; design, build a show jumping course, then watch a novice horse and rider ride it.   This has been developed to the next stage and the Area has a training evening with Jane Pelly BSJA Senior Judge and Ring Steward Training Officer on Thursday 23rd November, at the Holiday Inn Express, Strathclyde Park 7.30pm for two hours.   This is free to all riding club members.   Contact Sandra Lamb, Area 1 Secretary.  Five members of the Club attended an Equine Specific First Aid Training Day at Muirmill in February.   Riding Club members who are also members of SEA can join in free on Friday, 24th November for a training session on First Aid, Child Protection and Health and Safety contact Fiona Rawson. Lesley Calder and Lyndsay Matthews also organised a very successful  Bitting clinic at Middlepart Farm.

December last year and repeated in November this year a very popular 2 day Clinic with Chris Bartle.   An evening with Chris Bartle was part of a combined project with BHS Ayrshire.  The Club have supported the formation of a new BHS Ayrshire Area.   The BHS do very highly recommendable work on Access, Riding and Road Safety and Welfare.   However you will become aware of major changes to the BHS charitable aims and objectives approved at the BHS AGM in June.   In future their remit will widen to cover developing training, competitions and tourism.   It is important we keep an eye on how this progress will impact on our Club locally and nationally over the next few years. This issue was discussed at the Area 1 AGM and raised with Laurie Punnett BRC Chairperson who acknowledges the need to be observant on this development. 

Instructors we had, in no particular order were Jane Belding, Ailsa Gilchrist, Earnest Dillon. Adam Murdin, Sheila Thom, Aly Boswell, Heather Young, Aileen Craig, Muriel Colquhoun, David Gatherer and Chris Bartle.

Venues we used included Ayrshire Equitation Centre, Drumley Farm Mossblown, Muirmill Equestrian Centre, Burnock Mill Farm, Ochiltree, Titwood Equestrian, Kilmaurs, Auchinleck Estate, Blairfield Stud, Stewarton, Maidenhill Farm, Newton Mearns. 

Ayr Riding Club has always supported the ethos of the Riding club movement by participating in the Area Team and Individual Qualifiers.   The Team Managers spend many hours on the phone trying to encourage members to join in.   Once the teams get going they are good fun.  This year we had teams forward in the Dressage, Show Jumping, Horse Trials, Hunter Trials and Novice Indoor SJ.   We appreciate to travel to competitions in the south is expensive but the Club are prepared to pay for Championship Entries and stabling.   This year the novice horse trials team made the journey to Off-Church Bury for the 3-day format and had a good time.   Holly Rivett won the Racehorse class and the others were well pleased with their performance.   The social aspect of these events is what is important and many new best friends are made.   After the recent Hunter Trials held at Titwood Equestrian we had several e-mails from clubs and competitors thanking us for the day and being so friendly and that is what our hobby is about and it makes all the effort worthwhile. 

The web-site has gone form strength to strength under the care of Adam.  He has spent many hours creating the new on-line booking systems for shows and rallies.   He is currently working on the membership package and with the chat room and members mailing we are striving to provide a better service to our members.  All members with access to the internet should check out the web-site and sign up for e-mail updates, information at the click of a mouse.   For those who do not have access to a computer at home or at work, all local community centres offer free access to the inter-net till  approximately 8pm. 

Membership

In 2006 we welcomed 33 new members with 3 former members re-joining.   Membership has stayed fairly constant over the years and currently we have 146.   At the suggestion of one of our members we are introducing a non –riding membership which will allow non horse owners to participate in a variety of ways and be inclusive in British Riding Club benefits at national level.   We are pleased to report we are having more interaction with members who are more freely writing to tell us of their concerns and also of their pleasure at some of the developments we are making.    The committee are spending more time discussing member’s suggestions at meetings and how we can take forward their comments.  We appreciate we cannot please everybody all the time but we are trying to offer something for everybody during the course of the year.   Any innovative idea will be more than welcome particularly with our big 50 coming soon.   We are planning to try to ensure our riding club and its members have a higher public profile in local press and equine press and would like to hear from members who are doing whatever – fund raising for charity, going on special holidays, and of course all your equine pursuits, achievements and plans for the future.    Blue Grass Feeds offered a training grant and I am pleased to report two of our members have been short-listed for the Finals in 2007.  Holly Rivett and Elana Chilton will carry the flag for our club and we will give them as much publicity and support as we can. 

I bring to you for consideration the proposal that the committee do not pay membership fees.  Having been in post for two years I have become aware of the time, telephone and travelling costs incurred by the committee in preparation of training rallies, competitions and area team events.  Other clubs already have identified this as a way of compensating the voluntary work undertaken by the committee.   I do hope you support the motion. Also at this time of year we lose members from our committee.   This year we are losing Kirstine Bissett, our very able secretary who has been to me such a reliable lifeline in getting things done and so knowledgeable in so many fields.   She has a young horse and she wants to get back out competing again.    Over and above Lillias is stepping down to spend more time with her young horse.   Lillias has very quietly gone about organising training and competitions with no fuss, you always find Lillias the same willing and able to help.  I will miss my taxi-driver and our chats on the journeys to and fro.    These have been two very hard working members of the committee but I hope we will continue to see them out and about.    Lorraine Young has also stood down due to caring for her young children, business and horses.   A tall order for anyone, but at least she tried and when the kids are older she will be back.  Lorraine will of course still be in our teams.   Kirstine has been training Kerri-anne Chalmers to take over the Secretaries post and we have a recruiting letter out with the mailings looking for volunteers to join our merry band. 

Conclusion

I hope you agree that we are trying to respond to your requests, training and competition needs, but also the social and fun aspect of owning a horse.   We will continue to ensure information reaches you as quickly as possible therefore allowing you time to plan and participate. 

Goals for 2007

• Increasing Membership
• Increasing members participation in club activities
• Ensure financial viability of CBT
• Continue to develop our IT programme
• Continue to offer wide range of Training and Competition
• Integrate Area competitions and qualifiers