Equestrian Life May 2018 Issue

local events and reports
Team Work Makes
THE DREAM WORK!
Quadrille riding is a somewhat dying art in this country,
even though there are many different interpretations
of what Quadrille actually is. One Leicestershire Riding
Club has commenced its revival and see Quadrille as a
‘drill in a quad’, i.e. a military mounted drill in an area with four
corners and commanded by a Drill Master. A group of around 20
members of Rearsby Lodge Riding Club now practice regularly
with their Drill Master, Troy Shaw, an ex-cavalry riding instructor,
either at Brooksby Equestrian Centre or at Aylesford Cross
Country course.
In order to keep motivation going, all teams need to have
something to aim for and work towards, so the Rearsby team
looked around for quadrille competitions to enter - but found
that there are virtually none. So they decided to create their own!
The first ever quadrille class was run on 15th April 2018. 3 teams
took part, two from Rearsby Lodge and one from Atherstone. The
class was judged by Linda Pearce, who said that she had judged so
many more aspects that is normally the case.
She was looking at how the team members rode as a group, their
dressing, how they adjusted to one another, their accuracy and
the quality of the movements - together. The winning team was
the Rearsby Red Sparrows with 88%; 2nd was Atherstone and
District Riding Club and 3rd the Rubies from Rearsby Lodge. The
Atherstone Team Leader Donna Mac was pleased to give her new
team an opportunity to compete and said that they’ll come again.
There is much to look forward to by the Rearsby team, not
least the next competition run by the club on 13th May, but
particularly exciting for the team this year is a display by a team
of 20 on 24th June at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire.
If you want more information about Quadrille riding or about the
Rearsby Team, please contact Anette on 07901 976905.
Why not get your own Club team together and enter competitions,
the Rearsby Team would be delighted to welcome you.
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