Committee
Lin Harber, Chairman
I have held the position of Chairman since 1997 and enjoy all aspects that are given to me regarding the Club’s activities. The Club’s committee members I work with are very enthusiastic and give much support in all our activities we promote during the year.
I own two horses, Danny Court a 19 year old skewbald gelding (going on 5) with whom I have competed in Mercian and Area Team competitions. As a senior citizen I do not intend to break any records, however I will have a go, not so keen on dressage though and no intention of giving up riding. My other pony Bobby Sox is a 12.2 Welsh Cob aged 20 years whose main duties are Riding for The Disabled.
At Area Level Qualifiers the Club have been very successful and I will travel anywhere to give them my support, I do enjoy the team spirit and my cheer is the loudest so I am told!
Iris Ellis, Membership Secretary
I have been a member of the Club for 14 years, and as well as being the Membership Secretary I also represent the Club’s interests on the Malvern Hills Conservators Recreation Advisory Panel.
I started riding in my late twenties and I moved from Kent to Kempsey 30 years ago with my husband, two boys and first horse Ebony. We enjoyed Prelim Dressage, Hacking and Autumn Hunting together before he died aged 26.
I now have a 13 year old chestnut named T.Q. Unfortunately he developed a deep digital flexor tendon injury 2 years ago. After keyhole surgery and a lot of ups and downs, he is now sound and back in light work, fingers crossed.
While he was recovering I studied and took the BHS Horse Owners Certificates 1 and 2 and also a NVQ 1 Certificate in Horse Care. As a former Driving Instructor I am particularly interested in Rider Road Safety. I wear a fluorescent jacket, am courteous to other road users and keep my Mobile Phone for emergency use only. I have two young grand children, both boys, who I hope will become future riders and members of the club.
Caroline Bates
I have been riding since I was ten years old and for much of that was a happy hacker. I have been a member of the riding club since 2007 and joined the committee three years later, as I am a firm believer in giving something back! I enjoy competing in a variety of disciplines – show jumping and hunter trials are probably my favourites, but dressage, eventing, trec, combined training, showing and fancy dress classes all come close. I competed for the riding club’s Mercian team a few times, before lameness sadly meant that I had to retire my veteran horse, Pepper, from the competition world. Not that he acts like it…and you will probably see us galloping around Castlemorton Common on a regular basis. I bought a yearling in 2009 and can’t wait to introduce him to the saddle in a few years time. Smokey has already started his competition career, with wins in Youngstock, Hunter and Turn-out classes, and I already have him entered into the riding club team events for 2014! I really enjoy the training aspect of horse riding and have an interest in all the new behavioural techniques that are currently being explored. My motto for life is “Growing old is inevitable; Growing up is optional” so I’m usually the one at club events having a laugh and not taking anything seriously!
Cindie Bunce, Area Team Coordinator
Well I’ve been in the riding club for a few years now and enjoy every minute of either competing as part of a team or as an individual.
As a lot of you probably don’t know I’m a builder / carpenter by trade and work full time, I have a very supportive husband who puts up with a lot and a 2 1/2 year old daughter who wants to be on a pony every minute of every day, and also keeping 2 horses reasonably competition fit I don’t get much time to myself.
I have two horses; the first is Golden King (Midas) who is 18 years young. He is an Irish Draught / Thoroughbred (Dad’s horse really but I compete him) and is retired from the BSJA circuit now but is still competing for the Riding Club. In 2005 we qualified for the Novice Horse Trials Championships and came 9th individually and we were part of the open show jumping teams who qualified for the National Show Jumping Championships at Lincoln in 2008 and 2009.
Then my own horse is Dreambreaker (Thomas), who is a 5 year old Dutch Warmblood who I have had since he was a yearling, and who is very cheeky. Thomas did his first Riding Club competition last year in the Mercian Show Jumping and went clear on what was only his second time! I’m hoping to do some BSJA with him this year but I will have to see how we go.
Rita Woolley
I am new to the committee this year, though I joined the Riding Club about 5 years ago and have enjoyed having the contact with like minded people. I mainly support my daughter Stephanie and get a lot of pleasure going to competitions with her and helping her with the fittening work for the horses. We have had a selection of horses over the years. We tend to buy youngsters and start them off before moving them on.
Our permanent horses have been our beautiful chestnut mare Woody and her now 11 year old daughter Inca. It was with great sadness that we lost Woody early in January. We also have my big grey Cruise who is a completely different type to anything we have ever had. He is proving a challenge, but we hope to try some showing this year as well as joining in club activities. I hope to be able to support the Club and make it fun for all the members.
Clare Chapman, Secretary
I have been a member of the Club for about 12 years and on the committee as secretary for about half of that! I got into the Riding Club through Janet Schooling when I was helping her at her livery yard. I remember the first RC show we went to on Inca and having only competed a couple of times we entered very late in the day, went in the show jumping ring and came 2nd in the 3’3” and 3’6”! Hence we were joined up quite sharpish and put in the teams. We have competed for the Club in varying events throughout our competitive career so far and come home with many rosettes and trophies.
I first started riding and having lessons when I was little and by running round the common dragging un-cooperative ponies earnt extra free rides. For a couple of years I rode our neighbours pony in return for ‘stable duties’ and then went to help Janet with various ‘rogue’ neddies! At 17 we purchased Inca, my first owned horse! I went to Warwickshire College (sister Anna took over Inca’s reins for a couple of years) and completed a HND in Horse Studies (Management and Technology) and then a top up year to degree level. After that I worked at several point-to-point yards, DEFRA and a feed store to name but a few! I also had a lovely cob called Ellie who was a nice pony but challenging ride, who I managed to discipline and find a suitable home! You will usually find me at shows and events (now we are back to one horse) in my Landy with trailer either being the owner / trainer / groom and sometimes if I can prise Anna off the horse, the rider!
Janet Schooling
I started riding at the age of 5 and my first pony was from a sale who we saved from the slaughter house, so we called him Lucky. I have had various fab horses and ponies over the years and competed at Grade B in BSJA and came 8th in the Regional finals for the Foxhunter championships at Olympia, just 4 places from a qualifying place. I have competed against David Broome, Geoff Glazzard, Captain Mark Phillips to name just a few, I have never beaten any of them but that is not the point!!!!
I have competed and been placed in BE, placed 2nd in my first ever 3DE and competed for what seems forever at Riding Club level. I have owned and sold lots and lots of horses over the years and ran my own livery and training yard for 5 years back in the 90’s.
My best horse is Valley, who is now a yummy mummy and the first horse I have and will keep forever, although I have been lucky to have had some great characters and fun on many other favourites. Things I have learnt, "A rogue will never leave you" "Make hay whilst the sun shines" "The first profit is the best profit" I have also been very lucky to have learnt from some great horsemen. I love this sport and don't think I will ever grow out of it now.
Karen Withers, Mercian Co-Ordinator
I started riding at the age of 8 & most of my weekends were spent helping out at the local riding school. I learnt to ride on a beautiful palomino called mustard!
My first pony was a 13.2 new forest gelding called Flicka. I enjoyed going to local shows, pony club activities & when I was allowed a day off school I went hunting!! When I was a teenager my real passion was polo. I waslucky to travel all over the UK with a family that had a team of ponies, I saw many beautiful places & rode some amazing ponies.
I currently own two grey horses - Megan a 15hh Connemara/Irish draught mare & Joe a 16hh TB gelding. I hope to participate in many riding club events this year with both horses.
I am new to the committee this year (2012) & will be supporting the club by co-ordinating the Mercian events.
Lauran Jones
I am very grateful to have been voted onto the committee this year, as I have only been a member of the club for a few years. Originally from Pembrokeshire, I studied Equine Business Management at Hartpury, and, having decided to stay in the area after graduating, I now live and work in Malvern.
During my gap year before university, I worked at a riding school, which is where I came across my gorgeous ex-racer, Woody, for sale. I’ve owned 12yo Woody for 6 years now, and although it was a slow start due to both of us being total wimps, things have finally come together over the last few years, and he has turned out to be everything I could ever have wished for, and more!
Showjumping has always been my main love, but lately this has been taken over by a passion for eventing – we won our first ever One-Day Event, which was also the first dressage test either of us had ever done! We have also represented the club on both Area and Mercian teams. We’re easy to recognise at competitions – I’ll be the one red-faced and swearing, and he’ll be the one being held down by 3 people after going XC!
Unfortunately, at the end of last summer Woody was diagnosed with DJD in his coffin joints, which has meant months of being a field ornament – however he has recently been brought back into work, and fingers crossed, we’re hoping to be back on the circuit soon – Watch this space!!
