“For the first time this year, the Pony Club is offering a new initiative called the
Rider Development Pathway. The scheme, which is supported by Sport
England and funded BEF Excel Talent Programme, is designed to aid the
development of Pony Club members who show the ability to progress in their
sport. The initiative aims to provide a stepping stone for young riders who are
working towards the talent pathways of the Olympic disciplines and aims to
form an athlete development pathway set out for equestrian sport towards the
creation of future Olympians. The RDP is open to all pony club members
between the ages of 12-18 years who meet the specified requirements in
Dressage, Show Jumping or Eventing”
I initially found information about the program online and
hoped I could apply for eventing after the excellent season
I had last year. The minimum criteria for each discipline
were set at a very high standard and although I
unfortunately did not meet the standard for eventing I was
able to apply for the dressage, which required at least 5
scores at PC Open Level or BD Elementary Level
dressage of 66%+. I chose to apply with my 11 year old,
Dutch Warmblood Sid who I have been working with since
May last year. We have subsequently discovered,
knowing very little about breeding, that he is actually a half
brother to Valegro.
Sid had been my dad’s hack for the previous six years
and had received minimal formal dressage training when I
started working with him. As I am currently on a gap year,
from October to December last year I took some time off
to train with my dressage coach Harry Payne, an
International level dressage rider and a list 2A judge,
down in Rugby. The plan was only ever for Randy to go
but Harry had extra space and offered that I could take
Sid too.
By the end of our stay Sid had gone from not understanding what “on the bit” was to
being ready to come out at affiliated BD elementary level in January of 2014! Harry
influenced my riding so much during those three months. Harry worked with almost
me every day and my self carriage, contact, feel and test knowledge has improved
greatly. I owe him so much for what I have learned.
Since returning Sid and I have completed 7 BD Elementary tests and we are yet to
score lower than 68% and have also qualified for BD summer regionals and the
Scottish and GDG dressage championships. We are completing are first two medium
tests this weekend.
At the end of March I was delighted to receive an email to say I had been successful
in my application and I had been selected to go forward to the regional assessment
and training day for Scotland which was held at West Kype Farm in Lanarkshire.
There I would be working with two recognised and experienced coaches over the
course of a day and meet the other riders, a maximum of 20 from each discipline,
who had been selected.
On the morning on the regional assessment
day myself and three other riders were
asked to warm up our horses while we were
watched by our two assessors. We were
then called in individually to discuss how it
went, our weak and strong areas, what we
could do to improve them and also go
further into the scales of training and our
knowledge of our discipline. We then had a
20 minute individual coaching session with
the pair of assessors.
The afternoon was much more training based and I received an individual coaching
session with, top dressage rider, Jo Hamilton. We worked mostly on the correctness
of Sid’s lateral work and then the thoroughness of his canter to establish true
collection which would then enable us to go on to carry higher level movements such
as changes and canter pirouettes. At the end of the day we were given the
opportunity to speak openly with both assessors dismounted and we received oneto-one feedback on our riding and performance throughout the day. However, the
decision on who would be selected would be sent out to us via email within the
following two weeks.
In the first week of May I heard the fantastic news that I had now been invited
forward to attend the national camp on June 14-15th 2014 held at Somerford Park
EC, down in Cheshire. Here I will receive top class coaching in Dressage from Maria
Eilberg, an International Dressage Rider who is also on the Equestrian Elite
Coaching Apprenticeship Program. In addition to working individually and in a pair
with my dressage coach over both days, I will also attend coaching sessions on
equine nutrition, mentoring and goal setting, balance straightness and co-ordination
with a physiotherapist and be able ride through a test of my choice where I will be
videoed and receive feedback.
At the end of the national camp, a final six
riders will be selected, one from each discipline
plus a further three from any discipline, to be
part of the PC Rider Development Squad. This
is a great opportunity and I have had amazing
support from everyone in the pony club to get
this far and I hope to do Bennachie proud! Next
year why don’t you have a go?
Caitlin Padfield