2012 MEMBERSHIP CARDS: From 1 January 2012 BRC membership cards will be sent direct to each member by BRC, they will not be sent out from the club's membership secretary.

THANK YOU PAMI - Pami Nixon has been our Team Chef d'Equipe this year (2011) but is now stepping down for a well earned rest. Very many thanks to her for all the time (and miles!) she has devoted to the task. Pami writes as follows: "For the time being, as John and I have a lot going on next year, I'm handing the reins of Chef d'Equipe over. I have really enjoyed my year. At times I have worried about fitting it all in and had a few late nights in my garden shed. Nothing, however, compared to the other passionate committee members who carry on tirelessly, so much goes on behind the scenes. It's a real eye opener, they achieve so much for us as a Club. Pami "

THE GRACE KEAR MEMORIAL TROPHY This lovely trophy - a Harriet Glen model of a Thoroughbred - presented annually by Donald at the AGM, has been awarded this year to Carol Porter in appreciation of all she has done for the Riding Club over 21 years since she joined the Committee. Congratulations and thank you Carol.

MEMBERS CAMP The 14th & 15th April 2012 have been rebooked for training at Hickstead. Details at time of next newsletter.

SUNSHINE TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP 2012 The Sunshine Tour is an exciting Unaffiliated Championship Series in the South-East featuring dressage, show jumping and showing. The Championship Show will be held at Great Bookham Equestrian Centre on 22nd & 23rd September 2012. There's a wide choice of championship classes to qualify for and fantastic prizes to be won. Qualification Dressage: 1st-6th qualify in selected Walk & Trot, Prelim, Novice and Elementary classes. Show Jumping: 1st-6th qualify in selected classes: 1'9"/50cm, 2'/60cm, 2'3"/70cm, 2'6"/75cm, 2'9"/85cm, 3'/90cm and 3'3"/1m. Showing: 1st-3rd qualify in selected classes of In-hand, Lead Rein, Ridden Showing and Working Hunter/Pony. If you qualify you'll receive a Sunshine Tour qualification card - simply register online or complete the card and send it in for an information pack and details of how to enter the Sunshine Tour Championship. FOR DETAILS ABOUT THE SUNSHINE TOUR INCLUDING RULES AND RESTRICTIONS GO TO WWW.SUNSHINETOUR.CO.UK

ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW/BRC CHAMPIONSHIP 2012 For 2012 there are six competitions, Junior and Senior Prelim dressage, Junior and Senior Novice Top Score and Junior and Senior Intermediate Top Score. There will be two rounds; Round One (area qualifiers) will be open to all BRC 2012 members. The riders who qualify at these area qualifiers will then be invited to the Finals at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. For full details and rules visit the BRC website www.britishridingclubs.org.uk

Hat Checks If you have been to a BRC Championship or the BHS TREC Championships this year you will realise that BRC is now operating a system of hat tagging. This is to ensure that members who are competing at BRC Championships are wearing a hat that conforms to the standard stated in the BRC Rulebook 2011. It is proposed that hat tagging will be introduced at Area Qualifiers in 2012. You will not be allowed to compete in a hat which does not meet the required standard, such hats will not be tagged.

ROBBIE CARPENTER DRESSAGE CLINICS....see our Events Page for details and dates. About Robbie: Robbie aged 8, started his dressage career doing his first ever dressage test at the HDRC Christmas show on-board his first pony, Snowy. Since then Robbie has followed his passion of dressage to be become a runner-up in the Talent Spotting Finals, a member of the British Young Rider Team, The winner of the Dressage Masters, and has competed at every level at the National Championships. He has trained every horse he has competed from Novice up to Grand Prix and has competed and trained internationally including Germany, South Africa and Mexico. Robbie is now based back at home (Belmoredean, near Cowfold) after spending 4 years with his trainer, 3 time Olympian and bronze medal winner Emile Faurie at Heath Farm in the Cotswolds. Robbie is still trained by Emile but also receives training from Christoph Koschel, German Olympic Team member. Robbie is hoping to be selected for World Class next year on his new young horse Bohemo Tinto with the intention of training towards the Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016. Robbie has for over 20 years successfully trained both horses and dressage riders for competitions at all levels. He is a qualified Under 21's Trainer, National BYRDS (British Young Riders Dressage Scheme) Trainer and has recently been invited to train the Southern Senior Team. Robbie's main ethos is that good dressage comes from mastering the principles of classical riding. Once the rider has started to learn 'feel', combined with a consistent technique that the horse understands, then the fun can begin!

RIDING & ROAD SAFETY
Lucy Lempriere is a qualified BHS Riding & Road Safety Trainer. If anyone is interested in taking their R&RS test, please contact Lucy on 01403 730333.

EQUESTRIAN ROAD ACCIDENT STATISTICS AND REPORTING OF ACCIDENTS.
Dear All,
I hope that you have, and never will be, involved in a road accident with a horse, but please could you report any accidents/ near misses to the BHS & encourage other riders to do so. There is a report form available from the BHS webiste, see:- http://www.bhs.org.uk/content/accident-report-form.asp.
Mark Weston has just assembled the most recent accident figures reported to the BHS. They show accidents involving horses are reducing. eg. 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, accidents reported to the BHS were 269, 141, 117, 114, 91, 78, 96, respectively. This could be due to less reporting, inaccurate reporting, less road use by equestrians or be genuine. Road accident statisitics are valuable to argue for more off road access for equestrians. No accidents reported/occur, no need for more bridleways!
Janice Bridger, BHS Access & Bridleways officer for West Berkshire, BHS Access & Bridleways officer for Southern Region.