Interdressage Competition

Competitions for all

British Riding Clubs (BRC) has teamed up with Interdressage to offer every BRC member an opportunity to compete internationally and win fabulous prizes for themselves and their riding club or riding club centre – no matter where they ride.

· Do you want to compete for excellent prizes, prize money and fabulous rosettes?
· Do you have limited funds?
· Are you without transport or have no-one to drive you to a competition?
· Do you need encouragement and positive feedback?
· Do you own a bad-to-load horse or pony?
· Do you have a young or unpredictable horse or pony?
· Do you suffer from competition nerves?
· Are you limited for time?
· Do you think you are not ready to travel to a competition?

Then British Riding Clubs and Interdressage could have the answer!

BRC and Interdressage have formed a new BRC League which will be available online at www.interdressage.com and will run from May 2010 to April 2011. The contest is designed to encourage more riding club and riding club centre members to ‘give dressage a go’ by making it possible for them to ride their tests in a relaxed manner in the comfort of familiar surroundings.

The tests just need to be videoed and submitted to Interdressage for judging. All that is required is a level surface with markers.

The new league will be divided into two sections – one for BRC members and one for BRC Riding Club Centre members, with the leading point scorer from both divisions receiving a jump package from Quality Show Jumps for their club or centre. The winning combinations in each category will also receive £125 of Ride-Away Vouchers. In addition, in recognition of all their hard work, the instructors from both sections will also be awarded £125 of Ride-Away Vouchers.

Competitors in both sections are automatically entered into Interdressage’s monthly competitions, giving riders a chance to compete internationally for:

· Fantastic prizes/rosettes
· Generous prize money
· Superb achievement
· Certificates
· Positive/constructively marked score sheets

Entering is easy!

All you need is:

· A digital camera to video your test
· Access to a computer
· A level area to ride on
· Someone to video your test

Riders from all over the world already compete each month via video for rosettes, prize money and points. The Interdressage website was launched in 2007 by freelance riding instructor Karina Hawkridge and has developed into a successful medium for providing a competition format for riders who may otherwise be unable to compete at a ‘live’ event.

Competitors visit the site and choose from a comprehensive list of classes from that month’s schedule. All the dressage tests have been specifically written for Interdressage with movements and transitions placed at the optimum point for the judge to score via video. The dressage tests range from Walk and Trot through to Advanced, with Riders Tests and Style and Performance Tests which include up to five jumps.

All the tests are adjudicated by listed BD judge and rider Glynis Mills, with help and feedback from Karina Hawkridge. She says: “We remain positive and upbeat with all our comments and advice. Both Glynis and I have competed for many years and one recurring bugbear among fellow competitors is sometimes the lack of constructive comments on your score sheet.

“We always put a comprehensive and helpful comment in every box. Our aim is to encourage more people to have fun with their horse, to help them adopt correct training methods and to offer our help and support”.

Riders can compete in as many classes as they like for just £10 per class. Entry is direct via Interdressage. All classes will be run under Interdressage rules (see www.interdressage.com).

For further information, contact Annette Falkingham at British Riding Clubs on 01926 707861.