Regional News

Below you can find news from the region.

2022

South Region Qualifier 22nd May 2022 at the Berkshire College of Agriculture

Co-op Grant opportunity for groups – 3-29 May 2022

Our friends at Co-op are inviting local groups to apply to be a Co-op Local Cause. Successful applicants will receive a minimum of £1,000 and partner with Co-op for 12 months. . To find out more visit https://causes.coop.co.uk or contact Clare Prysbet cprysbet@rda.org.uk. (Also please do let us know if you’re successful – we want to hear about your wins!)

2021

December

Now open: Grants for Recovery – RDA Grants for Groups Fund 2021

Once again, RDA UK are very pleased to be able to make funds available for grants to RDA Member Groups – thanks to the support of Players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The closing date for applications is Friday 7 January 2022.
Our Funding Priorities
· Group recovery and increasing participant numbers back to pre-pandemic level
· Developing new activities and opportunities for growth
How to apply
All the information groups need on criteria, how to apply, how much they can apply for and the application form is in the downloadable document here: www.myrda.org.uk/runningyourgroup/group-fundraising-events/
Any questions about Grants to Groups please email groupgrants@rda.org.uk or call Peter Dean 01926 405963.

November

Waveney Luke receives the Medal of Honour from British Dressage – 6th November 2021

This award recognises individuals who’ve made an outstanding contribution to the sport or given distinguished and long service.

Always one for ‘putting something back’, Waveney has enjoyed horses all her life, but dressage and para dressage have always been her main love. She’s had a close involvement with the Riding for the Disabled, firstly as a coach with the Garsington group and more latterly at committee level and was made an Honorary Life Vice President to recognise her dedication. Waveney was also County Coach and County Chair for Oxfordshire for many years and she is currently the Equine Advisor to the South Region.

She progressed her judging career with British Dressage and reached the level of List 2 nationally and was an FEI Para Judge before retiring from both in 2015.  As well as being a very successful trainer of para riders from grass roots to international levels, she has been a very influential part of Britain’s sustained period of unprecedented para success as part of the selection panel which covered two Paralympics at London and Rio. Waveney has now retired from all British Dressage activities and her dedication has been truly outstanding, the majority of activity carried out as a volunteer; giving hours of her time, a wealth of knowledge and being a great support to all of our para-equestrian athletes.

We would like to wish Waveney our congratulations for this prestigious and well-deserved honour.

RDA UK ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The RDA AGM was held yesterday at Lowlands Equestrian and it was so nice that representatives from many groups were able to attend this year in person.
Our South Region Chair, Frances Lochrane was appointed as an Honorary Life Vice President and she was also presented with The Presidents Award by our President, HRH The Princess Royal. There were many other Awards presented to an extremely inspiring group of people, all who have made a huge contribution to RDA over many years.
Interesting and informative speeches were given by Ed Bracher (CEO), Rachel Medill (Chair of Trustees) and by HRH The Princess Royal which gave all those present plenty to think about for the future.
The day was wrapped up with a fabulous demonstration by the Wenlo Group with four of their miniature shetlands and some of their participants.
A really great way to end a very enjoyable day.

September

Congratulations to everyone who qualified to enter the RDA Virtual National Championships this year. If you missed the live streaming, all classes can still be seen on YouTube.

Click on the links below to see the results from all the Classes.

National Champs 2021 Saturday-Results-Sheet

National Champs 2021 Sunday-Results-Sheet

The South Region Magazine is available below. We hope you enjoy it.

RDA NEWS 2021 web

SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2021

Cancellation of National Championships

After further deliberation between the organisers and the RDA UK Board of Trustees, and consultation with the wider RDA community, we have sadly decided not to run a face-to-face National Championships this year. There is a letter on MyRDA from Championships Lead, Anne Coney and Chief Executive Ed Bracher, which goes into more detail, so do download and share this with your volunteers and participants. You can find it here: www.myrda.org.uk/runningyourgroup/national-championships/#

Virtual Championships

In better news, we will definitely be holding a ‘Virtual Championships’, which may even allow more riders and drivers to take part. Details of this will be circulated as soon as possible.

If you have any questions about the Championships, please contact Fiona Harris fharris@rda.org.uk

SAD NEWS – We were absolutely devastated to hear the sad news that one of our Region’s wonderful volunteers, Ray died of COVID on 27th January. He was a Volunteer with the Lambourn Group for nine years and many of you will remember him with the South Region Publicity Caravan, which he looked after and ran for five years, between 2015 and 2020, visiting many shows and events around the region, including the National Championships at Hartpury.

We will miss his smile and cheerfulness tremendously. Nothing was ever too much trouble for Ray. He was a fantastic member of the Lambourn team and will be very fondly remembered.
Rest in Peace dear Ray.

2020
A TRIBUTE TO SPECKLES – ONE OF SOUTH REGION’S GREATEST RDA PONIES

Speckles – An RDA Legend

      

TAKE PART (AT HOME!)

RDA UK have Put together some fun activities to download and print to keep you busy while we are unable to ride and drive during the temporary shut down of all RDA activities. We hope you enjoy them.

Colouring In Pony   Grooming Kit   Wordsearch No. 1   Grooming Kit Wordsearch No. 2   Grooming Kit Wordsearch No. 3     Horse Care 1 Worksheet   Horse Care 2 Worksheet   RDA Wordsearch   Writing Acrostic Poem   Writing My RDA                 Writing RDA Poem

2019

SATURDAY 5TH OCTOBER 2019 – 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

GOLDEN GATHERING
South Region gathered together to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of RDA at Abingdon in October.
Around 100 coaches and volunteers had the chance to see the signed pennants from 36 groups in the region and of course the event was also marked with delicious Anniversary Cupcakes; one for each of the groups in the region and a few to spare!

ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW RDA FANCY DRESS COMPETITION 2019

What a fantastic and colourful spectacle the visitors to the Royal Windsor Horse Show were treated to when the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) Fancy Dress Competition took place on Thursday sponsored by the Lions Club of Windsor. The theme this year was Countries and each group had obviously worked extremely hard to get the riders and horses dressed up to such a high standard.
Congratulations to the Park Lane Group for their winning ridden entry depicting Wales and to The Stella Hancock Driving Group for their winning Spain entry.

  

NEW AND EXCITING GRASSROOTS ENDURANCE LEAGUE

For more information –  RDA Endurance Grassroots League

CONGRATULATIONS to Felicity Smettem who has been Awarded with Volunteer of the Year 2018 for the South Region. Very well deserved Felicity. Thank you very much for everything you do for the Region.

Report from the Fun Day at Wellington – Fun Day Article 20th May 2018