Witheride Riding Club, About Our Club

TEAM CO-ORDINATORS

MEMBER	TEL NO.	TEAM RESPONSIBLE FOR
Carol Hayes	01769 550571	Summer Outdoor SJ & Dressage

Tamsin O'Connor	07503 031486	Novice Indoor Show Jumping
Helen Goff	01398 361652	Senior Horse Trials
Cheryl Mundy	01769 540155	Junior Teams
Helen Goff	01398 361652	Senior Winter Dressage

Karen Snow	01363 772952	Senior Hunter Trials

a little about your COMMITTEE MEMBERS

We are always keen for new people to join in the running of our club so if you would like to join us on the committe do let us know.

MEMBER & ROLE	A LITTLE BIT ABOUT US
Helen Goff Chairman 01398 361652	I joined WRC when I moved to Exmoor in 2002 to meet new people and benefit from club activities with my ex-racehorse. My involvement developed quite quickly by joining the club Area teams and my first introduction to the committee was through organising the First Aid provision at events. I must have been OK at this as I was invited to join the committee and soon found myself as Chair. Though the role takes up a lot of time I do still manage to compete with Sula, who is now 17 yrs old, we love team chasing and cross country but will also have a go at dressage and show jumping. We have made some great friends and enjoyed some fun days through our involvement with the club and I am looking forward to these continuing. I consider myself a typical riding club member and am keen that we provide a mixed and varied programme of club activities so that there is something for everyone.
Sarah Midwinter Secretary 01769 551704
Jenny Lloyd 01363 866041
Mary Baille 01884 881323
Sian Collins 01884 861608 07778 677668	I have been teaching since 1990 and am a registered BHSAI. Where I used to be based, I focused mainly on teaching riding school career students working towards their BHS exams as well as the adult riding school classes focusing on flatwork movements and jumping, dressage test riding, show jumping and trips to the XC course. I particularly enjoy focusing on how the rider’s position can improve their horse’s way of going and relax the rider and since doing some teaching as part of the Pick N Mix day which I really enjoyed, I am keen to start teaching riding club members and see them progress. I used to participate in ODEs and SJ as part of the riding club teams so have an understanding of what most riding club members are trying to achieve. Now I am mainly interested in riding at BD and RC level in dressage and also judging. I would be happy to chat to any club members about their needs and aspirations!
Jill Cronk 01769 550402
Pip Dalby 01884 881331
Gilly Davidson 01271 378000 07989 394416	A late returner to the joys of horse ownership, I enjoy finding anything to do with my two boys, Rolly and Maverick with whom I enjoy pleasure rides through to joining in with team events. We love to hare around a cross country but find dressage far more terrifying! Biggest Horsey Achievement? Jumping the Haycart at Pontispool!!
Glenys Green 01884 860896
Bridget Grieve 01884 252223
Lisa Manley 01884 257786 07790421118
Suzanne Willcox 01884 881265
Mary Paxton 01884 881548 07708126266

Brian Peace PRESIDENT
Jessie Morton VICE-PRESIDENT

ABOUT OUR CLUB

Witheridge Riding club was formed in the summer of 1987 by Jessie Morton BHSAI, Vanessa Cheffings, BHSAI and the late Sandy Blight BHSAI. By the autumn, the club had grown to 50 members and applied in the summer of 1988 to become affiliated to the British Riding Clubs movement, part of the British Horse Society. This went through in the autumn of that year, by which time the club membership had reached 75.

Membership has continued to increase, peaking at 180 members in 2008. Our members come from all over Devon & parts of Somerset, and from all walks of life, from the professional rider to the weekend hobby rider.

The activites we organise and run vary from year to year but tend to include “closed” events for members only plus open events that may be a show, hunter trial or one day event. We also run social events and a very popular annual “camp”, all of which are great ways of meeting fellow members and improving your riding whether this is for competitions or just for pleasure.

Although the club has no facilities of its own, equipment has been purchased over the years to run events and offer training. We are therefore very well equipped and self sufficient. We do however rely heavily on members who kindly lend their own private facilities for training, events, and the all-important storage of equipment. We also hire venues for some of our competitions. The aim being to provide a good and varied programme of events with a friendly atmosphere.

Witheridge is part of Area 12 of the Riding Clubs movement, see Area 12 page for more details. The club regularly participates in Area competitions and we have qualified for the National Championships in various disciplines on a number of occasions, and have frequently been placed. We aim to enter teams in all disciplines each year and hope to continue our success, although we are also pleased to welcome new members who wish to take a less competitive approach to their riding and just have some fun with their horses.