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Dorset Area NEWS and INFORMATION *********************************************************AREA SHOW Having cut our teeth with our first ever Area Show last year, in response to the enthusiasm for another one, the date and venue for 2010 have been confirmed as Sunday 13th June, once again at Gillingham & Shaftesbury Agricultural Society’s Turnpike Showground, Motcombe. We have been lucky enough to secure Richard James as our BDS judge, and have also been awarded Osborne Refrigerators BDS National Championships qualifiers for a variety of classes. I already have generous offers of sponsorship for some classes and offers of trophies. If you would also like to support the show with sponsorship, for example for £15 you can sponsor the rosettes for a class, which will attribute the class to you, your company, friends or family in the schedule, or perhaps provide a trophy, please contact me as soon as possible. As ever, we will require a good ground team to run the show on the day, hence if you would be able to help in any way, perhaps with stewarding, catering, etc please do get in touch. The schedule for the show will be available in March, but please contact me if you have any questions in the meantime. Alison Trevett ********************************************************* WINTER DRIVING For many of us, the turning back of the clocks and the colder weather heralds horses being turned away and our driving put ‘on hold’ until next Spring. However, some members do drive all year round, and if you are a similar hardy soul, and might like to meet up with other members for a drive, please contact Alison Trevett, who can give contact details for like-minded folk. *********************************************************INDOOR HORSE DRIVING TRIALS Congratulations to Dorset Area members Maureen Blakemore, David Bull and Hazel Lappin, who all competed successfully at the Indoor Horse Driving Trials event at Sparsholt Equestrian Centre, near Winchester on Sunday 18th October. Maureen and David took first and second places respectively in the Novice Single Pony class, while regular visitor to Dorset, Caroline Douglas won the Open Single Horse class. The next Indoor Horse Driving Trials event at Sparsholt, which includes Precision & Paces (Dressage), Cones and Obstacles driving, is on Sunday 22nd November. *********************************************************ROAD DRIVING ASSESSMENT The Road Driving Assessment test is recommended by the BDS as a minimum competence for driving horses/ponies on the public highway. Further details of the test are available on the BDS Main Site. An introduction to the test, training and test days will be held this Autumn for Dorset Area members and BDS members from further afield, and non-members are also welcome. Please see the Forthcoming Events section for further details or contact Alison Trevett Tel: 01258 881295 *********************************************************DrivesOnce again Carol Cuff is kindly co-ordinating the drives in our area this Summer, and as you will see on the list of Forthcoming Events, thanks to generous hosts, we have a number planned. Unless otherwise stated, all drives will be driven together, however, with enough notice, a map can be provided so that you may drive the route individually. To find out more and if you have any questions about preparing for a drive, what it will involve etc, please contact Carol. Tel: 01300348461 *********************************************************Together with help from our web-master, Ann James does sterling work to keep our Dorset Area website up and running, and up to date. Find out the latest happenings in our patch here on the website, where you will also find photgraphs for past events. *********************************************************
********************************************************* WELFARE in ANIMAL TRANSPORT ORDER From 5th January 2007 a new Regulation on the protection of animals during transportation applies across the EU. The Regulation applies to all those involved with the transport of live vertebrate animals in connection with an economic activity. For example:
The Regulation does not apply to the transport of animals:
The Regulation includes an assessment of Competence Certification in the welfare of transporting equines, for example:
The British Driving Society along with the British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust were the only two equine disciplines to work with DEFRA on the creation of this Act and as a result have been granted DEFRA approved Assessor status. John Parker, Chairman of the BDS, strongly advises all of us to take the CC as “the Regulation is a living document that will develop in the light of experience implementing the Regulation”. In other words it is highly likely that when the Regulation comes up for review in 2012 that the CC will become compulsory for anyone transporting livestock. It is also worth knowing that the CC is a NVQ qualification that once gained is held for life. There is a Timetable of Implementation with the first date being January 8th 2008, the dead line for Competence Certification for all those involved with the transport of animals in connection with an economic activity. There is a great deal more to the WATO than explained here with implications for all of us. For more detailed information regarding taking the Competence Certification and the WATO Regulations please contact Caroline Douglas LHHI, (DEFRA Assessor) at ca.douglas@virgin.net or telephone 01590 682678 – also contact DEFRA at www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/farmed/transport/eu-transportreg.htm Contact the British Driving Society at email@britishdrivingsociety.co.uk for a Competence Certification syllabus and the list of DEFRA assessors.
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Hi Folks *********************************************************
********************************************************* A new Carriage Driving Magazine - four issues yearly. We had a very warm and positive response to our launch of Issue 1 at Brockham Harness Club's Carriage Fair, 11 March, at Ardingly Showground. Thank you to everyone who supported us!
And much more!
********************************************************* Rights of Way Improvement Plan for Dorset: Public consultation 12 Feb - 23 Mar 2007 ********************************************************* 'We have been asked by the Forestry Commission to kindly remind our members that when driving on F.C. land we are allowed to drive on gravel and man-made tracks ONLY and not to use grassed areas and trees for practising'.
********************************************************* 'Tried and Tested' From Alison Trevett Anyone who is keen to get away from the traffic and drive off road might find that their local UK Chasers course is just the place to go. In days gone by I’ve had some lovely drives at Tenantry Farm, Rockbourne near Fordingbridge, and recently took a trip around my local course at Lower Bryanston Farm, near Blandford. At just 4½ miles long, on mainly grassland and through wooded areas, this course might not appear much of a challenge, but in addition to the long level stretches there are some sharp hilly sections, and together with spinning around some of the jumps for hazard driving practice and several dips in the water splash (which was very welcome on the particular warm Summer’s evening that we went) it provided us with a lovely drive. However, I’m pleased we took our ‘battle wagon’ vehicle, as the course would not be suitable for traditional vehicles. To have on-going access to this and other UK Chasers courses, you need to be a member, but owner Tony Jones is offering Dorset and South Wilts BDS members the chance to visit his UK Chasers course at Lower Bryanston Farm for a special rate of £15.00/turnout for your first visit. To find out more and to book a visit (giving a minimum of 24 hours notice) telephone Tony on 01258 452009. Tony can also provide UK Chasers membership details. PS: The course is also great to ride! |
