Against the backdrop of taking children from one of the most deprived areas of Britain to an average of 15 riding lessons a year, the Club delivers standards that rival more regular riders.
14 year-old twins, Shanice and Shaneka Reid, epitomized this with a dressage and jumping display aboard Patch – a green five year-old, and Romeo, an established competition horse who’s last outing had been in the ‘Hunt Challenge’ at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
Yet the girls delivered performances that belied their experience and showed a horsemastership that clearly thrilled the owner of the horses, former three-day-eventer, and Club Patron, Charlotte Steel.
“The horses are far from the riding school ponies the girls are used to but I’m enormously proud of how the girls took instruction and rose to the challenge”, explained Charlotte, who is to continue to support the Club as it moves to a bespoke establishment in the centre of Brixton.
There, the Club will be able to deliver more riding and stable management to more members, backed by a £200,000 grant from the British Equestrian Federation’s Olympic Legacy project, HOOF-Ride London.
15 year-old Chloe Rice, explained, “ I have been trying to get extra riding by helping out at Willowtree Riding School at weekends but it can take an hour or more to get there.”
However, the centre will likely be completed just as Chloe heads to college.
She said, “The Club took lots of us to view Plumpton College’s Open Day and we were meant to tour the whole College but I got to the Equine department and stayed there all day”, adding, “Ebony has given me so much confidence, I can’t wait to go and I’m hoping I’ll get enough GCSEs to be able to go in at a higher level than I thought!”
And, this year’s Club Champion, Nahshon Devin, also has his sights set on the College.
“I want to study horse care and go on to work in a showjumping yard”, said Nahshon, 16, who took the title with 235points, nearly 50points ahead of his nearest rival.
Encompassing a unique judging system that includes points for ‘attitude to the horse’ and ‘persistence’, quelling challenging behaviours that some of the members may suffer from, the championship day also includes a written stable management exam, ridden assessment at walk, trot and canter and a practical assessment of leading a horse up in hand and tacking up and/or untacking a pony.
Chairman of the Volunteer Committee for the British Horse Society in London, Janet Coe, was among the judges and said, “I’m delighted with the Champion because when I saw him ride I thought we’ve got a winner here, but next year I’ll be anxiously waiting in the wings as I’ll be teaching at the new centre.”
And as the day came to its conclusion, founder, Ros Spearing, must have had mixed emotions as Hugo, the horse that inspired her to take children from her then neighbourhood to riding lessons made an appearance and she then waved goodbye to the host venue, Chelsfield Equestrian Centre, looking towards the championships being held at the Ebony Horse Club centre next year.
“All I can say is that I’m very proud”, said Ros.
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