During the event - which included a barbecue, tea and cake stalls Judy Haggas, chairman of the Lady Taverners (who had travelled down from Yorkshire), presented a cheque of £4,665 to the organisers to cover the cost of a newly constructed ramp at the Bowlings School which will enable disabled riders to mount the horses and ponies much more easily. In response she was presented with a bouquet by RDA member Rachel Cross.
Held on Wednesday of last week at the Bowling Riding School, near Haverfordwest, by kind permission of Mrs. Janet Gibson, the Pembrokeshire College charity horse show this year was due, to the limitations imposed by Foot and Mouth disease restrictions, run with a different format to previous years.
Last week, students and staff of the college's equine section welcomed 70 disabled riders to the show, all of whom took part in a range of classes showing their skills as riders and costume designers!
The organisers are immensely grateful to all the wonderful sponsors, too numerous to mention, without whom the show could never support the riding offered to so many children in west Wales who ride at the Bowlings under the Riding for the Disabled scheme.
This year the amount raised was in excess of £3,500 - twice the amount realised in previous years.
Many thanks must also go to the judges for the day, Miss Jo Pringle, Miss Jennifer Davies, Mrs. Sarah Squires and Mrs. Linda Davies.
The principal, Mr. Glyn Jones, also viewed all the Pembrokeshire College equine students running this show, and was persuaded to judge the fancy dress competition, a very taxing job as there were over 30 entries!
Prize winners were:
Best RDA team of rider (under 16 years): Pony and leader - 1. Neil Reynolds; 2. Zoe Lloyd; 3. Paul Webber. Rider 17 years and over - 1. Anne Davies; 2. Annie Mallory; 3. Julie Thomas.
Handy pony: Rider 17 years and over - 1. Becky Lipscombe; 2. Anne Davies; 3. Richard Hamer. Rider 16 years and under - 1. Natalie Rally; 2. Holly; 3. Brian Murrow.
Fancy dress: Unmounted - 1. Daisy Cloud; 2. Richard Hamer; 3. Martin Smith. Mounted - 1. Zoe Lloyd and Neil Reynolds; 2. Sam Gwillam; 3. Libby Baiden.
Trophy winners:
McDonald's Trophy for the best overall RDA team: Anne Davies.
Pembrokeshire Horsebox Company Cup for the rider of the best Handy Pony: Natalie Rally.
Dragon Promotions Trophy for the best overall competitor through the day: Neil Reynolds.