Well, isn’t the weather glorious for May?! (Insert sarcastic insult here). I keep expecting the sun to come out and the beautiful spring weather to take hold, but all I see out of the window is dull, dull, dull. No matter, with any luck we will have stunning sunshine for the show on the 23rd. Which will be a medal show, so all first place winners will have some bling. It’s also a qualifier for our NWSJC and NWWHC, along with the Midlands finals, Greater Manchester Finals and the UK Showing championships.

We are looking forward to another successful show. It was great to see you all in April, despite the downpour just after lunch. The ground held beautifully, though, so your showground is in fantastic condition.

Check out our junior newsletter for a Q&A session with none other than leading showjumper Billy Twomey! Sophie Horton put together an email, and Billy was kind enough to reply, so thanks to him and to our great junior committee who work hard to represent our younger members.

You can read the junior committee newsletter by clicking here.
You can read our normal newsletter by clicking here.

See you on the 23rd!

Ruth

July Show

July will be a ‘Highest Placed Member’ show, where the highest placed member in each class will receive a special rosette. You MUST have your membership card with you in the ring to receive your rosette!! No exceptions. No card, no rosette. Please contact Carol if you have yet to receive your card.

A Bit Of Clarification

Just want to clear something up, due to people not wanting to compete when it rained at the last show. If WE abandon classes, your entries will be forwarded on to the next show. If YOU choose not to compete after making an entry, that’s your decision and you would forfeit your entry fee.

Charity

Our charities for last month each received £30, the takings of Clear Round split between the Brooke Hospital for Animals and the Manchester Children’s Hospital. Well done to you for competing, every penny can make a difference.

This month we are championing the Cardiac Unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital. They have been looking after one or two of our competitors, who would like to give something back. GOSH really needs no introduction, go and look at their website at http://www.ich.ucl.ac.uk/. Our equine charity will be Jigsaw, the Mawdesley Equine and People Trust. Jigsaw rescue and rehabilitate horses and ponies, and also provide training and courses for people from all walks of life. Check out their worthwhile cause at http://www.equinextra.com/index.htm

Sponsor A Class!

At the May show you will have the chance to sponsor a set of rosettes for a class at the July show. This was a great success last year, it cost £10 to have a set of rosette tails printed (and you get one to keep!). Promote a business, remember a loved one, or just to show off. Committee member Jane Gerrard will be going round the show to find sponsors, so make sure you don’t miss her.

You will also have the chance to sponsor a set of rosettes for the North West Working Hunter Championships. 12 big, beautiful rosettes, perfect for promotion, and don’t forget there will be people from all over the North West and beyond who will see your rosettes. Grab the opportunity!

In fact, if you want to sponsor a class at the finals and donate prizes, vouchers, saddlecloths, treats, feed, whatever, then I want to hear from you. It’s a chance to get in at the start of what promises to be an event every bit as popular and prestigious as the North West Show Jumping finals!

Bridgewater Babes On Tour!

Good luck to our own Becky Brougham and Helen Platt, who are competing in the SEIB Search for a Star classes at Osbaldeston on May 23rd. Here’s hoping you qualify for HOYS!!!!

NORTH WEST WORKING HUNTER CHAMPIONSHIPS

2 days, 10 classes, rossettes to 12th, trophies to 3rd

Sashes to Champion & Reserve Champion
NWWHC Champion rugs to all class winners
Rosettes to 12th Place
Trophies to 3rd Place
Vouchers and Prizes to 5th place
Rosettes to all Finalists

Final held at Cheshire Riding School Showground, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6BS

Saturday 28th August 2010

PONIES
Classes start 9am & follow on
P1 Cradle/Nursery Stakes 2’0 (Ponies 133cm & under, Riders 12 yrs & under)
P2 M&M Small Breeds 2’3
P3 Novice Pony 153cm & Under 2’3
P4 Intermediate Pony 153cm & Under 2’6
P5 Open Pony 153cm & Under 3’0

Sunday 29th August 2010

HORSES
Classes start 9am & follow on
H1 Novice Horse over 153cm 2’6
H2 M&M Large Breeds 2’9
H3 Working Cob 2’9
H4 Intermediate Horse over 153cm 3’0
H5 Open Horse over 153cm 3’6

Click here for qualifier shows.

If you require any further details or assistance please contact Ruth Watson on 07979031619 or email ruthclifton@msn.com

Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th August 2010

Finals held at Cheshire Riding School Showground, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6BS
Hosted by Bridgewater Riding Club

Sashes to Champion & Reserve Champion

NWSJC Champion saddle cloths to all class winners

Rosettes to 12^th Place

Trophies to 6th Place

Big Name Sponsor Vouchers and Prizes

Medals & Rosettes to all finalists

Prizes from: Robinsons, Joules, KP Equestrian, WoofWear, Bluechip Feeds, Gallop, Neddy’s Feeds, TopSpec, Dengie, Rowen Barbary, Belstane, Dodson & Horrell, Feedmark & Equinesound.

OVER 100 QUALIFYING SHOWS ACROSS THE NORTH-WEST!!!

Click here for qualifier shows.

Saturday 28th August 2010

PONIES (148cm & under)
Classes start 9am & follow on
P1 Gallop Magazine 1’9 Final
P2 ThinkSound 2’3 Final
P3 Neddy’s Nibbles 2’6 (speed A4) Final
P4 TopSpec 2’9 Final
P5 Robinsons Country Leisure 3’3 Final

Sunday 29th August 2010

HORSES (over 148cm)
Classes start 9am & follow on
H1 Dengie 2’0 Final
H2 Rowen BarBary 2’6 Final
H3 TopSpec 2’9 (speed A4) Final
H4 BlueChip 3’0 Final
H5 Woof Wear 3’6 Final

What with these new classes plus the launch of the North West Working Hunter Championships in August, we are so excited about 2010! We hope you are too and look forward to seeing you in April. Not long now!

Check out the show calendar to get those dates in the diary and view the new schedule here.

I am proud to be back as your chairman in what’s now my 4th year. I want us all to go forward as a team and help make BRC an even more fantastic club than we already are! I’m sure you will welcome our new committee members (as well as the old ones!).We are all around on show days, please feel free to have a chat to any of us. It goes without saying that I know you will treat them with respect. Please listen if they ask you to do something (or not!) on show day. They are doing it for the good of the club!

You can download the newsletter here. For our junior members you can download your junior newsletter here, with a crossword. here, with a crossword!

EMAIL ALERT!

If you receive your newsletter by snail mail, this is the last one you will receive. We have to consider all the environmental issues, and it’s just not necessary in this day and age to rely on printed news every month. You can sign up for our mailing list on the website. Updates are also available on Facebook and Twitter. All forms (pre entry, member, newsletter) can be printed directly off our website. If you do not have web access (surely not!), please ask a friend to print your forms from our site.

ROSETTES TO 8TH PLACE!

Good news for you rosette hunters out there: Bridgewater Riding Club is becoming the first riding club that places every class down to 8th place! The points system remains the same (see schedule booklet when you receive your membership after joining), but every class will now place all the way down to 8th. The junior committee are choosing rosette colours as we speak. The start of a new tradition!

WE ARE LOOKING FOR COVER STARS!

Everyone remember last year’s schedule cover? Well, you have the opportunity again to be a cover star! Email your pictures to ruthclifton@msn.com and we will select the best ones to go on the cover! Closing date is 1st March, so we have time to get it all printed. Best of Luck!!

MEMBERSHIPS – REMEMBER YOUR CARD!

It’s really worth joining BEFORE the shows begin, and save a lot of stress and queueing on first show day morning in the caravan. That way you will be sent your pre entry form every month to fill in and return so all you have to do on show morning is collect your number. When you receive your membership card, keep it safe! Carry it with you in your jacket pocket, as for Highest Placed Member shows you will need it in the ring. We will also need your membership number when you make entries, so keep that card safe!

We will be strict about enforcing this, as last year we had a few people paying member entry rates when they were non members. Hmm. It only takes a couple of mean spirited people to spoil it. So make sure you carry your card, please! Ok, enough lecture.

Make sure you read the junior committee newsletter and get those memberships in. See you at Easter!

Ruth

Now in it’s 6th year, the 2010 North West Show Jumping Championships will be held once again on the August Bank Holiday weekend at the Bridgewater Riding Club Showground @ Brookhouse Equestrian Centre in Cheshire. Ponies competing on Saturday 28th August and horses on Sunday 29th August.  In 2009, riders traveled from 10 counties to compete, representing over 25 riding clubs and shows.

We are looking for sponsors for classes, rosettes, trophies and jumps. If you are interested in sponsoring the Championships, please see the sponsor page for more information.

The list of qualifying shows can be found on the qualifiers page.

We will be bringing you news of the new members of the 2010 committee, together with a fully confirmed calendar and schedule in the next couple of weeks.

We can confirm that Ruth Clifton was overwhelmingly voted back in as Chair for another season, she will be joined by new Vice-Chairman Dave Pomphret. Congratulations to Ruth and Dave!

The first committee meeting for 2010 will take place on Monday 1st February, 7.30pm at The Hazel Pear.

We’ve had a large increase in website traffic over the past week with many people asking about the 2010 shows. We’ve updated the calendar and you can now see the dates for 2010. Further details on qualifiers, open medal and trophy shows will be updated shortly.