In the week we invite you to nominate a club for the Horse Dialog Equestrian Club of the Year, we take a look at why you should get involved with your local club...
1. On your doorstep
With hundreds of riding clubs and Pony Clubs situated around Britain you are certain to find a club for you and your horse without having to travel too far.
2. It won’t break the bank
While joining affiliated bodies can be costly, especially if you want to participate in more than one discipline, British Riding Clubs offer membership from around £30 annually, while Pony Club Centre membership starts from £36.
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Nominate your club for the Horse Dialog Equestrian Club of the Year 2020
This has been an extraordinary year, with so much changing in the face of Covid-19. But we are thrilled to announce the H&H Awards, again in partnership with NAF, are back, and nominations are now open. One of the categories is the Horse Dialog Equestrian Club of the Year 2020. This award is to celebrate the organisations that bring riders together and best supports them in achieving their goals – changing riders’ experiences for the better. If you know of a club that you would like to nominate for this award, put them forward here.
Joining a club gives you access to a whole host of different disciplines from showjumping, dressage and eventing to activities you perhaps haven’t had the opportunity to try previously including endurance and style jumping.
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4. Save the pennies
Membership offers discounted training sessions run by your local club and often discounted entry fees for local competitions allowing you to train and compete as much as you like.
5. Grants are available
Furthermore your local area representative can apply for two fantastic Area Training Grants every year benefiting riding clubs and members in the area. These grants previously have been used for training clinics, demo evenings and team building days.
6. Get in the competition zone
With a variety of Area Qualifiers across the country you and your team might be aiming for one of the many national championships on offer. And for the really ambitious there is the European CCI3*-L Championships for the best of the riding club event riders.
There are opportunities across both riding club and Pony Club to train with some of the world’s best riders and trainers. And what’s more, sessions often cost less than you might think, offering fantastic value for money.
8. Stay involved — without getting or owning on a horse
Perhaps competing isn’t on your agenda and you just want to enjoy the sport from the ground. There is also the British Riding Club Volunteers’ Club offering a huge range of benefits and rewards for those much appreciated volunteers to help out at the British Riding Club events and championships. While the Pony Club offers centre membership, which means you don’t have to have your own pony to join; you can simply join one of their linked riding schools where you can do your Pony Club activities.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
