Quadrille and Novice Dressage at BRC National Winter Championships Arena UK Grantham April 2025

Quadrille
by Sharlotte Hughes

TRAINING- Challenges in the training, clashing schedules, finding arenas the right size with availability, mixed level and sized horses differences of opinion on the floorplan, losing a team member and recruiting a new one, lorry troubles meaning we had to practice at Amy’s yard and Dot had to hack to practice. Minor injury for charlie meant he was out for a couple of sessions.Training was fun and we tried various moves from charges and turns, canter side by side, a pinwheel of 4 horses abreast which the innermost walking and each horse going slightly faster as you move outwards until the outermost is medium cantering. We practiced riding two abreast and passing things from one to other. We rode in capes and with gauntlets (I raided the children’s fancy dress box for these bits). We had a grand reveal planned but time and costume budget put pain to that. What remained was a robust and reliable but still entertaining floorplan. Our last session was particularly fun. We trained for 2 hours in partial costume to the music. The horses knew the routine and the music, we worked out the finer details such as where to raise the hand for the music.
FRIDAY- On Friday we were packing up, washing horses and travelling to arena uk. We thought we had the day to get there but the traffic built up as we were on the road and 4 hours turned into 5. Longer for the ladies in their lorries. I arrived first and nervously awaited my team members. Amy and Lily arrived and we were warming up waiting for Dot. We were taken to the arena holding area for our rehearsal. Thankfully Dot and Sprinkles arrived just as we were due to go in. Rehearsal done nicely, we unpacked, put ponies to bed and managed to get some dinner of chicken nuggets and chips at the bar at 9.10! Bed time in a cold trailer! 5.30am horse kicking the stable door to signal morning. Up and feed, hay, water, muck out and walk about for Theo. Then coffee and scrambled eggs cooked on the camping stove for breakfast for me. The rest of the morning and into the after we were adding some finishing touches to our costumes and getting our hats tagged. We had a briefing for all the quadrille teams and a hat check. We spent the afternoon plaiting and turning out our ponies. We got dressed, tacked up and mounted in full costume for the inspection. This was in the main arena and we were lined up on the centre line with 5 other teams for the judges to inspect everything! From cleanliness to tack fit, costume quality, appropriateness and inventiveness. We were also interviewed by the announcer.. so speak into a microphone for all to hear! After that was done it was an hour wait until our showpiece! A quick pop to the bar for some dinner then I went to replait some of Theo’s plaits he had vigorously shaken out. whilst I was there the steward came to call us early for our warm up time. Quick call to the team and they arrived and tacked up and mounted. In the warm up we ran through the show piece.. all good. Some issues with Lily’s costume were resolved and we were into the holding area. We saw a bit of the show before us. The Wizard of Cobs! Then it was our turn…
We were instructed on which direction to turn on entry so we didnt crash into the exciting quadrille team and which way to leave the arena after our performance. We entered in walk, when the gates were closed we got into position started our trot and signalled for the music. We performed our show piece in front of a large crowd that were still applauding the previous team. Thankfully the horses were not bothered by this and by now we could ride it with our eyes closed and so could the horses. We had some costume malfunctions, my wig fell off, Dot dropped her sword, but all in all well ridden and no major hiccups. A nice loud applause and very happy rider faces. What an experience to ride our showpiece to such a crowd. Horses sorted, tea drank and onto taking plaits out or in dependant who was or was not competing early the next morning. Late night and early morning.
Judges comments
“Clear theme, used music and choreography to clearly tell a story. Interesting finish which worked well into final halt”
” A well thought out display. Well ridden by all team members”
Sharlotte

Quadrille and Dressage Reports
by Amy Richardson and Debbie Mills

What a weekend me and Lily Richardson has just had and one that won’t be forgotten quickly!
Saturday night saw us both along with Sharlotte Hughes and Dorothy Mills taking part in the Quadrille Championships representing Meon Riding Club as the Pirates of the Meon Valley in which we came 7th.
I cannot get over just how well behaved the ponies were for their 1st time in an atmosphere like that! Natty was absolutely loving the limelight and Charlie being only 4 years old just soaking it all up like a pro.
Sunday then saw Lily & Natty trotting down the centre line for the Intro 3 to place 10th with 62.95%. Securing the team of Daisy Brock, Pippa Emery & Dotty Mills overall 6th place out of 21 teams.
Later on they had to do it all again in the Intro 2, this time securing another top 10 position in a massive class of 27 with a 9th place on 65.23%.
I cannot express enough how proud I am for Lily to have the courage of trotting down that centre line at her very first National Championships, and how well she rode and contained a highly spirited Natty who seems to love the atmosphere so much!
Amy

On Friday we left for Arena uk for the second time this month. We arrived with only minutes to get ready for rehearsals. Dot and Sprinkles loved the practice as there were a lot of things that she had not seen before.
This was the first time they had entered into a quadrille dressage, along with her amazing team from Meon Riding Club. These guys have put so much effort into practice, costumes , music, floor plan , and of course all agreeing on the final outcome .
So ten teams were competing. We saw some pretty amazing routines. Such a high standard from everyone .
The inspection was all very serious, the judges where looking at every single thing. What a performance they did !!! It was brilliant! All horses behaved beautifully, the atmosphere was unbelievable, Sprinkles had never been in that situation before but she just got on and did her job .. the team came 7th out of 10 !
How proud am I ?? Dorothy Mills and Sprinkles you are both fabulous!
Thank you Sharlotte Hughes , Amy Richardson and Lilly for being so brilliant …
Second day at Arena UK .. Sunday was an early start as test was 9.19 am. Both were very relaxed in the warm up and looked great .The atmosphere with 8 arenas all doing dressage was intense. They entered the boards looking calm and confident. It was a lovely test …Both kept there cool. I knew Dorothy Mills was tired and feeling the effect of a long weekend but she never showed it. Sprinkles took on the white boards and smashed it coming 4th with the winning score only being 0.30 in front. There was over 20 in the class so we are really pleased with the results. This pony is one in a million.
Thank you Meon Riding Club for this amazing opportunity to compete at Arena UK
Debbie Mills