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A review of the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust Annual Show

January 27, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

A lovely report to brighten your day and an insight into the remarkable work of the GHDT.

An extract taken from GHDT Show report of December 2011

December is a busy time at the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust with the Annual Horse and Donkey Show, and 2011 was no exception! We had another wonderful group of volunteers from the UK to help us to get everything set up and ready for the big day, and as if that wasn’t enough to do we managed to get plenty of other jobs completed too.
Ros, Russel, Anthony, Lynn, Jeanette, Helena and Toby made a wonderful team to set to work on cleaning up the Sambel Kunda Village Clinic, in preparation for it re-opening this year. There was plenty of cleaning, painting, re-tiling and organising to do in a very short space of time. As always once work began, the local villagers were keen to get involved. No matter how many times Ros and Lynn tried to do some painting their brushes were grappled from them by the keen villagers happy to do their bit! Kerry, Jeanette and Helena undertook the daunting task of organising what was found in the cupboards and after working their magic everything was beautifully organised and arranged in a way that makes it easy to find anything you might need.

News travels fast when there are nurses around, and patients started trickling in to the clinic to see Kerry and Jeanette, who were kept busy for the duration of their stay!
Meanwhile, our visiting vets Pat, Laura, Sally, Becky, Nina and Stefanie headed out to the local villages to undertake important veterinary duties. It was always easy to find them as wherever they were working there was an enormous crowd of locals gathered around, all keen to get a glimpse of the veterinary action and all desperate for their animal to be attended to. They worked non-stop for hours on end without even stopping for lunch, and their work was greatly appreciated by the villagers.

Many tents, gazebos and marquees are required for the Show and we were blessed with having a brilliant and very enthusiastic team of erecters! Even without the instructions Immie, Ellie, Jo, Toby, Anthony and Pete were able to get the marquee into what looked like the correct shape, and that is no mean feat! Once the tents were up things really started to take shape; the bunting was added and fence posts painted, turning the rustic looking GHDT centre into a colourful Show ground, just in time for the competitors to start arriving.

Since some people walk for days with their animals to attend the show, they often start to arrive a day early to allow their animal’s time to rest and have a wash before the big day. It was a promising sign to see our yard full of stallions and their carts the day before the show, especially when they were all in such amazing condition.

Once again the Show was a wonderful demonstration of how much equine care and management has improved in the area. Year after year we are now seeing an increase in the number of healthy animals, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to judge between them! Both the numbers and standards of competitors have improved again, and the owners really are proud to display their beautiful animals. With over 200 horses and donkeys this year it was complete chaos, with horses and donkeys everywhere you turned. It is so difficult to choose between donkeys who are all in good condition, all have a gleaming coat and a young handler with a beaming smile. It somehow seems unfair that they don’t all get a red rosette for keeping their animals is such wonderful condition despite the harsh environment.

Between the showing classes were games of Donkey Ball, played by three teams of 7 boys who had been attending Donkey Club Training twice a week for the past few months. Trying to gather them all into one place to prepare them with their coloured bandages, fly fringes and shirts is no easy task amongst hundreds of people and all the excitement! Incredibly they all managed to get ready just in time for their matches, which entertained the crowds as always. The boys are very competitive and take their responsibility of setting an example to other donkey handlers very seriously. Amazingly, after all their matches all three teams were on exactly the same number of points, so all competitors did get a rosette for being such good sports and for playing so well. Perhaps it will only be a matter of time until Donkey Ball teams start emerging in different areas of the country now that donkey Ball is becoming quite a sensation in The Gambia!

The show not only gives the owners an opportunity to show off their animals, but it also gives us the chance to provide valuable education as well as carry out valuable research. We were honoured to have a small team from ITC (the International Trypanosome Centre) to assist us in the laboratory for the show day, in order to continue our research into trypanosomes (which cause Sleeping Sickness in humans and trypanosomiasis in horses and donkeys). Blood was to be taken from every animal attending the show, so that it could be analysed, and the help from the ITC team meant that instead of taking days to process the samples, they were all completed by the end of the Show – an incredible achievement! All of the vets had an incredibly busy day both taking blood and treating any sick animals.

This year saw some new Champion winners take the trophies, and they were a wonderful example of well cared for animals. The Supreme Champion this year was a beautiful bay stallion called Boycee, who pipped last year’s reigning Supreme Champion, a mare called Tiger, at the post. Such a fantastic day was had by everyone, with lots of happy owners going home with new reflective jackets, head collars and fully health checked animals.  Not only was the Show enjoyed by those of us attending, but it has also since been televised to the whole of The Gambia which has helped the message of good equine management spread to all corners of the country.

This Charity urgently needs bits, headcollars, bridles, girths and numnahs - so if you are having a tack room clear out PLEASE think of them.

Unwanted DVD's and CD's are also needed as these can be sold for much needed cash.

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New British Showjumping rules on micro-chipping and vaccinations come into force on 1st April 2012

January 26, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

If you wish to compete your horse or pony in affiliated show jumping competitions then these new rules will apply to you.

From 1st April 2012 -  if you buy a new horse of any age that does not have a microchip or any vaccinations you will need both in order to  register him/her under BS Rules. For big yards this record keeping will need to be properly organised as few, if any of the horses will be having their fluvacs at the same time! In Racing yards (who have had to comply with these rules for many years) - there are various charts and/or computer spreadsheets in use, to record vaccinations and larger show jumping yards may wish to set up something similar.

BRITISH SHOWJUMPING RULES ON MICRO-CHIPPING AND FLU VACCINATIONS

Micro-chipping

Effective from 1st April 2012, all NEWLY registered horses and ponies competing in National competitions must be micro-chipped.  Horses that are already registered with British Showjumping will not be required to be micro-chipped at this stage.  

Flu Vaccinations

Effective from 1st April 2012, flu vaccinations will be mandatory for all registered horses and ponies and they must be in possession of a valid flu vaccination certificate.  It is the owners responsibility to ensure that the horse’s vaccinations are up to date and correctly recorded on the diagrammatic vaccination record.  Spot checks will be regularly carried out at shows throughout the year.  The horse must have received 2 injections for primary vaccination against equine influenza given no less than 21 days and no more than 92 days apart.  Only these 2 injections need to have been given before a horse can compete in British Showjumping competitions.  In addition, a first booster injection must be given no less than 150 days and no more than 215 days after the second injection of the primary vaccination.  Subsequently, booster injections must be given at intervals of not more than 1 year apart.  

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A rare trip to Lambourn and many memories

January 25, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Due to all the new roads round Swindon, I hardly recognised the Shrivenham turning to Upper Lambourn and then barely recognised the training yard where I started as a trainers secretary working for trainer Simon Morant many years ago!  The house and yard had been transformed by Jenny Pitman when she was there and now offers superb facilities to the 50 inmates and current trainer.

After a brief stop we set off to Lambourn and passed Uplands where my ex boss, the late Fred Winter trained so many legends - Bula, Lanzarote, Pendil, Crisp, Killiney - sadly the yard is empty and those happy days are just memories. 

We were in Lambourn to attend the service to celebrate the life of Fred's eldest daughter Joanna. Her enormously wide circle of friends which included Racehorse owners, trainers, jockeys, stable staff, event riders, racing journalists, vets, blacksmiths and just about everybody else you can imagine filled both the Catholic Church and the Community Hall beside it.

The service celebrated all the fun laughter and happiness that Jojo gave to all who knew her. Her sisters Sneeze and Philly, her mother Di and her nephews and nieces all contributed in different ways to this lovely service.  We were also reminded of Jojo's tireless commitment to the hundreds of horses that she nursed back to health, her riding talents with gold and two bronze medals as a Young Event Rider representing Great Britain, her rides at Badminton and Burghley - her nine winners on the flat and her rides abroad in flat races representing her country. Her  achievements and selfless good deeds were inspiring.

Jojo was so modest that she always felt that she had never done enough but this was not the case!

We then went back to her mother, Di Winters home and a chance to meet old friends and heroes. Those that I caught up with from our days at Uplands included John Francome - who reminded me about my very tight jeans!! - Charlie Brooks, Nicky Henderson, and Fred's head lad Brian Delaney. The list went on an  on and I like Kim Bailey (see his blog) also chatted to Henry Cecil whose daughter Katie had been a naughty bridesmaid at my wedding to JDWB in 1974.

A real trip down memory lane and the love and laughter that Jojo gave to us all was definitely present yesterday afternoon.

Good news from the USA - Skye had double clear with her first ride 'in the ring'. The class was similar to the format used in the qualifying classes on the Spanish Sunshine Tour where all 'young horse' double clears are joint first. Needless to say we are over the moon as the horses connections were very pleased and that is what matters to us all.

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A very windy week end

January 23, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

My elder daughter Clare and her house guest Pip arrived on Friday afternoon and then a few hours of cooking followed with the help of Jamie Oliver! We were on a mission to cook supper for Friday night, and then all the food for the pre Hunt Ball dinner party on Saturday evening. 

I love having Clare and her friends to stay and all arrived safely with some to pick up from Whitchurch station, and others arriving by car.

Hunting on Saturday and Clare and another of her friends, who had only hunted once before, hired horses from Roger Rimmer. The hirelings were both perfect for their respective riders and I followed on my bike and did not have to pick up any pieces!!

The wind was ferocious and most of the fruit cake - blew off the serving trays at the lawn meet! A good turn out and a busy day with a very good afternoon hunt on a line over some stiff hedges.

The Hunt Ball was a great success and the hard working committee have to balance making money with giving guests good 'ticket value' so that they will come again next year. They achieved this - which is no mean feat in these tough economic times. Many would think twice before accepting a Hunt Ball invitation as this can be a very expensive evening, even more so if you do not have a good time!

Skye called from a very hot Florida - the first really hot day and Skye now has a serious sun tan. We had a long chat and all is going well - and more hot weather forecast! Cassandra Van de Paeme the bright bay mare Skye rode at the Charles Stanley British Masters and at HOYS 2011 has recently been sold to Europe. This lovely mare by Carthargo Z was a model of consistency last summer and I do hope that she does well in her new home.

Meanwhile back at home, South View held it's first major adult BSJA show of 2012 and Skye's ex boss Dave Quigley won the Grand Prix on  Diblessse. What a great start to the year as the Quigley team have only just started competing again following their winter break. Dave's pupil Dom Webb also did well on his new horse Cassandro - No he is not Cassandra's brother!!!  Well done to the whole team and I know Skye will be thrilled when she hears this good news.

Nick's birthday today and he is now the delighted owner of a beautiful overnight bag made by Rutherfords.

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Horsey Hotties social networking App is a huge success

January 20, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

News from Ginny Rose that the social networking app that she launched in mid December now has 500 members in 21 countries.

The Horsey Hotties App is the location based app that enables users to see and instantly chat to like minded horsey people in their local area and further afield.

Horsey Hotties uses you iPhone GPS therefore, as you move around the closest people in your location change. For example if you want to go racing, you would be able to see who else is at the races too! Horsey Hotties enables users to start a conversation instantly and meet up. " I am in the paddock, come and say Hi"

Simply download, build a quick profile highlighting your equestrian interests using our 'Horsey Scene' selector and start chatting instantly to other Horsey Hotties.

Horsey Hotties is a Free App with an additional 'in app' purchase to unlock premium features to enhance your Horsey Hotties experience.

Horsey Hotties has been built by Horsey people, for horsey people who share a passion for equestrianism and connecting like-minded Horsey Hotties.

I spoke to Charlotte (Ridley) to catch up on her news following the schooling fall from a young horse that she had nearly two weeks ago. Charlotte broke both legs but a recent scan has revealed that the leg that she broke in two places is actually broken in nine places. Hopefully only one operation will be needed to piece the bones together and this will take place next Thursday.

Charlotte is married to my first cousin Nick and lives at Park End my mothers family home in Northumberland where she runs the highly successful Park End Equestrian Centre. Charlotte qualifed BurghleyYoung Event Horse finalist Catch Me MG for myself and Nicolette Gidley Wright. MG is now eventing with his amateur rider - and has won! Charlotte also rode and produced Valentino V in the final at Burghley that year and then sold her lovely horse. He is now competing at Advanced level with professional rider Sarah Bullimore. Both horses came from Ran Arbel as raw five year olds.

Charlotte is sending me the scan of her leg via email today.

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Old CDs and DVDs wanted by the Garmbia Horse and Donkey Trust

January 19, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

A message from Heather Armstrong of GHDT via Facebook.

OLD CDs and DVDs wanted!!!

We are now able to recycle old/unwanted CDs and DVDs in exchange for much needed funds. If you have any unwanted CD ALBUMS, DVDs, PSP, XBox, XBox 360, Wii, Nintendo DS or Nintendo 3Ds Games please send them to us at the address provided on the poster. Please do not send them to the usual GHDT address! If you cannot read the address on the poster - it is:

GHDT

Mill House,

Erbistock,

Wrexham LL13 0DW.

All items sent must be originals in their box, with their original art work. We cannot accept copies of any kind and we cannot use freebies, such as the ones you sometimes receive with newspapers, etc.

Please contact us if you would like any further information. Come on....you know it's time you had a clear out!! Thank you!

And whilst doing so please visit your tack room and donate any snaffle  bits less than 5 inches, pony and cob size headcollars - cotton numnahs and girths as these are also needed by this Charity. If you live in Cheshire then please call me - Emma Higgin, on 01948 861015 and I can gather everything together and send the tack to Heather in one big parcel!  

For those who are fed up of being asked or cannot afford to give money to Charity then this is a perfect way to get rid of unwanted items and provide much needed funds.

The Hunt Ball is this week end and I need to borrow a 40" chest, long fit, gents hunting coat in tweed or black to be used by one of my  daughter Clare's guests who has never hunted before and is going out on a hireling on Saturday! I have asked one or two regular hunt followers but they are either to broad or too narrow! 

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A trip to Arbel Sport Horses

January 18, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

I have not been to see Ran Arbel since before Christmas and my planned trip to Oswestry to buy sea grass rugs and runners for the kitchen from Textile Express meant that I was just a few miles away from Ran's yard.

Sadly, Textile Express no longer do the matting I have bought from them for the last 10 years so I came home and eventually found exactly what I want on the Internet - cheap as chips - and arriving tomorrow. 

On the way home we (Fiona was with me) called in at Rans yard to view his latest bunch of young horses. The outdoor arena was frozen solid so it was just a case of  peeling off layers of rugs and having a quick look at a few of the horses in the stable. As always Ran has a lovely type of horse and two young mares Dark Rose and Witty would suit many clients.

Ran is building up a big name for himself through selling to professional riders and there were young horses who looked to have the class and potential to do well in their hands. One was a Heartbreaker mare who ticked the boxes. Ran was quick to point out that Heartbreaker has been a very prolific and successful sire of show jumpers, eventers and dressage horses. He is getting on in years and is less prolific as a sire - so there are not many 'young' progeny around. This mare could have 'paddock' value.

Stop Press - I met Paul Hill of Edgemere in the village shop and he has just got the dealership for selling Ifor Williams Trailers. His telephone has never stopped ringing and two trailers were sold yesterday and 11 enquiries. I have always thought that Ifor Williams sell their trailers through the most obscure outlets - Leek and Corwen  in this area. To be able to view and buy from Edgemere's yard which is behind the biggest Equestrian retail outlet in this area is bound to be a winner! 

Paul has just put a second-hand Ifor Williams trailer 511 on this website - the plastic is still on the ramp and it is a BARGAIN.  Please visit our products and services section and see advert 19564.

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A cold and frosty morning

January 16, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

The most beautiful day on Saturday and a huge turn out at our local meet. Delicious port with hot sausages and ginger cake and as you can see from my photos - a certain hound just loved the  ginger cake. Nick and I followed by bicycle and were joined by Sue Higham whose daughter Bella was out on a four-year old, who jumped beautifully.

The two toddlers in the twin push chair are born and bred to go hunting so were totally unfazed by this greedy hound. On the left we have Evie daughter of Tessa and Warren Greatrex who is having an excellent season training in Upper Lambourn. Tessa is a highly respected and successful bloodstock agent with her own 'book' of clients and Evie, (when in need of a break from her families busy life) comes to stay with granny.  On the right we have Jake - born just a few hours earlier than Evie and his parents are Polly Stockton, (Tessa's sister) and her husband Chris. Polly is highly successful in her own right as an International event rider who rode for Team GB last season and hopes to again in 2012. Chris is a bit of a legend as well - not only as a superb field master to the Cheshire hounds but also as a business entrepreneur.

With grandad out hunting on Saturday it will not be too long before Evie and Jake join him.

I rode out this morning in my 'exercise' racing saddle for the first time for many years. I had struggled to get on board Flashy Boy (due to my weak knee) when popping over to help Guy Churton who was riding the ex Henry Daly trained racehorse Master Somerville. Getting onto a proper exercise racing saddle with its low back was perfect and it was great to be using it again.

We had friends for lunch yesterday and had a great time. This is a new experience as up until now I have spent my FREE Sundays watching Skye compete at Shows. Now that she is in the USA - we are having friends to lunch instead and loving it!

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What to do if you receive a scam email or pay for goods that you do not receive

January 13, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

We have now updated this website and all this information is in our Site Info (see the button above and click on it).

If you suspect that you are a victim of Phishing’ and other e-Mails asking for personal details
 
Never reply to these emails - you will be put on a ‘suckers’ list.
    
Send all banking related ‘phishing’ emails to Bank Safe on line - reports@banksafeonline.org.uk
    
Paypal or eBay related issues should be sent to spoof@paypal.co.uk or spoof@ebay.co.uk
   

For other scam emails then Action Fraud is who you need. They can help with emails that you receive, for example somebody wanting to buy your horse, pony, trailer, horsebox etc from you and wanting to deposit money into you bank account which will include a 'shipping' fee.

www.actionfraud.org.uk was set up two years ago and is linked to the Metropolitan Police. It is the U.K's National fraud reporting centre.
 
Please beware when buying items via the Internet. For example, you have paid for goods and they have not arrived - the seller will give you a poor excuse for non delivery and will not return your money. This is a criminal offence and you should contact and report this crime your local police.
 
Use of the Internet and email is something that is taken for granted these days. Lured into a false sense of security, users often forget that they are not dealing face to face with the other party – they believe what they see is true, without reservation or caution.
   
If, you are a victim of a fraud/scam and wish to report it then the link that you will require is http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/report_fraud

If you wish to speak to an Action Fraud advisor then please call 0300 123 2040. between 8.00a.m. -  8.00 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9.00a.m. - 5.00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The above, is in addition to reporting the crime to your local police. 
 
If you are unsure or want to speak to us, then call 01948 861015.
 
Please report all your suspicions as we will take them very seriously and your actions will help to keep this site clean

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Bit Appeal for the horses and donkeys of The Gambia

January 12, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

From Heather Armstrong:-

We are in desperate need of donations of UK style bits to distribute to local farmers.

Many owners work their horses and donkeys using barbaric rusty Senegalese bits or simply rope tied through their animals' mouths. As you can imagine, this causes horrific mouth injuries.

Many of the horses and donkeys we treat have wounds which are so easily avoidable by using a correct bit.

Sadly, the poor quality of the metal out in the Gambia means that it is not possible to manufacture UK style bits in the country, and as such we rely entirely on shipping out donated bits from the UK.

When having a tack room clear out, or when purchasing a new bit, please give your old one a second life, and donate it to the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust by sending it to the address below.

Donating a bit is one of the easiest ways to make such a huge difference to a working equine out in the Gambia.

Thank you.

Please send bits to:

The Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust
Brewery Arms Cottage
Stane Street
Ockley
Surrey
RH5 5TH

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