Welcome to 2024 and our first Newsletter of the year. 2023 finished with the Club’s Christmas Meal and AGM at The Star Inn, Matfield which was well attended. The pub provided us with a room to ourselves, the food was great and plentiful and the company in very good cheer.
Plans for events in 2024 have been made although the weather is conspiring against us again with the ground being so wet that early outdoor events are having to be looked at in case of venue changes being required. The course building course with Malcolm Brown at Old Hay is a case in point. This is now to be held at Bradbourne Carriage Driving Centre in Sevenoaks as Old Hay grounds are too wet and soft even to park vehicles on.
The calendar to date is:
| 11 May | Have A Go Training | at Lamb’s Farm, Old Hay TN12 7DG from 10.00 am |
| 27 May | Training with Jane Lamb | at Lamb’s Farm, Old Hay TN12 7DG from 3.30 pm |
| 10 June | Training with Sara Howe | at Bethersden TN26 3JJ from 3.30 pm |
| 23 June | Inside Out Event | at Bethersden TN26 3JJ |
| 2 July | Training with Jane Lamb | at Lamb’s Farm, Old Hay TN12 7DG from 3.30 pm |
| 13 July | Have A Go Training | at Lamb’s Farm, Old Hay TN12 7DG from 10.00 am |
| 22 July | Training with Jane Lamb | at Bethersden TN26 3JJ from 3.30 pm |
| 2 August | Pre event training | at Lamb’s Farm, Old Hay TN12 7DG from midday |
| 3 August | One Day Event with BCDC | at Lamb’s Farm, Old Hay TN12 7DG from 09.00 am |
| 12 August | Training with Jane Lamb | at Bethersden TN26 3JJ from 3.30 pm |
| 17 August | Showing Event | at Lamb’s Farm, Old Hay TN12 7DG from 10.00 am |
| 3 Sept | Training with Jane Lamb | at Lamb’s Farm, Old Hay TN12 7DG from 3.30 pm |
| 23 Sept | Training with Sara Howe | at Bethersden TN26 3JJ from 3.30 pm |
Schedules for the events will shortly be available from the WHC website, FaceBook page or by contacting Jane Lamb or Alison Drew.
It is with regret that I inform members of the passing of Heather Nestel in March. Heather and her late husband, Barry, had been heavily involved in with the Club in the past both on the Committee and in hosting events on their land at Great Chart near Ashford, before they moved away and retired from the sport. They had much influence on many Kent and Sussex carriage drivers which in remembered with fondness. I have sent condolences to the family.
Last Saturday, Malcolm Brown was meant to run a second Course Building course for the club. Regrettably ill health meant he could not attend and I stood in on his behalf. Because of wet ground conditions, I approached Sara Howe and Bradbourne CDC and was able to use her club house and the outdoor school which gave the 18 attendees room to learn and to build 2 obstacles with some cones. Donna Simmons kindly provided a turnout and drove the obstacles as the guinea pig. The morning was enjoyed by all and some stayed on the participate in the BCDC Backsteppers’ Course run by Trish Jones in the afternoon.
The ICD Indoor Finals at Arena UK approaches later this month and I wish all qualified Club members well. I will be there, too, as one of the Judges.
If you feel that WHC should be offering more to you, please let any of the Committee know so we can make adjustments. If you want to join the Committee, please let me know. I am looking at offering additional training both outdoors at Bluemans Farm, near Sedlescombe and indoors either at Bedgebury or Saddlesdane Equestrian Centres. The latter venues are generally hired mid-week for those of you able to get away for an hour or so with your pony/horse. Let me know if you are interested to join an existing group of trainees or to set up a new group. Dressage, cone driving or grid work is the norm, but the emphasis is on fun for both the pony and the driver and giving guidance on performance improvement.
I am about to order new polo shirts for myself from JS Teamwear with the WHC logo. I hope all members are proud to part of our club and will wear logo’d clothing to promote WHC. The club gets a small percentage of all clothing sales back from JS Teamwear (www.jsteamwear.co.uk ), which is welcome.
I am pleased to announce that the Club purchased some plastic obstacle components for use at the Bethersden venue. Alison Drew will use them at the training days and at events. Whilst WHC was not successful in obtaining grant monies from British Carriagedriving towards the purchase, funds were available from club reserves to make this investment.
I wish everyone a successful season for 2024 and look forward to seeing you at future events, as a competitor, steward, observer, groom etc.
Jane Lamb, Chairman
16 April 2024