The Pembrey Horse Trials is an event organised by Bobby Vaughan-Jones. It is a registered BHS event and attracts riders from all over the country - and from Ireland too. The event is held during April, on a Sunday, and most competitors begin with a dressage test which is followed by show jumping and then cross-country.
Bobby designs the course and builds the jumps. Each year she tries to add a new jump; 1999 saw the inclusion of a witch's hat combination and for the new millennium she hopes to introduce a water jump.
The Pony Club Horse Trials, also held at Pembrey Counrty Park and organised by Bobby take place in August. The same course is used but there are different classes, including a pony club and riding club competition.
Pony Club Dressage and Combined Training Competition
On August 15th, 1999, the Pony Club Dressage and Combined Training Event took place at Haverfordwest. Bobby entered seasoned competitor Jen and newcomer Sonny, ridden by Rhian, and several of the centre's ponies also made the 50 mile journey west to compete.
The Pony Club team, comprising Sarah Pettigrew, Sarah Bush, Rachel and Emily all have lessons at Clyn Du but their dressage training didn't begin in earnest until a week before the competition. The dressage team members don't all own their own ponies and it was a tribute to their training and compsoure on the day that they carried off first palce in their first ever dressage competition.
They were delighted by the result, but realise it will be a hard act to follow!
Bobby and Rhian rode Jen and Sonny respectively. Both came home with rosettes after particularly pleasing dressage performances and, in Jen's case, clear round jumping. Sonny clipped a pole, otherwise he would have retunred home with a clean sheet.
Jen and Bobby in the Dressage Arena - a Study in Concentration!
Rhian with Sonny Tracking-up Well in his First Ever Dressage Test
Pony Club member Sarah Matthews was delighted to have the opportunity to ride Jen for a dressage and jumping test, too. She did remarkably well, jumping clear and gaining praise for her first dressage test.
National Success
Malvern, September 12th. The competition Riding Club members from all over the country had been working and waiting for. All season, points had been collected and Gower, Bobby and Rhian's club, had qualified for the dressage competition.
From Clyn Du, Malvern is a steady 2 hours 30 minutes drive with horses in tow and as Bobby was riding little after 9 a.m., they travelled the afternoon before.
Once the last lesson had been taught and the horses fed and watered, they set off with Magenta, affectionately know as Jen and Mayfair's First, or Ziggy.
After a sleepless night, they woke to a beautiful morning, with heavy dew being the only potential problem. Bobby rode her test and, as usual, felt she could have done better.
Rhian's test went well, although Ziggy fell foul of the dew and slipped in canter.
With nothing to do, they hit the deck and Bobby actually missed her presentation - she'd come second!
Rhian had the luxury of being able to wander round the stalls as Ziggy's work was done. Bobby, however, had a riding test to do as a last minute substitute. Years of practice has meant that she learns quickly and she completed the test without a problem. Jen was not as co-operative as she can be but it didn't show and Bobby finished 6th overall.
By 9 p.m. they were back at the yard and back to earth for the start of another busy week of teaching and training.
Their success was remarkable, though, as their busy work schedule hardly allows them time to practice. Being a small yard, Clyn Du does not have the luxury of saving horses for competition only. Take Jen, for instance. She is used for the heavier riders, no matter what their level of experience is, she is used for lunge lessons and for RDA. With the exception of Sundays, she works every day and is remarkably versatile. However, this takes its toll when Bobby competes on her as she does pick up bad habits from inexperienced riders. Nevertheless, such is Bobby's skill she usually gets the best out of the horse and coming second in a national competition is no small achievement!
Bobby and Jen
Oliver Finishes Third in Derby
Oliver, ridden by Bobby, finished the Gower Derby in third place with just 4 faults over two rounds - and was desperately unlucky to clip a pole in the first round. Still a newcomer to the world of competing, he is enjoying his days out and has great potential.
One of the most impressive things about Oliver is his courageous jumping. He has a big but not exaggerated jumping style and rarely takes anything down. On a course where most horses spooked at the water, he strolled round as though it were all in a day's work.
Rhian entered Sonny in the open jumping and while his 8 faults meant he was well off the lead, he is gaining invaluable experience and did well for his thrid time out. Bobby finished second on Oliver in the jump-offs.
Bobby and Oliver at Gower
2000 Vintage Year for Clyn Du
Bobby Vaughan-Jones and Rhian Rees, Clyn Du's principle riding instructors, performed well this season, qualifying for 3 national Riding Club competitions and winning one of them.
Bobby and Rhian, joined by Alexa Moore, also of Clyn Du, and Jordana Beynon, of Swansea, won the Riding Club Indoor Jumping Championships at Brooksby College in April 2000. They jumped two rounds with only four faults taken into account, a score that hailed them clear winners of the 37 team field.
August 2000 saw them at Offchurch where Rhian and Bobby represented their Riding Club, Gower, for a grueling but most enjoyable 2 day event comprising show jumping, roads and track, steeple chase and cross-country. They didn't finish in the ribbons this time but their young horses completed the course without incident.
Malvern was the venue for September and Rhian and Bobby had qualified for the show jumping. Both jumped well and while they didn't finish in the top 5, their horses did well and enjoyed the experience.