Dressage to Music Area 5 Qualifiers.
The venue for this years Area 5 qualifier was held at Swallowfield Equestrian Centre, and after a testing week obtaining PPL licences we (Imogen Murray with Longreach Jonathon and Mum with Cedar Farm Top Man) arrive on a chilly morning to a relatively empty car park. We have a look at the arenas, to check for lurking monsters of course, which are very nice with lots of space. Can't find any monsters, just a rather large mirror and a few flower pots.

We get on the first pony who as usual warms up beautifully with lots of "aah, isn't he a lovely pony" from the onlookers. The music is being tested in the competition arena and we are called to go in. We do an okay test but know that we could have done better, never mind we will await the results with anticipation and in the mean time get the other, not so easy, pony out.

Cedar Farm Top Man is off the lorry, jockey on board and into the collecting ring. Oh Dear, the monster is huge on the far side of the arena disguising itself as a white board! After a little while he settles a bit. Better do some serious warm up as we have only 10 minutes left before it is his turn. What a star, once in the competition arena with little Imogen on board he doesn't notice the mirror or even the flower pots and does a lovely test. Now we only have to wait for the results.

Jonathon's marks were as we expected, but Top Man has surpassed himself (even if the judge did think he was cheeky!), they have won their section and it is now off to Addington for the Championships.

Dressage to Music Finals at Addington.
As we arrive at Addington for the junior dressage to music championships we also realise that it is also the day of the quadrille finals. We go as usual to check out the arena, hand in our music and also check out the rules with regard to whips, etc.

Everyone is very helpful and there is a feeling of exitement in the air. The quadrille teams are having a practice and fter the junior competition they will do their turn out competition in full costume followed by the ridden part. What a precision run event.

Now it is the turn for the individual junior dressage to music championship competition. We are first to go, there are two judges one at C and one in the corner between H & C, and we can't have that useful whip. We did a nice test, although for the future we will have to practice more without the whip, and the audience seemed to like the music and content. All the other competitors take their turn and there are some very nice combinations, and some very naughty ones.

The when the results are announced Imogen takes 5 ^th place, which is excellent.

We have to stay to watch some of the Quadrille turn outs, the costumes are amazing and the top four placed teams will be going forward to Olympia in December.

(Congratulations to Imogen and thanks to Kim for an excellent report. If you have any news that you think would be of interest to other members and would like to see it on the web site then drop me an email - )