Issue 3
Newsletter Date November 2011
Solitaire News A
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S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T :
A force to be reckoned with!
New Year Plans
Qualification
Solitaire Rider Team Success
Dancing DJ
Equetech in the spotlight
Get the Edge with Phil Pask
Media Attention
Alison and Jack have qualified for the Elementary Freestyle Regional Championships in 2012 with a music routine created by aRT productions.
Blue Lights HOYS
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Solitaire Training
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DJ Salvador
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Horse & Hound
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Prepare to Ride
Rider Reporter
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The technical requirements have changed for 2012 and Alison can‟t wait to create a new floorplan. “The routine we qualified with is brilliant fun to ride and we have been very successful. We placed 8th at the Winter Nationals in 2008 and I want to better that in 2012 as it will be our last outing at Elementary level together. I will have to push the boundaries and develop a challenging floorplan because now Jack is competing at advanced medium level he is rather bored of leg yield and simple
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changes and he knows his music inside out so I may change the music too. I can‟t wait for the Regionals at Addington!”
Alison and Jack have been training hard to compete at advanced level and have posted some good scores at medium and advanced medium with some wins and placings along the way. Alison was determined to move away from the comfort zone of elementary level and rode at advanced medium level at
the BD Central camp . “A real highlight for me was my private lesson with Angela Niemeyer Eastwood who gave me the chance to feel how to encourage jack to let go and work through his core– this backed up the work I have been doing with James to avoid tension and to develop suppleness whilst trusting Jack with his freedom to move forwards– I have discovered a new length of stride and a quality in the paces I had never dreamed of. I have been able to pass on this new feeling to my pupils too. The highlight of my training year so far has been learning about riding the canter in preparation for the pirouettes and to then feel Jack sit and move has been incredible.”
E x c i t i n g T i m e s A h e a d S o l i t a i r e R i d e r s . Solitaire trainer Alison Kenward has been featured by Love Dressage and Dressage Central recently. In both cases Alison‟s pupils were interviewed by the reporter reviewing Alison‟s work as a coach and instructor. Love Dressage commented
“Alison is driven to help riders achieve a great partnership with their horse, where they feel confident to ride and compete in their chosen disciplines without stress, worry, anxiety or poor results week after week! A firm believer that rather than changing horses when things are not going well, it is important for riders to work with what they„ve
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got and get the best out of themselves and their horse first.” In 2012 Alison will be offering the Solitaire Rewards programme to all Solitaire Riders. Solitaire Riders compete in all disciplines and the main focus is on building a partnership with their horse. Read more inside…
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B l u e Claire Salmon and George travelled to Aintree to compete at the Blue Lights Championships. Claire reports; “We first competed in 2009
as a showjumper returning with a Novice dressage prize and in 2010 thinking we were better suited to dressage came home with a rosette in the jumping! So in 2011 anything could happen. On the Friday we rode three dressage tests, the prelim which we came 6th followed by the Novice test just missing a rosette by coming 11th and
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the evening saw our dressage to music premier which was exciting after 3 horses including George bolted on hearing Lady Gaga used in an earlier test but we scraped through and again missed a prize coming in 9th. Saturday was jumping with clear rounds and jump offs in the 75 and 85cm classes, coming 5th in the 75 cms and again just outside the prizes in the 85, but the combined training scores gave me a second place overall in the prelim section. We then attempted the
“This training plan is having such great feedback” Love Dressage
.Alison works with riders in one to one sessions lasting from 30 mins to an hour and also regularly teaches semi private and group lessons. Alison teaches riders on the flat and over fences from beginners to competition riders who compete up to advanced medium dressage, Newcomers Sj and Intermediate Horse Trials.
H e l e n Helen and DJ have achieved great things this season. DJ is a Spanish gelding who found his way to Helen after a few attempts to capture the world‟s attention and admiration as a movie star. DJ suffered from stage fright and his coping strategy was to hold his breath so he was not able to really work
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novice accumulator class with 200 points for a 90 cm palisade and rail option which we flew over not once but twice!!! So 4 beautiful rosettes and a great couple of days away, even though unpaid groom, Nick didn't get his usual gallop around Aintree because of the National Showing Show closing the gallops! Maybe next year? A big thank you to Alison for the showjumping training at Bury Farm and for designing my dressage to music test, we couldn't have done this without you!
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Alison works with riders to help them develop their own training plan. “As riders it is easy to watch one season after another pass by without achieving
consistently. Helen has helped DJ to relax and to understand what humans are asking for– namely a nice relaxing ride around the arena or the field whilst performing dressage moves – DJ now has prelim and novice moves sussed and has begun to get his brain around elementary moves.
Claire Represents Northamptonshire Police
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Alison runs regular clinics throughout the Chiltern & Thames region including XC Schooling, Dressage to music design and choreography.
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our goals and aspirations. However with the busy lives we all lead trying to think strategically and stay focused on what for most of us is our hobby, is just not possible; which could be why this training plan is having such great feedback.” Love Dressage Review November 2011.
S a l v a d o r Of course DJ also understands that sometimes dressage riders play music and whilst he started with Elvis he has now convinced his rider that Mozart is more soothing and scores higher marks. DJ holds a Solitaire record for the most YouTube hits...
New Challenges for DJ
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H o r s e Jack and I have a great bond and we had a meeting that could have come
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from the movie screen. Not quite love at first sight as we looked each other up and down, as soon as he was tacked up and working I wanted to ride him and after a few strides I would have given anything to keep him. I‟m no good at hiding my feelings when it comes to horses and Rachel agreed to let me have him on loan. Fast forward a few months and lots of adventures later and Rachel gave him to me for Christmas in 2005.
horses and their owners and there was Jack in Horse & Hound again. Jack has a bigger Google score than I do and I was delighted when his breeders got in touch with me through my Facebook page after reading the article. It was so exciting to see him in print and as I read back my interview I was as overwhelmed with emotion as I am each time I reflect on how lucky we are to have each other.
Horse & Hound recently featured gift
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The Solitaire Riders have had a mega year with wins and placings alongside many rider firsts. Showjumpers have turned to dressage with Helen Francis admitting she has nearly been converted whilst stable mate Chelsea Carter has had a super year going from strength to strength and pushing her marks up and up.
Barry Greeves has made his dressage arena debut with ex racehorse Ty whilst granddaughter Lauren has claimed her SJ colours with a stellar clear round in the RB Derby and recent wins on the indoor eventing circuit better still this year she taught Smokey to JUMP ditches! Helen Hale and Claire Salmon have both placed in SJ whilst
P r e p a r e Horse Magazine Featured Phil Pask and I in an article called “Get the Edge”. Phil and I had great fun at the photo shoot though when Nico the photographer asked if I could maintain the plank position for a few seconds longer I wasn‟t necessarily thinking printable thoughts! I first met Phil at WPB whilst working with Mr. Witty to
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Helen Baker and Sharon Bickers have claimed the dressage to Music arenas. Liz Smith has bought home the blue ribbons from Western shows whilst Jo Waddington Ridgely has helped Amber recover from a freak accident to make a successful return to work. Rachel and Francesca have lead the way XC and Liz Hayman has welcomed a new horse– Ella.
“Better Still, this year she taught Smokey to JUMP Ditches!”
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recover from breaking my leg after falling from Solitaire! Mr. Witty told me at the time to stay away from horses if I wanted to stay away from WPB. Fast forward a few ( maybe 10?) years and I was back in the treatment room presenting Phil with a list of injuries and asking if he could help me get rid of the pain
long enough to pass my stage IV exam…. Here we are a few more years later and Phil has helped keep me in the saddle and to get to the point of „pre hab not rehab‟. Phil leads an inspirational team at WPB and now several other Solitaire riders are working with the physios to improve their posture and performance.
You can train without your horse !
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WWW.SOLITAREDRESAGE.WEEBLY.COM
Alison is a qualified instructor and coach who enjoys teaching and coaching riders of all abilities. Alison has played international polocrosse as well as hunting and eventing overseas before choosing dressage in 2005. Alison has competed at the Winter Nationals with Roughway Jack and at the Home International with Langarth Sebastian. Alison works in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire. alison.kenward@btinternet.com Telephone: 07808 714 370
Alison is a versatile rider and trainer who enjoys working with horses and getting to know their personalities and outlook.
Please do contact me for more information.
R i d e r Alison Kenward is an Equetech Team rider and her competition outfits have been supplied by the local firm who are proud that more than 40% of their products are made in the UK. Alison wears an Equetech Stirling competition Jacket, 3 in 1 Shirt, fancy brocade stock and Equetech full seat breeches. “Equetech clothes give me the confidence to enter the arena with my head held high. The clothes are stylish yet very comfortable as they have been designed by a rider to fit and perform well whilst looking and feeling great. Without a doubt the full seat breeches are the most comfortable pair of breeches I have ever worn and I recommend them to all riders
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without hesitation.” The Solitaire Wardrobe has also proven popular with riders who appreciate the practicality of the team waistcoats and blousons with the pink Solitaire logo the riders are easy to spot! “I met Liz through teaching and as we battled the worse that winter had to throw of us we discussed our strategies for staying warm as well as our dreams of having an indoor school one day! Liz explained her work as a designer and director of Equetech and soon I was wearing the Grizzle Fleece– truly the warmest and most practical top a rider can have..
the Grip seat breeches, Micro-lite gloves and Peakdale sweater. Equetech sponsor several top riders including my trainer James Burtwell and have a diverse selection of great quality clothing. Visit their website wwwww.equetech.com to find out more.
Other personal favourites of mine are “Reassuringly Equestrian”