Nelson Riding Club (NRC) was established back in 1979 and is going from strength to strength. The current president is Rosemary Lee-Oldfield (also president of the National body) with Gillian Bishop as vice president. Heather Rattray (Treasurer & Publicity Officer), Rachel Bier (Secretary) and several other committee members work hard to promote the club and run events. This enthusiasm has seen the membership double in a year with member numbers now at 50.
Throughout the 2004/05 year NRC held a series of 4 Derby Days, a jump training day, dressage tournament, Lassie Day, Fun Ride, Beach and BBQ rides, rallies and numerous treks. We also organised and completed a 3-day 86 km trek from Rainbow Station near St Arnaud to Hanmer Springs. We sent two teams to SITE in Canterbury at Easter 2005 and managed to win both the Harris and Pegasus Trophies as well as being placed 1st and 4th overall for the SITE trophy. We are lucky enough to have the facilities at Rough Island Equestrian Park (near Richmond) to use – a cross-country course, several all weather arenas and a western arena. We have recently bought new jump stands and poles due to some great fund raising events and have a dressage arena that we set up for our events.
NRC is a very friendly group of riders of all ages and with a very diverse range of horses. Between all members we have people competing in most of the equine disciplines from dressage, show jumping, eventing, showing, to western and endurance. We have a lot of members who are keen on trekking and we have had some awesome rides in the locality. Several members are experienced in Natural Horsemanship so there really is a great cross section of riders.
We are a pretty social group of people, often leaving the horses at home and going out together, as well as meeting at local competitions and committee meetings. Our club uniform (the club colours are silver and grey) has recently been updated with the addition of jackets that look very smart when we’re out and about.
Committee meetings are held approximately every six weeks when we catch up with any business and draw up a calendar of events for the next 6 – 8 weeks. Heather produces a very professional newsletter after each meeting and this gets sent or emailed to each member. We find email an increasingly useful tool for the club – as a reminder of events coming up, to ask for help at events, to send out entry forms or just to arrange rides. We tend to hold events every month where we can and these are organised by a volunteer sub committee who are then helped out by people on the ground on the day. It is a very supportive club with members willing to help each other out and give encouragement both at competitions and at club events.
We are hosting SITE 2006 so if you are in the South Island please show us your support and we look forward to seeing you there!
