Chairperson’s report Summer 07

Time seems to go faster and faster. I have been very busy this year with my new vaulting Club, the Easterton Equine Activities Club. This Club will be the branch of vaulting on Easterton Farm taking care of all the non-competitive branches of vaulting – the Have a Go days, the coaching training, the assessments, the active school projects etc. To-day we held a birthday party for one of our vaulters and a group of her friends – hilarious fun. The other Group is of course the Eagles vaulting Group. I have stepped down as Chair of this Club and my place has been ably taken by Kathryn Jeffress ( better known to most of you as Kathryn Hunt). I wish her well and hope she gets the same great support that was given to me by the parents over the years.

On the coaching front, I have run a pilot Level 1 course in Scotland subsidized by the BEF. This was quite challenging as there is a vast amount of paperwork and rather daunting at first. Once we had gone through everything people felt much more at ease. The difference from before is more in the amount of evidence that has to be produced rather than in content. There is more emphasis on how to coach and in the end I believe we will produce better coaches.

We will be running another pilot course, this time Level 2, at Clwyd Special Riding Centre in conjunction with their camp in July. Anyone interested please contact me.

The selection trials are now past for the Europeans and the final results will be available shortly although I don’t think there are any surprises this year. I have been most impressed at the rising standard in the individual class and in particular in the Junior class. We have some superb young vaulters in the making.

Our plans to increase participation this year will include trying to help a new Club start. New Clubs rely on having trained coaches and horses available. The new Equibuddy Group is helping address this with training new horses. Well done.

More and more coaches are coming forward – this is great and can only help vaulting increase. Our experienced coaches will be given support to assist new groups.

Onwards and upwards

Ann