Claridge Endurance Coaching kicked off a series of clinics at New House Farm, Acton Turville on Saturday 4th June. The day commenced with International Endurance Rider, Coach, Breeder and Trainer Rachael Claridge introducing her team for the day to an audience of existing and non- Endurance GB members from across the South West, Midlands and South East. MORE INFO…
Archive for the ‘Rachael Claridge’ Category
Here are some photos of the newest addition to Rachael Claridge’s herd! Sired by R Ali Bey and out of Shahlua.
Rachael Claridge is competing in The Exmoor Golden Horseshoe Ride on the 15th, 16th and 17thMay.
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Mel is entered for the pleasure ride on the Sunday and Charlie is entered for the 2 day, 50 mile ride (25 miles each day) over Monday and Tuesday.
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Rachael will be giving her horses Blue Chip Karma, to ensure they are settled and relaxed, and can perform to the best of their abilities. Karma contains no banned substances, making it the ideal calmer to use when competing.
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Everyone at Blue Chip would like to wish Rachael the very best of luck, and we all hope the weather is kind to her and the Claridge Team throughout the competition!
Rachael Claridge - Rex Photography
Last weekend Adam, Jane and I took ‘Maarhabi’ aka Charlie to the Forest of Dean ride and successfully completed 50km at 12.8kmph. Next weekend we hope to take Mel to Wentwood Forest in South Wales to complete 32km. On 26th March I have been asked to take one of the horses to Newbury Racecourse for the BEF charity race day and parade on behalf of Endurance GB at 12noon and also stand on the EGB stand with my crew and answer any questions anyone may have about endurance.
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I have now successfully found recruits for the Riding Club Championship Qualifier at Cirencester Park in July via the Kings Leaze Riding Club. This 32km team event needs 4 riders to ride the route together and come into the vet check with low heart rates and as close to the time limits as possible for maximum points. I will let you know how Lorraine, Heather, Emily and I get on in training. MORE INFO…
The winter is normally a time when my endurance horses have a bit of R&R and I catch up on all of the jobs I’ve not fitted in throughout the season. This year has flown by and so much has been achieved and there is still plenty more to do before the year is out.
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I started off the season slowly due to heavy snow in Cornwall, which prevented my horses leaving their stables let alone yard for several weeks. February saw the relocation of Prince Meliodas (Mel) & Maarhabi (Charlie) to a yard near Badminton, my work commitments with the civil service prompted a work/life balance rethink and a creation of a base in South Gloucestershire as well as Cornwall. After establishing a new training routine, sourcing a new farrier, vet, equine dentist and physio we were ready to commence the season. Due to Mel picking up a foot abscess over the winter his season was to be one of consolidation and strengthening whilst his injury healed. Instead of endurance I entered him for show classes and our hard work at local shows paid off when he was awarded 4th place at the Royal Bath and West Show in the ridden Part-bred & Anglo Arab class. He then went on to compete at the Barbury Castle 40 km ride in August and achieved a grade one. Maarhabi or Charlie as he is better known came into his own as an 8 year old endurance horse this season. MORE INFO…
Just a quick email to let you both know that Charlie and I had the most amazing ride on Sunday back in Cornwall. We rode the 32km route at the Camelford Ride with my friends Rachael Sargent and Kathy Clark. I rode the route with Rachael two years ago when her husband who I used to work with couldn’t crew her due to work commitments so I took her under my wing with her cob Drummer. Kathy started endurance riding 2 years ago when she bought her Anglo mare Octavia off me. The improvement in both riders and horses was lovely to see two years on. Charlie (Maarhabi) gave me best ride of the season and all of our hard work this year paid off. Charlie is like riding a gate, because he is 16hh but very narrow and it’s been challenge all season to get him to balance himself but he was an absolute star and navigated the moor land without a problem. His fitness was fabulous and recovery rates superb which is very encouraging for the future.
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Thank you both for the trailer stickers too!
Rachael
Rachael and Jayme (Photo by RADFoto)
On Sunday 5th September I attend the Badminton Endurance Ride which was only a few miles up the road from where my competition horses are in livery. I had entered my advanced horse Blue Chip Maarhabi into the 65km class and was looking forward to riding some new parts of countryside adjacent to where I train the horses because we’ve only been in this area since February. Unfortunately the weather was not like the day before and as my boyfriend Adam and friend Jane pulled into the venue field the heavens opened and out came our rain coats! My friend and fellow sponsored rider Jayme Bone pulled up in her trailer behind mine with her boyfriend who is also called Adam and her sister Mel. Jayme was riding her young grey Arab mare Dora who she was in the process of upgrading from Open to Advanced. Our horses had ridden part of the Barbury Castle route together in August so we knew they were well matched on pace so we decided to take on the 65km together. It was lovely to ride with Jayme because we’ve known each other since our early teens, ridden on the Young rider’s squad together at European Championships with Kruga and Silver Mistrahl in the late 1990’s and now in our early 30’s we are still going strong and hopefully producing future Team GBR horses. MORE INFO…
Dear All
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I hope all is well? At least the sunshine has come back! I wanted to let you know that my 3 year old Arab colt came joint 2nd overall in the BEF futurity. The results are on the following hyperlink:
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http://www.nedonline.co.uk/public/Futurity/FuturityResults.aspx?event=44
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I’ve already had a few enquiries to use Silver Zenif next year so I just need to arrange with my parents the finer details because he will continue to live with them due to livery yards around the Bristol/Bath area not having facilities for a colt/stallion.
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Adam & I are taking Charlie (Maarhabi) to the Badminton ride this weekend and hopefully we’ll complete 65km. We’ve then got a ride at Tintern Abbey (19th) and one at Camelford (26th) in Cornwall which I think will finish the season for us. I am hoping that Mel will do these final two because he’s had a slow start due to his rehab over the past 2 years. He is so much stronger through his hind quarters after his RTA and I’ve just found another saddle this week to fit him (he’s been through 4 already this year due to changing shape as he’s become fitter).
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Endurance GB have asked for me to attend and be present on their stand to promote being a coach. I will be at the event on the Saturday so it would be lovely to see you if you are there?
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Kindest regards
Rachael
Horse & Rider interviewed our sponsored endurance rider, Rachael Claridge. Find out how Rachael copes with nerves before riding, what her biggest achievement is, who she admires, as well as her top training tip.
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Cirencester Park – 18th & 20th June – 30km – Mel and Zar
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Near Mere – June – 32km – Zar
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Bocconnoc – July – 80km – Mel or Charlie
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BEF Futurity Grading – 13th July – Showing 3 year old and 1 year old colt
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Tally Ho ride in Wiltshire – 18th July – 80km
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Barbury Castle – 7th & 8th August – 80km & 32km – riding for the SW as part of the second leg of the Morris Team Challenge and the Inter-Regional Championships.
