Really getting into driving - Sandringham Driving Trials (and more questions!)

vallin

vallin

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Following on from our great experience at Windsor, Malibu_Stacy and I journeyed over to Sandringham to watch the national driving trials (there was a club event on as well, but we sat down in the sun and didn't really move far after that :p ). There seemed to be more classes here than at Windsor, but all provided great viewing, including a few near misses where grooms nearly/got thrown of the back of the carriage :p :D I think there may have been less fence destruction, but we did see the digger going to off to do a few post repairs, so I assume there was still some! It was great to see the para-equestrian class, with most still traveling at a ridiculous speed, including an extra cheecky pony that I believe was called George! :D

And the best part of the day? Fantastically tasty ice cream in the sun! :D :D

Now, questions:
1) In the para-classes are the disabilities banded in the same way that the are in the Olympics?
2) Do the carriages have to be of a minimum/maximum dimension?
3) What qualifies you to go in the intermediate/open/advanced classes?
4) If your groom falls of the back is that OK? Do you get penalised? (I thought no one was aloud out of the carriage)
5) What is the 'seatbelt' people seemed to be discussing the merits off?

Ok, that's it for now. Time for pictures! Enjoy! (Full album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.382098385225772.1073741831.205613276207618&type=1 )

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This gent won his class I believe
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Amazing recovery was made here!
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This cob was so cute!
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Eventual winner of his class I believe
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There was a fairly large international contingent!
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I have less then zero knowledge of driving so can't come close to helping with your questions but just had to comment on your amazing pictures! They are so vibrant and bring the event to life in such a thrilling way, makes me want to find out more about the sport, especially the para side as it is something I all of a sudden feel could be right up my street! You are an extremely talented photographer!
 
Great pictures :) I'm yet to unpack the lorry to post mine!

Para class is graded (just 2 or 3 grades I think) at world championship level but sadly not at national/FEI level. They all did amazingly and we were very proud to have sponsored the class.

Carriages 125cmwide for marathon (and 138 for cones dressage for ponies and single horses, 148 horse pairs, 158 teams, I think- only know ponies really :p) at least 90kg for single ponies up to about 1/2 a tonne for horse teams.

The exact qualification system is online, but novice you do 3X club events to be allowed to do, intermediate you do well at the novice championships (top 1/2 maybe), win a couple or you're allowed to after completing a set amount of events. Similar for intermediate- I got bashed out when I won 2 intermediates! Open to advanced you need to get permission for, but winning the championships (I was 2nd- phew!) pushes you out, or winning 6 events, and after 9 completions you can ask to move up. You stay at your level for the season in unless you want to move up.

Penalties for groom coming off- its not ideal :p 20 or 60.... Can't remember!

Seat belt is literally that- have a look on the British carriage driving FB group to see Nick Hammond being saved by it! It can't be fixed so the groom has to hold the end but it tries to stop you being bashed out, especially useful for strong turnouts but a good precaution for all.

:)
 
Great photos!!

I really enjoy watching driving but the bit I tried I felt very out of control. Good fun, though. :)
 
I had a good time too as Rara's supergroom :) (poss slight exaggeration!)

The bay cute cob was called Toby I think and was a shire cross, I liked him too. (though not as much as the winner of the advanced pony class- ginger welshie obviously ;) )
 
gillianfleming said:
Fantastic pictures, was admiring them earlier on FB.

Now you've been to a couple of events are you going to have a shot?
Click to expand...

Would love to, but have a fairly broken horse (and giving her habit of bucking and kicking I'm not sure she's be much use any way!) so am a bit stumped :o
 
rara007 said:
Great pictures :) I'm yet to unpack the lorry to post mine!

Para class is graded (just 2 or 3 grades I think) at world championship level but sadly not at national/FEI level. They all did amazingly and we were very proud to have sponsored the class.

Carriages 125cmwide for marathon (and 138 for cones dressage for ponies and single horses, 148 horse pairs, 158 teams, I think- only know ponies really :p) at least 90kg for single ponies up to about 1/2 a tonne for horse teams.

The exact qualification system is online, but novice you do 3X club events to be allowed to do, intermediate you do well at the novice championships (top 1/2 maybe), win a couple or you're allowed to after completing a set amount of events. Similar for intermediate- I got bashed out when I won 2 intermediates! Open to advanced you need to get permission for, but winning the championships (I was 2nd- phew!) pushes you out, or winning 6 events, and after 9 completions you can ask to move up. You stay at your level for the season in unless you want to move up.

Penalties for groom coming off- its not ideal :p 20 or 60.... Can't remember!

Seat belt is literally that- have a look on the British carriage driving FB group to see Nick Hammond being saved by it! It can't be fixed so the groom has to hold the end but it tries to stop you being bashed out, especially useful for strong turnouts but a good precaution for all.

:)
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Excellent! Thank you !
Re the seat belt, I saw the picture which was what got me wondering. Does the groom also have one?
 
If you want to get involved clubs are always after stewards especially for the marathon, everyone is friendly, and they tell you how to do it and give you lunch! Once you know a few people you might get a go at backstepping.

I was stewarding on obstacle 2 on the club event yesterday, had a great time and met some new, nice people.:cool:
No the groom doesn't have a seat belt, they just have to hang on tight.;)

Lovely pictures.
 
Fab photos- driving is addictive! Rara- I don't dare think what my groom would do to me if I popped her off the back... So i dont look at the penalties either! I did it once to my ex when he groomed for me... He landed face first. Boy was I in bother!
 
Great to hear that you enjoyed watching the Para Equestrian Drivers competing at Sandringham over the weekend. Para Equestrian driving is becoming an increasingly popular sport and there are now 10-15 countries practicing the sport.

Like the Para Dressage riders competing at last year’s Paralympics all the drivers competing at Sandringham were also profiled and classified prior to competing. Once they are classified internationally they are then issued with their FEI classification card. This card not only provides information on the athlete themself but also shows what compensating aids they use when competing ie whip in left hand, drives with a bar / looped rein, groom operates brake, groom holds whip etc etc. The PE driver is then able to use this classification card when competing at club, national or international level.
When competing at FEI Para Equestrian driving World Championships the championships is generally divided into two classes depending on the degree of disability of the driver. Drivers are profiled according to the limbs that work and are used whilst driving. Thus depending on their profile they are graded 1 or 2 – Grade1 being the more severe disabilities.

GRADE I:
Wheelchair users with poor trunk balance and impairment in upper limbs, or those who are able to walk but with impairment of function in all four limbs, or those with severe arm impairment only.

GRADE II:
Those with less impairment than grade I, yet are functionally disadvantaged against able bodied drivers.

There are a number of FEI International events for Para Drivers that take place in the Netherlands and Germany and the event at Sandringham this year was the first FEI PE International event to be held in the UK, France held their first FEI International in 2009.

Although not yet a Paralympic sport , the FEI is keen to see the sport grow and it would be great to see new nations participating in both national and international competitions. World Championships take place every two years and with two candidate nations having put bids to the FEI to host the 2014 Para Equestrian Driving World Championships the final decision will be made by the FEI during their meeting on 1-2. July.. Both the British (Sandringham) and the German Federations (Luhmuehlen) have filed their application with the FEI.

If you are interested in finding out more information about Para Equestrian Driving in the UK please visit the Carriage Driving Sports Group for drivers with disabilities (CDSG-dd) website : www.cdsg-dd.co.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.
 
digger66 said:
If you want to get involved clubs are always after stewards especially for the marathon, everyone is friendly, and they tell you how to do it and give you lunch! Once you know a few people you might get a go at backstepping.

I was stewarding on obstacle 2 on the club event yesterday, had a great time and met some new, nice people.:cool:
No the groom doesn't have a seat belt, they just have to hang on tight.;)

Lovely pictures.
Click to expand...

See, that's the problem, I like taking pictures too much to steward! Think I can bribe someone to let me act as backstepper in exchange for pictures? :p

Cheers guys!
 
The cheeky pony in the paras was my friend's pony Georgie. It was only his second ever national event, his first being only 1 month ago, and he is still finding his feet in that atmosphere! That combined with a series of severe injuries on his driver's part make it quite amazing that they were there at all :-) He is a cracking wee pony though, just needs to build on his confidence in the obstacles, but really chuffed he went through the water on his own given that 1 month ago I had to lead him through the whole thing and got very wet in the process :D

Driving trials is a brilliant sport, very competitive but also very very friendly and welcoming. In my opinion it is also possibly the best sport for leveline those with disablities with "able-bodied" drivers, because once you put someone in a carriage there is not as much difference between them. Some of the para drivers you saw are ex-riders, one was an eventer/hunter, had an accident with her horse, trained that horse to do sidesaddle and competed in para dressage, had another accident which broke her back further and sent same horse away to be broken to drive, and hasn't looked back!! You may not have seen them if you only watched the nationals, but there were also 2 novice paras competing in the club competition, one has the use of only one hand but is brilliant to watch and drives a 4-wheeler on single reins, and the other if you saw her in her chair you would wonder how she could ever control a horse, yet she is one of the best drivers I have had the privilege of knowing - I taught her in her first year at RDA before she moved on to competition, and she has an incredible affinity with her ponies, as well as an enviable spatial awareness in the cones and obstacles. She is now Novice Para Champion for the second year running :-)
 
The cute cob is my fella Toby. He is Cob x Shire and 15 years old. It was our first time at Sandringham and our first Para International Event. We had so much fun and everyone was so helpfull and friendly. Your photos are fantastic!!!! It was amazing to see this photo of us on here. Thanks:D
 
TeamToby I was the randomer who said I really liked him after your vet check yesterday ;)

(Though granted I did spend quite a lot of the weekend going ooh I like that one, oh and that one etc etc).

did you see this one on vallins facebook too?

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rara007 said:
Great pictures :) I'm yet to unpack the lorry to post mine!

Para class is graded (just 2 or 3 grades I think) at world championship level but sadly not at national/FEI level. They all did amazingly and we were very proud to have sponsored the class.

Carriages 125cmwide for marathon (and 138 for cones dressage for ponies and single horses, 148 horse pairs, 158 teams, I think- only know ponies really :p) at least 90kg for single ponies up to about 1/2 a tonne for horse teams.

The exact qualification system is online, but novice you do 3X club events to be allowed to do, intermediate you do well at the novice championships (top 1/2 maybe), win a couple or you're allowed to after completing a set amount of events. Similar for intermediate- I got bashed out when I won 2 intermediates! Open to advanced you need to get permission for, but winning the championships (I was 2nd- phew!) pushes you out, or winning 6 events, and after 9 completions you can ask to move up. You stay at your level for the season in unless you want to move up.

Penalties for groom coming off- its not ideal :p 20 or 60.... Can't remember!

Seat belt is literally that- have a look on the British carriage driving FB group to see Nick Hammond being saved by it! It can't be fixed so the groom has to hold the end but it tries to stop you being bashed out, especially useful for strong turnouts but a good precaution for all.

:)
Click to expand...
While in obstacle zone there are 10 Penalties for groom down - by choice or accident. Once down should stay down or if gets back then off again an extra 10 etc. must get on before carriage exits obstacle. 20 Penalties if driver gets down. 60 if carriage turns over (includes all other penalties. out of obstacle no penalty if groom gets down on course but carriage must remain static.
The seat belt is just a strap anchored one side and held by the groom behind, never anchored.
The other current debate is about body protectors - do they help or hinder, do they protect against any injuries occasioned in our sport. Jury is out but evidence being gathered. Currently i use neither belt or body protector, but was one of the first to wear a skull cap on the cross country phase.

Why not come and see what a great sport carriage driving is? The National Championships 13th to 15th September This year they are at
Ashfields Carriage & Polo Club
Green Street
Great Canfield
Essex ashfieldsequestriantrust@gmail.com
CM6 1JU
Spectators entry is FREE as is parking. Fabulous viwing point for obstacles and other phases
 
katastrophykat said:
Fab photos- driving is addictive! Rara- I don't dare think what my groom would do to me if I popped her off the back... So i dont look at the penalties either! I did it once to my ex when he groomed for me... He landed face first. Boy was I in bother!
Click to expand...

I dumped my oH in the water last year and then added to my crime by saying to the horse "that's not your fault " .OH was stinking soaking and freezing by the time we got back to the lorry and then someone posted it on you tube with sound .
OP fantasic photographs .
 
Goldenstar said:
I dumped my oH in the water last year and then added to my crime by saying to the horse "that's not your fault " .OH was stinking soaking and freezing by the time we got back to the lorry and then someone posted it on you tube with sound .
OP fantasic photographs .
Click to expand...


OMG, not in the water at Sandringham? :eek:
 
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