This year’s Lincoln JumpCross Eventer’s Challenge was a huge success and a great day had by all. Some of the top riders took up the challenge of competing at the fabulous JumpCross course at Grange Farm, Wittering including Oliver Townend, Piggy French, Clayton and Lucinda Fredricks and Angus Smales (last years winner).  The sunshine and relaxed atmosphere all helped in making the day run smoothly.

With 38 riders all competing for the £5000 prize fund and almost every jump in sight it was pure excitement for the spectators.

The final line up was as follows:

1^st Mark Kyle, Step In Time

2^nd Dan Jocelyn, Brookfield de Bouncer

3^rd Mark Todd, NZB Mouse

4^th Carol Pearson, Major Promise

5^th Ben Hobday, Not Just A Toy

6^th JP Sheffield, DHI Veni Vedi Vici

7^th Phoebe Buckley, Flash Gordon

8^th Jeanette Brakewell, Hope Cove

9^th Jo Chipperfield, On Your Marks

10^th Duarte Seabra, Fernhill Bertucelli

Throughout the day Lincoln raised money for The Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund by holding an auction and raffle with fantastic prizes such as a lesson with Jeanette Brakewell around the JumpCross course, a lesson and yard visit with Piggy French, two tickets to Burghley which includes a course walk with Angus Smales, lesson with Nicola Sheard show jumper with the lesson being featured in Horse Scene Magazine, Fendi Sunglasses and much more.  There was also an opportunity to win an Nintendo Wii Console simply by having ago and trying to achieve the highest score! The total proceeds collected for this very worthy charity was £1,350.

We genuinely rely  entirely on your donations so please keep them coming, however big or small. THANK YOU.

A charity cycle ride, in which everybody can participate – actively or passively – will launch at the British Open Show Jumping Championships at the NEC (7-10 April) and raise money for the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund Poundcatcher appeal.

 First to go in the Horseboxworld John O’Groats-to-Lands End Ride will be Richard Davison and Ellen Whitaker who will launch the event on the Friday (9 April) of the Championships and start out on the 970km journey.  Everyone can contribute either by:

•  Jumping on the exercise bike themselves (at the Shows) and completing a few kms towards the target distance.  Cyclists will be asked to make a donation or submit their own sponsorship before participating.

Or

• Sponsoring friends and family to ‘have a go’

 “If you find yourself at an event and as you go round the trade stands, it would just take a few minutes to contribute to what is really the only national charity injured riders can turn to when they are in need.  And it’s a healthy way to do it!” explains John Hardman, MD of Horseboxworld.

 As well as The British Open, the Horseboxworld bike will be located on the Horseboxworld Stand at most of the major events throughout the Summer including The Festival of the Horse and The Royal International, as well as on the MDIRF stand at the Badminton and Burghley Horse Trials. 

 To donate online go to  www.justgiving.com/Poundcatcher-mdirf.  Events locations and progress will be updated on this site and at www.horseboxworld.com

Guests enjoyed a champagne reception, followed by a sumptious four-course meal from Hickstead’s resident restaurateur’s, Brighton’s Due South (recently voted Best Seaside Restaurant in Britain), ending with a good old fashioned boogie to infamous local rock’n'roll band ‘In Yer Face’. A very successful raffle and auction, boasting holidays to Dubai, racing weekends, and an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the King’s Troop in London amongst others, saw the MDIRF raise thousands for their cause.

Having learnt the hard way in the past, Sunday’s chukkas were rescheduled, and with no excuse to go home early the revelry went on late into the night…

Wayne (who shows coloureds, mountain and moorlands and sports horses) and  Trevor plan to repaint and decorate their very old Volvo (Gloria) as a horse and dress up as riders to drive the 900 mile route in the 3 days.   Co-ordinating this equine team challenge and assisting in the car’s adaptations will be Jane Cox (Wayne’s wife) and Katie Ramsden who works for him.

“Luckily we have never had to use the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund ourselves but a very close friend of mine lost her life riding a very well behaved pony and you know that injuries can happen to even the best riders on the best horses,” explains Katie.

To be eligible, cars have to be worth no more than £200 but be completely road legal.  Wayne and Trevor are hoping their trusty Volvo will make it back home in one piece, when it will also be sold to raise money for the MDIRF.

Last year, the rally attracted over 60 entries, with only around 20 of them finishing.

To support Wayne and Trevor in this unusual fund raising venture, visit www.justgiving.com/wayne-cox.

Two national charities have received donations totalling over £8,000 raised through activities held during this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

The Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund (MDIRF) collected £1,700 at its 21st Anniversary launch at The Horse Trials and received a further £6,000 sponsorship money from the Burghley Sponsored ride – an annual fun ride that takes place in Burghley Park on the Sunday during the Horse Trials. The popular event attracts over 200 riders to the park.

“As last year’s ride was cancelled due to the wet conditions this year brought in more riders than ever to raise this wonderful amount and special thanks should go to that event’s sponsors – Virbac Equimax Eraquell and Horse & Rider and Pony magazines,” said Rosemary Lang, the National Co-ordinator for the MDIRF which provides help, advice and financial support to riders injured and who are unable to work or look after themselves.   The Fund’s Poundcatcher Campaign aims to raise at least a pound from everyone involved with horses over the coming year and still needs more help to ensure it can continue to be there in times of need.

The East Anglia Air Ambulance received a cheque for £1,000 raised by octogenarian
Betty Powell through her organisation of the Concours D’Elegance (driving competition) held at Burghley on the Sunday. “The air ambulance service is run solely by donations, none of us know when we might need them – the service definitely saved the life of my granddaughter this year,” said Betty Powell, a regular visitor at the Trials for the last 49 years.

Next year Burghley Horse Trials will be celebrating its fiftieth consecutive running of the event. The organisers have managed to stage the trials each year since its inception in 1961, including in 2001 when foot-and-mouth disease forced the cancellation of many other show and events, and most memorably in 2008 when wet conditions threatened to force the first cancellation.

Next year’s Trials will take place from 2 – 5 September 2010.
For further information visit www.burghley-horse.co.uk  or contact press office on 01458 250200.

MDIRF Ambassador, Matt Baker

Last Sunday (15 November), BBC Country File viewers witnessed Matt Baker’s fall  from a horse whilst filming a piece riding out in the Lambourn area.  As  one of the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund’s Ambassadors, Matt was quick to point out to camera that his body protector is worth its weight in gold; and telephoned the charity the day after his fall:

“It shows you how falls can happen just like that and to anyone.  I escaped with a cracked vertebra and am just a bit sore.  But yet again it made me think that others often aren’t so lucky and that everybody needs to be supporting our ‘Poundcatcher’ campaign to ensure The Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund can continue to pick up the pieces of those in need.”

 “The message is definitely getting across that the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund is the only UK charity which helps all those injured in horse-related accidents and in need (outside of racing) – not just at top level competition and not just in eventing.   However, only a fraction of our Poundcatcher  fundraising target has been reached to date,” explains Zara Phillips, patron of The Fund.   

“All those involved with horses, in any shape or form, will acknowledge the risks and that accidents could so easily happen to them.  So we would appeal to everyone to make a donation if they can.” ends Zara.

Readers can support the Campaign by:

• Choosing the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund Christmas cards this year.  Prices start at £4.50 for a pack of 10 with a choice of 4 equestrian designs.  Order forms can be found at www.mdirf.co.uk
• Purchasing raffle tickets at all the events on ‘The Champions Tour’ – the series of entertaining lecture demonstrations by Geoff Billington and Oliver Townend held at various venues throughout Ireland, Scotland and England in November 2009 and January 2010. www.thechampionstour.co.uk/ 
• Encouraging their riding club, pony club, livery yard or riding school to organise their own fundraising events.  Ideas and tips for fundraising can be find in the guide available for download from http://www.mdirf.co.uk/support-us/organise-your-own/
• Donating on-line at http://www.justgiving.com/Poundcatcher-mdirf/

Since it’s inception in 1988, the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund has provided well over a million pounds’ worth of help to injured riders and their families in need.

Recent examples of people in genuine need who have received assistance from The Fund include:

• a 27 year old polocrosse player and former PA, who suffered a bleed on the brain 3 years ago and who The Fund is helping to retrain as a nursery nurse
• and a riding instructor who suffered a back injury and had reached the limit of his medical insurance.