CAROL HIPKIN - PRESIDENT
As the founder of CVRC and club president I enjoy seeing our club members enjoying great days out competing their horses and ponies at all levels and abilities.
I am a BHSAI and been an RDA Coach for 35 years and also have a passion for dressage, judging up to advanced unaffiliated. Judging showing shows too, you name it I've judged it...
I have trained horses to advanced medium level and qualified at medium and dressage to music.
I have always loved working with misunderstood horses from Shetlands, ex Thoroughbreed racers to the Suffolk punches.
SUZANNE WILLSON - CHAIRMAN
I became a member of CVRC several years ago and after joining the committee I had the honour of being asked to be its chairman. I accepted and have had the privilege of continuing the fantastic work the club does to encourage the 'grassroots' rider together with a hardworking, committed committee.
The moto of the club is 'Encouragement with Enjoyment' and this is what I believe a riding club should be all about. My days in Bedfordshire South Pony Club as a child were fantastic for teaching me not only how to ride and look after my horse but the importance of sportsmanship and having fun with others. Something I know our riding club and its members do very well!
I am a BHS Stage 3 Coach in Complete Horsemanship and have worked in various equestrian centres in London, Hertfordshire and Essex before embarking on a successful nursing career specialising in Emergency and urgent care. You will see me at most events providing our first aid cover!
TRACEY MASTERS - VICE CHAIRMAN
I have been a member of CVRC for around 8 years and have always loved the club for its encouragement and support in any discipline.
I had my own pony from the age of 7, loved the gymkhana’s, rallies and particularly showjumping. When I married and had my family I had a 22 year break and came back in having to learn all over again, so much had changed. I am still enjoying the learning by joining in flatwork and show jumping clinics. Competing at low level and having a lot of fun at camp. I am looking forward to meeting members and being part of the committee.
I have loved horses ever since I was a toddler. Both my parents were horsey in their younger days but gave up to concentrate on their family, so I didn’t grow up around horses. I started riding properly when I was about 13, back in the days where you could work hard all day caring for a yard full of horses, for an hour lesson.
Originally a Hampshire lass, I moved to Harwich in 2005 where I was lucky enough to start loaning my mother in laws horse, Phoebe, I was about 24. I rode Phoebe for many years, doing lots of low level lessons, jumping, hacking etc. I bought my own horse, Lucy, when I was 33. Lucy and I were a great team, we did a bit of everything, competing mainly in dressage with CVRC as a non-member, but
did a lot of low level jumping too.
After losing Lucy unexpectedly a few years later, I bought my lovely mare Tilly
(another Welsh D?!) at the end of 2019. Tilly has not been easy, she was inexperienced, a non-loader, a not very confident hacker and very typically opinionated! But with the help and encouragement of CVRC, Tilly has completely turned around, happily doing long distance rides, schooling sessions with Tammy, dressage competitions, and even CVRC camp! I have achieved so much with CVRC and I’m so pleased to now be a part of the committee offering the same warmth and encouragement to everyone.
VICKI RUDD - SECRETARY
JULIE ALFS - TREASURER
I’m new to the committee, the club and fairly new to riding having only started after my daughter
began riding. We bought a pony to share and now due to ill health she has retired from riding and
I’ve got the pony.
As someone who came to riding later in life I have always suffered with nerves and lack of
confidence in the saddle, however, I have been encouraged to progress by the supportive
environment at the club. My first fun ride I lasted 10 minutes before turning back but was met with
encouragement and support to try again, which I since have and had an amazing hack.
I take part in the clinics and have started to join in the dressage. I am very much looking forward to
the pleasure rides, dressage and camp this year. I may even have a go at a little jumping!
SOPHIE KING
I have been a member of CVRC for many years, loving the club for its friendliness, encouragement and support. From a young age I have loved horses and riding due to growing up with hunters on the family farm.
I brought my own horse Jimmeney when I was 17 years old and never looked back, we had so much fun, and I learnt a lot from him being an old school master. I now own an Irish horse called Parker who loves to point his toes, we compete a lot in dressage, have flat work lessons and love fun rides. I am looking forward to meeting members and encouraging them on their horse journey.
VICTORIA PARKER
I’m back into the world of horses after a 20 year break with the most wonderful of playful Welsh pony in the form of ‘Sully’ – Gem’s Sullivan, who I purchased in July last year just before a diagnosis that has meant I have not been able to enjoy him as much as I would like, but I will be back! I have plans to compete in just about every dressage comp going and also looking forward to clinics and camp later this year. As a child I was ‘horse mad’ and after many lessons at Foxhounds riding school in Orsett my father bought me ‘Crisalo’ when I was 12 years old. After Crisalo I spent many years riding other people’s ponies until I was lucky enough to stumble across a little Arab – ‘Magara’ for sale in Malawi where I lived for some years. Horses aren’t indigenous to Malawi and rarely sighted and he had been shipped in from South Africa. He wasn’t the easiest of rides and the locals were almost as terrified of him as I was as I marched through local villages and along the roads.
On returning home I was delighted that both my girls were as into ponies as I was, and I bought ‘Rascal’ an amazing little Arab/Welsh cross dressage schoolmaster with an extended trot to die for. We added ‘Toby’ to the family and enjoyed both of these ponies in Little Baddow for many years. There were never out of the ribbons and it was such an amazing time bonding over a mutual love with my daughters. My son came to every show too for the bacon sandwich van!
Hugely looking forward to getting ‘stuck in’ with CRVC just as soon as I am able.
BECCA EAST
I have always loved horses but my family isn’t horsey at all so I would always insist on going horse riding on our summer holidays. When I was about 14 I joined Harwich Horse Rangers, from there I went on to loan horses in my young adult life.
My first horse was an Irish Sports Horse, Bailey, he was only young and we had just started getting out show jumping and competing. Unfortunately, I lost him after an RTA we were involved in. After a couple of years, Poet came along, a lovely New Forest and retired British show jumper and he was incredible and taught me a lot. He unexpectedly came down with awful colic and I had to say goodbye to him.
Then I became the owner of my current New Forest, Joey, and he is how I became part of CVRC. Having always been a show jumper, dressage never crossed my mind until Joey showed his opinions about jumping and I decided to come away from it. Originally competing as a non-member, Colne Valley Dressage Shows have always had the most welcoming feel to them which is why I chose to become a member and to get involved in more things like camp and clinics including jumping ones with Margery Foxon who has brought back my love of jumping. I have now joined the Committee to be part of the team who host the events that everyone loves and enjoy.