As equestrian centres across England prepare to reopen, Sperrings Equestrian Centre in Clapton in Gordano has unveiled a calendar bursting with events and activities.
Mother and daughter, Sally and Bex Letts, who run the outdoor sporting venue, have spent the lockdown time wisely making improvements to their arena and planning, with care, a new season of events and competitions.
Bex said: “Sperrings Equestrian Centre had been building a good reputation for quality competitions with a record number of entries at its weekend and weekday events before lockdown stopped us in our tracks.
"Such was the enthusiasm of our entrants that we decided to work on offering even better classes, prizes, variety of events and children’s classes. We now have new jumps and have added combined training, eventers’ challenges and demonstrations.
“Of course, being out in the Gordano Valley countryside there is plenty of space to allow for social distancing too. We just can’t wait to get back to our competitions, events and clinics, it’s been a long time coming and we know riders are literally champing at the bit to get back to it.”
The first event on April 1 is a daytime unaffiliated dressage with classes to suit all riders from those who are just getting started to seasoned competitors. A second dressage event takes place on April 3 and on April 5 there is show jumping.
The lockdown has also given Bex, who herself competes in dressage, more time to concentrate on her own skills.
In March 2020, just days before the first national lockdown, the 22-year-old bought her dream horse, Briarwood Negroponte (Nero), the half-brother of dressage wonder horse Valegro, a two-time Olympic, World and European champion.
Because of the restrictions over the past 12 months Bex and Nero have not been able to work through the dressage levels as quickly as hoped, but the committed rider has continued to train daily.
She added: “I have been competing in dressage for around eight years with the aim to reach Grand Prix, the highest level of dressage, but I was never confident I had the right horse to work with.
"When I purchased Nero, Andrew Lovell, a British Horse Society Stage Five Performance Coach, told me that with hard work and dedication on Nero I have the potential to smash my goals.
"So, as well as opening up a full programme of competition and equestrian event at Sperrings as soon as we are allowed to do so, I will be setting my sights high in dressage for the rest of the year.”
Entrants can currently book in for competitions up until mid-May at www.sperringsequestrian.co.uk.
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