​The Bodiam International Arena

Most of you will know Bodiam with all the hustle and bustle of a horse show in full swing.  However, most of the time the yard has a quiet and peaceful air about it – though nothing prepared us for the Covid-19 lockdown that was to descend upon us this Spring. Never before have we had to stop owners coming to see, let alone ride their own horses, and never before have our horses enjoyed such a long and relaxing summer, with horse show after horse show postponed or cancelled. Many hours were spent on the phones hoping and praying, organising and reorganising, planning and un-planning ways in which we just might be able to go ahead and hold our International Festival of Western Riding.  Sadly as May drew ever closer it became clear that no amount of hope was going to enable us to run the event….the first time it has been cancelled since its inception over 25 years ago.

 

As the months moved on, restrictions eased and people finally started trickling back on to the yard – one by one with their tack wiped down and left for them by their stables. With no offers of tea and cake (a staple for one and all here at Sterling!) and hand sanitiser everywhere, it became clear that people were itching to do something and so the GOE Virtual Show idea was born.

 

These events proved quite a hit, with Doug Allen roped in to judge like he has never judged before (though we feel it has got him well prepared for the AQHA World Show that he will be judging later on this year). It was with a lot of trial and a little bit of error that we got the ball rolling on what was to be a series of 5 virtual shows ,where people could film their patterns from the comfort of their own home, arena, field or woodland (for anyone who hasn’t viewed Sue Alexanders freestyle trail pattern on our GOE Virtual Horse Show Facebook page I highly recommend you watch all the way to the end!) and  allowed people the chance to focus on their horses and have something to aim for. With prize money and rosettes on offer we had classes for every level and ability, and it was lovely to see some faces who have not been able to make it to GOE shows in the past, with entries as far afield as Ireland and Germany.

 

The Ranch Horse classes throughout these virtual shows proved so popular that we decided to put on a Versatility Ranch Horse clinic with Doug and the demand was astounding. What started as a single clinic weekend has turned into 5 full clinics with 2 still to run as I type. Despite not being able to host spectators and limiting numbers to allow us to stick to the specified groups of 6, everyone has been having huge amounts of fun, learning to correctly dally and drag logs, rope steer and improve in all aspects of the VRH Trail and Ranch Riding classes. These clinics have been attended by a wide variety of riders from trainers to amateurs, quarter horses to Andalusians and even English riders in their English saddles….they really have been open to and enjoyed by one and all.

 

We are very much hoping to be able to hold some shows and events later on this year, however for those of you who are not able to travel, the GOE Virtual Shows will be making a return over the winter – just keep an eye on our Facebook page.