As usual, we arrived at lunchtime and settled our ponies in, ready to start the demonstration at 2pm. This year, the Great British Vaulting team demonstrated their everyday warm up, which we were all involved in (I still have sore muscles!).

The next day, the lessons began at 9 am with the three UKCC coaches: Sara Howe, Sarah Jane Williams and the newest BYD trainer, Sue Mart.

In our lessons we worked on areas of our dressage that needed improvement. After all of the lessons were complete, we gathered for lunch and got our times for our second lessons. For these we could either drive obstacles or do flat work. I chose flat work so I could do extra work on my test for the Indoor Driving finals at Keysoe the following weekend *

After we had all fed our ponies that night, there was a talk on carriages given by Mark Broadbent from Fenix Carriages. The talk was on tradition, which was very interesting and it proves that everything about our sport is based firmly on traditions.

On the final day the lessons began bright and early. We were all working on cones accuracy, ready for the competition in the afternoon. For the competition, there was a course of 10 cones and we were working on getting as close to the time as possible. After driving the 10 cones, we did an accumulator, where each cone is worth a certain amount and you can drive the cones in any order.

While the competition was happening, there was a Baileys horse feeds talk on the different types of food that you should give your horses, depending on their work-load. After the talk, if you wanted, you could have advice on what to feed your horse/pony.

When the competition and the talk was over, everyone gathered for the last time. As usual, everyone got a bag with sweets, polo mints and a carrot (in the trainers case, a bottle). Then the competition winner was announced, who was Emily Viller - well done Emily!

After we has said thank you to Sydney, the trainers, the helpers and Fran (the cook), then we all cleaned our ponies' stables out and went home. Thank you again to Sydney, all the organizers, the helpers and the trainers, it was a great camp!

Megan Wheeldon  (age 12)

* After the clinic, Megan went on to compete at the British Indoor Horse Driving Trials Championships, where she won the Young Junior class.