Training update
The SCDA is not running any training days in December, but GB Pod has organised something that members may be interested in – see message below for details.
GB POD Training Group are holding a 2-day training camp at Symington near Biggar by kind permission of Owen & Janet Pilling on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th December. You can book 2 days (or 1 if you prefer) Fabulous facilities, stables available. It is ideal for all levels from Grassroots to International. VSE’s very welcome.
For more details and to make a booking, please contact me (Julie Camm) on 07778 931950, julie@juliecamm.co.uk
SCDA Training Clinic for New / Grassroots / Novice Drivers – 12th November 2023
SCDA is pleased to announce the first of a new series of training clinics to be held over the winter of 2023/24. This will take place on 12th November 2023 at
17 Auchenreoch Holdings
Milton of Campsie
G66 8AH.
by kind permission of Gayle and Andy Rae.
The cost of a 45-minute lesson is £45 – this includes expenses and SCDA Levy. Venue hire is kindly being waived for this clinic to encourage new members and grassroots drivers to come along with their turnouts.
For more information and to book your slots please contact Bex March by email via the SCDA training email address: training@scda.co.uk. As usual, your space will be reserved once payment has been made.
Bank details
Account name: SCDA Events
Sort code: 83-23-44
Account no: 00123511
If you have to pull out, we’re afraid payment will not be refunded unless the space can be filled by another driver. These clinics are open to all drivers but would be beneficial especially to new and novice drivers. If you’re unsure, Bex is happy to discuss with you – just drop her an email and she’ll get back to you.
Spectators are very welcome.
Gee Gee Rugwash / SCDA Points League 2023
The final results are in…
You can download this as a PDF by clicking on this link
Coxhill Results 15th October 2023
Congratulations to overall champion Jade Christie. Full results can be found in this post
Jan de Boer Winter Training Series
The first of this winter’s training series is now fully booked. Details of clinics for 2024 will be posted later in the year.
SCDA Party and Prizegiving
Saturday 18th November 2023
Details below – please buy your tickets urgently.
All friends and members welcome.
Leonardo Boutique Huntingtower Hotel
Crieff Road
Perth PH1 3JT.
Tel: 01738 583771
6.30 p.m. Fork Buffet, Presentation of Rosettes/Trophies, then party to ‘Squeeze and Teeze’.
Tickets £45 per person.
Contact Susan Don on 07867 538637
Sunday 19th November 2023 @ 09:45
Event Organisers Meeting
Sunday 19th November 2023 @ 11:00
Members’ Meeting (refreshments from 10:30)
Please remember to get your trophies engraved and cleaned so that they can be returned at or before the Party. If you have a trophy and are unable to attend the party, please let the SCDA Secretary (secretary@scda.co.uk) know who is bringing the trophy back.
Brechin event – final results posted
Day two started bright and breezy, perfect for a marathon day.
We’ve had some excellent marathon scores, and a very close run final result with Ian Bertram ahead of Alan McIndoe by less than a point to claim overall champion at Brechin 2023.
On this link you’ll now find all of the final results.
Thanks to the estate owners, our organisers Sanchia and Susie, our judges, stewards and helpers, and all the competitors who took part.
SCDA Welfare Liaison
Equestrian sport (in all its various forms) is coming under ever-increasing scrutiny from the public and, most notably, animal rights protestors. The SCDA Directors have therefore created a specific Welfare Liaison role on the Committee, to inform and assist our members on the emerging concerns and actions that may be required from this complex area of Equine Welfare.
I am delighted to inform you that Sanchia May has volunteered to take up this role as part of her (many!) existing activities on the SCDA Committee. Please join me in thanking Sanchia for taking on this important new role.
Graeme MacArthur
SCDA Chairman
Townfoot event -final results online
That’s it – competition over for another year. Click on this link to see the final results. Thanks to all the stewards, helpers, our hosts Gerald and Margo, Graeme and Pam, organizer Hamish, and all the competitors who made this a great event.
Cancellation of Lourin Fair event /
Replacement Cothal one day event 13th August 2023
Unfortunately Ruth and George Skinner are unable to run Lourin this year, but hope to be back on the SCDA Calendar in 2024.
Elinor Bosanquet, with her sister Victoria, and their mother Carole, have kindly agreed to run a 2nd one-day event at Cothal on Sunday 13th August 2023 to fill the gap in the calendar.
The schedule can be downloaded here (and it’s also on the events page) – the event will be the same format as Cothal 1 in June.
The event is an excellent opportunity to drive a dressage test, a cones course, and a short un-timed marathon around fields (so ideal for under 14’s who can’t legally drive on the road in Scotland), with 5 superbly decorated obstacles. The Minions, The Three Little Pigs complete with Wolf and houses, and Thomas the Tank Engine are all waiting to greet you.
Please support this event if you possibly can, as we are so lucky that one Event Organiser has stepped in to plug a gap previously filled by another event in the same area of Scotland.
New SCDA Secretary
Eileen Cornish was recently appointed as SCDA Secretary, taking over from Sheila McNeill, who has a change in her work commitments.
The SCDA Directors extend a huge thank you to Sheila for her commitment to the post, and thank her for remaining as a Director.
Roger Campbell Training Clinic
Seacliff 24th/25th July
Roger first started in the British Young Drivers and has been British National Champion in all single levels before making the move to multiples. In 2019 he won Royal Windsor Horse Show and was awarded the FEI Top Driver of the Year award driving a pony team of Welsh Section As. In 2021 Roger drove a pair and won the FEI Silver Medal at the World Pony Championships in Haras du pin, France.
The price for one day is £92 and for two days £167. Each day will include 2 session one of which will be shared and can include cones/obstacles. This clinic is aimed at all levels and combinations. Anyone interested please contact Bex March by email via the SCDA training email address: training@scda.co.uk
Slots are only confirmed once payment has been received. Please note if you wish to cancel a refunded is only possible if someone else is able to take the slot that’s being cancelled.
Contact : training@scda.co.uk
Hopetoun National and SCDA Club Event May 2023
Click here for the full set of results from the Hopetoun May event.
Cardross 2023 event – final results now posted
Final results from the Cardross 2023 SCDA Club event are now available online – please click here for all the details.
Huge thanks to all our stewards & helpers without whom these events would not run, Zoe our judge and all the other officials, Sanchia and Patsy our organizers, and especially to the competitors who turned out for what proved to be a wonderful, sunny and super fun event. Looking forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks at Hopetoun!
Further update to SCDA Club Schedules
All the club schedules, including the Hopetoun Club class schedules have been updated to clarify the dressage tests available. Revised schedules have been posted on the events page.
SCDA Executive Committee
After over 4 years in each of their roles as Chairman and Treasurer, both Colin Smith and Louise McCutcheon have decided that it’s time to step back from their Officer roles within the Executive Committee. We are sure you will want to join us in thanking them for their huge contribution to date, and we are grateful that they will both continue to serve as Directors on the Committee.
In terms of their replacements, Graeme MacArthur has offered to step up to the role of Chairman and Sharron Vass has offered to replace Graeme as Event Liaison. Both these appointments have been unanimously agreed by the Committee and so Colin, Graeme and Sharron will now work on a quick handover of duties.
The Committee has decided not to fill the role of Treasurer from the existing Committee members. We are therefore immediately embarking on a process to find the right candidate, from our existing membership or beyond, to take over this important role from Louise. To that end, anyone who feels they have the right skills and who wishes to register an interest should send an email to eileenjcornish@gmail.com
More website updates – policy and guidance documents
In addition to the Safeguarding Policy, we’ve now published the SCDA Whistleblowing Policy and Equality Policy documents. You can find them in the reference page and also in this year’s Omnibus.
There are also a couple of posts updated for 2023:
SCDA advice regarding vaccinations
Progression from Novice to Open
Should you have any queries on any of the above, please contact the SCDA Secretary at secretary@scda.co.uk
Event entry form for 2023
The 2023 form has been updated so it’s back to being a PDF document that you can complete on your laptop or your phone. Download it here or from the 2023 events page. Any problems, drop us an email to website@scda.co.uk
Website updates
Event schedules have now been uploaded for the SCDA Club Events in 2023. Click on the links on the Events 2023 page. Thanks to Eileen Cornish and the event organizers for pulling this information together.
SCDA has adopted the British Equestrian Safeguarding Policy. This policy is available on the website under the “Other Pages” menu option, on the reference page and also can accessed via this link. It is important that all members of SCDA read, understand and implement the key principles of safeguarding as set out in the BEF policy and should apply that policy itself as far as they can.
Event dates 2023
Event dates for 2023 are now available – click here for all the details. Additional Jan de Boer training days have been arranged for the following dates:
24/25th May @ Hopetoun
1st/2nd July
5th/6th August
9th/10th September
Irene Donald – Obituary
It is with much sadness we share the news of the passing of Irene Donald. Irene was a long time supporter of Carriage Driving in Scotland, and around the UK, with her late husband Archie Donald. After Archie’s passing, Irene continued to support our Scottish events from National to Grassroots level, covering a number of different roles from stable manager, dressage writing, catering and most of all just being a wonderful friend to all who knew her. I am sure everyone will have fond memories of Irene and will have many a tale to recall from time spent in her company. We offer our deepest condolences to the Donald family at this time.
News archive
Previous stories have now been archived, but are still available online. Click the link here and you’ll be able to read news from the past couple of years.