Category: General information

Congratulations to all the winners in each of the categories of the SCDA Points League 2022. You can view the final results here.

You may have seen that there is currently a shortage of vaccinations for equine influenza. This has arisen due to supply difficulties being experienced by one of the largest manufacturers of equine influenza vaccines, Boehringer Ingelheim. It is hoped that this will be resolved by the end of October or shortly after this date.

The British Carriagedriving Rule Book currently states in Annex 11:
1.3.4 Booster vaccinations must be administered at a maximum of 12 month intervals, the same day in each year being acceptable for these purposes, however Horses competing in Events must have received a booster within 6 months +21 days (and not within 7 days) before arrival at the Event.

British Carriagedriving, as a short term measure, are removing the requirement for a vaccination to have been administered within 6 months of the event but recommend that annual boosters are maintained. We recommend that any member in a situation where this is impossible to achieve should contact the BC office for further guidance.

We have recommended that members are extra vigilant and implement the strictest bio-security protocols when competing.

Further information will be circulated in due course.

Notes / information for competitors

We thought we’d put together a post, listing some bits and pieces of information about the July event. Here goes….

There will be a Club Novice class – the latest schedule is available (and it’s also on the events listing page. Entries can be made using the usual SCDA entry form – for details of how to enter, see the schedule.

If you would like to do an additional dressage test, they are available at £10 each, notify when entering please.

Marathon – there is a new route this year of approximately 13km, 7 obstacles for the Regional Classes, except National Novices who will drive 6 obstacles. Club Classes will drive 6 obstacles. Club Novices will omit Section A.

Obstacle Cone Driving – to be driven in Arena 2 immediately after Dressage

Gateway Classes: Briefing 08.30 Sunday. Dressage will be in Arena 1 at 09.00 followed immediately by cones in Arena 2

BC Regional entries are made via BC/myClubhouse – BC members can also enter Gateway classes there. SCDA members can enter Club and Gateway classes – please use the SCDA entry form.

ATV’s/Scooters: Protective Headgear must be worn. Protective Headgear must also be worn on the event field when exercising ridden or driven horses/ponies

Catering: There will be no catering facilities on the event field

It is with great sadness that we pass on the news that John Bates died on the 27th February 2022.

Jane Isaac writes:

John and Sarah have been such an important part of the Hopetoun National and FEI events ever since I took over as the Event Organiser in 2008, and probably long before that. The sight of the Bates Sound entourage rolling into Hopetoun through the Blue Gate really signified the start of the event.

It was only at the last National/FEI event before Covid shut us down that he and Sarah finally admitted that it was time for the A Team to help with knocking in the posts for the radio masts! John was always charming and helpful and I am sure that Sarah will miss his support terribly – we all will.

On a personal note, my memory will be of John being a wonderful friend to Louise and me, not only sorting out the microphones, speakers, radios and all the communications so vital to us as scorers – but just anything we needed help with at Hopetoun. He had a lovely, gentle sense of humour, always had a twinkle in his eye, and as Jane says, we will all miss him.

Mike McCutcheon