CHAIRMAN’S REVIEW of 2019

AGM JANUARY 2020

“Ladies & Gentlemen

Once again it is my pleasure to stand in front of you to give the Chairman’s Review of the past year. We have 91 for supper, the biggest number ever. I am in awe of the length & breadth of this professional association’s membership – people who are prepared to go that extra mile in organizing and presenting such a wide variety of days for us all to attend. You have all taken to heart my plea in the spring newsletter for our days to break even and they have. There was some confusion between the GBS & the euro payments for the Irish Day, so capably organised by Faith Ponsonby, so Faith has decided everyone should pay sterling direct to our Treasurer, for 2020.

Looking at the 2019 calendar of events, it was a very busy year, we have visited studs, including a very in depth look at breeding at West Kington Stud, then an interesting walk through the Irish National Stud. We’ve walked 5* courses with eminent Trainers helping us to find our way across the terrain and over the fences. We’ve become racehorse trainers both at Lambourn at Warren Greatex, then visiting Oaksey House where the Injured Jockeys can get rehabilitation and again at Jessica Harrington’s fabulous yard in Tipperary. Our new Rep for Scotland Jen Burnett put us all to shame with her Saddlery Day in Auchterarder Village Hall and she has something interesting up her sleeve for this year.

At this point I feel we may all give ourselves a clap, because we’ve also become fund raisers for Charities & I would like to read to you a couple of letters firstly from Ruby Walsh, Chair of the Irish Injured Jockey’s Fund, and then the Equine Grass Sickness Fund, add to these the £300 sent by Amy Bannister Bell to the Injured Jockeys Fund UK in 2018 & 2019; we are some group of people.

The F&I Summer Camp at Wellington – I sincerely promise David that Ann & I will not attend again but it was worth it to see the look on Eric Smiley’s face AND to jump a ‘show jump upsides’ with Ann passing Eric on the approach – and I can now do my “Dimagamols”. Another excellent 2 days.

However, I’m asking you now to put this date, 25th July, into your diaries for Ladies Day at Hickstead in the BHS box. In 2019 we were a small number and it has been strongly mentioned that if we cannot bring forward more of our own guests then the day will no longer be ours but maybe opened up to all APCs. So, I really don’t want this to happen it is a unique day for us and our family and friends where we can let our hair down, do come and join us. Whilst I’m talking about social days some of us got excited about going to Olympia in 2019 but then the tickets were very expensive. I’m going to remind you all in the Spring Newsletter and ask for half payment by a date in June and full payment by the required date later this year and ask for the dates YOU would most like. November is the BHS Charity Race and we always have a member of F&I in the ‘field’, so I’m asking for a volunteer.

Down to the nitty gritty of this Association – our training days. Thanks to Judy Harvey for her ‘spring clean’ for Coaches & riders, to Andrew Bennie for coaching a varied group of horses on the flat through grids & across related distances at Myerscough Arena in June and to Pammy Hutton for her time, horses and facilities in September. Pammy was assisted by Islay coaching a group of BHSIs as well as prospective BHSIs. Sadly, the day due to be run at Ingestre, despite a change of date, did not go ahead, neither did the ‘sit with the judge’ day at the BD Nationals with Jenny Ward BD List 1 judge. To this effect your committee has decided, and I sincerely hope with your approval, that whilst we have the funds, days which are with these wonderful coaches/trainers should not be lost. So, as long as there is a nucleus of F&I members participating, those days will be sponsored by F&I to keep them for members, and this includes the day at Talland. We are then looking for someone to organise a pre BHSI/ST 5 day for those very interested Stage 4 students who are seriously looking to progress to the BHSI. I have been reminded that Scholarships are available for help towards future qualifications via your BHS Regional Representatives.

Any days I’ve missed I apologise but thank you to all the organisers AND a big thank you to all the report writers. As you will have seen F&I has two tickets booked for the National Equine Forum on 5th March, I will ask Corrine & Adam to draw two names out of the box at the end of this AGM for two people lucky enough to have entrance to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Westminster. Here, I’d like to thank BHS Education for their help in providing the lanyards, some at the last minute! We also thank Chris Parker, here at Addington, and his team for making us feel so welcome and providing such superb facilities.

Later this evening Islay Auty will give us a brief look at the International Group for Equestrian Qualifications. After supper Dr Andrew Hemmings from the Royal Agricultural College will guide us through Equine Stereotypic Behaviour.
Tomorrow, we continue with these two wonderful Coaches Corinne & Adam whose talk this morning about their own methodologies has filled us with enthusiasm and yet more helpful tips for our own coaching. Their affinity with the horse knows no bounds. Next year we can look forward to two more excellent Coaches, yet to be revealed…”

Jillie Rogers BHSI
7th January 2020