Midlands Carriagedriving News

The popular One-Day Event series of competitions, hosted by Midlands Carriagedriving at Anslow, Derbyshire, is about to begin its 2026 season. Starting on 10 th May and running on 21 st June, 12 th July, 9 th August and 27 th September (all Sundays) there is something for everyone. A bonus this year is that competitors wishing to move on to national competitions can now have their Competence Card signed on completion of an event at Anslow. There is a range of classes including VSE and SE as well as Gateway, Novice and Open and from Singles to Combinations. Competitors can select a dressage test of their choice from the BC current tests or the ICD Precision & Paces test. The cones course and obstacles are situated within easy reach of the dressage arena; the water crossing between obstacles 3 and 4 has been much improved over the winter by organiser Paul Hart. Schedule details are available on the club’s website www.midlandscarriagedriving.co.uk/even...

 Long-time stalwarts of Midlands Carriagedriving, Geoff and Sue Kirby recently celebrated 60 years of marriage with a party for family and friends in their home village of Overseal, Derbyshire. The couple are well-known in the driving trials fraternity with Geoff having competed for many years – winning the Open Horse National Championship at the tender age of 75 with Peggy in 2015 – with Sue acting as groom and their son-in-law John Corby as backstepper. Their three daughters, Alison, Nicola and Fiona, plus five granddaughters were all in attendance with Alison, Nicola and Fiona providing an amusing insight into Kirby family life, much of it centred around equestrian activities from Pony Club and Riding Club to carriage driving.

 Midlands Carriagedriving’s one-day event at Anslow on Sunday 17 August saw some new stars in the making and fresh faces, along with the more experienced, enjoying the venue’s excellent facilities. Mary Fuller’s eye-catching six-year-old gelding, Bubbles, was making his first appearance in public, having only been broken to harness four weeks earlier. The horse has the makings of a real competition contender as he lapped up Best Dressage of the Day and put up some good times in the four obstacles, showing an enthusiasm beyond his experience. The ’best part’ is that Bubbles is a rescue horse, abandoned as a two-day old foal and bottle-fed, Mary discovered him when he was a bone-racked yearling, so weak he had to be lifted into the trailer – and now he’s repaying Mary in spades. Mary Jane Campbell brought along her two novice pony Hackneys which are quite competed in the Gateway Allcomers class at Onley and continued his education at Anslow while the darker bay looks to have a bright...

It was all systems go for the organisers of Midlands Carriagedriving’s two-day event held at Onley Grounds in Warwickshire from 26 to 27 July. Strong entries across many of the 23 classes catered for – including the British Young Drivers’ Championships - put on an excellent show.   British Young Drivers Championships It was a close finish in Class E: (Horse and Pony) 6-16 years with Rudolf (Rudi) Krikorian taking the spoils with his delightful coloured pony by just over three penalties from Etienne Kember. While Henry Hyde-Chambers (Class A: (Pony) 8-14 years) held on to win by less than five penalties it was nip and tuck between Lacey Llewellyn and Isla Cooper for second and third place. Isla led the class after dressage but had a disastrous cones round, racking up the penalties and, despite a storming best marathon of the class, failed to catch Lacey by 0.47 of a penalty.   Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Sophie Hunt – who both had entries in the National classes –...

 Quality counted at Midlands Carriagedriving’s second ODE at Anslow (Sunday 22 June) despite low entries. The event, once again put on by chairman Paul Hart, enjoyed a respite from the recent heatwave and proved once again, Anslow has something for everyone. In the Small Pony/Very Small Equine class, young driver Theo Charnley and his lovely coloured cob – who also compete in ridden dressage – put in an excellent performance to score best dressage of the day, ably assisted by Dad on the back of the carriage. Anslow regular Chris Ainscough brought out a new pony at its first event. Chris took things easy and the pony will have learnt much from its outing in the Novice Pony class which went to Michael Evans and his bay roan, having travelled all the way from Carmarthen to take part. Another regular, Linda Wiggin put her cones penalties down to driver error, her first of the year, in the Intermediate Pony class. However, it was a double clear in cones – and the only one of the day – f...

 Midlands Carriagedriving and Bennington Carriages came together in a new venture that resulted in a highly successful training day on Friday 16 May. Midlands chairman, Paul Hart, said: ‘There were eight sessions, with drivers and equines all at various stages of their training. This was the first collaboration between Midlands and Bennington Carriages, with everyone taking advantage of the host’s excellent facilities near Newark, Nottinghamshire, including afternoon tea in Bennington’s spacious showroom. ‘The day consisted of drivers working on any, or all three phases of competition. Some, like open driver Lesley Tilbury, driving twice with different animals or a different set up. Another trainee, novice pony driver Jocelyn Smith, really challenged herself by driving the cones at ever decreasing widths, with her final attempt being 5cm under the open class allowance and still making the time! ‘Whatever the reason for attending, everyone went away with some positive things to work...