STRULE Valley Riding Club held their Annual General Meeting recently at Omagh RDA.

Katie Clarke, chairperson, welcomed everyone to the meeting and announced the winner of the Dolly Mixture Perpetual Shield to the member who attended the most RC events throughout the year.

The winner was Sandra Somerville and ‘Stuart’ who attended flatwork, polework, working hunter, gridwork, show jumping and cross-country training with the club, as well as attending shows and clinics. The Dolly Mixture Perpetual Shield was first awarded in 2001 by Pearl and Alison Donnell after their beloved horse ‘Dolly Mixture’ passed away in 2000.

Alison and ‘Dolly’ were active members when the club formed and attended lessons and competed at the Northern Ireland Riding Club Championships in Show jumping, Dressage, Horse Trials, Equitation and Riding Test, creating many happy memories and bringing home some rosettes along the way.

The first winners of the Shield in 2001 were Alison Monteith, Liz Wilson and Emma King.

Also at the AGM, Katie Clarke was proposed as chairperson for the upcoming year, Alison Donnell, as secretary and Pearl Donnell as treasurer. Elected to the committee were Gillian Hynes, Helen Badger, Alan Gilchrist, Naomi Elkin, Pamela Caldwell and Ami Kwasniewska.

Some club dates for your diary include; Annual Dressage Show on Sunday, March 24th at the Omagh RDA; the Horses only Working Hunter Show to include NI Festival Qualifiers on Saturday, April 6th at Ecclesville Centre, Fintona. The Annual Dressage Show will be pre-entry, however, the Working Hunter Show is entry on the day. Follow Strule Valley Riding Club on their facebook page for more information.