Optimum Event Management

01/09/2024

What a fabulous first day of Autumn, just perfect for today's busy competition at Suffolk Rural!

It's great to be back there and was lovely to see so many familiar combinations along with many new ones, taking part in classes which ranged from Preliminary through to FEI Prix St. Georges including freestyle.

Many thanks to Emma and Lotte for Judging, Sally & Liz for writing and Caroline for stewarding (thank you to those who offered to be 'guinea pigs' for Caroline's BD Steward training too), not to mention Pat for this wonderful photo she captured of WHW Spike and his rider!

Looking forward to our next competition at this venue which is scheduled on Saturday 5 October - hope to see many of you then, if not before.

01/09/2024

Keep up with results throughout today's competition at Suffolk Rural, via our live feed link.
https://livefeed.myridinglife.com/feed/results?e=473464

30/08/2024

Individual start times for Sunday's BD & Unaffiliated Dressage competition scheduled at Suffolk Rural are now available via this link.

My Riding Life. The one-stop on-line entry website facility for riders and equestrian centres

30/08/2024

An email has been sent to everyone taking part in both tomorrow's Dressage Training Clinic with Simon Battram and Sunday's BD & Unaffiliated Dressage competition at Suffolk Rural, detailing an alternate/official diversion from the A12.

If you are approaching the venue from the A12, please allow extra time for your journey and follow the official diversion signs.

29/08/2024

*** ROAD CLOSURE ***

If you are heading to our competition this Sunday at Suffolk Rural and travelling along the A12 taking the exit onto the B1079 from (Dobbies Garden Centre), there is a section of road towards Grundisburgh which is CLOSED (please see map).

27/08/2024

DRESSAGE TO MUSIC

If you are entered into a freestyle class this Sunday at Suffolk Rural:

Can you please send your freestyle music via Whatsapp to 07881802129 prior to the competition day, so that it can be checked ahead of the event. We do not have the ability to play music via CD's at this venue.

If you have sent music in the past, we will still require you to send it again, as we do not store the MP3 files and many riders change their music on a regular basis, so we would not wish to play the incorrect tracks. Many thanks.

26/08/2024

*** BD Steward Training ***

One of our wonderful volunteers is training to become a British Dressage Steward, and at the competition we have scheduled next Sunday is in need of someone to allow her to tack check a double bridle. It will be filmed and submitted to BD as part of the training process.
If you intend to ride in a double bridle next Sunday and would be happy for this to be carried out following your test, please get in touch. Many thanks!

23/08/2024

British Dressage - South & East Region & Unaffiliated Dressage at Suffolk Rural - Equine on Sunday 1 September. Classes ranging from Preliminary through to FEI Inter I including freestyle. Don't miss the entry closing date, midnight this coming Sunday 25 August. For further details and to enter securely online, please visit our website.
https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

21/08/2024

Our next Dressage training clinic with Simon Battram is scheduled to take place at Suffolk Rural on Saturday 31 August, perfect if you are entering the BD & Unaffiliated Dressage competition scheduled at that venue the following day.
For further information and to book onto this clinic and or the BD & Unaffiliated Dressage competition, please visit our website https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

18/08/2024

Just two weeks until our return to Suffolk Rural - we hope you will join us there https://mailchi.mp/a61e8ddc393b/bd-unaffiliated-dressage-at-suffolk-rural-on-sunday-1-september

14/08/2024

Congratulations to Lucy Colley & Archie Boy! By public votes, you are our sponsored combination for 2024. We will be in touch shortly.

14/08/2024

We have been thrilled to see the enormous support all 8 of the short-listed combinations have received over the last two weeks of voting on both our Facebook and Instagram feeds, but there can only be one winner of the entries sponsorship at competitions we have scheduled for the remainder of 2024 at Suffolk Rural, and that winning combination is....

14/08/2024

Our 2024 Sponsored Combination will be announced in less than one hour... Watch this space.

08/08/2024

British Dressage & Unaffiliated Dressage competition dates at Suffolk Rural for the remainder of this year. Classes start at Preliminary and progress up to FEI Grand Prix including freestyle.
We look forward to welcoming regular and NEW combinations to this lovely venue, which boasts indoor and outdoor surfaces, plenty of parking, indoor viewing gallery and superb organisation.
For further information and to enter securely online, please visit our website.
https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

07/08/2024

With one week to go until our sponsored rider is announced, if you’re one of the 8 short-listed combinations, please ensure your supporters are “liking” the ORIGINAL post on this and our Instagram pages. We are unable to track “likes” on shared posts.

Keep up the great work promoting yourselves, the support is wonderful to see on our pages!

04/08/2024

We are very much looking forward to returning to Suffolk Rural College on Sunday 1 September, with classes scheduled from Preliminary through to FEI Inter I including freestyle.
For further information and to enter securely online, please visit our website https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

03/08/2024

If you are booked onto today’s Dressage training clinic with Simon Battram, we hope you have an enjoyable and rewarding session.
The next date we have scheduled is Saturday 31 August, head to our website for further information and to book.

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

*** Introducing Tina Wingar ***

Jewels was given to me, as my friend who owned her couldn’t afford to keep her and wanted her to have a home for life. I took her on unseen and untried because I knew I could give her the home she deserved whether it was as a ridden horse or just a field companion. She’s a Suffolk Punch cross Appaloosa, so slightly unusual and not a typical dressage type. Then again, what is a typical “type”.

She was backed as a 5 year old and has been brought on slowly. She started her dressage career doing a few unaffiliated competitions, but is now a fully fledged member of BD. She’s not a world be**er, but is very honest and has the biggest heart, so I know she will always try for me. In her first few outings she qualified for the Area Festivals in both straight and music classes. I feel it’s too soon to put too much pressure on her so will aim for Areas or Regionals next year.

I personally love riding a variety of horses and getting the best out of them. I’ve taken a Section D to the Nationals and have trained a little Connemara type to PSG. It’s just fabulous to be able to get the best out of non traditional horses with correct training.

I love supporting people when I’m out at shows because I know how easy it is to let nerves get the better of you and to feel slightly overawed in the warm up arena. The majority of us do this sport for fun, and we need to remind ourselves how lucky and privileged we are to be able to compete and ride these beautiful creatures.

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

*** Introducing Zanna Saville ***

I would like to put forward myself and Lenny as he truly deserves it as my horse of a lifetime. From hunt hireling at 7 years old to Medium Freestyle to music area festival championships at 16 years old. We have been placed BE at Keysoe and combined training championships. He has been hired out for hacking and is an all-round family horse that my husband and niece ride. We would still like to move up the levels and Optimum Event Management provides the opportunities beyond medium level. We are training advanced medium at home. Optimum Event Management run efficient and friendly shows which makes competing pleasurable.

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

*** Introducing Caitlin Madden ***

I am a 16-year-old dressage rider who has just left school and I'm hoping to make a career out of dressage. I've ridden horses since the age of 2 and in 2021 I started my dressage journey through BD my quest, later that year I qualified for the national championship and placed 4th. Following this success, through my trainer I was offered a new horse to ride called Swayze, I have been riding Swayze for over a year and together we have had lots of success consistently placing in the top 3 at local BD competitions.
Last month I bought a new young horse (3 years old) to train alongside Swayze, I am hoping to train her up the levels once she turns 4 and hopefully in the future do some high-level stuff with her.
I would really like this sponsorship opportunity, and be incredibly grateful for it, because it would help me get Swayze out to more competitions to qualify for more championships. It would financially help me out as there isn't many BD venues in Norfolk so it's becoming very expensive travelling and then entry fees!

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

*** Introducing Rebecca Kidby ***

I bought Poppet as a scrawny 3 year old five years ago, as I couldn't afford a ready made dressage horse. I have backed and produced Pops by myself, taking my time with longevity in mind. Poppet has been an absolute dream and is a big part of our family, she often takes my young daughters for hacks. Poppet is currently competing at Nov/Ele and we have just started our music journey.
Poppet placed 4th at Prelim Gold at the Sparsholt Regionals in 2021 and has competed at both summer and winter area festivals since. She has always been placed just out of the top 10 and came 5th at Novice silver winter 23.

I started training with Simon Battram a year ago, who has helped us greatly and we are aiming for Medium later this year. My life time goal has always been to compete in a tail coat and I believe the pops has the trainability and temperament to get us there. She has a heart of gold and always tries her best for me, even when I’m not riding at my best!
I work full time as a police officer, with two daughters who do dance, gymnastics and also ride. I fit in caring for and riding Poppet between being a mum, work and driving to clubs (usually late at night). Most of our money goes on my daughters hobbies, so I restrict the amount that I compete, trying to do the minimum to qualify for championships. This opportunity would mean so much to me, as I do get test rusty between competitions and put far too much pressure on myself to do well, knowing that I have limited opportunities. I would love to be able to get out more regularly, it would be the boost that Pops and I need to achieve the dream and hopefully get back in that top ten at championships!

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

*** Introducing Charlotte Keyland ***

I would like this sponsorship opportunity as i have been recently busy competing on my small collection of horses. I’m hoping to go through the levels learning each step of the way and hoping an advanced medium is not to do far away. A sponsorship opportunity would help me do this massively. I also work re training a small amount of ex racehorses and the entries would help me get them out doing dressage to.
Pettistree has just recently done the regional ROR championship at codham park and we finished second which qualifies us for the aintree nationals, we have also qualified to do the under 25s at Sheepgate. I also rode as part of the Bedfordshire county dressage team at the British dressage inter county’s.

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

*** Introducing Rebecca Kelly ***

My name is Bex and my horse, Future Inferno, is a 10 year old part bred Arab. We started our affiliated dressage career in January 2023 with our first competition being run by Optimum at Suffolk Rural! It was a dismal first performance with a 51.40% score but we’ve been working hard ever since and glad to say we don’t see many fifty something scores anymore! (unless it’s a really bad day!) In our first season we qualified for both the summer and winter area festivals, as well as the associated champs which I was really proud about.
Like most folks I work full time, keep my horses on DIY, fitting in training and competing where possible, it’s hard work but it’s worth it. My horses are my joy and passion and the sponsorship being offered by Optimum really is incredible, the events are always a pleasure to attend and Suffolk Rural is our nearest venue so couldn’t be more convenient.
Having secured our qualifying scores early on this year we will be off to the summer area festival shortly as well as the associated champs where we hope to compete at both prelim and novice this year. Our sole aim really is to go out, have fun and progress as best we can. We stepped up to novice this year and I’m pleased to say we haven’t disgraced ourselves…yet!

Optimum events are always a pleasure to attend, extremely well run and organised I know the only thing I need to concern myself with is what mood his royal highness is in or if I can learn the correct test!!

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

*** Introducing Charlotte Dorey ***

I am a passionate horse rider, 25 years old, based in Kent and have two horses: Avanti and Cali. I have had ponies and horses all my life, whilst living in the UK and abroad (Singapore, Zurich and Geneva).
In April 2021, I bought Cali as a complete project, she is now 8 and a bit of a dressage superstar! Since I’ve had her, we have been to numerous unaffiliated and affiliated competitions, represented the Pony Club and been on BD teams for South & East and Kent. We started our BD journey in June 2023 and have been extremely successful so far.
I have also represented West Kent Meopham Pony Club at the Pony Club Championships in Warwickshire 2023, coming 4th in the Novice qualifier class and 2nd in the Novice Championship class. We have qualified for this year’s Pony Club Championship at Intermediate level too.
My riding goals for the future are:
• to continue to be selected for BD teams
• to be selected for BD Home Nations
• to start competing at Elementary in 2024
• to move up through the levels consistently and correctly

Whilst I have never competed at Suffolk Rural College, both my aunt and grandfather live in Ipswich and Manningtree respectively, so competing there would be a fab opportunity for them to come and support me. As we all know, a rider is only as good as their support network! I also welcome any opportunity to take Cali to a new venue. A sponsorship opportunity like this would be greatly appreciated as I fully fund my dressage passion myself and competition entries have become incredibly expensive! Whoever receives this sponsorship will be very lucky, so I would like to thank Optimum Event Management for this fantastic sponsorship opportunity and wish all applicants the very best of luck!

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

*** Introducing Lucy Colley ***

Myself and Archie Boy have been competing at BD since January 2022, completing our first affiliated tests at one of your Wix shows, the helpful and professional atmosphere at your events allowed us to have an incredible first experience and gave us a big jump start into our dressage journey. Since then as a combination we have gone from strength to strength working our way through the levels, our highlights include placing 8th at Arena UK Prelim Regions and more recently representing Team Suffolk at Novice level at the Inter County Challenge. We have continued to consistently compete at the Optimum dressage shows in Essex and Suffolk including Earlsway, Boyton and Suffolk Rural. We have also used your test training days to help us along the way.
Our goal for 2024 is to step up to elementary and I believe this opportunity would enable us to get the ring experience and put our goal into action along side our weekly training. Archie and I have been a combination for 4 years and outside of dressage we enjoy taking part in county level showing, eventing and showjumping.
I’m incredibly lucky to have such an amazing horse who really puts his heart into everything we try. Outside of horses I am extremely motivated and am currently completing my nursing degree.

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

01/08/2024

We have been thrilled by the response received for SPONSORSHIP OF ENTRIES at BD & Unaffiliated Dressage competitions we have scheduled between now and the end of this year at Suffolk Rural College!

All applications were passed to an independent panel and eight have been short-listed and will appear individually on our Social Media from 12.00hrs today.

Who receives the sponsorship will then be decided by the public, by means of the number of 'likes' received on this page and our Instagram page by 12.00hrs on Wednesday 14 August, 2024.

Wishing all those who have been short-listed, the very best of luck!

https://optimumeventmanagement.co.uk/

27/07/2024

Dressage training with Simon Battram at Suffolk Rural College https://mailchi.mp/34f8d95a1008/dressage-training-with-simon-battram-at-suffolk-rural

17/07/2024

*** SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY ***

We are offering one rider and their horse, sponsorship of entries at BD & Unaffiliated Dressage competitions we manage at Suffolk Rural College up to the end of this current BD Winter qualification period (Tuesday 31 December 2024).

If you wish to apply, please send an email to [email protected] with a photo of you and your horse along with details of your achievements to date and future goals, stating why you would like to receive the sponsorship opportunity.

We will choose a selection of applications and promote each combination via our social media, at which point the combination gaining the most support (by midday on Wednesday 14 August 2024) from the online campaign will be awarded the sponsorship.

Applicants must agree to their photo and ‘biography’ appearing on social media, so please do not include information which you would rather not make public.

Applications must be received by email no later than midnight on Wednesday 31 July 2024. Good luck!

15/07/2024

*** Important Information for BD Members ***