Socials – including upcoming alumni events

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Not only is CURC a way to learn to ride in Cambridge but it is also a way to meet like-minded horsey people and get a much-needed dose of horsey chat between the hours of work. This year we have had lots of great socials for both members of the team and the club. Notable highlights have been our swap with the polo team, a very popular Hawks Christmas dinner formal and some lovely Sundays spent at yoga and brunch. Next year we are looking forward to one of the most important socials of the year – our team post-varsity dinner with Oxford – where hopefully we will be celebrating our varsity win!

I am sure you have fond memories of not only riding but also many an (maybe drunken) evening laughing and spending time with your teammates and club friends. So, as part of our new focus on alumnae outreach we are looking to plan some alumnae socials. We hope this will go on to become a regular occurrence and can be used as an excuse to meet up with your friends and even return to Cambridge. The suggested plans for this year include a formal dinner in either London or here in Cambridge. If there is sufficient interest we would also like to consider organising a summer drinks garden party. We will make sure we email you with further information once these are organised so you can signup to come! However, we have also created a Facebook group for our alumnae where we can give more regular updates and you can reconnect with old teammates. If this is something you would like to be part of please find us at ‘Cambridge University Riding Club Alumnae’ on Facebook.

Sophia Summers

CURC Social Secretary 2023-24

Updates from the University Team (CUET)

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The 2023-24 season has been an incredibly exciting one for CUET so far! Beginning in early October with some very competitive trials applications, we were hopeful from the beginning that this may turn out to be another successful year for Cambridge Equestrian. Despite it requiring some tough decision making from Millie and I, we managed to set our three teams, all of which were looking very strong from the start with a great mix of fresh new faces and experienced BUCS riders!

This year, we’ve continued training at the College of West Anglia with with Emma Pewter (dressage) and Kate Newstead (jumping). We’ve now been here for three seasons, and still can’t quite believe our luck with the quality and range of horses we get to ride here – we’re also very proud of the number of compliments these ponies get from other teams! Training on everything from turbo-cobs to ex-eventers, we are never unprepared when we face the challenge of new horses at away matches.

Now coming to the end of Lent term, we are thrilled to be able to prove the benefits of our training! Following a clean-sweep season, we are thrilled to share the incredibly exciting news that the 3s have a guaranteed place at BUCS regionals! This is despite them being in the Trophy pool, which means they’ve largely been competing against 2s teams from other universities. In such a competitive, and let’s face it, unpredictable, sport, this is an incredible achievement, and we wish them all the best of luck. Not that they need it…Nationals is at the tips of their fingers!

The 1s and the 2s still have one pool match each as of yet, but we’re happy to report that both teams are also in great positions. They’re each currently on one win and one very close second place, so a win at their final matches of the season in March would make regionals a real possibility for them as well!

Other than BUCS, of course, we’re now deep into organising the long-awaited event of the year – the Equestrian Varsity match against Oxford! This year, it is going to be held at Warwick International School of riding on the 5th of May, a bit later than normal but giving us plenty of time to train (and hope for good weather!). We’re hoping to make this a proper event – we’ve even knuckled down on our socials this year in the hopes of finding sponsorships to make the day as big (and as fun) as possible. We absolutely can’t wait to let our teams show off all their hard work, and definitely plan on bringing home that red ribbon! Here’s to another successful season of BUCS riding!

Eve Mayes and Millie Green

CUET Captain and Vice Captain 2023-24

 

Updates from the Club

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Springhill

2023-24 has been a great year for our beginner-novice riders at Springhill, with many new riders having the opportunity to enter into the sport for the first time, as well as many who started new on joining university progressing through the levels, with our more advanced classes progressing into jumping practice and expanding awareness of dressage movements.

A notable success this year was the introduction of taster sessions during the first few weeks of Michaelmas, allowing complete beginners the opportunity to experience riding for the first time before committing to a full membership, providing a fun and accessible entry to the sport many would not have tried otherwise.

It looks to still be a busy year ahead, and hopefully lots more progress to come!

Katie Bugler

CURC Springhill Lesson Co-ordinator 2023-24

Hill Top

Hill Top has had a busy and exciting start to the academic year, with many new riders from those just starting out to the ex- (and active) competitors. Welcome to all! We are delighted to have you join the club.

Our first internal competition, Dressage Cuppers, was held in Michaelmas and was very well-attended. 11 riders chose between Prelim, Novice and Elementary tests, and performed their hearts out on the very cold day of competition! Well done to all competitors, but especially Isadora on Skylight (first in Prelim) and Eleanor on Oscar (first in Elementary).

Jumping also seems to have picked up! We now hold a set jumping lesson, as well as a second potential slot. Hopefully we will be able to continue beginning jumping lessons for our newer jumpers, when the right horses are available! Cold and dark evenings have made for spicy ponies, and we look forward to warmer weather for our second Cuppers (Le Trec) in Easter term.

Kiah Johnson

CURC Hill Top Lesson Co-ordinator 2023-24