Equestrian Sport

At Dean Close there is an exciting opportunity to take part in many equestrian disciplines.

The Equestrian sports are organised and watched over by Mrs Paula Watson, Housemistress of Mead (a girls’ day house) at Dean Close, who has experience of being around horses all her life. She has actively promoted horse riding and polo in schools for 18 years and takes great pleasure in introducing beginners to riding or helping more advanced young people to put together programmes to promote their equestrian talents to achieve their long term goals with their horses.

Equestrian Schedule 2012

Riding Lessons

Riding lessons for beginner, intermediate or advanced riders are arranged at Huntley Equitation Centre under instruction from British Hose Society qualified teachers.

The facilities include a large 20 x 40 covered school, a 20 x 60 all-weather arena and an outdoor course of BSJA standard show jumps and a cross-country course. The horses are well-schooled and the Equitation Centre has a friendly atmosphere whilst promoting serious learning.

Show Jumping, Cross-Country, Eventing, Dressage

Dean Close actively promotes those with their own horses to compete in their chosen disciplines. Individual training programmes are discussed and competition entry fees are paid by Dean Close. The teams have had notable successes but the onus is always on enjoying competing on their horse.

Polo

Polo is an exciting sport enjoyed by boys and girls at Dean Close. Training begins in the Lent term and takes place at the Longdole Polo Club in Birdlip. Top class HPA Instructors offer tuition on well-trained enthusiastic polo ponies. Facilities include a full sized all weather arena and 3 full sized, boarded Polo fields offering polo to the highest of standards.

Teams are regularly entered in the schools’ winter and summer polo tournaments and are extremely enthusiastic about their sport.

Competitions

Dean Close has experienced considerable success and enjoyment in recent times at the Junior Inter-Schools One Day Event at Stonar, the National Schools' Team Cross-Country and the National SUPA Polo Tournaments.

TEAM Achievements for 2011 include -

WON - Green Division - SUPA Intermediate Arena POLO Tournament at Rugby Polo Club
SECOND - National Schools' Team TWO-DAY EVENT Open Class at Leamington Spa
THIRD - Inter-Schools' SHOW JUMPING at West Wilts Equestrian Centre
THIRD - National Schools' CROSS COUNTRY at Gawcott
THIRD - Inter-Schools' ONE-DAY EVENT Championship Class 6 at Stonar
FIFTH - National Schools' TWO-DAY EVENT Novice Class at Leamington Spa
FIFTH - SUPA U16 POLO Tournament at Longdole Polo Club
FIFTH - SUPA Open POLO at Longdole Polo Club

INDIVIDUAL Achievements for 2011 include -

WON - Midlands SHOW JUMPING Qualifier at Rugby
WON - Inter-Schools' ONE-DAY EVENT Championship Class 2 at Stonar
WON - Inter-Schools' ONE-DAY EVENT Championship Class 3 at Stonar
WON - Inter-Schools' ONE-DAY EVENT Championship Class 6 at Stonar
SECOND - Inter-Schools' SHOW JUMPING at West Wilts Equestrian Centre
SECOND - BE South West ONE-DAY EVENT at East Budleigh, Devon
SECOND - Midlands SHOW JUMPING Qualifier at Rugby
THIRD - National Schools' TWO-DAY EVENT Open Class at Leamington Spa
FOURTH - National Schools' TWO-DAY EVENT Novice Class at Leamington Spa
FIFTH - National Schools' CROSS-COUNTRY at Gawcott