Rhaglen 1 Ceffylau Cymru

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-I'm David Oliver, and in this series

-of Ceffylau Cymru...

-..I have the pleasure once again

-of delving into the world of horses.

-What I enjoy most about horses

-is preparing them for shows.

-Tending them,

-trimming them and so on.

-Feeding them.

-It helps to form a connection

-with the horses...

-..so when you take them to a show,

-they're at their best.

-Joining me this time...

-..is former under saddle champion

-Nia Marshalsay-Thomas.

-She's a regular competitor

-at the Horse Of The Year Show...

-..but in this series, she'll face

-some new challenges in the saddle.

-I've always been around horses.

-I can't imagine life

-without a horse.

-I love everything about them.

-The noise, the smell,

-the way they move.

-I could watch them all day.

-I can't imagine being without them.

-We'll ride at a canter...

-..from distant Australia

-to fields closer to home.

-There are lots of legends

-in the world of horses.

-In this programme,

-we look at a specific way of riding.

-It calls for strength,

-skill and concentration.

-It's considered an exploit

-and sometimes an art.

-The focus is on dressage.

-Welcome to Ceffylau Cymru.

-In this programme, we focus

-on the Welsh BYRDS dressage team...

-..and follow three keen competitors

-from the training arenas...

-..to the British U25 championships

-at Sheepgate in England.

-Following the Olympic success

-of Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro...

-..dressage

-is riding the zeitgeist...

-..and the Welsh team

-is truly inspired.

-We're in a magnificent spot today.

-Penrhyd Dressage

-in the Conwy Valley.

-Our competitors come here

-for specialist training...

-..as they prepare

-for the championships.

-Get ready for a half pirouette

-to the left, volte right...

-..and a piaffe or two.

-How did you become involved

-in dressage? Where did you start?

-I started doing dressage

-with my children, really.

-I had done a little, but in Wales

-years ago, there was no dressage.

-Dressage was just starting in Wales

-about 20 years ago.

-So, when I was young,

-there was none.

-I tried to compete...

-..but I wasn't good, really, at all!

-But I enjoyed it.

-You can never say

-you're really good at dressage.

-It goes on and on and on.

-There's always something to learn.

-BYRDS stands for the British

-Young Riders Dressage Scheme.

-Sioned has arranged a session

-with dressage coach Lucy Cartwright.

-Lucy used to work for Carl Hester...

-..winner of many

-Olympic dressage medals.

-In general terms, what is dressage?

-Dressage is training.

-I think the word dressage...

-..comes from

-the French word "dresser"...

-..which means "to train".

-Yes, we like to compete,

-but it's all about learning.

-Teaching the horse,

-teaching the rider.

-Trying to get the horse

-to work as best as you can.

-Is dressage difficult?

-Is dressage difficult?

-

-Yes.

-Yes.

-I'm not very good at it.

-It takes hours, hours and hours,

-and you have to be fit.

-A lot of it

-is to do with core strength.

-These young people are all athletes,

-and the horses are athletes too.

-I'm sure that they're training

-six days in every seven.

-What kind of horses

-are suitable for dressage?

-Any horse can do dressage.

-Some can do it better than others.

-Here in Wales, most of the children

-have Welsh horses.

-Megan Roberts, Sioned's daughter...

-..makes the most of the session

-with coach Lucy.

-She has competed for Wales

-and Britain in the past.

-She currently lives and works...

-..at the five-star DL Dressage

-training stables in England...

-..which is where I met her.

-How long have you been

-doing dressage?

-I started doing dressage

-when I was eight, I think...

-..when I got a small Dartmoor pony.

-He jumped and went to shows...

-..but I wasn't brave enough

-to carry on with that!

-Is that why you opted for dressage?

-Yes, I think so...

-..and I liked the fact

-that you could develop.

-There was a lot of detail

-and it was a challenge for me.

-The championships at Sheepgate

-aren't far away.

-You're competing

-with the Welsh team.

-Have you been preparing?

-Yes, Sheepgate is among my favourite

-competitions of the year.

-It takes place over a week.

-You get to see all your friends

-from Scotland, Ireland and so on.

-It's a lot of fun.

-Do you go up as one big group?

-Do you go up as one big group?

-

-Yes.

-We're the underdogs, to be honest.

-But I think

-everyone underestimates...

-..how much heart we have

-and how much we really want to win.

-I'm sure that you have fun too.

-I'm sure that you have fun too.

-

-Yes.

-Everyone...

-Some are seven years old, I think...

-..ranging up to twenty.

-Everyone gets on great.

-There are a lot of us now.

-When I started,

-at the age of eight...

-..there were only ten members

-in Wales.

-But now, I think

-that has gone up to almost 200.

-Gosh! It has grown quite a bit.

-Your mother's going to be there

-leading the team.

-How do you get on?

-My mother is like my best friend.

-She rides as well...

-..so she can share views

-about a lot of things.

-She understands what's going on.

-But it's hard...

-..when she has to lead

-and help other people.

-Instead of concentrating on you!

-When I look for a horse, I look

-at the shape and conformation.

-But for dressage,

-you're looking for something else.

-It doesn't matter

-if the horse is ugly.

-It's all about the gait.

-The horse must be correct

-in terms of legs, feet and so on.

-If it's not, it'll go lame,

-and I'm sure that's true for you.

-The horse's gait and its nature

-are most important.

-These are the scales of training.

-During a test,

-this is what the judge looks for.

-When we train a horse or a rider,

-this is the foundation...

-The bible, in a way.

-The bible, in a way.

-

-Yes, the bible.

-It's very technical, isn't it?

-It's very technical, isn't it?

-

-Yes.

-Next, it's Ella Preston's turn...

-..to benefit from Lucy's expertise

-in the boot camp.

-It's Ella's first time at Sheepgate,

-competing at the preliminary level.

-She's able to train at home as well,

-with her family's full support.

-Here are her parents, Jan and Adam,

-and her sister, Anna.

-How did you become interested

-in horses?

-Mam and Dad always had horses

-for us to ride.

-Anna rode as well,

-so if I didn't, I'd feel...

-..the odd one out in the family.

-When did you start with dressage?

-I started

-to take dressage seriously...

-..when I got my horse, Jack,

-two and a half years ago.

-With the help of Sian, my coach,

-I've come a long way since then.

-There's a major competition

-coming up at Sheepgate.

-Are you looking forward to it?

-Are you looking forward to it?

-

-I really am, but I'm nervous too.

-I've never competed

-over such a long period.

-But I'm hoping for the best.

-So, Ella, this is Jack.

-Yes.

-What kind of a nature does he have?

-He's very quiet

-in the stable like this.

-He does seem docile.

-But once you ride him,

-he's got a spark.

-You need that in a horse.

-You need that in a horse.

-

-Yes, he's lovely.

-If he's got that spark,

-he clearly enjoys what he's doing.

-Yes, he does really enjoy it,

-and he always tries his best.

-I'm sure Jack

-has more boots than you!

-This is an example

-of a dressage test.

-I'll try to help,

-but it looks complicated.

-If I can follow them...

-..I'll try to call them out

-as you go round, OK?

-Don't shout at me

-if I get it wrong.

-The first move is a serpentine.

-It's like a snake shape,

-almost like a figure of eight.

-She'll do it at a trot

-on either side.

-She's maintaining a rhythm.

-She moves to a medium trot.

-The horse has to keep the rhythm

-but pick its legs up higher.

-The change from working trot

-to medium trot must be smooth.

-Fair play, she's doing very well.

-Well, Ella, I think I did

-a fairly good job of calling out.

-How was the exercise

-for you and Jack?

-It went well.

-He was supple by the end,

-so I'm happy with it.

-Are you ready

-for the big competition?

-I hope so.

-I hope so.

-

-Fingers crossed.

-Good luck.

-Good luck.

-

-Thank you.

-BYRDS Cymru holds training sessions

-in the Conwy Valley and Ammanford.

-They're ideal training venues

-for riders of all levels...

-..from novices to FEI, the

-Federation Equestre Internationale.

-It's a chance to relax

-and to bond as a team...

-..before the major competitions

-on the horizon.

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-The British Under 25 Championships

-at Sheepgate, Lincolnshire...

-..is one of the highlights

-of the dressage calendar...

-..for young British riders.

-Sioned is leading

-a strong team from Wales.

-The atmosphere in the camp

-before the competition is electric.

-How big is the team?

-How big is the team?

-

-There are 32 riders.

-But they bring everyone with them.

-They don't just come alone!

-Mam, Dad, Nain, Taid, the dog.

-The woman next door, everybody!

-So, there's a lot of us!

-Everyone's having fun,

-but there's a serious element.

-Yes, because so much work

-has gone into it, and it's so far.

-One group from Pembrokeshire

-took nine hours to get here.

-So, it's far, and it's taken hours

-and hours of training to get here.

-During the week,

-riders compete individually...

-..and in teams

-of up to four riders.

-Megan enjoys individual success.

-Second place at the top FEI level

-is quite a feat.

-Our third competitor

-is Cerys Richards.

-Before coming to Sheepgate,

-I met her and her mother, Pat...

-..near Llancarfan

-in the Vale of Glamorgan.

-Cerys's situation is unlike

-many of her contemporaries.

-She must borrow a horse

-and somewhere to train.

-But she's a determined

-and competitive person.

-It's her second time at Sheepgate,

-having finished fifth last year.

-What do you enjoy about dressage?

-I like being able to move the horse

-wherever I want it to go.

-You must have an understanding

-with the horse.

-You need to know

-what the horse is going to do...

-..and the horse needs to know

-what you want it to do.

-I like being able to control

-the horse and perform moves.

-Where did her interest

-in horses come from?

-I'm not sure,

-but there was no direct influence.

-We went on holiday

-to my sister's place in Yorkshire.

-One of her friends suggested

-that we take Cerys to see her horse.

-From then on, she was asking

-for lessons and for a horse.

-All I got was nag, nag, nag.

-Have you had to buy

-a lot of riding equipment?

-To be honest,

-I try to do it on a budget.

-There's only me and Cerys,

-so money's tight.

-We borrow a lot of stuff.

-We borrow the horse,

-and either borrow or hire transport.

-To be honest, all I've had to buy

-is the riding gear she wears.

-The boots, the helmet,

-things like that.

-We do rely a lot

-on the kindness of others...

-..but it works two ways,

-for us, at least.

-Have you forged

-a good understanding with Tali?

-At the moment, it's fine.

-But I'd like to forge

-an even stronger understanding.

-It takes some six to eight months...

-..to forge a very strong bond

-with a horse.

-You're working on it.

-You're working on it.

-

-I'm working on it slowly.

-Is it difficult

-to change from horse to horse?

-Does it take time?

-Does it take time?

-

-It is difficult.

-Different factors

-work for different horses.

-So, if she's afraid

-of flags or something...

-..we need to work on it

-and trust one another...

-..in order to get over the problem.

-As well as the competitive spirit

-at Sheepgate...

-..there's also time to socialize,

-have fun and build team spirit.

-This team can clearly have fun

-both inside and outside the ring.

-We've seen Megan, Ella and Cerys

-training hard and enthusiastically.

-We're now at the British

-U25 dressage championships.

-The Welsh team has been successful

-at Sheepgate in the past.

-With lucky horseshoes to hand,

-we wish them all the best.

-I came to help you prepare Tali,

-but this isn't Tali, Cerys.

-What's happened?

-What's happened?

-

-Tali has injured her leg.

-She can't compete...

-..so Katie has turned around

-and offered to lend me Amber.

-So, that's who we have here? Amber?

-So, that's who we have here? Amber?

-

-Amber.

-It's so kind of Katie.

-Have you ridden Amber before?

-Have you ridden Amber before?

-

-For 20 minutes yesterday.

-Yesterday was the first time?

-Yesterday was the first time?

-

-Yes, that's right.

-How do you feel

-going into the competition?

-I'm a little bit nervous because

-I haven't really ridden her before.

-But she's a lovely horse,

-so I think it'll be alright.

-Poor Cerys was in floods of tears.

-She was so upset,

-after all the preparations...

-..and the five and a half hour trip

-to get here and all.

-Yes, we were disappointed...

-..but we're so lucky

-that the team pulled together...

-..and that Cerys

-is able to take part.

-She's getting her chance.

-Just from being here,

-the team spirit is very evident.

-Yes, definitely.

-Everyone helps each other

-and supports each other.

-It's a wonderful feeling.

-How do you feel

-before going down there?

-Focused.

-Focused.

-

-Focused!

-Game face!

-In the zone.

-Fair play.

-At all levels,

-the competitors must conform...

-..with the pattern of moves

-set out before the competition.

-The riders must memorize them...

-..and they will vary

-according to the level.

-The judges award scores...

-..based on how successfully

-the technical moves are completed.

-Cerys competes on behalf of the team

-on her borrowed horse.

-Performing dressage

-on a strange horse...

-..is a challenge for any competitor.

-But Cerys looks very confident

-on Amber.

-What was the score

-in that last test?

-I got 67.74%, and that's good.

-So, you're happy with that?

-So, you're happy with that?

-

-Very, very happy, yes.

-Have you enjoyed competing on Amber?

-Yes, it's been a great experience.

-Are you looking forward

-to coming back next year?

-Yes, and I hope Tali

-will be alright by next year.

-Next into the ring is Megan,

-competing on behalf of the team.

-I enjoyed today,

-and I got second in the individual.

-Unfortunately, the team event

-didn't go great for me.

-I made lots of mistakes.

-Dreamy was tired and fed up,

-and it was hot.

-It didn't go well.

-But my teammates did really well.

-Hopefully, that'll raise our score

-and help us do well overall.

-Dreamy's now going to have

-a well-deserved holiday.

-We're going home tomorrow morning.

-She's having a holiday

-for about five days, and so am I.

-You both deserve a holiday.

-You both deserve a holiday.

-

-Yes, I think we do.

-Ella is the last of her team

-into the ring.

-She's competing

-at the preliminary level.

-With her father, Adam,

-calling the directions...

-..she and her horse, Jack, are about

-to face an unexpected challenge.

-C, circle left, 20 metre diameter.

-Ella, we've just been watching you.

-Halfway through your test,

-the skies opened.

-Did that affect Jack at all?

-Did that affect Jack at all?

-

-It affected him a bit.

-But he was a good boy,

-he stayed relaxed and we carried on.

-I knew Jack and Ella would cope.

-They're used to rain in Dolgellau.

-I was a bit worried

-because it really was tipping down.

-I was afraid

-it might affect the test.

-But I don't think

-it made much difference, really.

-I felt for Adam,

-having to stand out in the rain!

-Apart from that, it all went OK.

-This was your first time

-at Sheepgate.

-Did you enjoy it?

-Did you enjoy it?

-

-I really enjoyed the experience.

-After the keen competing,

-in difficult conditions at times...

-..BYRDS Cymru

-enjoyed great success at Sheepgate.

-Megan's team came third

-in the advanced medium level.

-After Ella's battle in the rain...

-..her team finished second

-in the preliminary level...

-..and Cerys was delighted

-with her novice level result...

-..after she had to ride

-a strange horse.

-All the training

-and hard work paid off...

-..and Wales's team spirit

-is stronger than ever.

-It's great that we've done so well.

-I hope it will attract more people

-when they see what we can do.

-BYRDS is great for the children.

-It gives them confidence,

-they meet new people...

-..they can talk to people

-all over the country.

-The things they learn at BYRDS

-will help them in any field.

-What do the horses

-and dressage mean to you?

-I just love them.

-Yes, it's a challenge.

-The horses just make me happy,

-to be honest.

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