Event Name: East Midlands Dressage Group (EMDG) One Day Event
Location: Osberton, Worksop, Notts, S81 0UG
Date: 23rd & 24th February 2019
Organisers: EMDG
Entries Open: Now waitlist
Classes: Intro (equivalent to BE80T), Novice Open (equivalent to BE90), Novice (equivalent to BE90), Open (Equivalent to BE Novice)
Find out more: EMDG website
An Eventful Life is filming all competitors on cross country at EMDG ODE 2019 – find out more here
When we left the lovely Osberton Estate in October last year, we didn’t know we’d have the pleasure of being back so soon! The Osberton International is a firm favourite on our calendar and whilst there in October we heard about a great One Day Event run by the East Midlands Dressage Group at Osberton that kicks off the season in February.
We have been welcomed with open arms by EMDG, winner of the 2018 British Riding Clubs Club of the Year, and we asked the Event Organiser, Chloe Cavell, to tell us a little bit more about the Club and the annual One Day Event that has run for over 30 years, mainly at Osberton
The event at Osberton is held by kind permission of G.M.T Foljambe who is not only a founder of the Club but also President of East Midlands Dressage Group
“We are eternally grateful to G.M.T Foljambe for allowing us to use the estate for this competition and training” says Chloe “The ground at Osberton is so fantastic. Last year we were exceptionally lucky, we kicked the season off with a fantastic event then the following week most events had to cancel due to snow and heavy rain”
Chloe took over the organising of the event from Jack Beavan in 2015 when it ran as a true One Day Event, held on the Sunday. She saw the potential for it to become bigger as there was such a demand and in 2016 it was expanded to run it over two days
“We haven't looked back, this is now my fifth year of organising it and each year it continues to grow” says Chloe, who has a well-experienced core team “We have the wonderful Carolyn Simm who does all the entries and the scoring along with a team of volunteers. In the cross country control we have Adrian Dant and commentating is Chris Otty - all of whom are on the British Eventing Circuit all year”
The show jumping and cross country course is designed by Mark Cavell and the cross country is built by the ‘wonderful’ Peter Wilson ‘who also makes all the cross country fences for us’.
“This year Peter will be building us a memorial fence which will make its debut at the annual One Day Event. It will be unveiled in memory of our treasurer Ralph Mort and Event Steward and long-time supporter Alwyn Varley”
The event runs three cross country courses at 80cm, 90cm and 115cm for four classes over the two days with the 80cm and 90cm classes taking place on the Saturday and the 90cm and 115cm on the Sunday
In 2019 the event is proving as popular as ever; entries are now full with wait lists already in place two weeks before closing and, as always, it is thanks to many willing volunteers that the event can take place at all
“85% of people working at the event are volunteers” says Chloe “They are mainly members who are very supportive of the club and, as you have mentioned, we are an award-winning club. We were thrilled to be presented with the British Riding Clubs Club of the Year trophy before Christmas when received our award from the British Horse Society President, Martin Clunes at the BHS Awards Ceremony at the Saddlers Hall in London”
We’re looking forward to covering the event and filming all riders on cross country at Osberton in February. We have our fingers crossed that they will be as lucky with the weather again this year!
