Open Day & Presentation, 2006

The Queen’s Award - A First in Co Londonderry for Riding for the Disabled

Speaking at the RDA Open day at Castleroe on Saturday, 21^st October, Mr Denis Desmond, Lord Lieutenant for Co Londonderry, said that the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, which he presented to Leslie Cole, Group Chairman, was the first for Co Londonderry, and one of only three awarded in Northern Ireland in 2006 – a total of 103 had been awarded in the UK – demonstrating the prestigious nature of the award..

Mr Desmond said that as part of the assessment process he had visited the Group in January, and had been impressed by three things – the enthusiasm of the volunteers, the benefit to the riders in relation to their physical and mental well-being as reported by a School Principal he had interviewed, and the evident enjoyment of the riders involved, seen again at the riding display he had witnessed earlier in the afternoon.

The Group Chairman, Leslie Cole, welcomed nearly 100 parents and friends and guests to the RDA Open Day & Presentation, especially Mrs Phyllis Fielding, Deputy Mayor of Coleraine, a number of other Councillors, Mrs Jill Lindsay, RDA Regional Chairman. He gave a special welcome to Mrs Lily Lee & Mrs Ann Millar, family of the late Mr Cyril Lee, founder member and strong supporter of the RDA, and without whom the Queen’s Award would not have been possible.

The Chairman thanked the many members who had worked so hard to prepare for the Open day, - the Instructors for the training of the many riders, the preparation of the premises and the horses, the kitchen staff for the refreshments, and most important, the riders for the magnificent display the had mounted.

The display had consisted of individual dressage demonstrations by the riders who had achieved significant successes in June at the NI RDA Regional Event, assisted by Billy Bones & Willy Wilson, a demonstration of a typical training exercise by six riders & helpers under the instruction of Vicky Sim, assisted by Brian Connor, and an inter-group competition between teams of three, run off in heats, supervised by Christine Hankin & Eric Traylor.

Mrs Phyllis Fielding, Deputy Mayor of Coleraine, congratulated the Group on their award, which she said was well deserved, wished them well for in the development for their proposed new facilities, and assured the Group of ongoing Council support. She thanked the riders and helpers for their wonderful display and presented each participants with a medal as a memento of the occasion.

Activities at the Riding for the Disabled Association at the Cyril Lee Arena at Castleroe consists of FIVE sessions weekly, Tuesday & Wednesday Evenings (7.00pm) and Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday morning (10.00am).

Persons interested in acting as NEW HELPERS or INSTRUCTORS are also invited to contact the RDA. Even if you have no previous experience with Disabled Persons or with Horses, do not worry, as you will be given the appropriate guidance and supervised training from the beginning. For further Information, contact The Secretary on 078 0153 3501, or phone the Arena on 028 7032 0147, or simply come to the Arena at the appropriate time.