Laurel View Equestrian Centre

Competition for potential and young event horses and ponies plus an open speed derby for animals 7 years and over.
Wednesday 11th August 2010
Training sessions, flatwork and jumping, for the above on Wednesday 28th July and Tuesday 3rd August
Further information on competitions page

Unregistered Jumping League
Wednesday evenings from 12th May - 30th June
6pm start for 50cm up to 1m

Summer Dressage League
Sundays 16th May, 20th June,
18th July & 22nd August (Final).
See separate schedule for classes.

Cross Country Go As You Please
(if ground conditions suitable)
Sunday 13th June & Sunday 11th July 12 noon - 4 pm

Summer Derby League
Sundays 27th June, 25th July & 8th August (Final)
Classes for 2'3, 2'9 & 3'3.

Never let it be said that Laurel View Equestrian Centre are not willing to try something new and the first competitor at the Dressage Competition on Sunday 21st March was testimony to this - Peregrino, a 14.2 hands pure-bred Andalucian Donkey gelding ridden by Claudia Knoll.

Peregrino has the honour of being the first ever donkey to ride a dressage test at Laurel View and scored an impressive 64.35%, with Claudia delighted that he didn’t put a hoof wrong during the BD Intro B Test.

Peregrino was imported from Southern Spain in 2007 by his owner Yvonne Canavan. The Andalucian donkey is an endangered species and is the subject of a breeding programme in Spain to rescue the breed from extinction. There are currently only a few hundred pure bred Andalucian donkeys in existence.

In Andalucía the donkey was traditionally used for general farm work including transporting loads of oranges and cork. Because of their large size they were also used to breed mules which were highly valued in Spain as working animals.

Modernization has inevitably caused a decline in the donkeys’ working role but increasing tourism has allowed an alternative use as “donkey taxis” in holiday resorts where they are a spectacular sight in their highly coloured and ornate traditional Spanish tack.

Dressage can now be listed as another skill for this Andalucian donkey. Perhaps Peregrino will be back to compete again at the Laurel View Summer Dressage League which commences on Sunday 16th May.

PROPRIETORS-ROBERT AND LINDA DAVIS