Sophie Rodger had an unexpected win on her 19-year-old horse Duchess Summer Gold when she took part in an unaffiliated ILPH dressage competition. She has owned Duchess for three years and had until a year ago been competing her only at showjumping, but, after having a lesson with Pippa Childerhouse, decided to start dressage.

Sophie Rodger had an unexpected win on her 19-year-old horse Duchess Summer Gold when she took part in an unaffiliated ILPH dressage competition. She has owned Duchess for three years and had until a year ago been competing her only at showjumping, but, after having a lesson with Pippa Childerhouse, decided to start dressage. Sophie enjoys the dressage so much she has now bought seven-year-old Grane Venice, a 17hh Russian Trakehner. She competed on Venice at the ILPH and, although not placed, gained 61.6pc in her first Novice 25. Both horses are now affiliated and she is competing up to medium on Duchess and hopes to go up to elementary this year on Venice.

Sophie, 20, is currently on a business management course at the UEA and owns Express Equine, a dressage specialist shop at Long Stratton.

She will soon start her master saddler course, when she hopes to work both in her shop and out with horses.

The National Pony Society (NPS) Area 15 is holding two showing clinics during half term. The first is a flatwork clinic with leading producer Allister Hood at the ILPH on Wednesday, February 15. The second is jumping with working hunter jumps at Orwell Arena, near Ipswich, with Debbie Edmundson. For more details contact Anne Basham on 01449 672960.

There is also a show time/questionnaire evening with leading personalities Allister Hood, Sue Rawding, Stuart Hollings and Paul Brightwell at Hintlesham Hall, near Ipswich, on Friday, March 24. Tickets from Kate Chambers on 01842 764419. The NPS Area 15 show with Horse of the Year Show qualifiers is at the Suffolk Showground on June 24.

Blackwater Farm at Great Witchingham has two cross country and showjumping schooling days on February 5 and 26, and an unaffiliated dressage and showjumping on February 19. Great Witchingham British Eventing horse trials take place at Blackwater Farm on the weekend of March 24-26. For further details, call David Sayer on 01362 688227 or 01603 873187.

The British Horse Society has a Duty of Care Child Protection course at the ILPH on February 13, which is open to non-members. For further details, contact BHS East Of England regional development officer Jeanetta La Four on 01953 498908, or email j.lafour@bhs.org.uk