Welcome to the Old Berkeley Riding Club
We pride ourselves on being a friendly & supportive club encouraging members of all levels to achieve their goals & have fun. This could be joining in club activities to winning a rosette at the Championships.
Members can join from 18 years old & over with no maximum age …
As a club, we can compete at both the London & South East and Area levels. If you’re interested in representing the club and competing alongside your other club members click on the BRC Qualifiers page for more information.
During the year we hold various events and competitions. These are aimed at encouraging a relaxed atmosphere and are suitable for both very novice riders and horse / pony combinations as well as the more experienced riders.
Membership entitles you to discounted entry fees at all open OBHRC shows we hold.
If you have any questions please contact the Chairman Diane Hunt, details on the Contact Us Page.
Challenge Trophies & Special Awards
Every year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) the challenge trophies & special awards are presented the members for their support, achievements & successes during the year.
There are 15 challenge trophies awarded for achievements both at club level and for representing the club at Area, Regional qualifiers & at Championships during the year.
Disciplines including Jumping, Dressage, DTM, Horse Trials & arena Eventing .
Club trophies:
- Shield awarded for supporting Jumping & XC training & competitions.
- Most improved overall rider and horse / pony combination.
- New - Shield awarded for the roads and tracks treasure hunts.
- Points trophies for the showing show & dressage series.
- Trophy awarded to the horse or pony who attends the most events & training sessions during the year.
- Points league trophies awarded to members who volunteer their time & help at events & activities.
These are just a sample of the awards given out each year.
Special awards are given for:
- Best Area or L&SE Team representing the club.
- Dressage points league championships for members who compete in the restricted & open sections of the intro, prelim & novice classes at the dressage series which the club organises each year.
OBRC Facebook
We have an open facebook which anyone to look at which is updated regularly with BRC update, schedules for our events & other local riding club open competitions.
If you click on the facebook on this website it will take you directly to the open facebook page.
We also have a members’ only facebook page which expands on the information that we share with members of the OBRC.
This includes
- Announcements on training clinics dates, group times.
- Directions & photos to help find training clinic venues.
- Our show schedules, reports, photos and results.
- Area 6 qualifying competitions schedules, reports & photos.
If you are a OBRC Member you can request access to this facebook page.
Where are our club venues?
Brief History of the Club
Old Berkeley Riding Club celebrates over 70 years of being part of the BRC/ BHS riding club movement in 2020.
The club started in 1948 by Colonel Phipps Master & Amateur huntsman of the Old Berkeley East Hunt with aim of encouraging hunt members to continue socialising during the summer months. In those early years activities included garden parties, swimming parties, trips to the Windsor races, cross country rides, gymkhanas, hunter trials, and barn dances.
The Riding Club competitions were often organised at prestigious venues with OBHRC team members winning the One Day Event at Kensington Palace Gardensin 1960. Royal International Show was held at White Citystadium in 1961 members competed in the Riding Club team event and in 1971 the quadrille team won the championship at the Horse of the Year show.
Over the years the committees have organised various events & activities including long distance rides, dressage, show jumping, one day events, hunter trial competitions.
Members have continued to represent the club at various competitions & championships.
The Annual Showing show on Good Friday started around 1965 this offered members, riders and local professionals an early show to practice at before the main & county showing competitions season started & is still part of the event diary each year.
Today the club is still growing in strength & expanding interests by offering equine talks, visits & demonstrations as part of the Horse knowledge Club, training clinics in dressage, jumping & XC. Open showing show, treasure hunts rides, dressage & Jumping throughout the year.
In 2022 we shortened our name to Old Berkeley Riding Club to better reflect our main purpose as a modern day Riding Club
OBRC encourages everyone to join in, have fun, make new friends, enjoy riding & competing together.
Thank you to members both past & present who have supported the OBRC over the years & will hopefully continue to do so into the future.