Dumfriesshire figured strongly in Horse Scotland awards dinner at the weekend winning two of the six award categories. The awards, which celebrate and recognise outstanding achievements in Scottish equestrianism, were presented at a gala dinner in Cumbernauld on Friday night (27th February).
Amanda Saville, of Chariots of Fire Carriage Driving Centre in Boreland, Lockerbie was named as the top equestrian coach in the country. She was given the title in recognition of the outstanding contribution she has made not only to improving the skills of those she trains but also in the effects she has on their lives as a whole.
Over the last twenty years Chariots of Fire has offered a wide range of equestrian opportunities from its yard in the hills above Lockerbie, but what sets it apart is the focus placed on drivers with physical and mental impairment. Disabled drivers who have trained at the yard have qualified for the para-driving national championships every year since 2010, with several winning medals. In 2014 not only did Amanda win the National Pony Pairs Championship, two of her protégés Graham Smith from Annan and Charlotte Thomson from Eastriggs came first and second in the Novice para-driving Championship at Sandringham in 2014. Another young driver who trains at the Chariots yard is 14 year old Lewis Shaw also from Annan who became the first blind competitor to take part in the national driving championships. Lewis is unable to judge where to place his pony so Amanda has developed a method of providing clear instructions to guide him through all phases of competition.
The judges were particularly impressed by her commitment to helping people who find themselves neglected by mainstream sport, and praised her work in the development of wheelchair-accessible carriages; her innovation in modifying harness to help those with little movement in their arms and her remarkable record in introducing people to the benefits of equestrianism in general and carriage driving in particular.
“It’s very much a team effort at Chariots of Fire” said Amanda “Running a pony yard demands a lot of hard work by a lot of people but it’s all worthwhile when we see the smile on the faces of the people we work with. To be given the Coach of the Year is just the cherry on the top of the cake – for all of us, not just me!”
Meanwhile, local charity Sports Driving Unlimited was named at Club of the Year at the award dinner. The organisation works closely with Amanda Saville’s team at Chariots of Fire and exists to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to take part in sports carriage driving both in southern Scotland and the north of England. Its members not only volunteers at lessons and events, but work tirelessly to raise funds to make carriage driving sessions available to everyone. Sports Driving Unlimited has, in the words of the judges, made an outstanding contribution to the development of equestrianism at a local, regional and national level. SDU chairman, Rosemary Flexney said “to receive this award is a tremendous honour and a terrific boost to the trustees and members. We are all very proud of everything our small club and its drivers have achieved and it is wonderful for this to be recognised at a national level by horsescotland”
