We have just been sent a report from Caroline Court about the Attelage de Tradition held a Tismans over the weekend of the 3rd & 4th August. It was a fantastic event which we look forward to competing in again in the future. Well done Caroline your event was a huge success, see full report below.
‘At Tismans Farm we welcomed 16 competitors to the first CIAT Tismans, with the prefect weather forecast it was set to be a fabulous weekend at this stunning venue.
Friday evening saw a welcome dinner enjoyed by all competitors & organising committee, a relaxed affair at the secretaries tent, competitors brought their own chairs and enjoyed a bar with a twist – a converted old fire engine complete with Tismans themed cocktails on offer & a plentiful sausage & bun salad meal.
Saturday morning commenced with our drivers briefing. All drivers were driven around the routier that they were to drive on Sunday morning, including the PCs they would have to complete during the routier. There was a lot of anticipation as this is a new venue & all competitors were looking forward to driving the route on Sunday & taking in the back drop of the house for the presentations. In the afternoon presentations commenced, the sun came out & smiles were plentiful. We even had a number of spectators come to watch which added to an already buoyant atmosphere. Competitors enjoyed a walk down the main tree lined drive to the first presentation, followed by another short walk to the front of Tismans house, making fabulous pictures & the third in front of the period barns beside the house. This was followed by another walk up & around the buildings to have their wheels measured & back to the lorry park via the back drive.
Eventual champion & single pony winner Sharon Wooton infront of Tismans House. Photo courtesy of TTphotography.
Saturday evening all competitors were invited to our Farmers Supper with champagne reception on the front lawn of Tismans House, a short picturesque walk from the lorry park. Competitors marveled at the gardens & also met & mingled with our hosts David & Stephie Trafford, this followed by a short walk across our cones field & in to the cow barn spectacularly decorated commenced the dinner. Again the bar attended along with a full hog roast supper & delicious puddings & a fantastic singer commenced a rather brilliant party with some fabulous dancing. A very merry time was had by all.
During the evening we also held a raffle of which half of the proceeds were donated to the resident Driving for the Disabled Group ‘Happy Landings’. A sum of £365 was raised for the group to go towards new equipment. Raffle prizes were all very kindly donated including 2 great prizes from Hartland Carriages.
Sunday morning started early with 2 presentations for competitors who had prior arrangements & couldn’t attend the Saturday presentations.
Followed the start of the routier. 13km of fabulous West Sussex & Surrey countryside, access through 2 private farms by kind permission of Mr Neil Harrison & back to Tismans to complete via grass rides & headlands with amazing views of the South Downs.
The first PC was the wine glass challenge, set at the beginning of the routier down the front drive.
2nd was a right handed rail to be driven with the right front wheel between the lines.
3rd was a one handed left handed circle.
4th was the put away – carriages to be reversed into a coach house marked out on the ground.
5th was a 20m salute one handed with tractor & JCB telehandler parked beside it, enhancing the farm them.
All competitors completed being welcomed back by our hosts with French breakfast, with beaming smiles & happy ponies & horses.
In the afternoon commenced the Maniabilite. The cones course, 20 sets with an a, b & c element, complete with plastic cow & straw bales for decorations & flower planters sponsored by Southern Carriage Driving Club, the arena shone. With only one double clear by Katie Cooper, the cones were the deciding factor between the competitors.
Helen Annema Hughes at the start of the cones. Picture courtesy of Georgia Hand Photography.
Michael Hartland Driving a fabulous cones course with the longest vehicle of the event. Photo Courtesy of TTphotography
Katie Cooper Enroute to the only double clear cones & receiving the ‘Best Novice’ prize sponsored by Hartland Carriages with a generous voucher.
The Final Results:
Champion – Sharon Wooton
Reserve – Ruth Martin – Scotland
Single horse:
Jessie Boden
Modris Kesans – Wales
Liz Jarman
Kimberley Titmus
Helen Anema Hughes – Best SCDC member Horse.
Single Pony:
Sharon Wooton – Best Lady Whip
Ruth Martin – Scotland
Antonia Gallop – Best SCDC member Pony
Katie Cooper
David Pritchard.
Horse pairs:
Joanna Broadbent Driving on behalf of Amanda Hawley
Michael Hartland – Best Gentleman Whip
Pony pairs:
Rosemary Neale
Wendy Johncey
Multiples:
James Jeffery – unicorn
These events can not happen without the help off stewards, I & the committee of Tismans 2019 would like to thank each & every one of our stewards & helpers for their effort this year.
With 2019 being such a resounding success, we are very pleased to be able to release next years date. 1st & 2nd August 2020.
If any one would like to know more or may be interested in attending either to compete or help steward please do contact me.
Caroline.’