TREC - THE MAKING OF THE MOVIE! by ex-BBC/ITV Producer, Fran Groves - now director of Dark Horse Media (video production) and Equine Bowen Therapist

S bend obstacle

Bending at canter (flying changes)

Orienteering in thick bracken

"You're 10 minutes late; he's left without you.  You'll have to take the steep route up to that ridge over there."  "What ridge over where?"  "The one partially covered in cloud.  Here's your horse ..... And a walkie talkie if you get lost - only the range is a bit dodgy in these hills".   And so it was that my Trec baptism of fire began.  Here I was recce-ing a video programme about the sport of Trec on a strange horse in the Welsh Black Mountains intending to meet up with the British Horse Society Trec Director, Rob Jones.  He, I subsequently learned, was of ex-military background and obviously believed in precision to the letter when it came to timekeeping! 

A few weeks earlier I had paid a visit to International Trec Section Champion, Paul Turner.   Paul runs a trail riding centre near Talgarth and specialises in trans-Wales rides.  He was to host the Trec Welsh National Championships in a few weeks time and I wanted to discuss the feasibility of producing a video which would explain in an entertaining way the whys and wherefores of the sport.  It had seemed to me that there was a huge gap in most people's (including my own) equestrian knowledge in this country as to what the sport of Trec actually involves. But having attended a riding club talk on it and having been a long-time devotee of all things Western, I felt that there was a glimmer of compatibility between Western competition and Trec and wanted to find out more. 

Horses have been a lifetime passion for me and for the past 20+ years I've been drawn to the Western approach with the emphasis on 'natural'. I can even lay claim to having had lessons with Bob Mayhew way back when he was starting out on his illustrious Western career in Malvern.   I don't think he would mind my mentioning that at that time he spent the bulk of his waking life watching instructional videos - when not riding that is - so my subconscious was well primed as to the beneficial effect of the right teaching aid. 

My own 'Western competitive career' - such as it is  - has been confined to a few 'baby' Western Riding and trail classes courtesy first of Sheila Whelan and then Heather Gwillim in Carmarthen.  Here a short pause for a mini moment of pride.  At one such show my Appaloosa yearling filly, Sexy Sadie, ran off with all the available in-hand gongs - beating a class of far more mature Trail hopefuls.  It's the natural talents of the breed, I'm sure! 

Back to Trec - and I'm assuming that the minutiae of the sport has been admirably covered by Polly's previous newsletter articles.  Suffice to recap that there are three phases to a Trec competition:  Orienteering, Control of Gaits (the "dressage element") and the exciting cross-country obstacle phase.  For the orienteering, someone has to carefully plan the routes to provide every level of competitor a mixture of challenge, pure pleasure and the opportunity for maximum appreciation of the environment (in France it is a major 'green tourism' initiative).  So...there I was hanging off this cliff edge in the wilds of South Wales with the British Horse Society Director of Trec  (we did meet up eventually on that ridge). 

The first thing I learned pretty quickly as Rob fastidiously studied prospective orienteering routes whilst occasionally looking either heavenwards or at some compass gismo in his hand,  was that although fun, Trec is serious business!   In fact, Rob's first words to me were "I don't talk much when I'm planning these routes".  This was just before his horse disappeared into an enormous peat bog.  Such hazards are not always marked on your average OS map!  But as prospective competitors, it's very reassuring to know that your route has been thoroughly checked out and personally sampled by the experts.  Needless to say major hazards are excluded from the actual competition route.  But do bear in mind for the future that if you get really good at Trec (Level 4+), you might find that part of your orienteering route has to be completed in the dead of night. 

Some routes we checked sweating up on foot through shoulder high bracken on steep sheep tracks, others we managed to bump along rutted 'roads to nowhere' by 4WD only to find our way blocked, which tested the nerve and expertise of the driver to execute a 10-point turn directly above a ravine.  One such safari yielded the most stunning location worthy of inclusion in any self-respecting cowboy film.  It was a massive stone dam imposingly set at one end of a reservoir over which the Level 4 riders would canter looking just like Pegasus silhouettes against the sky.  

On the day of filming the Orienteering, we were rewarded by the sight of a swarm of paragliders which swooped over the riders on the open hill.  Interviewing competitors after the event, it was clear that they had found the route as exhilarating to ride as the organiser had carefully planned.  I can't wait to get my young Appy going so that we can enjoy this section of the competition - I have since talked with officials of our National Park here in Brecon and it would seem that they would be keen to encourage this kind of sport.  I'm sure there must be echoes nationwide.  It has also been commented that "with the cloud hanging over Hunting, this might admirably plug some sort of gap". 

Anyone who has mastered the Western lope will be quids in on the next section of the competition, the Control of Gaits.  Here you are tested at the slowest canter you can manage over about 150 metres but then you have to make the return at a brisk extended walk..... 

I hope the video has captured the excitement of the final cross-country obstacle phase (PTV).  You are tested over sixteen out of a possible 23 quite challenging tasks ranging from leading your horse over a ditch to riding bent double under low branches, or getting your horse to stand immobile for 10 seconds on his own or even riding up a staircase!  You are allowed to walk the course beforehand - this was a group effort, all very social and a perfect precursor to the evening barbecue party.  Lizzie Hopkinson, our camera assistant, who is a keen dressage rider, was deeply impressed by the social aspect to Trec.  She commented somewhat ruefully that in her sport she could well only be competing in a class for a few minutes (less if eliminated!) only to find herself on her way home without having spoken to anyone.  Trec certainly does seem to have a lot going for it in the friendliness and value-for-money stakes. 

One rather nice selling point is that you are NOT eliminated if you choose to miss out any particular obstacle - a great bonus for any jumping phobes or for that matter those with aching hips which makes mounting from the right hand side impossible!  In fact, the flexibility of the sport means that it can appeal to any age, any type of horse and just about any level of rider competence.  You can even compete in pairs. 

Paul Turner, the video's presenter, known affectionately as "the talent", did a great job in providing all the nuts and bolts of how to get started in the sport, the equipment you will need, how to basic map-read, what to expect at each stage and he even provided us with some fantastic camera angles of the PTV course filmed as he galloped around the complete course,     And a special thanks Paul for staying on and giving us the great demo of the bending obstacle at canter - flying changes to die for!

One final mention must go to our voice-over artiste, Channel Four Equestrian Presenter, Alice Plunkett (a.k.a. Mrs. William Fox-Pitt).  She had to admit that their event horses would have a hard time completing the Trec PTV course!  Look forward to meeting some of you on one of the many Trec training days coming up in 2004 - see the BHS Trec website for affiliated events and look out at your riding clubs for Trec fun days.  Good luck.

Video details:  TREC from DARK HORSE MEDIA LTD.  THE MILL HOUSE, PENCELLI, BRECON, LD3 7LX or soon directly by credit card  from www.dhmediaproductions.com      £16.99 + £1.99 pp = £18.98

(cheques made out to Dark Horse Media)

From the Editor:-

Thank you Fran for sending in this interesting and entertaining article on Le Trec.  I am sure our members will enjoy reading it.  Who said Trec isn't a dangerous sport?!