Memories of Early OADG 1960-1970

Inducted in 2025

Nominated by: Diana Trafford

Memories of the early OADG

by Helen Chamberlin

Original text dated March 9, 1983

It is a fact that I, like many other local horsemen, first because aware of dressage by name when, in the late 1950s, I became involved with the freshly revived Ottawa Valley Branch of the Canadian Pony Club (now the Ottawa Valley Hunt Branch) although I later realized that at least one local horseman had used the principles involved for years. Ask him to explain his method and he became angry – dressage was unknown or a dirty word – as it was largely from experience and the instincts of a born rider and he could not put it into words.

When it became necessary to move to the Mayburry Barn on the Aylmer Road (the centre of the Ottawa Valley Hunt and fast becoming the centre of the Ottawa Valley Branch of the Canadian Pony Club) it was natural for me to become involved with my natural teaching instincts. It was then that the three-day “Combined Event” which was an integral part of the British Pony Club (and which was becoming popular with some Hunt members) became a part of my daily life as a very basic dressage had to be taught in order to prepare our successful Rally Teams. Of necessity I learned (one step ahead of the members) and put into practice myself. Unfortunately a bad riding accident in 1957 seriously limited and affected my riding and that was that.

As you know the first competitive dressage was held in 1963 at the Aylmer Fair grounds in conjunction with an Ottawa Valley Hunt show and in 1964 the Ottawa Area Dressage Group was formed. My Pony Club youngsters of course became involved. A few determined people (Timmie Linkletter, Louise Barnes, Nancy Woods, John Allan, Tom Moore and Ted Leggett) dug into their own pockets through the next few years to run shows until finally in 1969 Cadora was formed. The OADG, insisting on keeping their own name, joined.

Through all of this I maintained an interest with the members (over 100) of the Ottawa Valley Hunt Branch of the Pony Club. As the Cadora shows were Recognized C.H.S.A. shows and Stewards came into being, I made my contribution to the dressage development from about 1972 or 3 as the show Steward and, as you also know, for better or for worse that I still do.

Therefore that a trophy would follow was inevitable – the actual year that it was introduced escapes me. The history of its presentation and the change made in 1982 is a matter of record.

Yours truly, Helen M. Chamerlin

Memories of the early OADG

by Ella Linkletter

Ottawa Area Dressage Group – 1960-1970

When Link and I returned to Ottawa after two years in Toronto where I had been under regular instruction from Major Anotole Pieregorzki, the coach of the Canadian Olympic Event Team, I was tremendously enthusiastic about what I had learned – and unlearned and anxious to start dressage activity in Ottawa.

Our property, Twin Maples Farm was ideally suited for this purpose with one grass and one sand ring, and decided to hold a competition-clinic so got in touch with my friend Louise Barnes who was always interested in new things in the horse world.

To give some cohesion to the idea, we named it the Ottawa Area Dressage Group as it would embrace all the area around Ottawa including South Hull in Quebec.

For the first clinic we offered Preliminary, Novice and Prix Caprilli and our judges were the late Frank “Dill” Dillingham and Inspector Cliff Moran, head of the RCMP Musical Ride. They judged from the bed of a flat bottomed farm wagon with ordinary chairs and card tables, and when it was time for the Prix Caprilli it entailed towing the wagon through an orchard over bumpy ground to the sand ring. Both judges declined to walk over and arrived at the sand ring still on their chairs and with neither their composure or papers ruffled. This clinic was so popular that Louise presented one at Tom Moore’s farm on the Aylmer Road a short time later and it too was well received.

I can’t remember the exact time, but Cadora was formed in Toronto and I was asked to be the area representative for the Ottawa Area. Louise continued as secretary and scorer and we added Ted Leggett and Tony Mallam to our executive. So successful was our group that we became the second largest in Canada, only topped by Windsor.

Much of our success was the tremendous help given by Christilot Boylen – then Hanson, who judged many clinics totally without charge and on one occasion brought Cindy Neale [now Ishoy] and on another, Lorraine Stubbs.

The last clinic held at Twin Maples Farm in 1970, just before we left for British Columbia was one to be remembered: Christilot and Lorraine were involved in the St. Catherine horse show and at the close of their performance flew to Ottawa while the groom brought their horses by van and arrived in good order the next morning. The heat was unbelievable and the two girls each judged a ring all morning and after the luncheon break, Lorraine brought out DaCapo, a most versatile horse and did an athletic jumping demonstration, with comments from Chris – all this in a dressage saddle and snaffle bridle. Then Lorraine and an Ottawa girl, Sandra White, riding her own horse, did a comparative ride showing the difference between the well schooled animal and a greener one. Sandy White was a girl with much talent and I sincerely hope she has continued in dressage.

The finale was Lorraine and DaCapo showing specific dressage movements at the Prix Ste Georges level with Chris doing a commentary. Still in this unbearable heat, Chris conducted a clinic by microphone which inspired everyone of the large group present.

Those were indeed wonderful years while dressage was in its infancy, with everyone so keen – low expenses as Louise scored, I’ll never know how many hundred tests, and without a calculator and Link who was a CHSA steward taking care of rules, etc., and best of all, we rarely if ever, had complaints while I did the “go for” bit. Also, the tremendous help, not only from the big name judges such as Gillian Wilson, the late Barbara MGuinness, John de Kenyeres, Fred Grafi and many others, but from within the group -- even Ian Millar who was well schooled in basic dressage by Dr. Bode of Edmonton, and did an excellent demonstration at one of our clinics.

Both Cadora and the OADG are now firmly and permanently established and many of us although we have physically “gone to pasture” are still vastly interested in the every-growing expertise of our Canadian riders and horses.

I still subscribe to the OADG newsletter not only to keep in touch, although most of the names have changed, but also a most readable and entertaining piece of material. My very best wishes for the continued success of the group and all of you who work so hard to further it.

Ella Linkletter