Anne Dicker, nee Loriston-Clarke, was born in the New Forest and grew up at the Catherston Stud with her parents, Jennie and Anthony and sister Lizzie, now Murray. In the 1990's Catherston moved from Brockenhurst to Hurstbourne Priors where the Manor Farm site was transformed from a dairy farm into the Equestrian Centre we have here today. Catherston Stud down sized in 2001 and moved near by to Over Wallop where they are now located.

When the property was sold Anne and her husband Brian agreed to continue to stay and started up Hurstbourne Equestrain Centre at its conception when it started in April 2001 for TimTacchi and his wife, Betina Kunzl Tacchi. Anne and Brian have two children, a number of working dogs and a quantity of horses and ponies! Brian works for the estate turning his hand to everything and also has a herd of beef cows who graze the fields at HEC.

Anne is responsible for managing HEC, teaching from Preliminary to Advanced in all disciplines for all ages. Anne schools and competes horses for clients as well as her own.

Anne has successfully competed Internationally on Catherston Dutch Bid, Wellingtonia and White Christmas. In 1983, completed and placed in the Junior European 3DE team in Rome and was on the Young Riders European Dressage team in Munich. In 1986 Anne was on the Young Riders European team achieving team silver and was 6th individually in Kronberg, and in the team again in 1987 in Cervia. Anne was also the under 21 National Champion in 1982 and 1983. She was a successful showing rider in Show Ponies, Working Hunter Ponies as well as Natives and Side Saddle. Anne was apprentice to Frank and Cynthia Haydon with the famous Hurstwood Hackney horses and ponies, driving single, pair, tandem and the team.

Anne retired from riding following a serious car accident in 1987. Further to a long spell in hospital Anne was offered a job in London as Showing Secretary to the Royal International Horse Show, Horse of the Year Show and the Olympia International Show jumping Championships. Anne progressed to Show Secretary of the Horse of the Year Show, which she retired from after the 1993 show. Anne then returned to her family business with knowledge and experience she had gained to assist her mother, Jennie Loriston-Clarke with the running of Catherston Stud and Stud Farm, with the organisation and running of shows, teaching the staff and students and assisting with Stud work.

Anne started competing again in 2005 with her homebred horse jointly owned with Candy Burnyeat, Edgehill Drumroll who qualified for the Preliminary Regional Finals, the Novice Restricted Regionals and the Finals where they were 11th in 2006. Both horse and rider then had a rest while Anne underwent orthopaedic surgery. In September 2007 Anne had a further accident and shattered her leg again! Now recovered she is busy teaching the clients at Hurstbourne and outside clients in all disciplines as well as some schooling of horses and some competing.

Anne now trains the Overton Vaulting Group at Hurstbourne after their old trainer emigrated to Australia. With 30 members, this group trains every Monday and Wednesday after school in the Small School. Their ages range from 4 to 24 and includes a couple of boys. With 2 of our old members in training with The English Vaulting Squad for the World Championships in Kentucky this discipline is really taking off.

Sally joined the team at HEC in October 2006. She has a huge amount of equestrian experience, both in dressage and jumping. Sally competes on a variety of horses for owners up to Advanced level. She won the 2009 Pet Plan Medium Regional on Jane Larners’ Keystone Diaz as well as qualifying for the Regionals at Novice and Elementary. The mare is now ready to compete at Advanced Medium.

Sally started her riding locally with Mrs Jeanette Burtenshaw in Longstock with whom she broke and rode lots of ponies as Sally Austin. Sally has continued to break, bring on and compete numerous horses who have continued in all disciplines to great success owing to her logical, progressive and sensible approach. Sally has a very exciting youngster to bring on later this year. Sally lives in Andover with her daughter.

Zoe is originally from Wales and joined HEC in October 2001. Zoe trained primarily at Pencoed College, where she completed a First Diploma and a National Diploma, as well as Stage 1, Riding and Road Safety and NVQ 1. Zoe then moved to Haddon Stud, in Wiltshire, where she spent a further 1 ¼ years and gained her NVQ 2 and 3.

Zoe exercises and hacks the livery horses and is responsible for their general care and usual yard work together with responsibility for worming, farrier and feeding. Zoe has been lent Parisienne Girl for her to compete on up to Medium level and at local show jumping shows.

Lisa joined the team at Hurstbourne in July 2008. She came from the eventing world where she had been grooming for a string of Advanced horses.

Lisa comes from near Inverness in Scotland where her family live and farm. She has her BHS Exams to Stage 3. Lisa has her own horse Bailadora Dancer whom she has successfully evented to Novice level.

Claire joined the team at HEC in September 2007 having been a livery client. Claire was trained at Sparsholt College in Winchester where she attained her National Diploma in Horse Management3.

Claires’ first horse Drakonan Rights, competed in BE Events up to Open Novice and in BSJA and BD competitions, was sold as a schoolmaster in 2009. She bought a young horse Just Milo who she hopes to bring out later this year. Claire was an active member of the local Royal Artillery Pony Club representing them at Area competitions. Claire lives with her partner near Andover.

Brian Dicker has lived in the Whitchurch area all of his life. He therefore has a wealth of local knowledge and a country upbringing. On leaving school he apprenticed as a mechanic, but the desire to earn proper money led him to a career as a lorry driver. Local, nationwide and then to artics to the continent as well as being Transport Manager of a large fleet of lorries.

On marrying Anne, they started up an agricultural contracting business which serviced the local estates and the Stud with their hay making, topping, hedgecutting and fencing. Brian more recently joined the Testbourne Team, but his knowledge and ability to turn his hand to anything means that he is mostly needed at the Equestrain Centre.

Brian has a son Daniel, who is our farrier and lives nearby in Whitchurch, as well as his two children with Anne, Chris and Charlotte.

Vincent joined us from Slovakia and came to England in February 2008. He is responsible for all the mucking out in the yards and keeping the Equestrian Centre tidy. He can turn his hands to anything and is an integeral part of the team. His wife and children live in Slovakia, with one daughter working in Ireland.