OUR HISTORY

Moray RDA has been on the go for a long time.  The first Moray RDA riding session was on April 14th 1971, more than 50 years ago!

It was Mrs Alex Spence of the local Red Cross who was the original instigator.  She approached Mr and Mrs Smith at Drumbain Riding School near Rothes to see if they would consider hiring ponies so that riding could be offered to vulnerable adults and children within Moray and so the group was formed.  Moray RDA stayed based at Drumbain for the next 23 years before moving for a spell to Garmouth and then to Covesea at Lossiemouth.  In 2004 we moved to Cranloch Riding Centre near Elgin.  There has, however, been a remarkable thread of continuity through all these years.  Our current base at Cranloch Riding Centre is owned by Heather Younie, who is also one of our coaches, and her husband James.  Heather is Mrs Smith’s daughter.  In addition, our Group Organiser and lead coach is Denise Kelly, also one of Mrs Smith’s daughters. In the photo link to this page, you can see that they were both involved in Moray RDA from a young age.

During the 50+ years of Moray RDA we have been very privileged to have been visited three times by our RDA President, Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal.  The most recent visit was in October 2015.