Visitors to the Royal Windsor Horse Show (13-17th May) were treated to several aspects of The Pony Club, with four different Pony Club activities taking place throughout the show! As well as the popular DAKS International Pony Club Mounted Games, the show also played host to a Tetrathlon competition, individual Show Jumping competition and The Pony Club Charity Ride, back for the first time since 2003.
As always the DAKS International Mounted Games proved popular with teams from England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Republic of Ireland and Scotland battling it out. The England team comprising of Emma Weir (Atherstone Hunt), Faye Holgate (Badsworth Hunt), Georgina Bell (Cheshire Hunt North), Kara Tucker (Banwell), Natasha Elder (Devon and Somerset) and Beth Crowther (Rockwood Harriers), emerged victorious following five sessions of competition; they received their awards with the other teams from HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, in the Castle Arena on Sunday 17th May.
Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th marked the first ever Pony Club Tetrathlon at the show. The running, swimming and shooting phases were all held at venues around Windsor, with the show jumping phase making for an exciting end to the competition in the BHS Frogmore Arena. Harry Ashworth, from the Cheshire Hunt South Branch, took the Individual honours and in the team competition Scotland, (Maili Mackenzie (Nithsdale) Callum Fletcher (Angus) and Joanna Muir (Stewartry), were the winners.
10 Pony Club Members from Pony Club Areas eight, 11, 12 and 13 were selected by their Area Representatives to take part in the individual Show Jumping competition. Harriet Colderick from the Eridge Hunt Branch, riding Blue Echo, took first place honours in the competition held on Sunday 17th May.
A Pony Club Charity Ride was organised for Sunday May 17th to celebrate The Pony Club’s 80th Anniversary and DAKS’ 30th year of sponsorship at Windsor. Members taking part were nominated by their Pony Club Branches from all of the 19 Pony Club Areas. Each Member on the ride was asked to raise a minimum fifty pounds each, with the proceeds going to support two worthy charities; Air Ambulance and The Royal British Legion. Pony Club Members rode through the private park land of Windsor Great Park, starting at Ascot racecourse and finishing at the show ground, where presentations of the money they had raised were made in the Castle Arena.
Speaking on the weeks activities Cherry Michell, Chairman of The Pony Club, commented that “The Pony Club certainly felt a part of this fantastic show in 2009, and we are so grateful to the Royal Windsor team for giving us this platform to showcase The Pony Club and help us celebrate our very special 80th Anniversary year