Many thanks to Craig Payne Photography for use of the photo
The Southdown Hunt Pony Club, Sussex, was formed in 1936 but split into two in 1976 to form the Southdown Hunt West and Southdown Hunt East branches of the Pony Club.
Our Branch, Southdown Hunt West, stretches from the coast in the south to the A272 in the north, and from the river Adur in the west to the B2112 (the old London to Brighton road) in the east. It also includes a large part of the city of Brighton and Hove. Our Pony Club neighbours are the Southdown East, Crawley and Horsham and Crawley and Horsham South branches.
We are essentially a rural (as opposed to country or urban) branch and incorporate the commuter ‘corridor’ which lines the main A23 London to Brighton road which bisects our branch. The South Downs themselves separate the coastal strip from the rest of the area. The local hunt is the Southdown and Eridge, although there is not much hunting country within our boundaries. Included in our area is the prestigious All England Jumping Course at Hickstead whose facilities we are able to use. Also in our area are the Brendon Horse and Rider Centre at Pyecombe, The Royal Leisure Centre at Henfield, and Albourne Equestrian Centre ( a Pony Club Centre) at Albourne, all of which offer large indoor schools for our winter rallies.
As a local branch of The Pony Club we try and offer a full programme of rallies and activities to all our members. Programmes are published each holiday and half term, and newsletters are produced at various times throughout the year. Rallies remain the backbone of each programme and over the year we try and include aspects of all disciplines as well as the more common flatwork and jumping elements. There is a structure in place for tests and we continue to encourage our member’s in gaining their badges.
Residential Camp is always a big highlight of our calendar when we are fortunate to be able to use the facilities at the Hickstead International Showground. Day camp is also held for our younger members where we combine forces with the centre members at Albourne Equestrian Centre and have a fantastic week of pony fun. Other activities offered by the branch to its members include stable management sessions, quizzes, outside visits, demonstrations and lectures and a Christmas activity. Many of our members keep their ponies in livery yards and several have ‘non horsy’ parents so one of the key aspects of training within the branch is to help and advise our riders in all aspects of horsemanship and encourage them to achieve as high a level of horsemanship as possible but without losing the element of fun which is so important.
We also actively encourage team participation in all disciplines and regularly field teams in Dressage, Jumping, and Horse Trials. In recent years, we have seen increased levels of participation and success at all levels of Eventing, show-jumping and dressage and we hope to continue this upward trend with our high quality levels of training in all disciplines.
The Annual Team Show Jumping Competition held at Hickstead in the summer is probably the largest and most successful Pony Club show of it’s kind in the country. Other regular events include an our Spring Jumping show and a dressage show incorporating a Dengie Qualifier
Sue Eves
District Commissioner.
Southdown West