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Happy New Year everyone. Let’s hope it’s a lot easier to cope with than the last one !
SUN 2nd JAN WEST LANCS COUNTY INTER-BRANCH & CENTRE TEAM SHOW- JUMPING COMPETITION at Myerscough College, St Michaels Road, Bilsborrow, PR3 0RY.
PONY CLUB RACING
As you may know, Area 4 hold an annual race day at Haydock Park (next one scheduled for 8th May 2022), which is a fantastic opportunity for our members to experience the adrenaline rush of racing their pony on the hallowed turf of the race course!
Race days are very expensive to run, as we need full paramedic / ambulance and vet /horse ambulance provision, on top of race course costs etc. Entry fees generally cover these big costs, but not the race cards, rosettes, prizes etc. For these we rely on sponsorship.
We want our race day to be special, for our members to make memories that last a lifetime, especially those racing for the first time. Last year we raised sponsorship to create professionally printed 12 page full colour race cards, with rosettes and goody bags for all jockeys, as well as place rosettes, best turned out rosettes & prizes for all races.
This year we would love to repeat this, if we can get the sponsorship we need.
So – can anyone help me out?
Is there someone with great business contacts who would be happy to approach companies for sponsorship?
Is there anyone willing to provide sponsorship themselves? Either personally or through their own company?
Ideally we are looking for
– Prizes for about 9 races, to 6th place
– Goody bags for at least the Beginners races (jockeys racing for the first time). Last year we had 25 entries in the Beginners races, 68 entries across the full race card
– BTO rosettes for each race
– Rosettes to 6th place for each race
– 100-150 (depending on entry numbers) copies of the race card
What do you get in return?
Race card sponsor will have their name at the top of the race card, and full advert on the back cover. Sponsor is also invited to attend race day. Approx cost £200-£250 in cash.
Race sponsors will get a race named after them in the schedule and race card, their name on the rosettes, and an advert in the race card. Sponsors are also invited to attend race day and to present the rosettes & prizes for their race. Minimum cost £100 in prizes or cash
BTO sponsor will have name and business contact details in the racecard, and be invited to attend race day, select their BTO winner of each race, and award the BTO rosettes. Approx cost £20
Rosette sponsors will have name and business contact details in the racecard. Approx cost £10-£15 per set of rosettes
General sponsors will be included in the racecard, depending on level of sponsorship- in line with the above, so £10 gets your business contact details, £100 gives you an advert…
If you can help in any way, please get in touch. We would like to get all sponsorship in place early, well before the schedule is produced, so that we can include sponsor details on the schedule as well as the race card.
SAT 20th NOV DRESSAGE COMPETITION Blue Ski Photography — I am delighted to be the official photographer at this weekend’s Dressage Qualifier at Warren Farm. I am offering a 25% discount promotion on any purchases made online within 4 days of the event. Here is the direct link to the gallery of images; https://blueski.instaproofs.com/gallery/#events/1842617I Full res and low res and print products including collages available to purchase.
If Carlsberg made Mounted Games Chairmen !
The past, present and future Mounted Games Chairmen were together this evening at the Horse Of The Year Show.
A trio of dedicated volunteers united in their passion for the sport we all know and love.
Good Luck to Blackburn and District as they descend on HOYS next week for the Mounted Games Finals.
Daphne Garment and all her family on the death of her husband Gordon, who was President of the Branch. Gordon was a lovely man and a true gentleman. He will be sadly missed.
A brilliant WIN for Lancaster and District’s Maisie, with Bella Nutella in the 128 pony race at Haydock Park. Well done Maisie.
MYERSCOUGH JULY TRAINING COURSES
Bookings now open via Horse Events. See “Dates for your Diary”
RACING TO SCHOOLS TASTER SESSION
Why not try the exciting world of Pony Racing by Booking a Racing to Schools Taster Session?
Racing to Schools are part of the Pony Racing Pathway supported by The Racing Foundation who can help members learn more about the sport and skills needed, all through an interactive and fun session which who knows might set you up for a Career in Racing, just like Hollie Doyle!
Speak with your Branch or Centre about organising one in your area – more information can be found here.
Endurance Regional Rides
Pony Club Endurance are pleased to share the introduction of The Pony Club Regionals in association with Endurance Great Britain (EGB).
These events provide members with the opportunity to participate in Endurance locally and encourage progression through the distances available.
We have three more Endurance Regional Rides coming up for members to join this summer. These are being held in the Midlands, North, and East with a date to be confirmed for a Wales/ Boarders ride.
Find out more about eligibility and how to take part by following this link.
The Great Pony Club Hacking Challenge
Throughout the summer why not get out and explore outside of your arena or field with your Horse or Pony? The Great Pony Club Hacking Challenge helps you to recognise the distances you are covering whilst finding out more about your local area, bridleways and villages or towns.
All your hacking can be recorded on the Rides Tracker to achieve one of the six recognition mile stones, the first one being to cover 25 miles or 40 km by January 2022.
We already have over 150 members signed up to take part and sharing their journey with us through photos and videos. To find out more click here
Share Your Journey to Championships
We are fast approaching our biggest annual event The JCB Pony Club Championships. We are very busy getting ready and Area Qualifiers are taking place all over the country. Big congratulations to those already qualified!
We are looking for Members who are aiming for the championships and would like to document the journey on our social media channels. We would love to have short videos, written diary entries and photos, sharing with fellow Members what it takes to join us at Offchurch Bury in August.
If you are interested, please contact communications@pcuk.org for more information and register your interest.
Tackling Inequalities Fund for Centres
Following the success of the first Tackling Inequalities Fund, which aided 21 centres in the summer of 2020, British Equestrian has been granted a further £150,000 of funding from Sport England to support riding centres that are facing financial hardship as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
The fund is specifically targeted at riding centres and groups delivering activity for participants from lower socio-economic groups or diverse ethnic communities, or those with disabilities or long-term health problems. These centres will have been affected by COVID-19, but have been unable to secure funding or financial support from other sources during this difficult time.
Applications for the fund are open now and are set to close no sooner than Monday 26 July. The online application form can be accessed here, and full guidance and the list of questions is available here. Further information or queries can be addressed to participation@bef.co.uk.
Arena Eventing Fences
Arena Eventing is an exciting addition to our Spring Festival but it is vital that we are all aware of the importance of having the correct type of cross country fence, to reduce the risk of accidents. Portable cross country fences must not be used unless they are in a fixed position in an arena, where is it not possible to secure them to the arena surface, then these fences should have a concrete base.
As always it is important for coaches to walk courses before any coaching session commences, so that the coach can identify which fences are safe to jump.
If you would like more information about portable cross country fences you can click here.
Risk Reduce Portal
As you will be aware we have been working with our insurers, Liberty Specialty Markets and our insurance broker, Howden, to create an online accident report form. The ability to report accidents online has been requested by many of our Branches and we hope that this will make the reporting of incidents that bit quicker and easier for Branch Officials.
The online system used to hold all of the accident reporting forms is called Risk Reduce. Logins to this system have been emailed to all Branches and there is an activation link that needs to be clicked on within 14 days otherwise it will expire. If you have missed the deadline and have let us know we are working through the list with the Risk Reduce technical team to resend the links. When you receive the new link please click on it to ensure you can get access to the system. As we all become familiar with this way of reporting we do hope Branches will feel the benefit of this investment of time and resources.
Health and Safety is paramount at The Pony Club and something we are always reviewing to ensure we limit risk as much as reasonably possible for our Members.
TETRATHON NEWS Well done to Charlie Lavin, Lancaster Branch, part of the North England Tetrathlon team finishing 3rd at Royal Windsor ! Brilliant result.
The Pony Club A Test
The Training Committee took on a project earlier this year to collate feedback and consult with previous A Test candidates to develop the A Test training and assessment process. This was an incredibly valuable and important project to undertake and one that was necessary to uphold the highest standards of our A Test qualification.
The committee have implemented the changes to the A Test journey for candidates applying this year and we are pleased to say we now have dates in the dairy this summer for training and for tests to take place in early autumn. The candidates will benefit from an updated timetable for the test to offer a more user-friendly experience and mentors will now be available offering support to each candidate, sharing valuable knowledge and experiences to support candidates’ preparations. Along with further subtle changes we hope to see candidates growing in confidence and learning throughout the A test journey, ultimately achieving greater success.
We thank you for your patience in awaiting the dates and we look forward to tracking the impact of these improvements as we move forward to 2022.
For more information about the A Test and dates click here.
Event Ticket Discount Code
As event tickets go on sale, we have been contacted by many of you asking for Pony Club discount codes. Today we can release the code for the London International Horse Show taking place on 16th-20th December at ExCel in London.
As a Pony Club Member you have been given a 30% discount on Groups of ten or more and you will also benefit from a reduced booking fee of £1 per ticket. There is no individual offer. This discount is valid for – Thursday afternoon performance, Friday afternoon performance, Sunday evening performance and Monday afternoon and evening performances. The code is in your email, for more information about the event and to book tickets visit – www.londonhorseshow.com
As we have news of any others, we will let you know.
Eventing Scores Website
We know many of you are finding the new www.ponyclubresults.co.uk website a great resource as you are planning events around the country in Areas and Branches. To continue delivering the great service Eventing Scores have provided, they have now recruited a new team member to support us all, which is great news! We very much look forward to seeing them at the Championships.
Congratulations to Jessica Lavin (Lancaster) who has been selected to represent Northern England Tetrathlon at Windsor in July.
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Calling all Pony Club Coaches – Join us on February 5th from 6pm-8pm for our virtual coaching conference:
Coaching in the 21st Century – ‘Safeguarding the Future of Equestrianism’ – Book Tickets Today –
http://bit.ly/38VBCYl
Our 4 passionate speakers are:
Patrick Print OBE – FBHS
Roly Owers – World Horse Welfare CEO
Dr Sue Dyson RCSV – Specialist in Equine Orthopaedics
Corinne Bracken – Olympic Coach and Showjumping Trainer for Team Hong Kong
With the New Year we welcome a new Area Rep in Robin Bower, formerly DC at Pendle Forest and Craven Hunt Branch (contact details are now on the tab). It’s probably not the ideal time to be taking on the role amid all the turmoil caused by Covid-19 but I’m sure you’ll all bear with him as he gets started. If he is half as good as our previous incumbent he’ll be fine !
We all owe so much to Ros and Edward Slinger for the years of service that they have put into Pony Club. It’s similar to an iceberg – you only see a bit of it. We hope you enjoy the rest, and thank you for everything.
Ros has sent us a last message –
Dear All,
As the year draws to a close, I just wanted to wish our Area 4 Branches and Centres well and thank, so very much, all the many Pony Club friends I have met and worked with over the years.
As Area Rep, being a conduit between the Office and you all, I have so many unforgettable memories – from deeply worrying to hilariously funny, but at the end of the day the reward to me and hopefully, to all those volunteers and members, is that The Pony Club has given many of us the opportunity to be part of this amazing family, offering us knowledge, friendship and everything in between.
Robin has kindly agreed to take over the reins. He and his family have been closely involved with PC over several generations and his legal brain will prove invaluable when you’re trying to fathom those rulebooks! He works full time so an Email to Area4@pcuk.org is by far the best way to contact him rather than by phone or text messages. Inevitably, you may need to contact me, but if it’s PC related then please copy Robin in as he gets his head round his new role – no pressure, Robin!
2021 will, inevitably, be slow to re-start but you have shown, through your ingenious efforts this year, that you have liaised brilliantly with your Members and, hopefully, will continue to do so until the current restrictions are lifted. In addition to your own ideas, there is a wealth of info on the main PC website with access to virtual courses and Covid-safe ideas both for Members & Coaches.
I cannot say goodbye without thanking one or two people personally for their continued wisdom and support over so many years. Hilary Wakefield and Eileen Smith have been around almost as long as I have, their loyalty has been unwavering and however much I got things wrong, they were always there to gather up the reins and kick on. They, together with Fiona Lace, Pam Prickett and the many Coaches & D.C’s who have given up their time and energy running Area Courses & Competitions, not only for their own Members but for the benefit of all, are testimony to the fantastic spirit of Area 4.
I’ll leave you with a few favourite Pony Club quotes –
“Some horses will test you, some will teach you and some will bring out the best in you”
“When people say “it’s just a horse” – they just don’t understand”
“GATE!” not since “FIRE!” has a single word prompted so many to act so quickly!”
Good Luck with it all. Thank you and here’s wishing you, your Members, ponies & horses a healthy & happy 2021.
Keep well & keep safe – Best wishes, Ros S.
ARENA EVENTING 19th DECEMBER Results – Results Arena Eventing 19 December 2020
For some good news in these awkward times see “Latest News” to find out what the Isle of Man have been up to.
Today we would like to wish our Patron, Princess Anne, a very Happy Birthday 
The Pony Club is continually grateful for the time, kindness and support the Princes Royal has given to the Pony Club over the years
Princess Anne was a member herself, the President of the Pony Club and is now a Patron
From all of us at the Pony Club – staff, volunteers and members, we hope you have the very best of days!
It is with great sadness that we have to let all members know of the sudden death of longstanding Lancaster Branch President and land owner, Will Pye. Lancaster and the wider Area 4 are forever indebted to Will for continuing his father’s legacy in providing the land for rallies, shows and training. So many Pony Club members have benefited greatly from this and have life long memories of the fun, friendships and opportunities it provided.
All our thoughts and love go out to his daughters Georgia and Scarlet, and his family at this most heart-breaking time xx
It is with great sadness that we share the news that our former Pony Club Chairman and Life Vice President, Cherry Michell, sadly died last week. Our thoughts are with her family. We all have so many fond memories for her energy and enthusiasm and deep love for The Pony Club.
Important Information for Parents
Please read the following guidance for the safety of your children and their ponies : Tack Check guide for parents before Pony Club Activities
Our Amazing Pony Club volunteer, Ros Slinger
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- “In conversation” with Louie Atkinson, a member of Blackburn Branch, with the fantastic Jeanette Brakewell who is herself a former member of Wheelton Branch. A really interesting , funny and inspiring chat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch…
AND AT LAST SOME GOOD NEWS
2 of our members in Area 4 have been successful in the Pony Club Regional Easter Bonnet competition (North Midlands Region).
Grace from Chipping was runner up in Class 1 (8 years and under) and Olivia from Pendle Forest and Craven WON Class 2(12 years and under). Well done you 2 and anyone else who entered but wasn’t successful on this occasion.
Full results :
- Class 1 – Winner: Lucy (York and Ainsty North), Runner Up: Grace (Chipping)
- Class 2 – Winner: Olivia (Pendle Forest and Craven Hunt), Runner Up: Lucy (Friars Hill Stables)
- Class 3 – Winner: Edridge (Anglesey), Runner Up: Emily (Bramham Moor Hunt)
- Class 4 – Winner: Anglesey, Runner Up: Anglesey
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Congratulations to Ricki Riley, Blackburn and District (see Latest News) Unfortunately cancelled now due to Covid-19 ! What a shame Ricki but it can’t be helped.
A true Pony Club Hero. I am sure that many of you will remember Gordon Wesley appearing at Area events and everywhere else. Great to see his dedication to all things equestrian recognised.
Another well-deserved accolade for our Area Rep. This time with an honourable (and equally well-deserved) mention for Edward. We really are blessed in this Area !
“And the winner of the 2018 DAKS award goes to the remarkable and dedicated Mounted Games Chairman and Area 4 Rep, Ros Slinger, with a special mention to the wise strength of Edward Slinger. A formidable act to emulate. Thank you Ros and Edward. DAKS London Royal Windsor Horse Show #PonyClubMointedGames”
Mounted Games Chairman Rosalind Slinger was presented with the Torch Trophy Trust Special Award, in recognition for her love of Mounted Games, at the Torch Trophy Trust Annual Celebration of the Volunteers in British Sport.
Ros first became involved with The Pony Club as a teenager, being a Member of the Bisley and Sandown Chase and later Chiddingfold Farmers. As an adult she became the District Commissioner for Blackburn and District and Area Rep for Area 4, which is ongoing.
Ros became a member of the Mounted Games Committee and, shortly after, Mounted Games Chairman. Her enthusiasm, commitment and sportsmanship have all shone in her management and growth of Mounted Games. She has overseen the running of the Prince Philip Cup at Horse of the Year Show, the DAKS Mounted Games at the Royal Windsor Horse Show as well as countless Area, Zone and Championship competitions.
She has also chaired the selection of International Mounted Games Exchange teams with trips to Canada, Australia, USA and Ireland, and she has organised training days for Members and Officials.
Congratulations and thank you from everyone at The Pony Club
And this citation doesn’t even cover the half of it !
We don’t realise just how lucky we are in Area 4 to have Ros as our Area Rep.
The Pony Club is an international voluntary youth organisation for those interested in ponies and riding. It was founded in England in 1929 and is now represented in 15 countries and has a membership exceeding 102,000 world-wide.
Use these pages to find out what’s going on in your Area. You will find details of everything organised at Area level – Senior members training, First-aid courses, Instructor courses and much more – as well as events organised by individual branches but open to all Pony club members.
