Pony Club Tetrathlons/Triathlons are fun and friendly events, and allow the children to participate in other disciplines, not just riding. They can be perfect for our non-riding members. Tetrathlons often take place over a weekend, whilst triathlons are a single day.
There is a great team spirit when we have many Berkeley Hunt PC members all taking part. There are prizes for teams, top scorers in each discipline, as well as individual placings in each age group and gender. Occasionally there is a “Geriathlon” section too for adults to join in!
Triathlon consists of running, shooting, and swimming. Tetrathlon includes the 4th event… your pony!
Shooting – This involves shooting air pistols at a fixed or turning target, depending on the child’s age. You don’t need your own gun, BHPC have guns that the children can share. Children that are younger than 8 years old throw bean bags at a target instead of using guns!
Swimming – The swimming is a timed event. The children have to swim as many lengths as they can in 2 minutes (3 minutes for 12 years and older). It doesn’t matter if you are not a strong swimmer. The younger children can use floats/swimming aids, and can choose to hold on to the side if necessary. There is always lots of people poolside to cheer the children on and give them lots of encouragement.
BHPC organise swimming lessons for children of all ages and abilities, from non-swimmers, to very strong and competitive swimmers. We also invite non-member siblings to swim lessons.
Running – The children have to run 500m (8 yrs and under), 1000m (8 yrs+), 1500m (12yrs+) and 3000m (14yrs+). The running is usually on a track/field/XC course, and is a timed event.
Riding – The riding phase usually takes place in an enclosed arena for the younger children, and the older ones (age 10 and above) ride on a cross country course.
The jumps are around 40cm for children aged 7 and under, and they rise to 60cm for riders aged 8 & 9. The children can be led or assisted if need be. Like the swimming, you usually find that everyone is very friendly and helpful, to give the little riders lots of encouragement. Many competitions allow children to jump down a course if needed.
BHPC aim to support children at all levels of tetrathlon and triathlon – whether looking to enjoy a day competing with friends, training for area competitions, or even qualifying for the National Triathlon/Tetrathlon Championships!
If you have any questions about tet/tri, or would like further information about swim lessons or learning to shoot, please contact our Tetrathlon Manager:
Emma Watson Tetrathlonberkeleyhuntpc@outlook.com or 07841 717763