Cotley Hunt Pony Club Year Round Up 2023
What a year 2023 has been for our small but mighty little club.
After quiet winter of ridden rallies and stable management on zoom. The hunting season ended, and our members enjoyed selling race cards for the hunt at the Point to Point in March. Members also enjoyed a brilliant ride to the Cotley Inn from Burridge, many thanks to Leah and Lulu for organising.
We headed into the Easter holiday with enthusiasm. Members were very lucky to enjoy rallies at Pontispool and Chard Equestrian and Poltimore before the rain arrived making Spring tricky. The younger members enjoyed a games rally at Higher Pound.
April also saw the start of the eagerly anticipated Tet and Tri Training weekly sessions throughout the year brilliantly run by Roland and his team, preparing the children for the competition season ahead.
In May we were welcomed to Sadborrow Farm for a fun ride around the farm and puppy playtime very kindly hosted by Sophie Gregory and Family. I think the parents worked on their fitness levels while the children had a blast. Welcomed more XC rallies at Poltimore and Pontispool. We celebrated the King coronation with commemorative rosettes for all members. Stable management made a return with test prep for the half term. We had a 100% success rate with congratulation to Archie, Babbit, Phoebe and Ellie attaining their D test, Bella and Freya their D+ test and achieving their C test Mia and Olivia.
June we started our training gearing up towards Area competitions, thanks to Pam and Jane for instructing these and preparing the children so brilliantly.
July we said good bye to school and looked forward to the summer of pony fun. We had a fun, action packed camp at Heazle Riding Centre, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all the children especially the ride to the pub on their bikes. Thank you to Sarah Corrin for feeding everyone, Lulu for organising the tents and staying, Judith and the Legg family for always being on hand to help, Roland and Sarah Thompson, Jayne Barlow, Karen Cox and Hannah Johns for sleeping over. Mel Clark for her strength fitness class and all the parents that helped along the way. We had four members join TVH for their summer camp they had a blast galloping round Pontispool.
At the beginning of August members enjoyed despite the terrible weather our annual inter club Tug of War evening kindly hosted by Fred and Lulu Eames and run by our Games Master Roland. The children absolutely love the water fight at the end, a definite highlight. Followed by a few more rallies over the summer to put everything into practice the children had learnt at camp. The older members looked forward to the Pony Club championships at Offchurch, Mia, Sophie and Tabitha qualified for the junior tetrathlon representing the club admirably to come team 6th. William was selected to join Southwest team at stepping stones level achieving 3rd individually and team 1st. Lydia competed in the Novice dressage achieving 9th place. The summer holidays concluded with the Regional and Mini championships at Bicton. We had lots of members gain valuable experience in a championship environment Issy B achieving 4th and 8th in the grassroots eventing. Not forgetting our senior member Charlotte who came 3rd in the Global Pony Club Dressage test at advanced level internationally.
September, we had some more stable management aimed at C+ level, for October half term tests. Kitty Stoker attained her Stable management part of the test all her hard work shone through. Autumn also saw the return of our Sunday rallies with lots of confidence gained by younger members. And the middle members qualify for the Mini Championships 2024 congratulations Bella, Freya, Ellie, and Olivia.
In September we also sadly said goodbye to Katrina Felgate our very long-standing membership secretary and Assistant DC as she stepped down from these roles, we are however very happy she will remain on the committee. Karen Chadwick has very kindly offered to take over from Katrina.
October half term we enjoyed the annual children’s meet, parents braved the floods to get to the meet for the children to have lots of fun following hounds. Thank you to the Cotley Masters for making this a brilliant part of the children year.
November, we hosted our annual Arena Eventing competition at KSEC brilliantly organised by Liz we welcomed 134 entries and it was a great fun raiser for the club. With great thanks to Sarah Clist for Judging all day. All Cotley children flew the Cotley flag with some great results and lovely to see some older members back competing. Showing the lifelong friends you make through ponies and pony club.
Some of our older members have been flying the Cotley flag on the British Eventing, Showjumping and Dressage circuits well done to Charlotte, Marcia, Ruby, Maisie, Sydney and Keira.
We have sadly said goodbye to some members who have moved clubs and to some very dear ponies, who are now jumping rainbows in the sky. We also welcome some new members to our friendly club.
For a little club we have achieved great things and even managed to lead the way with a new national PC online system!
Thank you to are brilliant committee for all their hard work behind the scenes keeping the club going, Caroline, Karen, Liz, Katrina, Jessie, Lisa, Roland, Sarah, Lulu, Jayne, Emma, and Holly Pony club wouldn’t run without you. And thank you to all the parents and children for making our club, such fun to be a part of.
The Cotley Tri brings the year to a close with another fundraiser for the club well done to Roland, Lisa Jayne and team for the huge effort it takes to run these events. We also must mention all our Tri members who have represented the club throughout the year smashing their PB’s across each discipline.
To finish the year, we look forward to the beach ride at Charmouth in between Christmas and New Year kindly organised by Judith.
If any parents would like to come forward with any ideas for the new year ahead, they are always welcome to contact Liz or Holly. What you would like to participate in, rallies, fun outings etc and we are always looks for help and ideas. We will also be looking for fundraiser to help with the cost of camp and running of the club. The more you put in the more you’ll get out.
We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and here’s to a successful and fun filled 2024 on your ponies.