N&T PC RULES
There are a number of important Rules that we, as a Pony Club, have to implement. You will not be able to attend ANY mounted N&T Pony Club activity without complying with them so PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY.
To minimise the risks to venues, children, parents, support persons, volunteers and instructors we have implemented the following: Please park where instructed. The Horseheath entrance/Exit Gates onto A1307 to be kept shut at all times EI Horse/Pony Vaccination certificates must be submitted to Victoria Murrell vjadelawson@yahoo.com in advance and comply with current Pony Club rules. All riding hats have to be checked and correctly tagged with the PINK PC tag. If your hat is not tagged they you must take it, dismounted, to your instructor before the designated Rally time. If a Body protector is worn for any Pony Club activity it must meet BETA 2018 Level 3 standard (blue and black label). Spectators to bring own seating – no sitting on jump fences allowed. No dogs are allowed at any venues
We run a number of N&TPC competitions & The Fetlock Ball to raise vital funds for our Pony Club so please, please do not wait to be asked but volunteer to help.
These competitions are vital to enable us to subsidise rallies & camps, to pay for all the test training for our members, to pay for Championship entries, to provide a trainer at Area & Championship competitions, to invest in new equipment & jumps, pay our licence and fees for the use of Horseheath, The British Racing School & Palace House etc.
None of these can be run without all of your support and help.
BOOKING FOR N&T TRAINING, RALLIES ETC
Event entries must be made on www.horse-events online in advance of the event.
ALL BOOKING FOR N&T TRAINING, RALLIES ETC WILL CLOSE TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE EVENT. This is to ensure that the correct number of instructors are booked and that they have time, in advance, to plan your tuition.
VACCINATION POLICY
The Newmarket & Thurlow Pony Club require ALL horses & ponies taking part in ANY Pony Club activity to be fully vaccinated. Victoria Murrell very kindly collects, records and checks vaccination records for horses and ponies belonging to all of our members.
Please could you scan and email, or photocopy and post a copy of your Horse/Pony Passport to Victoria.
(Cottage 3, Banstead Manor Stud, Cheveley, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 9RD or email Victoria – vjadelawson@yahoo.com)
Victoria requires the front page of the passport with the official name of the horse/pony and then the full flu vaccination record (NOT just recent annual boosters, as Victoria needs to check the course was commenced and maintained correctly from the outset).
Victoria will be checking for:- If the course was commenced prior to 1st January 2024, an initial primary course of two vaccinations given 21 – 92 days apart and a third dose administered 150 – 215 days after the v2. If the course was commenced after 1st January 2024, an initial primary course of two vaccinations given 21 – 60 days apart and a third dose administered 120 – 180 days after the v2. Horses may attend events 7 days after receiving the second vaccination of the primary course. (for clarity: no horse or pony may compete on the same day as a relevant injection is given or on any of the 6 days following such an injection) Booster vaccinations must be administered at a maximum of 12 months intervals however horses competing at Area level and above, including Grassroots Regional Championships and the final of the Spring Festival competitions, must have received a booster within the 12 month interval (but not within the 7 days) before arrival at the competition.
The vaccine brand and the inclusion, or not, of tetanus is not important. The vaccines should all be signed (and ideally stamped) by the attending veterinary surgeon on each occasion. Victoria follows-up with monthly e-mails to those about to expire requesting confirmation that a booster has been given.
THIS IS A HUGE UNDERTAKING FOR VICTORIA WHO DOES THIS VOLUNTARILY SO PLEASE MAKE HER JOB AS EASY AS POSSIBLE AND SEND THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS ASAP.
ALSO PLEASE INFORM VICTORIA WHEN YOU NO LONGER SELL/LOAN OR NO LONGER HAVE THE PONY REGISTERED ON THE DATABASE
NO PONY CLUB MEMBER IS ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE IN ANY BRANCH ACTIVITY UNTIL THE VACCINATION RECORD HAS BEEN CHECKED AND APPROVED BY VICTORIA.
TEAM SELECTION
This policy is to ensure that teams are selected in a fair and open process and that the riders and their mounts are eligible for selection The selection is made by the DC and Discipline Coach / Trainer (Team Selector)
DC – Sue Varian
Assistant DC – Heather Monks
Show Jumping – John Adams, Zara Wise (Secretary)
Dressage – Fiona Van Tuyll, Debbie Plumb (Secretary)
Eventing – Katie Barrett, Pauline Stoddart (Secretary)
Tetrathlon – Catherine Featherstone (Secretary)
Mounted Games – Erin Wittich Trainer/ Secretary
Pony Care, Quiz – Anita Nicol. Coach. Emma Capon Selection is made for all Branch Area competitions, Inter branch competitions, Regional competitions and Championships and Competitions by Invitation.
Criteria for Team Selection
– Must be Member of the Newmarket & Thurlow Pony club at the closing date for entries
– All ponies/horses must be up to date with vaccinations within the designated time for competing
– Riders must show commitment to the Branch by participating in rallies and training sessions and Branch competitions and by volunteering their help at rallies and achieving their relevant tests.
– All members and horses/ ponies wishing to be selected for a team must have had a coaching / training session with the Team Selector The team selection will be made in a fair and open process.
– The Team Selectors will base their decision on members being confident, capable and safe to ride at the appropriate level and have attained the relevant tests and training sessions.
– Team Selectors will give equal opportunity to all members who wish to compete in a Branch Team so long as they meet the criteria for selection.
– If selected the member will be asked to confirm availability for the Regional and Championships competitions (though that is not a requisite to being selected)
– Members can ask to be considered for Area team selection even if they know they will not be available for Champs but this must be made known to the Selection team
– If they are not selected for a team or know they cannot compete at the relevant championships they may be able to ride as an individual.
– That individual may be selected by Georgie Mackley to compete in an Area 8 team but it must be clear that that individual cannot compete in one of our Branch teams
– The Pony Club’s Conflict of Interest Policy will be adhered to when making team selections. If a committee member’s child is being considered there should be open discussion relating to all the criteria for that member to be selected along with all the other members wishing to be selected. Discipline secretaries must not promote their child for selection.
– Team Selectors must not give special treatment to private students.
– So long as all the previous criteria has been met, Team Selectors should consider other criteria such as age of the rider. Older members may be selected above younger ones who will have more opportunities to qualify unless that older rider has already competed at that level 3 or more times, then the Team Selectors may select a younger member.
– Where a team event is oversubscribed fulfilling the Branch criteria is paramount but the selection team can take into consideration the rider’s performances at non pony club events such as British Eventing.
– Final team selection will be made by the DC and Team Selectors. Parents and member will be expected to respect the final decision of the Selectors. However, if a parent feels that the selection was not fair, the Team Selector must discuss the reason with the parents or guardian and the DC.
– All Parents and Guardians will be expected to comply with the Pony Club Code of Conduct.
– Confidentiality – Any dissatisfaction should be brought to the attention of the DC and should not be discussed with any other Pony Club member. It should be remembered that an invitation to represent the Branch is an honour and not a right. At all competitions, the Branch has the right to decide where the member best meets the Branch’s needs.
HAT RULE
To unify hat standards and to avoid riders having to wear multiple tags on their hats, The Pony Club, British Eventing (BE) and British Riding Clubs (BRC) have introduced ONE ‘pink’ hat tag. The tag carries the logo of the body that checks the hat so that tagging can be tracked.
If you have not already done so or have a new hat you can get your hats tagged by Sarah 07855 118471 or Erin 07796 148058.
BODY PROTECTOR RULE
If a Body protector is worn for any Pony Club activity it must meet BETA 2018 Level 3 standard (blue and black label).
We would like to thank all of you for being so supportive and we are hugely looking forward to a fun filled and successful year ahead.
6. PONY CLUB WHIP RULE FOR SHOW JUMPING, EVENTING & CROSS COUNTRY.
Narrow handled whips for small hands can be purchased from treehouseonline.co.uk– the Treehouse Showjumping Junior Whip (Black)
WHIP RULE – see www.pcuk.org for full details of use of the whip
Show Jumping and Cross Country only – a whip, if carried, must be held in the hand by the handle with the handle at the top. The whip must be ‘padded.’ The maximum length of the whip is 70cm and must be no less than 45cm. The ‘contact area’ is considered to be two-fifths of the overall length of the whip and must be covered with a ‘pad.’ There must be no ‘binding’ within 17cm of the end of the ‘pad.’ The ‘pad’ must be smooth, with no protrusion or raised surface, and be made of shock absorbing material throughout its circumference such that it gives a compression factor of at least 6mm. There is to be no wording, advertising or personalisation of any kind on the ‘pad.’