Sunday May 28, 2023
For National Pony Club updates and information please go to pcuk.org
DC’s Communications and Newsletters
DC NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY
Excitement for spring and the season ahead is building! We have lots on offer for the Easter holidays, so please get your diaries out and fill them up with fun horse & pony activities!
In this month’s newsletter:
  1. Key Dates
  2. Teams
  3. Tests
  4. Tetrathlon & Triathlon
  5. Area 9 Quiz
  6. Pony Racing
  7. Camps
  8. OBHPC Junior Show – Sunday 28 May 2023
  9. OBHPC SJ Competition – Tuesday 30 May 2023 – Unicorn
  10. Facebook & Instagram Links
  11. Website
  12. Badminton
  13. Welcome
  14. Alumni

 

Key Dates – please add them to your diary!

Key Dates Date
A9 Quiz 05/03/2023
Areas – HPC 15/04/2023
A9 show 16/04/2023
OBHPC Junior Show 28/05/2023
OBHPC SJ Competition 30/05/2023
Areas – SJ 04/06/2023
Regional – SJ 04/06/2023
Regional – Eventing 02/07/2023
Areas – Dr 09/07/2023
Regional – Dr 09/07/2023
Areas – Eventing 15/07/2023
Areas – Tet 22-23/7/23
Senior Camp 28-31/7/23
Junior Camp 3-6/8/23
Trotters & Mini Camp 7-9/8/23
Area Championships 11-19/8/23
Regional Championships 26-28/8/23
A9 show 10/09/2023

Teams

We would love you to represent our pony club in a team. Please do get in touch with Lisa Powell to find out all about Regional and Area teams and let her know that you would like to take part. There are opportunities in so many different disciplines and at different levels.
Information on team selection is attached.
The Regional & Area Show Jumping is around the corner (4 June) and training dates are on the website. Please do book in early. Area training is with Mark Finn (BS level 3 instructor). Regional training is with the brilliant Aaron Nobbs.
We also have a SJ training competition for some last-minute practice at the Unicorn on 30 May. Save the date! Entries via Horse Events. Schedule attached.

Tests

The Pony Club test system is a progressive system designed to develop both ridden and horse & pony care skills. The syllabus is in the process of being updated, and has an increased focus on how horses learn, and on the Five Domains, or Five Freedoms. We encourage all our members to join in the training and try to make the “test” day as friendly and welcoming as possible.
Vic Ruffy is organising series of rallies plus a D/D+ test day on 3/4/23.
Tussel Humphrey will be teaching children how to stay safe on the roads on 24/3/23 with mounted training and the assessment for Road Rider on 1/4/23.
Katherine Villiers is organising a series of training rallies in preparation for C Test on 16/4/23.
There will be more opportunities to train for tests later in the year, but if your child has got a little left behind with tests and would like to catch up, please do get in touch with Katherine Taylor as soon as possible.

Tetrathlon & Triathlon

Do you have a son or daughter who isn’t keen to ride but would like to learn to shoot? Have you considered a non-riding PC membership? Many of our members enjoy Triathlon as well as Tetrathlon. We have weekly pistol training with Fred Church. For more information about what’s involved, contact Emma Huepfl or check out the email from 15/2/23.

Area 9 Quiz

Good luck to your OBHPC Mini and Junior Teams today at the Area 9 quiz. We know you will be brilliant and hope you have lots of fun. Thank you to Joanna Lambert for organising so much training at her lovely Friday night HPC rallies at Stainswick.

Pony Racing

Good luck to our members entered for the Area 9 Pony Race Day at Cheltenham Racecourse on 7 April 2023. Why not go along to support them and find out more about it? This could be you next year!
Many of our members have been learning about fitness and control at our gallop rallies over the last few weeks, under the watchful eye of John Reid. Would you like to join in? Contact Do Curtis for more information.

Camps

Forms will be live for camp applications by the end of March. Please make sure you have saved the dates!

  •  Trotter and Mini Camp – 7th – 9th August 2023  ***New Venue – Lyford Stud***
  •  Junior Camp – 3rd – 6th August 2023 – Boomerang
  •  Senior Camp – 28th – 31st July 2023 – Rectory Farm

For more information on camps, visit the website

OBHPC Junior Show – Sunday 28 May 2023

Please save the date for our annual Junior Show at Sower Hill, Nr Uffington. This is a really lovely day out, aimed at children aged 12 and under. 

OBHPC Show Jumping Competition – Tuesday 30 May 2023 – Unicorn

Save the date! A great opportunity to put the finishing touches to your training for Show Jumping teams. The competition takes place at The Unicorn in a beautiful, large indoor school. Classes from 60cm-110cm.

Facebook & Instagram Links

A quick reminder, if you don’t already follow us, you can here:
 
Facebook:
OBHPC Facebook (our main FB page)
OBHPC Swap & Sell (OBHPC members only)
OBHPC Chat (OBHPC members only)
 
Instagram

 Please do WhatsApp your videos and photos to Katherine so that we can share them on FB & Instagram, or share them on the OBHPC Chat

Website

We have had a big push at refreshing the pages on our Website. Thank you to so many people for all their enormous efforts. We are always looking for fun pictures that truly tell the story of what Pony Club is all about. Please do forward any photos you are happy to share to Lisa PowellHelen Keen or Katherine Taylor

 

Badminton

There are still a couple of pitches available for Badminton. Pitches can be booked here.

Welcome

A warm welcome to Anna Hubbard (Poppy’s mum), who will be looking after our new members, answering any questions they have and helping them meet new friends.

Alumni

Congratulations to Lucy Perring, an OBHPC member, who joined the Household Cavalry to combine her love of music with her love of horses. Lucy is now a fully qualified musician in the band and will be taking part in the Household Cavalry musical ride at Windsor Horse Show.
 
Happy Riding 
Katherine

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR JANUARY
Dear All
Clear your diaries, the year ahead is going to be a busy one! 
The rather daunting task of being at the helm is now firmly in my hands, but with a fantastic team around me, I am excited for the coming year. We have a few roles still to fill, so please read on to find out how you can get involved!   
Apologies for the length of this email – there is a lot to cover….
 

  1. Camp Dates
  2. Key Dates
  3. Dressage Competition – Wickstead
  4. Junior Show
  5. Horse & Pony Care Teams
  6. Teams
  7. We need your help
  8. How we are funded
  9. Facebook & Instagram
  10. Website
  11. Rallies – how to use the page
  12. Annual Pilgrimage to Badminton
  13. Yummy Mummy – what is it & how to join in
  14. 2022 – What a Year!


Camp Dates

 Camp dates have been finalised. Please save the dates:

  •  Trotter and Mini Camp – 7th – 9th August 2023  ***New Venue – Lyford Stud***
  •  Junior Camp – 3rd – 6th August 2023 – Boomerang
  •  Senior Camp – 28th – 31st July 2023 – Rectory Farm

Application forms are being prepared and will be made available soon.

For more information on camps, visit the website

 

Key Dates – please add them to your diary – especially if you are keen to be in a team!
 

Key Dates Date
A9 Quiz 05/03/2023
Areas – HPC 15/04/2023
A9 show 16/04/2023
OBHPC Junior Show 28/05/2023
Areas – SJ 04/06/2023
Regional – SJ 04/06/2023
Regional – Eventing 02/07/2023
Areas – Dr 09/07/2023
Regional – Dr 09/07/2023
Areas – Eventing 15/07/2023
Areas – Tet 22-23/7/23
Senior Camp 28-31/7/23
Junior Camp 3-6/8/23
Trotters & Mini Camp 7-9/8/23
Area Championships 11-19/8/23
Regional Championships 26-28/8/23
A9 show 10/09/2023

 


Dressage competition – Wickstead

Sadly we had to postpone today’s friendly dressage competition due to the freezing temperatures. We have a new date – Sunday 5th March. All entries will be rolled forward. Entries will be via Horse Events and should be live again this coming week.  Little jockeys can be led, and those of us that find it nearly impossible to remember a whole test can have the test called. This is a perfect, low pressure environment for younger riders or young horses to do a dressage test or two 😊.

 

OBHPC Junior Show – Sunday 28 May 2023

 Please save the date for our annual Junior Show at Sower Hill, Nr Uffington. This is a really lovely day out, aimed at children aged 12 and under. 


Horse & Pony Care (HPC) Teams – 15 April 2023

 If you would like to be considered for a Horse and Pony Care team this year, please email Emma Erskine Crum.
 
The area competition will take place on Sunday 15 April 2023, run by the Wyre Forest branch.  There are 3 sections:  a mini team (2 members aged 10 or under on 1 Jan 23 and 1 aged 8 or under on 1 Jan 23); a junior competition (2 member aged 13 and 1 aged 11 or under on 1 Jan in the current year) and one for seniors (3 members aged 14-20, including 1 aged under 16 or under on 1 Jan 23, this team may also include 1 member between 20-25).  
 
Six training sessions will be held in the run up to the area competition for minis and juniors (Sunday afternoons 4 -6pm, location to be confirmed, starting 25 February).  
 
For more information, please visit the OBHPC branch website
 
Last year, the Old Berks qualified for the Pony Club Championships in all three divisions with the mini team finishing second.  The children will tell you that they have had great fun and made great friends competing in Horse and Pony Care and their parents that they have learnt an enormous amount which not only helps when they come to take their PC tests but gives them greater independence when looking after their own animals.

 

Teams

Would you like to represent the OBHPC in a team or as an individual? There are opportunities to join teams in Polo, Horse & Pony Care (HPC), Dressage, Tetrathlon, Show Jumping and Eventing. If you don’t feel quite ready to be part of a team, with many disciplines you can enter as an individual and still be part of the OBHPC experience.
 
Regional team competitions take place for those competing in Dressage (Grassroots), SJ (teams at 70 & 80cm) and Eventing (teams at 70 & 80cm), with a regional championship at Rectory Farm at the end of August.
 
Area team competitions take place for those competing in Polo, Tet, HPC, Dressage (Novice & above), SJ (teams at 90-110cm) and Eventing (teams at 90-110cm) with PC Championships in mid-August.
 
Key Dates for team competitions are here
 
Team Training starts soon – keep an eye on the calendar. To be considered for a team, you will need to have attended 3 rallies, and team training.
Do you have any questions? Please email Lisa Powell and she will be happy to answer them!

 

We need your help! 

Do you have IT, communication, marketing or event organisation skills? Can you spare a bit of time to help us? Pony Club branches are run entirely by volunteers, who don’t get paid.  Running camps, competitions, rallies, teams and tests takes a wide range of skills from lots of people, and you don’t have to be horsey to help! Please help us by getting involved in any way that you can. The future of our branch depends on you. Become a part of our community and help shape it for the future.
 
We have the following roles that we would love to fill:

  • New PC member co-ordinator
  • Test co-ordinators at each level: D, D+, C, C+ & B
  • Awards organiser
  • Christmas Party organiser
  • Summer Party organiser

 For more information on how you can get involved, please contact Lisa SmithLisa Powell or Katherine Taylor

 

How we are funded

 As a branch, we receive just £25.50 of your £85.50 standard membership, with the rest going to run HQ.  Virtually all of our share of your membership money is used to pay for our branch admin costs (software licences, bank & credit card charges, insurance, DBS checks, first aid supplies & training for volunteers).
 
We aim to run camps & rallies so that they break even. In 2022, we spent approx. £24k on running camps, and made a small loss.
 
If we want to spend money on anything, we have to raise it first – usually through running competitions. Last year we raised £4.5k. We spent this money on subsidising expensive rallies, subsidising camps, free or subsidised tests and paying instructors to attend team events.  Please support our competitions both in terms of entries and in helping to run them – everything we raise goes back into supporting your children’s activities at the OBHPC 😊.
 
Some may be surprised to hear that rally and camp organisers don’t get paid or get a free place for their child.  Please be kind to them and help them in any way you can – they, and their families give up their precious time for your benefit!

 

Facebook & Instagram Links

 As a large branch, we are constantly looking at better ways to communicate with you and your children. We have several Facebook accounts and you can follow us on Instagram. Do you have the skills to help us improve how we communicate? If so, please get in touch with Katherine, who would be delighted to hear from you!
 
If you don’t already follow us, you can here:
 
Facebook:
OBHPC Facebook (our main FB page)
OBHPC Swap & Sell (OBHPC members only)
OBHPC Chat (OBHPC members only)
 
Instagram

 Please do WhatsApp your videos and photos to Katherine so that we can share them on FB & Instagram, or share them on the OBHPC Chat

 

Website

We are in the process of refreshing the pages on our Website, and HQ are working on upgrading the functionality over the coming year. Please bear with us whilst we do this.

 

Rallies – how to use the page

 Please check regularly here for what’s on. We are moving to a fortnightly email which will summarise What’s On.
 
To see the detailed rally description, tick “Show Description”. Area 9 events can be searched under the “Show me events from:” drop down.
 

 

Annual Pilgrimage to Badminton

Badminton 2023 will take place from Weds 3 – Mon 8 May 2023.
 
We have secured a few pitches at Badminton Horse Trials for our annual pilgrimage! These prices are heavily discounted for OBHPC members, and include a camping pitch (caravan/horse box or tent), 2 daily admission passes and 1 car pass. It is a great fun long weekend together where lifelong friendships are often formed.
 
For more information or to reserve a place, please email Katherine. Places are very limited!

 

Yummy Mummy – what is it & how to join in

 For all those Mum’s who wish they could still be PC member, why not come and join our friendly group of Yummy Mummy’s. We meet regularly for lessons, be it flatwork, gridwork, SJ or XC, and ride everything from a hairy cob, a seasoned hunter, or our rather muddy child’s steed.  Upcoming dates are below. Please contact Lisa Smith for more information.
 

  1. 31st Jan Yummy Mummy  from 10.30am   Pole work (on ground) at Malt House, Steventon, OX13 6AP
  2. 21st Feb Yummy Mummy from 10.30am  Show Jumping at Sower Hill Stables, Uffington, SN7 7QH    
  3. 8th March Yummy Mummy from 10.30am Show Jumping at Wickstead Horseplay, Highworth, SN6 7PP
  4. 21st March Yummy Mummy from 10.30am Show Jumping at Alden Farm, Upton OX11 9HS 
  5. 18th April Yummy Mummy from 10.30am Show Jumping  at Sower Hill, Uffington, SN7 7QH  
  6. 12th May Yummy Mummy from 10.30am Cross Country Schooling at Elmwood Equestrian, OX18 2HW
  7. 6th June Yummy Mummy from 10.30am Show Jumping and Arena XC at Wickstead Horseplay, Highworth, SN6 7PP 
  8. 28th June Yummy Mummy from 9.30am  Show Jumping and Cross Country clinic
  9. 10th July Yummy Mummy from 10.30 am Show Jumping  at Sower Hill, Uffington, SN7 7QH

 

What a Year!

 Our members had a fantastic year in 2022, with fun & success across multiple disciplines. Just a handful of the many highlights included:

  • 5 camps for Trotters, Minis, Juniors, Seniors & Eventers
  • Multiple rallies including the new format Super Rally plus lessons with high class instructors including GB team instructors
  • Test success from E to B, and 5 new Step 1 coaches
  • Competitions organised by the OBHPC including dressage & arena eventing Spring Festival qualifiers, the Junior Show and show jumping at Unicorn and Malthouse
  • Polo – A growing squad from 3 yrs to 16 yrs old. Selection for Young British Talent match  – Marcos P
  • Triathlon wins at the PC Championships – Cici H
  • Racing
    • 1st place in the 148 P-t-P Championship & P-t-P Racing League – Harry V
    • 1st place in the 138 P-t-P Racing League – Lucas M
    • 3rd place in the 138 points series – Freddie F
  • Shetland Grand National success  – Zara N, Alice DQA, Lucas M, Finn M
  • Mini Major Championship qualification (London International) – Romiley W
  • Search for a Star PC Championship qualification – Emily R
  • Selection for Bishop Burton BE Youth Championships – Bert S, Oscar F & Bella S
  • Team & individual qualifications for the Spring Festival, Regional & Area Championships in Horse & Pony Care, Polo, Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing
    • Intermediate Eventing Team Win at the PC Championships
    • Spring Festival Dressage Championship Win – Scarlett S
    • Horse & Pony Care – Mini Team 2nd at the PC Championships, all 3 teams qualified.
  • Older/past members flying the flag in 2022:
    • Qualifying for Badminton Grass Roots 100cm Championship – Bella S
    • Winning the Badminton Grass Roots 90cm Championship – Siobhan H
    • Jack Church – qualified as a vet
    • Captain Harry Sayer – Household Cavalry (Troop Leader) – Platinum Jubilee celebrations Windsor
    • Issy I and Oscar F both represented England on pony teams at Blair. 

There have been so many incredible successes in 2022 – well done to all of our wonderful members for creating lifelong memories to be proud of.

For those of you that have read to the end – thank you, you have the stamina to be a true PC mum!

Katherine

DC’S NEWS LETTER FOR DECEMBER

Dear All,

Thank you for the wonderful send off last Friday night and the incredible firepit which will get many hours of use in the summer. I’m sad to be leaving after so many happy years but I look forward to watching the branch continuing to support children in fulfilling their ambitions, in the capable and committed hands of Katherine and her committee. 

But before I go on the 31st Dec, we have a busy 2 weeks….!
 
Good luck Romilly
Romilly Webb will be representing the OBHPC after qualifying for the Mini Major SJ at The London International Horse Show tomorrow.  We also have several members competing in the Shetland Grand National there. You can follow the action on H&C TV and a group of 70 from the branch will be there on Monday.

Fun Xmas SJ on Sunday
We’ll be able to take a few late entries for our Xmas SJ at Malthouse this Sunday. Classes are from very tiny lead rein up to 70cm with LOTS of prizes and rosettes.

Unicorn SJ on 29th Dec
Our Indoor SJ competition with classes 40-100cm is filling fast. Please enter ASAP on Horse-Events as entries are limited in order to finish before 4pm.

Old Bits and Stirrups
Bits – We are collecting old horse and pony bits to send to a charity in Morocco. They will replace the wire currently being used in some yards, so any condition is fine.
Stirrups – We’ve noticed that as members’ feet (and boot sizes) grow, stirrups aren’t always keeping up so we’ll be starting a FREE stirrup exchange at Asti Stud, so any member can take in their outgrown stirrups and swap them for a larger pair. If anyone has some spare pairs, we’d love some donations to get the scheme started.
Please drop any bits or stirrups at Asti Stud (or at the show on Sunday), and if Claire is there you can get a new pink hat tag at the same time!

Camps
All dates are now confirmed and online so you can plan holidays around the highlight of the summer! 

Dressage 
Rob Lumb rallies will recommence from 20th January for older members, and we will host a low key dressage competition indoors at Wickstead, with classes from lead rein upwards on Sunday 22nd January, entry form on Horse-Events.

Dates in the next month
Our fixture list is below and online, but in particular you may want to look out for:

  • 28th Dec and 31st Dec – Childrens’ Meets
  • 2nd Jan – Ridgeway Ride
  • 3rd Jan – Trotters New Year fun and games

Enjoy Christmas and the New Year,

All the very best,

Alison and Katherine  

DC’S NEWS LETTER FOR NOVEMBER

Xmas Showjumping
We have our annual Xmas Fun SJ Show at Malthouse on Sunday 18th December, with courses from 15cm-70cm. It’s in the indoor school (with viewing gallery) and open to members and non-members aged 2-16, so bring your friends and relatives for the day!
Schedule for Xmas Fun SJ is HERE

For those jumping 40cm-100cm we have Indoor Showjumping at The Unicorn on Thurs 29th December. For those that haven’t been there before, it is an international sized arena with viewing galleries, and well worth the drive.
Schedule for the Unicorn SJ HERE

Angela takes on the Minis!
Angela Ryan has kindly offered to help coordinate activities for our busy Mini members (aged around 5-9). She’ll be working with the committee to ensure there is the right balance of venues, instructors and activities for her daughter’s age group to enjoy. 
Angela, along with Claire Mangen, will also be running Mini Camp. Angela can be contacted on angela@recoveryinmind.org if you’d like to offer her any suggestions or help in her role as Mini Co-ordinator.

Could you do the same? We’re looking for someone keen to coordinate activities that our Trotters (aged 2-6) would enjoy, in addition to our existing Trotter activities. Ideally it will be a parent or grandparent with a child in that age-group who is happy to organise activities to suit their child and then open it up to others. Please call Alison (07841 650225) or Katherine (07831 815512) if you might be able to help.

OBHPC joins the Hack Challenge
Dodson and Horrell are sponsoring a Hack Challenge and we’ll be helping our members take part. We’ll be running a series of organised hacks, but you can hack independently too, recording progress as you go. If you pay a £5 registration fee online you can log your hacks and win certificates and awards.  
If you want to organise a group ride with a PC coach, please contact Joanna Lambert on 07990 898175 or jrjlambert@aol.com or Angela Ryan on angela@recoveryinmind.org

Winter shooting… by post!
Another inexpensive winter activity for members; we have pistols available to use and this is suitable for non-riding members.
If you’d like to try pistol shooting in a safe environment, or are interested in Tri (run, swim, shoot) or Tet (run, swim, shoot, ride), Fred runs a weekly shooting evening for PC members, and there is a winter postal shoot competition (schedule attached) starting this month.
We’re keen to increase our group of non-riding members so if your child has friends who might like to join in, please speak to Fred about a trial rally. 
Email Fred to book in: fm.ej.church@btinternet.com

Hat Standards
From the 1st January 2023, hats that don’t meet new safety standards can’t be used for pony club or most other organised riding activities, so a new dark pink tag is available now, and our hat taggers will be out and about trying to tag as many hats as possible before the January deadline.    

If your child’s hat is the old standard (PAS O15 1998 or SNELL 2001) please help keep them safe and put a new hat on the Xmas list!

Happy riding!

Katherine & Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR OCTOBER
October Half Term
We have a fun packed half term with a lot of the activities aimed at ALL ages – a great opportunity for older members to inspire our younger ones, and for younger members to meet others in our club. Highlights include opportunities to follow hounds, a Ridgeway ride and a Hallowe’en rally. The Area 9 training on 6th November with Caroline Moore is now open to members aged 13+ and jumping 90cm+. Arena Eventing – 26th Nov
We are hosting an Indoor Arena Eventing competition at the Unicorn again this year, with classes from 60cm to 100cm.  Please enter now as it is the ONLY chance for Area 9 members to qualify for the Barrier Health Spring Festival Arena Eventing Championships, so classes will fill quickly, and we’d love our members to get in first! 
Enter here:
http://www.horse-events.co.uk/horse-events/old-berks-hunt-pony-club-indoor-arena-eventing261022/Riding and Road Safety
Tussel is holding a Riding and Road Safety training and test session over half term for those with C Test. This essential training is a prerequisite for C+ and we have found this is a good time of year to complete it. Please email Tussel on info@brookfarmcottages.com to check dates.Summer Camps
Dates are confirmed for Junior Camp (Aug 3-6th at Boomerang), with dates for other camps to follow shortly.Enjoy half term!Alison & Katherine

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR AUGUST

End of Summer Celebration
Pack a picnic and join us from 6.30-9pm on Friday 2nd September at Ardington Sports Club for our End of Summer Celebration where we’ll be sharing a video celebrating our summer of fun and awarding prizes to members and ponies.  Be there to see if you are amongst the winners!
 
Double Trouble!
Katherine Taylor will be joining me as Joint DC from 1st September to share the workload and ensure a smooth transition when I retire from the role on 31st December. We’ll be working closely together so any questions can be directed to either or both of us.
 
Camps
After 15 incredibly happy years and amazing memories, we’ve had our final Mini and Tiny Trotter camp at Brightwalton Stud. Our huge thanks go to Jeff and Phoebe, Bella, Miranda and Henry for welcoming so many members over the years. 
Senior Camp was at Rectory Farm for the first time, and the more relaxed setting proved to be a resounding success. 
We’re halfway through Junior Camp at Boomerang where members and ponies are looking forward to camping tomorrow night after meeting Olympic Gold Medalist Kate French.
 
Tetrathlon 
Well done to our triathlon superstar, Cici Huepfl who was selected to compete in the Pony Club Stepping Stones Central Team at the championships. Cici WON her class and helped her team into 1st place too.
 
Gatcombe SJ
Our 110cm Team of Henry, Flora, Issy and Polly were 2nd in the main arena at Gatcombe, one of just 2 teams finishing on zero, with our 95cm teams finishing 1st and 2nd in the PC friendly competitions. Well done to all.
It was lovely to be able to see so many of our Shetland Pony Grand National competitors in action there too!
 
Polo
Our polo players had a great time at the Cowdray Championships at the weekend. There are some great photos and videos on our OBHPC Chat Facebook page, with a write up to follow. 
 
Championships 
There will be plenty of action at Offchurch Bury this week as OBHPC members have an incredible 72 Championship qualifications between them, in Polo, Horse Care, Dressage, SJ and Eventing.
If anyone is available to cheer on our younger members competing at the slightly quieter regional championships at Rectory Farm over the bank holiday weekend, it’s always nice to have some extra support there for them. Anyone competing at 60 to 70cm may want to go along to see what’s involved for next year!
 
18th Sept schedules
The Beaufort Hunt PC One Day Event at Shipton Moyne takes place on Sunday 18th September and is always really popular with our members. The schedule is here.
The OBH Supporters Club Show at Sower Hill is on the same day, with plenty of options for adults and children. The schedule is here.
 
After the rain…. a warning… 
Warm rain after weeks of drought leads to a high risk of laminitis as the rich grass comes through so please keep a close eye on ponies. 
 
Private Facebook Group
If you’ve not yet joined, we have a private group on Facebook for our members and parents to share photos, opportunities and to keep in touch. Join here and feel free to post anything that others might find helpful.
 
Enjoy the cooler weather and slightly softer ground, and book in now for one of the final Super Rallies of the summer. Details are below.
 
Best wishes,
Alison
 

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR JULY

If anyone wants to see Pony Club at it’s best, take a peek at OBHPC throughout July – and we have even more fun on the way for August!
 
This month felt packed with competitions, which doesn’t always sit comfortably with PC’s aspirations to inspire fun, friendship and learning for all, so it’s important to stress that just as with our PC tests, team competitions offer a way to measure personal progress, while also building friendships. We are non-selective; there are team opportunities open to any member of any age, starting with Mounted Games, Tadpole Triathlon and Horse & Pony Care, and we encourage all our members to get involved.  
 
So… in addition to our usual rallies and training…. we started the month with Road Safety and D+ training and tests, then enjoyed a long day of action at the 70cm and 80cm Regional Eventing competition, with some of our members competing in teams for the first time and being warmed up by team trainers, Sasha and Carol.  Several members qualified for the Regional Dressage and Eventing Championships, everyone had a great time and only one ended their day with an early bath in the Swalcliffe water jump. A special well done to Sophia Villiers, Cecilia Von Michel, Sophie Simpson and new member Liv MacLellan for their qualifying results.

The following weekend was the Area 9 Tri and Tetrathlon competitions, where Lorna, Edmund, Cici and Lexi represented OBHPC. A special mention to Cici Huepfl who joined OBHPC just 18 months ago in order to learn to ride, and WON the Minimus Girls Tetrathlon with a clear XC round.  

 
Some of our younger members were ‘guinea pig riders’ for the first stage of our Coach training scheme this month, where Tara Lockhart, Romily McIntosh, Ottie Hunt, Emily Sandars and Gabriel Jennings all passed their Stage 1 so are qualified to assist our instructors this summer and earn some pocket money from their passion! 
 
As the weather warmed up the final Friday Badge Rally of the term ended up in Joanna’s swimming pool and with members enjoying a BBQ together.
 
This weekend brought the Area 9 90cm and 100cm Horse Trials in blistering heat, but with an early start and an OBH support team on hand to instantly cool horses at the finish, our competitors put in a stellar performance and all 4 teams ended in the top 5. 
10 of our members qualified for the PC National Championships. 
A special mention to Jessie Saunders, riding a borrowed hunter belonging to an OBHPC parent, who won her section and helped her team into a winning position, and to Oscar Fitzgerald who demonstrated impressive sticking power when his young horse objected to the water jump.
A team of Rob Lumb, Fi Dowding, Sarah Charles, Lisa Powell, Ros Hayward, along with Joy Wilson and Lisa Smith, looked after our competitors on the day.
Full results and videos are on Facebook. 
 
Next weekend is the Area 9 Dressage where our teams will be competing within the grounds of Badminton House. What an opportunity!
 
As the full day rally format has proved so popular we have 2 more this month, one for 9-13 year olds and one for 3-13 year olds, with another for 3-13 year olds next month too. Without the usual time pressures, and with picnics with their instructors, they are a fabulous way to meet other members and make new friends.
 
We were excited to see ex-OBHPC members Lila Bremner and Oli Fletcher winning team bronze medals in the Young Rider European SJ this week. If you are interested in how it feels to go from riding at Brightwalton’s Mini Camp to competing in the GB Junior Eventing team, member and OBHPC coach Sasha Hargreaves will be sharing behind-the-scenes insights of her time in the GB team, with a walk and talk during the XC day of the European Junior and Young Rider Eventing Championships at Hartpury.
 
Finally, at the end of the month, we have the highlight of the summer for so many, with the first of our Camps starting. If you’ve accidentally missed the deadline for booking camps, please still contact the camp organiser as they’ll always try to fit late-comers in when they can. If you need more polo shirts, XC skins or any other kit for camps, our PopUp Shop will be open on Thursday 28th July (see Fixtures list below).
 
Let’s hope those horses and ponies can find enough green grass to fuel them through a busy summer!
 
Alison
 
Don’t forget our End of Summer Celebration at Ardington Sports Club on the evening of Friday 2nd September for members of ALL ages and their parents (but without ponies!!). Please put the date in your diary now!
 
LAMINITIS ALERT

At last, there has been some rain! Followed by warm, sunny days the risk of laminitis is high.

What is laminitis?

Inflammation of the laminae in the foot that interlock to suspend the pedal bone within the hoof capsule. It is damaging to the laminae and incredibly painful. Once a horse or pony has had an episode of laminitis, it is more likely to happen again which is why prevention is so important.

What are the most common causes of laminitis?

  • over-feeding, especially native ponies, in the Spring when the grass is richest (and in the September flush)
  • fast work on hard ground
  • if your pony has Cushing’s disease, you will know that laminitis is a side-effect

What are the signs of laminitis?

  • rocking back on the heels to relieve the pressure on the front feet
  • reluctance to move
  • sweating (from the pain)
  • increased digital pulses

What to do if you suspect laminitis?

  • Call the Vet immediately
  • your farrier can often help 
  • bring the horse or pony off the grass into a stable with a deep bed
  • feed only soaked hay and fresh water

Prevention is better than cure!

  • restrict access to grazing especially between April and July, and in September
  • keep an eye on your pony’s weight – being overweight increases the risk
  • consider turning out at night only
  • regular farriery is important
Popular myths

‘My pony never gets laminitis, so I don’t need to worry.’ WRONG!  About half of all ponies that get laminitis for the first time are aged over 10

‘Only ponies get laminitis.’ WRONG! Horses get laminitis, too.

Thank you to our horsecare guru Fiona Jack for this timely reminder. 

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR MAY

Rally Vouchers

The 4 x £5 rally vouchers seem to be a popular way to ensure all members can access discounted training. 

For rallies booked on Horse-Events, simply choose the discounted rate to use one of your vouchers. 
For other rallies or camp bookings, please email Lisa Heneghan. You can use a maximum of 2 vouchers per camp or rally.
 
Camps
Please book now for summer camps so that we can secure the right instructors. We offer a full refund if you cancel your place up before the closing date as it’s a huge help to us to know who is likely to attend as early as possible. Details online: https://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/camps/ 
 
Countryside Day

Thank you to Sue Jannaway and our demo team of members who braved the wet weather and put on a great display in the main arena at the OBH Countryside Day today.
Showjumping
Well done to all our competitors at today’s SJ competition at The Unicorn, making the most of the FINAL OPPORTUNITY to compete before entries close tonight for the Pony Club Area SJ competition on 29th May. If you are competing 70-110cm and have attended 3 PC rallies or Camp since 1st July 2021 we hope you have already entered, if not, please enter now on Horse Events.

London International Horse Show Xmas trip
Booking is now open for discounted OBHPC tickets for London International (previously Olympia). We have a 70 tickets for the afternoon and evening performances on Monday 19th December but please book soon as they always sell out. https://www.horse-events.co.uk/horse-events/old-berkshire-hunt-pony-club-london-international-horse-show-monday-19th-december-2022/

Royal Windsor Horse Show
Oscar Fitzgerald was selected to compete in the England Home International Dressage team at Royal Windsor, based on his score at the PC Championships last summer. He went on to WIN the competition individually, which also contributed to his team winning overall. Well done Oscar, your hard work has really paid off!
It was good to see ex-OBHPC member Harry Sayer leading his troop in the Musical Ride, as Captain in the Blues and Royals.

Badminton
Several OBHPC families joined the camping trip to Badminton Horse Trials to cheer on OBHPC member Bella Stevens in the BE100cm Grassroots Championship and to witness ex-OBHPC member Siobhan Heneghan winning the BE90 Grassroots Championships and ex-OBHPC member Max Warburton winning the 5yr old Young Horse class.

Easy Fundraising
Please help us by supporting Old Berkshire Hunt Pony Club on Easyfundraising. It’s quick and easy to sign up for an account and add a reminder to your browser that collects a donation on loads of everyday purchases that you make online.
Sign up now: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/support-a-good-cause/step-1/?invite=EH7W2E&char=266527&referral-campaign=c2s&utm_source=refsharebox

Horse & Pony Care

Our Senior and Mini teams won at the Area competition, securing their places at the National Championships, with the Junior team just being pipped to the post in a tie-breaker. 

Well done to the teams and their coaches Fiona Jack and Alicia Lee.

Online Rally Bookings
You may have noticed a change in format for some of our upcoming rallies, with some longer sessions incorporating 2 ridden sessions along with a theory session, aimed to be more like a clinic or half day of camp. 

We are starting to move bookings online to make it easier for rally organisers. It’ll need parents to be super-organised and book (or cancel) at least a week in advance please. 

Happy riding!

Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR MARCH
 
£20 voucher for all OBHPC members
Thanks to various shows and events we have put on, the branch has raised surplus funds for this year so in May we will be sending rally vouchers worth a total of £20 to every fully paid up member.
Thank you to our volunteers for helping at these fund raising shows.
 
OBHPC Junior Show
Our wonderful junior show at Sower Hill is on 28th May. Enter online, the schedule is here:
 

Area Showjumping – 29th May

The schedule is now on Horse Events. 
If you have attended 3 rallies since 1st July last year and are either competing at the relevant height (70cm – 110cm) or jumping confidently at that height at SJ rallies, we’d like you to represent OBHPC either in a team or individually.
Please enter online before 15th May and let Lisa Powell know (lisa.p@me.com).  
You can only enter at one height, so please contact Phoebe, Claire or Lisa P if you aren’t sure which level. 
 
OBHPC Showjumping – 15th May
Final chance to be seen before team selection for the Area 9 Showjumping, as well as a great day out in a fantastic indoor venue.
Please enter now as numbers are strictly limited. Classes from 60cm-110cm.
 
Pop Up Shop
We will have a pop up shop at White Horse Feeds on Wed 20th April from 4.00-5.00pm for those needing kit now that the weather is changing, or OBHPC saddle pads for the Area SJ competition.
 
Horsemanship Areas
Good luck to our teams next weekend competing at the first of the Area 9 competitions, Horse and Pony Care, coached by Fiona Jack and Alicia Lee.
Minis: Isla Erskine Crum, Emily Ridgway and Esme Erskine Crum
Juniors: Lily Starkey, Kitty Winfield, Cecilia von Michel, Poppy Hubbard, Eliza Willis and Poppy Willis
Seniors: Eleanor Hubbard, Scarlett Starkey and Gabriel Jennings
 

Point to Point
Good luck to Eliza Manners, Eddie Keen, Lucas Murphy, Finn Murphy (R), Freddie Fletcher and Harry Vigors who’ll be lining up for the Pony Races on Monday, so get there early to cheer them on as these take place before the main jump races. They’ll all be riding in a black armband this year in memory of Freddie’s mum, Hannah Fletcher.

The hunt counts on volunteers from PC to help sell racecards in the morning and pick up litter the following day, in return for a hunting voucher. Please email Alice Margey (alice@manorfarmchase.com) or Jessica Simpson (monksfarmhendred@googlemail.com) if you can help.
 
Congratulations
Well done to Scarlett Starkey who WON her arena for the National Pony Club Intermediate Dressage Spring Championships and was Reserve Champion overall.

And congratulations to Rose, Marnie, Esme, Evie, Ella, Nellie, Isla, Atticus and Olivia for great results at the Area 9 Spring Junior SJ last weekend.

 
Easyfundraising
For those looking for an easy way to help us raise funds to subsidise the costs of rallies and camps, just click this link and register on Easyfundraising so you can raise funds each time you shop online.
 
Summer Camps
Camp forms are now on the website!
 
Enjoy the Easter break!
 
Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR MARCH

Arena Eventing – last chance to enter today
Entries close tonight for this Saturday’s indoor arena eventing at The Unicorn. Classes are from 60cm to 1m and any PC member can enter. 
Those in the top placings will qualify directly for the National Spring Championships in April.
 
C, C+, B and Road Rider Tests
For anyone at D+ or above, please check out details on the fixtures list as we have preparation and test dates for C, C+, B and Road Rider Tests over the next weeks. It’s a great opportunity to measure the progress you have made over the winter. 
 
Pony Club Kit – pop up shop

We’ll be holding a Pony Club pop up shop at White Horse Feeds on Saturday 26th March from 11am-12pm. It’s a great opportunity to get all the kit and clothes you need for the Easter holidays.

If you can’t get there at that time but would like to pay online, Emma can leave your order ready for collection, so please email her in advance on Emma@vonmichel.com 

 
Point to Point Pony Race
We’ve got several pony club ponies challenging our members on racing ponies at this year’s Lockinge point to point on Easter Monday (there are two flat races for PC members before the main races start).
If you’d like details on this, or competing at the Cheltenham Race day, please email Do Curtis. joannacurtis@upperfarm.uk.com
 
Spring Grass
As the weather starts to warm up, the grass is growing so please keep a careful eye on ponies and horses that might be prone to laminitis. Advice from the BHS is here, and it is worth asking your farrier to show you how to spot early warning signs in your horse or pony.
 
I think we’re all looking forward to the warmer weather as we head into Spring!
 
Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR FEBRUARY 

Happy Pancake Day to all!
 
Rallies
With normality returning, rallies are getting booked up so please book early to avoid disappointment and remember to give at least 7 days notice if you need to cancel. We’ll be holding waiting lists for any full groups or dates.
 
Pony Racing at Lockinge
We’re delighted to have several members getting their ponies ready for Lockinge, including several ‘fluffies’ to challenge the racing ponies. There’s no jumping involved (!), it is a huge amount of fun and we have plenty of kit and silks to borrow, so if you’d like to find out more please contact Joanna Curtis on joannacurtis@upperfarm.uk.com or join in one of the gallops rallies.
 
Hunting
Members enjoyed a great jumping day last Saturday and we’re all looking forward to the Children’s Meet this Saturday. For those that would like to try hunting for the first time, this is the last opportunity until Autumn, as the season draws to an end soon. Please contact Jess Simpson for details of the next Meet.
 
AGM and Awards Night
Hopefully everyone has seen the email and has Saturday 3rd Sept in diaries for the Awards Night and end of summer celebration. This Friday we’ll hold the AGM and an open committee meeting in the King and Queen Longcot from 6pm. Parents are very welcome to join us.
 
Camps and Competitions
The Pre-season competition camp in April is full but we are holding a waiting list and may be able to add one more group so please still put your name down with Chloe if you’d like to join in. chloe.jackman@hotmail.com
 
Entries close this Tuesday for the Spring Dressage Qualifier first round on Sunday.
Enter here, there are classes for ALL levels and Lisa Smith can help suggest the right class(es) for you if you are unsure (lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk)
 
Entries are filling fast for the Arena Eventing Qualifier on 19th March at The Unicorn. Any PC member can enter and those in the top placings will qualify for the National Spring Championships in April.
 
Those members with the early half term joined in the fun with the Heythrop Pony Club for a fun competition today and there is plenty more to look forward to over the next two weeks.
 
Enjoy the half term break!
 
Alison 

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR JANUARY

Rallies, rallies, rallies
Thank you to everyone for completing the survey, we’ll be drawing the winners on Wednesday and it gave us some great insights.
One of the first changes you’ll notice is even more choice of rallies in an even greater choice of venues, mostly with just 2 groups. This will mean more choice, less travel, more predictable timings. 
It is less onerous on the rally organisers so we are hoping that a few more parents will get involved either in organising or being the “person on the ground” to meet and greet, and keep parents and instructors fuelled with coffee. No special skills needed, full training given and all tea / coffee / cake / biscuit costs covered! 
Email Lisa Smith on lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk if you can help, even just once a month. 
Please support the rallies near you; if we know a particular session is well supported we’ll organise more the same.
 
Half Term
We have the dreaded “split” half term in February which inevitably means that whatever we plan on either week, there will be members that can’t attend. We felt it preferable to offer the opportunities available to us on both weeks, rather than avoid either week entirely. We’ve checked that the Team Eventers Challenge on 14/2 (the only available date in Feb) will be run again if it is a success.
 
Dressage Qualifier
OBHPC are hosting a preliminary Spring Festival Dressage Qualifier at Wickstead on 20th February, in the indoor school. Spaces are limited and we have secured two exceptional judges, so please enter online as soon as possible or email Lisa or Annwith any questions..
 
Hunting
The OBH have arranged two Meets over half terms specifically to encourage children, before the season ends in March, one of which will involve lots of jumping as well as a non-jumping group.  There’s a £20 rate for parents on the adult end of a lead rein (!) and discount for parents accompanying children off the lead rein.
Contact Jessica Simpson on monksfarmhendred@googlemail.com for details and directions.
 
Coaching Courses
Now’s the time for members aged 16 with B Test to sign up for the Step 1 or 2 coaching courses before the summer, and help inspire younger riders in our branch at camps and rallies, while working towards the Step 3 course and Coaching Certificate.
To find out more and sign up for the next course please email Emma Jennings on emmajennings131@icloud.com
 
Pony Club B Test 2022 and 2023
Those ready for B Test in 2022 or 2023 can expect an email from Joanna this week, inviting you to join in the successful OBHPC B Test training program.
The programme breaks down into 3 elements:
1. Assessment Rally – an outside assessor will give you a full assessment of your riding and your horse’s suitability for taking B test. 
2. B Test training rallies covering riding and Horse Care
3. B Test Boot Camp – 2 day camp just before the test on 8th August.
All enquiries to Joanna Lambert: jrjlambert@aol.com or 07990 898175
 
All the best
 
Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR DECEMBER

We’re getting into the Christmas spirit…!
 
We usually have a couple of OBHPC members taking part at Olympia every year and this year it was great to see Alice de Quincey Adams and Lucas Murphy battling it out daily in the Shetland Grand National at the new London International Horse Show. 
Next year we plan to resume the branch trip to this show, making the most of the big discounts for Pony Club group tickets. It’s always a great start to the Xmas holidays.
 
Malthouse Xmas Show
We had a great time at Malthouse yesterday with chocolate-fuelled members (and mums on lead rein) jumping tinsel covered ponies over courses from 20-80cm. Thank you to Lisa Smith’s fabulous team and our wonderful sponsors. Well done to the many OBHPC members topping the leaderboard. Full results and links to the sponsors on the OBHPC Facebook page
 
Last Chance for SJ Qualifier
Please enter now for the Indoor SJ next Wednesday (29th) at the Unicorn. Classes from 70cm – 110cm to include qualifiers for the PC Spring Championships.  
 
Don’t miss the Polo rally
Suitable for all ages and abilities, our polo rally will give members a chance to learn basic polo skills, have some fun and see how their pony takes to polo! This is a great opportunity for a first taste (or to fine tune existing skills) in a totally inclusive, fun activity.
 
Look out for your email link
We’re putting some great plans in place for 2022 for our members, maximising on the opportunities to mix socially in the open air while also enjoying our horses. 
But we’d love your input!
In the next few days you’ll receive a link to a survey and will ask parents or children to fill it in; we’ll have some vouchers on offer as a thank you for helping as it is really important to us that the club meets the needs of ALL our members.
 
Easy Fundraising
Can you support OBHPC if it involves minimal effort and zero cost? By adding the “Easy Fundraising” link to your computer, every time you shop from a website in their network – which is almost every online shop and booking site – it earns funds for OBHPC.  
The potential for fundraising is huge so we’ll be giving prizes at the end of 2022 for the top fundraisers in the branch.
 
Can I take this opportunity to wish all our members and families a Covid-free Christmas and a Happy New Year.
 
Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR NOVEMBER

It’s been another busy month for OBHPC and there’s lots to look forward to over Christmas.

Christmas coffee morning

Join us from 10.30am to 1.00pm on Thursday 2nd December for coffee, mince pies and a

chance for some Xmas shopping at Jess Simpson’s house; Monks Barn, Hendred OX12 8LG

We’ll have some of our OBHPC kit there but if there is a particular item or size you’d like, please email louisecornago@gmail.com before 26th November so she can bring it along for you.

Xmas Show

Our fun Xmas showjumping show at Malthouse Centre, Hanney Rd, Steventon, OX13 6AP on Sunday 19th December.  

It will again feature lots of tinsel, chocolate and huge rosettes. It’s suitable as a first show for those jumping on the lead rein, right up to 80cm.

Schedule online https://www.horse-events.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/OBHPC-SJ-19-December-2021-1.pdf

Show Jumping

For our older members, entries are open for our Show Jumping competition at the Unicorn on 29th December, including Area 9 Qualifiers for the Spring Championships. Classes are from 70cm to 110cm and you’ll be able to enter via Horse Events here.

HPC Championships

The OBHPC clean sweep at the 2021 Horse and Pony Care Area 9 competition meant that we had a Mini, Junior and Senior Team competing at the National Championships at half term, finishing with consistent results across all three levels, in 4th, 4th and 5th place. Well done to all three teams as well as team trainers Fiona Jack and Alicia Lee.

If you are interested in joining the teams for 2022, let Fiona know by emailing fionajack1000@gmail.com before the training sessions start in January.

Road Safety, C and C+ Tests

We had two very successful test days during half term with a total of 15 passes.

Well done to:

  • Araya Harvey – Riding and Road Safety Test

  • Sophie Villiers – Riding and Road Safety Test

  • Charlotte Broadbent – C Test

  • Bea Elsmore Wickens – C Test

  • Nina Bowden – C Test

  • Josie Hueplf – C Test

  • Zara Tearney – C Test

  • Clemmie Rooney Smith – C Test

  • Lucas Murphy – C Test

  • Araya Harvey – C Test

  • Lily Starkey – C+ Test

  • Kitty Winfield – C+ Test

  • Daisy Chugg – C+ Test

  • Hetty Hack – C+ Test

  • Rosie Hewlett – C+ Test

  • Kayleigh O’Neil – C+ Test

  • Charleigh Petit – C+ Test

We’ll be running these tests again in the Spring to give members plenty of time to prepare at rallies over the winter.

Arena Eventing

The OBH Arena Eventing at The Unicorn gave our members a chance to compete over an indoor course of show jumps and technically challenging cross country fences.

Thank you to our sponsors; Fine & Country, Lucy Winfield Property, Fawley House Stud, Denchworth Equestrian and Top Shots Photography. 

Well done to class winners Olivia Von Michel, Cecilia Von Michel, Imogen Long, Henrietta Hack and Lucas Murphy

We’ll be hosting the Area 9 Arena Eventing Spring Championship Qualifier on 19 March 2022 at The Unicorn, so save the date.

We’re just finalising dates for Camps in 2022 and will be sending those out in the next couple of weeks along with dates and information about 2022 Area 9 team competitions.

Fixtures to the end of December are below. Please book early to help our rally organisers and instructors plan for the busy Xmas holidays.

Hope to see you at the Xmas coffee morning!

Alison

 DC’s NEWSLETTER FOR OCTOBER

We’ve got a lot going on over the next few weeks!
 
Arena Eventing
The countdown is on for our Arena Eventing competition on Wednesday 27th October.
Classes at 60cm, 70cm, 80cm, 90cm, 100cm. If you haven’t yet entered, you can enter online here or view schedule here. There’s a huge indoor viewing gallery, there will be vans for crepes, coffee and Denchworth Equestrian Tack Shop, it is open to members and non members so it should be a sociable day out and a great place to bring any spectators that have missed out over the past 18 months. 
 

Christmas Show

The OBHPC Christmas Show will be on Sunday 19th December at Malthouse with SJ classes for all ages from lead rein upwards, with lots of tinsel, chocolate and Christmas cheer!
 
Show Jumping Qualifier

OBHPC will be running a Preliminary SJ qualifier for the PC Spring Festival on 29th December at The Unicorn Centre, Stow on the Wold. Classes from 70cm to 110cm.

 
Can you sponsor a class?
There are still some opportunities to sponsor a class for either £50 (Christmas Show) or £100 (Show Jumping Qualifier) to promote your company, in memory of a pony or simply to support our branch.  Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk.
 
C Test 
For those aged 11 or over with D+ test, we’ll be holding a C Test on Saturday 30th October, with pre-test training on Tuesday 26th October
If you haven’t yet got the Road Rider Achievement Badge, as it is a prerequisite for C Test, see below. Names to Tussel Humphrey info@brookfarmcottages.com
 
Riding & Road Safety Badge
If you passed D+ in the summer, now is the time to do your Riding & Road Safety training. These are perhaps the most important 2 training sessions in anyone’s Pony Club career. This autumn’s sessions are after school on Friday 15th October (dismounted) and on Saturday 23rd October (with ponies). Names to Tussel Humphrey info@brookfarmcottages.com
 
Team Chasing
We’ve got a team going to the Grafton Novice Team Chase on Sunday 17th Oct and space for another 3 members to join the fun, plus another opportunity on 30th October. Email lucy@lucywinfield.co.uk for details.
 
Pop Up Shop

We’ll have our Pop-Up shop at White Horse Feeds, Childrey, on Thursday 
28th Oct
 for anyone needing more Pony Club kit, including warm coats, XC skins and OBHPC saddle pads. Just call in between 12 – 1.30pm or email louisecornago@gmail.com if you need her to leave an order for you to collect later that week. 

 
Xmas Coffee Morning
Join us on Tuesday 2nd December for coffee, cake and an opportunity for a bit of pre-Christmas shopping. Monks Farm, Hendred.
 
Members 13+ competing at 100cm+
At 7pm tonight, booking will open for the Area 9 Caroline Moore Clinic on 7th November at The Unicorn Centre. There are also spaces available for the Richard Waygood clinic on 26th October, now open to those competing at 90cm+. Look out for the email later.
 
We’re hoping all our members will be able to take advantage of some of the great opportunities to see each other and enjoy their horses and ponies while the weather is being so kind.
 
Alison
DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR SEPTEMBER
 
At the end of a very busy summer, we can reflect on how the various rallies, camps, competitions and championships gave so many members so many opportunities to spend time with friends again, and almost made Covid seem a distant memory.
 
We’ll quietly continue to minimise risks while ensuring rallies feel as normal as possible to members, so unless government advice changes or a particular rally needs special precautions, we’ll be largely returning to our pre-Covid protocols (yes .. coffee, cake and grandparents at rallies again!). Long may it last…
 
So many to congratulate!
Well done to all our many members who enjoyed so many successes over the summer. Whether it was in jumping a first jump, mastering diagonals, conquering a trakehner or success in tests and competitions, our Facebook and Instagram feeds seemed full of congratulation posts and our Awards night in February will give us another chance to recognise some of these achievements.  We had strong representation at both Championships in Tetrathlon, Dressage, Eventing and Showjumping and it was a real treat to see such courageous play from our ever-expanding polo squad. 
I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new members. You’ll soon discover there are endless opportunities for you to get involved in all sorts of activities, whatever your age and interests.
 
Growing children = outgrown ponies
This tends to be a time of year that ponies often move on to new homes, but it is nice to keep them in the branch. We’re happy to circulate details by email and/or Facebook. If you are buying a new pony from another branch, it’s sensible to contact the DC or chief instructor for a reference as they’ll be happy to help ensure it is a good match.
 
Arena Eventing
On 27th October we’ll be hosting an Arena Eventing competition at the Unicorn Centre, with classes at 60-100cm including Championship qualifiers. Schedule to follow. We are still looking for one class sponsor (£100) – a great opportunity to support the branch, promote a local business or in memory of a pony. Email alison@obhpc.co.uk if you can help.
 
Laminitis Alert
The ‘September Flush’ is in full swing. The warm weather of recent weeks, combined with plenty of sunshine and some welcome rain, makes the grass especially nutritious. Keep a careful eye, especially on native ponies – just as you do in the Spring – and continue to limit access to grazing until at least the beginning of October.
 
Tests
We have 4 candidates taking B Test this autumn and we will arrange an October C+ Test if there are enough candidates. Please contact Joanna on JRJLambert@aol.com.
We’ll be holding a C Test soon too, so if you feel you are ready (read what is involved here) please contact Tussel on info@brookfarmcottages.com.
More details next month on all the tests we offer, including how to prepare and when and where you can take them. 
 
Finally, a HUGE thank you to all the amazing volunteers and parents who worked so hard over the past 8 weeks to give so many children a summer to remember. We cannot do it without you.  
 
Best wishes,
Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR JUNE

Camps

We still have space at Tiny Trotter, Mini and Senior Camps but Junior Camp is looking quite full. If you are planning to come to any of the camps please download and submit your form and payment as soon as possible, or contact the camp organiser if you have any questions. 
 
SJ, Dressage and Eventing 2021 Teams
We have a very inclusive policy and like to involve as many children as possible in teams. It’s all about taking part, and is not just about winning!
If your child would like to compete and is comfortable jumping 70cm upwards, please contact Lisa Powell on lisa.p@me.com if you aren’t already on her list. If you are on the list and have had an email inviting you to enter on Horse Events, please do so well before the end of June, or ASAP for the 70cm class.
 
Horse and Pony Care Areas
Fiona Jack’s squad will be competing in the Areas next weekend in the first of the 2021 Area competitions. Good luck to the following:
  • Esme Erskin Crum
  • Isla Erskin Crum 
  • Emily Ridgway
  • Kitty Winfield
  • Matilda van Poortvliet
  • Florentina Pejkovic
  • Lily Starkey
  • Poppy Hubbard
  • Sophia Villiers
  • Audrey Venners
  • Scarlett Starkey
  • Sophie Hardman
Polo
There will be at least SIX Old Berks players representing the branch at Polo this summer! If your child is interested in getting involved, email Mel to find out what’s involved: mellie_rc@hotmail.com

We look forward to seeing the following in action:

  •  Lucas Pejkovic
  •  Flossie Pejkovic
  •  Tilly van Poortvliet
  •  Lucas Murphy
  •  Finn Murphy
  •  Wilf Copcut
New Step 1 Coaches
The following have completed their Step 1 coaching course and assessment:
  • Freya Soden
  • Bella Stevens
  • Scarlett Starkey
  • Annabel Taylor

We look forward to seeing them at camps and rallies where they’ll be gaining experience under supervision over the next months.

 
Enjoy the last few weeks of term.
 
Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR MAY

It has been lovely seeing so many members out enjoying themselves over the holidays.  There are loads of rallies over the next weeks while we make the most of the lighter evenings and make up for lost time. 

Pam Gee
Our thoughts are very much with Tussell this week following the passing of her mum, Pam Gee, who gave so much to Pony Club over so many years.  
 
Area 9 Junior SJ
Well done to our many members flying the OBHPC flag at the Area 9 SJ weekend, all beautifully turned out and we had some great results and teamwork. Mel and Juls will be coordinating various other teams throughout the summer so we look forward to seeing you all in action again soon.
 
Team chase and Point to Point
Good luck to our novice team chasers Rex, Arthur, Camilla and Charleigh who’ll be tackling the 95cm Cubhunter course at Bicester this weekend. Well done to Polly Kilgour who has moved on from team chasing and was 9th in a Point to Point on Sunday.  
 
EHV and 6 month flu Vaccines
EHV forms are now “recommended” but not mandatory so we have added it as a question to the Track & Trace form. Remember to complete the form using the code OLD997 on TrustedTrace.co.uk before every rally.
 
Now that vets are fully operational, we are back to requiring a flu vaccine within the last 6 months for some rallies (depending on venue) and all camps and competitions. Now is a good time to check you are up to date.  
 
PC kit and clothing
If you missed the pop up shop at White Horse Feeds in Childrey today (Thurs 22nd 12-1pm) and need kit, please email your list to Louise Cornago louisecornago@gmail.com and we’ll be in touch to make an alternative plan.
Parents can also buy and sell 2nd Hand Kit on our Swap & Sell Facebook page.
 
Teams for this summer
Please drop an email to Lisa Powell lisa.p@me.com if you think your child might want to do dressage, SJ or eventing teams this summer, from 70cm upwards. We try to ensure that there is space in a team for every child competing at the relevant level who wants to represent the branch, so it’s helpful for us to have them “on our radar”. 
 
Cotswold Rug Wash
Juliet will be in the Abingdon/Wantage area on Monday 26th April for a rug collection if you are ready to get winter rugs mended, washed and reproofed after the winter. Email info@cotswold-rugwash.co.uk to arrange a collection.
 
Enjoy the sunshine!
 
Alison

DC’S NEWSLETTER FOR APRIL

After a very long 3 months, rallies are back!
 
We’ll be giving everyone as many opportunities as we can to get you up and running again fast – there are 35 rallies in April, ranging from a Tiny Trotter easter egg hunt to eventer training!
 
Biosecurity
EHV: For any rally or competition before 12th April please complete an EHV declaration form and send to the show or rally organiser. You can download it on www.obhpc.co.uk
 
Covid-19: For all rallies we need to continue to collect track and trace details so please use the code OLD997 on trustedtrace.co.uk
 
Passports: Jane Ogle is keeping records for all horses in Area 9. This may make it much easier for competitions and camps as you only need to submit info once. Details are on: https://branches.pcuk.org/area9/passport-checking-flu-vaccinations/
 
Thanks to Boris’s “one way” roadmap we will be planning all our usual summer camps and are expecting all the Area Competitions and Championships to be going ahead as planned, so there is lots to look forward to.
 
Tests
We won’t be doing tests at camps this year as we all want the focus to be on having fun with friends – however there will be plenty of other opportunities for test prep rallies and test days within the branch, see below and on the Fixtures list.
 
Camp dates
Forms will be available soon and we will try to ensure we have space for all those that apply before 1st June.
  • Mini and Tiny Trotters Camps – 9-11th August 2021  Brightwalton Stud, Brightwalton, RG20 7BZ  
  • Junior Camp – 16-19 August 2021 at Boomerang Equestrian, Crooked Soley, RG17 0TL
  • Senior Camp – 1st-6th August 2021 at Hartpury College, Hartpury, Gloucester, GL19 3BE
Area Teams
There are plenty of opportunities for members of all ages to get involved in everything from lead rein Mounted Games and triathlon (no riding involved) up to SJ and eventing at Gatcombe International. The focus is on being part of a team so attitude is more important than achievement. More to follow on the various opportunities after Easter. 

Well done to our Quiz Team (Sasha, Esme, Kitty, Isla) for coming 3rd in the Area 9 quiz last weekend; it’s not a competition we usually enter so it was fun to give it a go!

 
Good luck to our many riders competing at the Area 9 Junior SJ this weekend, especially those that qualified for the original Championships.
 
Happy riding!
 
Alison 

UPDATE MARCH 2021

Rallies and competitions will be back from 29th March so keep an eye on the Fixture list. We have secured some great venues so the rallies over Easter will book up fast.

Area 9 SJ Championships for 40,50,60,70cm at Rectory Farm will be on 10-11th April, open to all but priority to those that have qualified. Schedule to follow.

One of our popular instructors, Spencer Sturmey, had a bad fall last week while hacking. He is now back at home and we all wish him the speediest of recoveries. 

Saturday 27th at 3.30pm (not the usual 11am) Sneak Peak at Joanna Lambert’s yard at Stainswick Farm

Sunday 28th at 4.30pm Stable management interactive Zoom for D Test level.

Sunday 28th at 6.30pm. Storytime with Philip Lambert reading from his favourite AA Milne.

Monday 1st March at 6pmPrepare for Camp! Kathryn Taylor will talk through all you need to know for Junior Camp with a Q+A session – suitable for members and parents thinking of Junior Camp this year.

Thursday 4th March 6pm. “Be Inspired”. OBHPC Member Audrey Venners talks about how hard work and dedication took her from being a C Test rider with a loan pony, to passing her C+ Test, B Test, getting quads of steel, a weekend job with horses and a fabulous horse of her own and huge respect from the committee – all within a year!

To join any of the Zoom sessions:
Meeting ID: 816 6714 8732
Passcode: 690237

Nest Saturday’s 11am Sneak Peak will be at Hillwoood Stud to see some of their foals, so put it in your diary now!

If anyone missed Lucy Perring’s talk on joining the Household Cavalry last night it is on Facebook and well worth a listen: https://www.facebook.com/OBHPC

MONDAY 22ND MARCH – ‘DEALING WITH SETBACKS’ WITH CAMILLA HENDERSON SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST

We will be running a PC Zoom session on Monday 22nd March with the wonderful Camilla Henderson who is a highly qualified sports psychologist and lives locally to us all.  Camilla has already helped many of our PC members and is happy to support anyone of any age combatting nerves, confidence and self belief.  From not being able to quite reach your goals, to being overwhelmed by targets or being scared to even start.  Camilla will help you apply some practical tools and strategies in order to help you become the best you can be. Most importantly – get you back enjoying what you love doing!  We will call the presentation ‘Dealing with Setbacks’ and we would like to know who would be interested in attending?  The session will cost £10 and a Zoom link will be sent on receipt of funds.  Camilla will tailor her presentation to the ages interested, hence my initial email.  Could you respond to this email on lisa.p@me.com and let me know age(s).  I will then be in touch.  Many thanks Lisa

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2021

Massive congratulations to OBHPC member Olive Nicholls for being selected for the 2021 BE Pony Development Squad.

And well done to all our members who featured in our Awards round up last Friday. We have one small correction. The Epic Fail video was in fact Finn Murphy and not his older brother, Lucas. Well done Finn!

We’ll be sharing our Awards video on Facebook over the weekend, but in the meantime, to keep everyone busy this week:

Lockdown series on Zoom:

Saturday 11am “Sneak Peak” with Alicia Lee; keeping your horse at grass in all weathers.

Sunday 4.30pm “Joanna’s Badge Rally”. Interactive Rally on Saddles, Bridles and other tack. Suitable for all members; content adjusted to suit the group.

Sunday 6.30pm “Storytime”. Katie Finch with a book from the Sheltie series.

Monday 22nd 6pm “Prepare to Compete”. Entering your first show or event. Lisa Powell will be joined by Fi Stout and Joanna Lambert to look at everything from how and what to enter to how to what to do on the day.

Thursday 24th 6pm. “Be Inspired”. Our “OBHPC outstanding 2020 member” Lucy Perring will join us during her Basic Training to talk about how a Pony Club outing to see the Household Cavalry has led her to a career combining music with horses, in the military.

Join any session using the usual Zoom link. Other than the Interactive Badge Rallies, you can just listen in and ask questions in the chat.

To join any of the Zoom sessions:

https://guidesforbrides.zoom.us/j/81667148732?pwd=MVRJS2dYTE5hQVZRSWhmZ3FIY3Jsdz09

Meeting ID: 816 6714 8732

Passcode: 690237

Two Day Eventing Camp/Clinic (the camping part will depend on Covid restrictions).  

7th and 8th April at Aston Le Walls Equestrian Centre, Washbrook Farm,  Aston Le Walls, NN11 6RT

There are 10 places left for those members jumping 90cm+ Training will be with Ginny Thompson, Paul Tapner, Kim Zimmich and Fi Dowding. Cost is £200 for the 2 day clinic including stabling.

There are 3 places left for members jumping 80-90cm.  Training with Fi Dowding and Sarah Charles (TBC) Cost £185 including stabling.

In the first instance please email Chloe Fitzgerald at: eventcamp21@hotmail.com

Once your place is confirmed you will be asked for a £50 deposit with balance payable at the end of March.

Last chance to enter the Quiz to win a photoshoot

Fiona Jack’s annual family quiz is attached and this year the winner will receive a horse (or dog) photo shoot kindly donated by OBHPC parent and professional photographer, Selly Gardner-Morrison.

The prize includes a pre consult, photoshoot, an image of winner’s choice in a 20 inch handmade frame, and a viewing and ordering session with the opportunity to purchase further images. https://sgmphotography.co.uk

Entries to joy@obhpc.co.uk by Monday 22nd February.

Sports Psychology

Charlie Unwin (Sports Psychologist) will be hosting another online session for Area 9 on March 4th. Booking is via Horse-Events. 

We will be offering a session for a smaller OBHPC group with Camilla Henderson over the next few weeks.

Rugwash

Change of weather? Cotswold Rugwash takes all the hassle out of rug washing and repairs. Juliet, who is an ex OBHPC parent, will collect, clean and return your rugs with a total hassle-free service. 

Prices and information is on http://www.cotswold-rugwash.co.uk and you can email info@cotswold-rugwash.co.uk to arrange a collection.

Hopes are high that Monday’s announcement will allow for grassroots sport to resume in early March. As ever, we will need to await the CEO’s confirmation before publishing rally information, but we are ready….

All the best

Alison

COVID UPDATE

With the prospect of lockdown lasting into March, OBHPC are launching a whole series of sessions online for the next 6 weeks, starting on Saturday morning (tomorrow)!
It will be the same Zoom link for all sessions, and each “series” will run at the same time each week, so set a reminder and save the link below.
All the sessions are free to OBHPC families. Some may be live-streamed through Facebook too. You can join as many as you choose.
The Practical Pony Care series will be interactive, others are for you just to tune in to. You’ll be able to ask questions on the text chat function but it’s fine just to listen and watch.
The details of this week’s sessions are below:

Saturdays 11am. Sneak peek series.
Look behind the scenes at the yards of some of our instructors, coaches and pony club members.

Sat 30/1 (tomorrow) As it’s forecast to be raining hard tomorrow we’ll be starting in the dry with a look around Sasha’s american barn to meet some of the horses and see how the yard runs.
(Next week: Max Warburton’s yard)

Sundays 4.30pm Practical pony care series.
Joanna Lambert and our Junior Coaches will look at a different topic every week, some will be badge rallies, others just for fun. Most sessions are suitable for all members up to C+ level. Please email Joanna on JRJLambert@aol.com if you know you’ll be joining.

Sun 31/1. This week will be an E Test preparation session to involve our younger members, run by Siobhan and Joanna, with badge rallies for all ages and abilities over the next few weeks. It’s also an opportunity to meet Eleanor and Ophelia who’ll be helping in future sessions. 
(Next week: Plaiting)
Sundays 6.30pm Storytime.
Suitable for younger members. Join one of our coaches or committee members for a bedtime story with a pony theme.
Sun 31/1. “Mummy Joy” will be reading this week’s story. Log on with your hot chocolate and teddy.  
(Next Week: Alicia Lee with her favourite story.)
Mondays 6pm. Prepare to Compete series. 
Aimed for all, especially older members. Advice, strategies and practical tips from the pros on getting the most from yourself and your horse this season.
Mon 1/2. Season Planning. Phoebe and Alison will discuss how to plan your season with goals in mind, the pros and cons of affiliated and unaffiliated, how to know which events to enter and how to beat the ballot. Suitable for members AND parents.
(Next Week: Horse fitness with Ros Hayward and friends)
 
Thursdays 6pm. Be Inspired series! 
Suitable for all. Older members, coaches and instructors will answer 10 questions about how they have achieved their equestrian goals.
Thurs 4th. British Eventing Junior Development Selection. A week after BE announced the 2021 youth squad, Henry Hobby will answer 10 questions on what went into achieving this particular goal.
(Next Week: Becca Bell on successfully juggling international dressage with Oxford Uni)
How to join the sessions: Members or parents: Use the link below to join. Your camera will be off and you will be muted by default, please feel free to turn your camera back on.
Meeting ID: 816 6714 8732
Passcode: 690237
See you online!
Alison

JANUARY 2021

Awards Night

We’re gearing up for the Awards Night on Friday 12th February; for those that haven’t been before, it’s the perfect chance to join us from the comfort of home. Line up your pizza and nibbles for a video round up of 2020 and various awards for all sorts of categories. 6.30pm. We’ll send the Zoom link again that week.  

Membership 

We’ve now moved over to “rolling membership” so you can join or renew at any time and for most members, that is in January. If you haven’t received the renewal email and you think you should, please email joy@obhpc.couk for help. I’ve tried the new renewal and it’s incredibly quick and easy.

Fees for 2021 remain as 2020: Riding Member £80; non-riding member £36 and family memberships £200 (up to 5 members in the same household).

We hope that all of our members will be rejoining for another year of friendship (parents and children!), riding, horsemanship, competitions, camps and of course the all-important insurance, and that the OBHPC has delivered great value for money over the past year, despite adversity!

Rug wash and repairs
I am delighted that OBHPC are teaming up with Cotswold Rugwash for 2021 to take all the hassle out of rug washing and repairs. Juliet, who is an ex OBHPC parent, will collect, clean and return your rugs with a total hassle-free service. Her next pick up in Fawley / Letcombe / Wantage / Childrey / Stanford in the Vale / Faringdon is on Monday 25th January.

Prices and information is on http://www.cotswold-rugwash.co.uk and you can email info@cotswold-rugwash.co.uk to arrange a collection.

Horse and Pony queries

It’s a challenging time of year for horse owners so if you have any questions on keeping your horse or pony fit and well while rallies can’t take place, please don’t hesitate to call Ros Hayward on 07702 959869 or Fi Stout on 07778 310881. 

While rallies can’t take place

We’re looking forward to our zoom rallies starting in the next week – details to follow –  and we’ll be sharing details of some fun online competitions with other Area 9 branches. 

For now, keep warm, keep safe!

Alison

JANUARY 2021

COVID UPDATE

Rallies and other face to face activities have been suspended for now but we’ll be doing all we can to help remotely.

We’ll be starting our B Test online Zoom training as well as weekly Zoom sessions with different topics for each level. There will be no charge for any of our lockdown activities.

We have postponed our Eventer’s Challenge next month but will have a packed schedule for all levels lined up from Februrary half term onwards so that we are ready for restrictions to be lifted. 

Hopefully this will be the last of the lockdowns, but for now, stay safe and join us online!

Alison

NOVEMBER 2020

New Coaches
The following members have passed thair Step 1 Coaching Course so you’ll see them assisting at rallies over the next months. 
Well done to Jess Wenborn, Esme Powell, Anya Cornago, Audrey Venners and Toto Shriane.
 
B Test Success
Huge congratulations to Jemima Keen and Audrey Venners who have both been awarded the coveted B Test red felt. Huge thanks to their parents, as well as their B Test coaching and support team of Joanna, Fi, Fiona and Sasha. This test takes a lot of work and commitment. We’ll be starting training for the August 2021 B Test in the New Year.
 
Pony Club Kit

We’ll be doing another Pop Up Shop at White Horse Feeds near Childrey from 12-1pm on Mon 7th December for a chance to buy Pony Club clothes, gifts from their shop and Xmas trees! 

For those that can’t be there on the day, there will be a chance to pre-order clothes for collection at the OBHPC SJ on 20th Dec.
 
2nd Hand Pony Club Kit
Join our OBHPC Swap and Sell Facebook page to buy or sell. 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/955239224988147

 
Croome Show Jumping
Brilliant results from the Croome pre-lockdown Show Jumping at Hartpury with members placed in every class and Marcus Pejkovic qualifying for the Debut class in the Pony Club Spring Festival. 
 
Well done to:
 
Class 1 

1st Sophie Villiers
6th Nell Greatrex

 
Class 2

Team 4th Olivia Von Michel, Nell Greatrex, Finn Murphy 
5th Hetty Hack

 
Class 3 

Team 4th Immy Frost, Tilly van Poortvliet, Fliorentina Pejkovic, Marcus Pejkovic
Team 5th Hetty Hack, Evie Greatrex, Cecilia von Michel

 
Class 4
Team 3rd Immy Frost, Tilly van Poortvliet, Fliorentina Pejkovic, Marcus Pejkovic
1st Marcus Pejkovic
2nd Cecilia von Michel

 

Riding during Lockdown
Riding restrictions during lockdown allow two people to meet to ride for exercise, for recognised formal training (eg BHS exams, GCSE) or for full time elite athletes. Riders and coaches can’t hire facilities so ridden sessions need to be at the coach or rider’s home base.
 
The following instructors are available and insured to assist you during lockdown. Fiona Stout (07778 310881) and Ros Hayward (07702 959869) are on hand for any horse related questions while we are all unable to meet for rallies. 
 
Fiona Stout, Childrey / Wantage
£30 per session at your arena
£25 for an accompanied hack 
No travel costs if reasonably local
Insurance with KBIS
Book via text 07778 310881 or email fionadowding@yahoo.co.uk 
 
Aaron Nobbs, Radcot
£30 per session at Radcot
Insurance with BHS
Closed Friday and Sunday.
Book via Whatsapp 07887524993
 
Carol Starkey, Lyford
£30 per session at Lyford
£5 travel if elsewhere
Insurance with NFU
Book via text 07831 165373
 
Sasha Hargreaves, Blewbury
£25 per session at Churn Stables or your arena
No travel costs. 
£15 for an accompanied hack from Churn
Insurance with KBIS
Book via text 08717 176111
 
Luisa Lisi, Charney Bassett 
£25 per session at your arena 
£5 travel costs
Insurance with KBIS
Book via text 07789 364391 
 
 
Hopefully we’ll be recirculating the fixtures list as we get towards 2nd December and will be full steam ahead for the Show Jumping at Malthouse on Sunday 20th December (schedule to follow when lockdown ends).
 
Best wishes
 
Alison

NOVEMBER 2020

Pony Club headquarters have specified that ridden Pony Club activities should not take place during the lockdown. 
 
Different advisory bodies (BEF, PC, BD, BHS) and different insurers have slightly different interpretations of the law, so for the next few weeks coaches and riding centres may all be operating under different guidelines, depending on who they are “governed” by.
  
Turning horses away in November isn’t as simple as it was in April and May, and while it is important not to take unnecessary risks, there is more emphasis on mental and physical wellbeing – both of riders and horses.
 
So, what’s allowed? 
  • You can exercise with your own household OR one other person in a public outdoor place, for example hacking. 
  • Riding schools remain open. 
  • Livery yards remain open for you to care for and exercise your horse.
  • You can’t hire arenas, gallops, XC courses or any other training facilities. 
  • Instructors can teach at home and can travel to teach.
  • You can travel horses short distances for exercise.
 
This guidance seems to allow for a safe and commonsense approach; two riders can hack together or exercise horses in an arena in their own yard together. Alternatively one-on-one supervised sessions are allowed but only using facilities that aren’t hired such as your own or an instructor’s arena.
 
You can exercise with your household OR one other person, so siblings can’t currently share a session and the excemption to leave home is for exercise or caring for your horse – technically you can’t watch a session unless exercising at the same time! 
 
Instructors are insured by Pony Club while being used for PC activities, however they will need their own insurance for any arrangements during lockdown. We’ll compile a list of OBHPC instructors who are available. The advice is to use your usual coach if you can. 
 
Horse management is a particular concern at this time of year so if you have any concerns at all that you’d like to discuss, Fiona Stout (07778 310881) and Ros Hayward (07702 959869) are on hand and happy to help. 
 
While members are still at school we’re not planning on zoom badge rallies, however you’ll be pleased to hear that our Crafty Wednesday competition will be back and will be aimed at ALL ages to win £5 rally vouchers!
 
All the best,
 
Alison
 
OCTOBER 2020
2nd Hand Kit
Many thanks to Kelly Cope for setting up the OBHPC Facebook page for our members and parents to Swap and Sell 2nd hand PC, riding or horse kit or anything else that may be relevant to other members..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/955239224988147/membersPop Up Shop
We will be holding a Pop Up shop at White Horse Feeds, Childrey for PC clothing and saddle pads on Monday 26th October, 11am-1pm.Jump the Jumps
Our two sets of Pony Club jumps are all set up and ready to use by members over half term and beyond. Cost is based on up to three people / hour. Please make the most of them either for schooling or private lessons. £7.50 from each session goes to PC so it’s a great way to help us raise funds.   Alden Farm, Upton. OX11 9HS 
60 x 30m. Floodlit arena. £15 / hr. Book with Lisa 07977 4943336
and
Churn Stables, Blewbury. OX11 9HF
65 x 40m. Afternoons preferred. £20 / hr Book with Sasha 07817 176111Camps 2021
For those wanting to plan ahead, we have some dates for next summer
Senior Camp at Hartpury will be 2nd – 6th August 2021
Junior Camp at Boomerang will be 16 – 19 August 2021

Mini And Tiny Trotters Camps – Date TBC

Pony Club Championships 2021 

The 2021 Championships will be held at Offchurch Bury, near Leamington Spa. 

  • Fri 13th – Sun 15th August – Polocrosse, Mounted Games and Tetrathlon
  • Tues 17th – Sun 22nd August – Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing and Polo

The PC 110 Eventing Championships (Open level) will be at Gatcombe on 5th – 6th August.

Rallies
There’s lots going on over half term including our Showjumping Extravaganza for all ages on Thursday 29th October. 
Younger members – don’t miss the Halloween Handy Pony at Malt House on Saturday 31st October.

 
Enjoy half term!
 
Alison

SEPTEMBER 2020

Firstly, my apologies for reaching your in-box a week late. I’ve had a slightly difficult time in my “other” life, with the wedding industry having a challenging time.
Meanwhile, it’s been a busy month for OBHPC with members, and the committee, making up for lost time…..
 
Save the Date for the OBHPC SJ Show
We will be holding a showjumping show for any PC members with classes from 50cm to 90cm, including Championship qualifiers, at Cherwell Equestrian on Thursday 29th October. Schedule to follow this week so please put the date in your diary. Area SJ Success
OBHPC teams won both the Open and Intermediate Area 9 Showjumping for 2020.
Well done Olive, Luisa, Sasha and Hannah (Open Team) and Poppy, Lottie W, Lara and Lily E (Intermediate). Area Dressage Success
We had members in the top 4 in every class for the Area dressage. The Intermediate Team of Lara, Ophelia and Maddie were Team 2nd with Lara Marsh winning the class individually and Ophelia coming 3rd. The Novice Team of Esme, Charleigh and Georgie came 3rd and the Grassroots team of Harry, Arthur and Bert can 7th with Harry Vigors finishing individual 2nd. Well done to all!Area 9 Junior SJ
It was lovely to see so many members making their team debuts at the Area 9 Junior SJ Championships. Our thanks go to Aaron Nobbs for giving up his day to volunteer; it was reassuring to all our members to have his words of encouragement as they entered the arena and I’m sure it contributed to their confidence and success.
Olivia Von Michel and Immy Frost won the 50cm and 60cm classes and the OBH team of Cecilia, Nicole, Nina and Evie won the 70cm, with Cecilia Von Michel following up with a 2nd in the 80cm class.

 

Junior and Senior Camps
We are glad we made the most of the opportunity for so many members to enjoy time on their ponies and horses at Junior and Senior Camps towards the end of August, after a successful mini camp earlier in the holidays. Huge, huge thanks to the teams behind both camps, in particular Katherine, Chloe and Aaron (Junior Camp) and Joanna, Joy, Kirsti, Jill and Lisa (Senior Camp).Triathlon Open Winner 
Congratulations to Lexie New, who WON the mixed Open at the Area 7 Dri-Tri this month.  Lexie won the shoot, had a clear round XC and was 2nd in the run,  Very well done Lexie – a great result.Team Chasing
We’re hoping to have OBHPC teams at various Novice Team Chases this autumn. Teams of 3 or 4 compete around confidence building XC courses typically 85cm – 100cm, against a bogey time (it is not a speed class). If you enjoy doing pairs classes at Hunter Trials, this is double the fun! There are various team chases over the next weeks and more in the Spring, Emma Aird coordinates the teams so register your interest to find out more. emmaaird@btinternet.comC+ Test
If anyone with C Test would like to take C+ Test in the Spring, please let Joanna Lambert know so we can arrange additional rallies in the most suitable areas.Coaching Courses
Well done to Ophelia Spracklen, Emily Taylor and Siobhan Heneghan who have passed their Step 2 coaching course after many hours experience from volunteering over the summer. Members aged 16+, ideally with B Test, who’d like to do their Step 1 coaching course, please contact Emma Jennings as she is arranging a course in October half term. Emma will also be arranging a Step 3 and Coaching Certificate course, numbers permitting, for those who are ready. emmajennings131@icloud.com
 

Pony Racing Opportunities
The Eridge Hunt is currently planning to go ahead with the Lingfield Park Pony Club Raceday on Tuesday 27th October but this is subject to there being no increase in Covid restrictions.  If anyone is interested in taking part please contact Do Curtis – joannacurtis@upperfarm.uk.com 
If there is any interest in this she will organise some rallies to prepare for it over the next month

 
Covid Contingency
The OBHPC committee is in fairly constant contact to adjust rally plans when BEF guidance changes. We’re waiting to confirm additional rallies for October half term until slightly nearer the time when we know how long members will be off school and whether any restrictions will have changed. 
 
Contact Tracing
Before attending any rally please register contact details for the member and whoever is with them on trustedtrace.co.ukusing the code OLD997, or use the link sent to you by the rally organiser. 
 
Winter rallies
As field-kept ponies start to get their winter wooly coats, please don’t stress about coming to rallies with your pony still wearing part of their field. That is far preferable to them getting a chill from being bathed! Equally, we’d rather see children warm, dry and happy than immaculately turned out. 
 
Best wishes
 
Alison
SEPTEMBER 2020 INTERIM UPDATE

Dear All
Your Committee and Rally Organisers have been working hard over the last few weeks to arrange a range of rallies for the coming months – as always taking account of the  Covid 19 restrictions.  We already have many arranged and there will be more to come so please keep looking at the Branch Website www.obhpc.co.uk  under Fixtures/Rallies where they will be uploaded.

Please also keep the date of Thursday 29th October free in your diaries as we are currently planning a Show Jumping competition at Cherwell Competition Centre. There will be more details once this is all finalised. This will be for those jumping from 45cms up to 90cms.  It will be a qualifier for the Pony Club Spring Festival wich is taking place on 10th and 11th April, 2021. 

There has been a slight delay with the DC’s Monthly Update for which we apologise but this will be coming to you shortly.  As you can imagine our hard working DC Alison has been extremely busy with her business hat on dealing with the current and changing Covid 19 restrictions for weddings and hospitality venues so has had to give all her attention to that.   Meanwhile listed below are the already arranged upcoming events for the next few weeks. 

The Rally Organisers are looking forward to seeing many of you at half term.  

Joy

AUGUST 2020

It was lovely to see so many members at Mini Camp earlier this month and we are looking forward to a successful few days of Junior Camp this week and Senior Camp next week.
 
Area Competitions
There are details of the Area SJ, Area Dressage and Area 9 Junior SJ on the Fixtures List below. Please contact Lisa Powell if you would like to join one of the teams. It is a great year to give it a go!

 

Pony Club Kit
Kit will be going back to White Horse Feeds following the pop up sale yesterday. We will be setting up an online payment system so that you can order online and collect from the shop. If anyone has any urgent requirements in the meantime please email me: alison@obhpc.co.uk
 
Last chance – Road Safety and C Test
Please put your name down now with Tussel if you’d like to do Road Safety or C Test this summer. Dates are below on the Fixtures List.
 
B Test Success

Well done to our 12 members who passed their B Test this week. Thank you to Joanna and Ann for organising rallies and to Fiona, Fi, Sarah and Sasha for all the hard work preparing candidates for the test over the past 6 months, but most of all, thank you to all these candidates for working so hard towards such a challenging test.

Antonia Shriane (Riding and Care)
Bella Stevens (Riding and Care)
Lottie White (Riding and Care)
Ophelia Spracklen (Riding and Care)
Poppy Charles (Riding and Care)
Scarlett Starkey (Riding and Care)
Eleanor Hubbard (Riding)
Annabel Taylor (Care)
Audrey Venners (Care)
Jess Wenborn (Care)
Lottie Aird (Care)
Sophie Hardman (Care)

Covid safety

Many thanks to all those who are taking care to follow the Covid rules for Pony Club and are keeping a 2m distance (1m with mitigation, eg. a mask) and ensuring there are never more than 6 people in the same area. Please remember, those 6 should still be keeping 2m apart. We are particularly keen to protect volunteers and instructors; if they are exposed and have to self isolate they are unable to go to work for 2 weeks.
 
Ride safely!
 
All the best
 
Alison

JULY 2020

Camps
Please send in forms this weekend if at all possible so we can finalise numbers. The first Camp is only 2 weeks away! Forms are all online.
 
For those planning to attend Junior Camp, or with any questions before booking, we’ve got a meeting for members and parents with Katherine Taylor on Zoom at 6.30pm Mon. 
Please join using the link below: 
https://guidesforbrides.zoom.us/j/87370405630
 
Please let Margaux Manners (margs5@hotmail.com) or joanna Lambert (JRJLambert@aol.com) know if you have any questions or would like to have a Zoom meeting for Tiny Trotter, Mini or Senior Camps.
 
Pony Club Kit
Louise Cornago will be offering a PopUp Shop at Lyford Stud from 5.30-7.30pm on 30th July and 5th August selling polo shirts, sweatshirts, XC skins, gilets and PC saddle pads while White Horse Feeds aren’t able to sell clothing. Louise is happy to make alternative arrangements for you to collect if those dates aren’t possible.

Email to pre-order to ensure she has what you need: louisecornago@gmail.com 

Lockdown winner

Pony Club ran a national writing competition during lockdown and received many hundreds of entries. We are incredibly proud that OBHPC member Tilly van Poortvliet was one of the prizewinners with her story, “Natalie and Horse Number 26”. Well done Tilly!

Tests
It is lovely to see so many members training and taking tests. We’ll have a few more dates over the summer and October half term.
 
Coaching Courses Step 1 and 2
We will be running Coaching Courses over the summer for those wanting to become a qualified PC coach.
Step 1 is suitable for those aged 16 and over ideally with B Test although we can consider those with C+ in some situations.
Step 2 is for those who completed their Step 1 course last year and now has 40 hours experience.
If you are interested please contact Emma Jennings on emmajennings131@icloud.com.
We are aware that Covid restrictions may mean that some members will meet the critieria later this summer; if this is the case please still register your interest with Emma as she may still be able to offer a space.
 
Area 9 Dates this summer:
To replace all the cancelled Area and Regional team competitions, Rectory Farm are hoping to be able to run some dressage and SJ in August. It’s unclear if it will be teams or individuals, however it will be one parent only with no spectators or support from the branch. We’ll be treating it as an opportunity for members to get out competing with other members, rather than as a formal “Area” competition. Details will follow, but the provisional dates are:
  • Weds 26th August TBC – Dressage for Regional, Novice, Intermediate, Open levels
  • Sat 29th August – SJ for Open and Novice levels
  • Sunday 30th – SJ for Regional and Intermediate levels
  • Sunday 6th – Showjumping from 40cm – 70cm
There is also a Fun Ride at Buscot Park on 6th September. See the website for details.

Jump the Jumps
The Pony Club show jumps at Alden Farm are available for members to use at the PC rate of £15 per session (for up to 3 horses / 1 hour). Please email Lisa Heneghan  to book: lheneghan@btinternet.com

Rally Payments
BACS payment seems to be very popular with parents. To make it easier for Lisa and Karen please always include the rally date with the child’s name as the reference.

It’s great to see so many out riding and competing. Enjoy the summer holidays!Alison

JUNE 2020

With rallies up and running again it is great to feel we are returning to a bit more normality, well before the summer holidays. Members have finished the D, D+ and C Test care syllabus via zoom (fun session on preparing for shows and ODEs this week) and are close to completing the B Test syllabus. After the hugely successful virtual XC via Zoom with Spencer Sturmey we’ll be doing one more session on Monday 22nd for parents and members at 6pm. Don’t miss it!
 
Summer Camps
By 10th July we are hoping to have far more clarity on what we can offer in the way of Summer Camps. In the meantime, for those keen to make plans, the most likely is that we will be running day camps on three consecutive days on the following weeks:  
  • Mini and Tiny Trotter Camps 3rd-5th August
  • Junior Camp 17-19th August
  • Senior Camp between 24th-28th August
As soon as we have confirmation we will arrange a zoom Q+A session for each camp so parents and members can ask questions. Booking forms will be available after the zoom Q+A sessions, incase any amendments are required as a result of the meetings.
 
Vaccinations
Most venues and organisations have temporarily relaxed the requirement for a 6 month flu booster, requiring just the 12 month vaccination. The recommendation is still to have 6 month boosters but we will currently only be enforcing this where the venue requires us to.
 
One Day Events 
Horse Events ) have a number of local one day events at venues including Elmwood, Dauntsey, Swalcliffe and Broadway that members may enjoy. The schedule is on the OBHPC website or see www.horse-events.co.uk for full details.
 
Rallies
Now that up to 6 people are permitted to meet we can have up to 3 or 4 members in a group for rallies as long as parents aren’t near the arena. Where there is demand, we will increase group sizes for those advertised as private lessons and will reduce the price accordingly.
Please use the following guide to check tack while rally organisers and instructors can’t carry them out.   
https://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/files/2020/06/Tack-Check-guide-for-parents-before-Rallies.pdf
 
Rally payments
All payments for rallies must be made by BACS before the rally; ideally within 24 hours of your place at the rally being confirmed. This will be an ongoing arrangement so please add the PC account details if you haven’t already.
Account name: OBHPC
Sort:    40-45-36
Acct:    21314106
Reference: Child name and rally date.
 
Pony Club Clothing

As White Horse Feeds are unable to accept cash or cheque payments and can’t exchange clothes that need to be returned without cleaning, we are currently unable to sell Pony Club clothing. We are reviewing the plans in the hope that you’ll be able to buy clothing before the summer holidays.

All the best,

Alison 

MAY 2020

We are planning to get rallies started straight away … however … until Pony Club consult with the BEF early next week they will be quite restrictive. There are suggestions that we may be able to have small groups after then, but we didn’t want to wait until then for those that can make the one to one arrangements work.

Our priority is to ensure risks are minimised for our instructors and volunteers while making it safe and fun for members and their parents.

Until things can be relaxed a little we have to follow the BEF rules to the letter. Please don’t compromise the rally organiser, instructor or venue by bending the rules. For now, please book with the following in mind. Hopefully we can amend these rules on Tuesday, when we know what the new regulations allow.  

  • One member per lesson. 

  • A maximum of one parent per horse or pony. 

  • No dogs, not even on leads or in vehicles.

  • No siblings – sorry, we know this makes attending rallies impossible for some, but hopefully rules will relax soon.

  • In some venues, such as Alden Farm, we can have 2 children riding simultaneously with different coaches in different arenas; look out for these rallies if you have siblings wanting to ride.

 

Parents: A few things will need to change to allow instructors to stay 2m from the rider. Parents will be the only point of physical contact with the member and their horse unless there is a medical emergency. They should stay just inside or outside the arena. 

  • You’ll be asked to check your child’s tack and help them to mount and adjust girth and stirrups. 

  • The instructor will be responsible for adjusting jumps. 

  • In case of a fall, the parent should attend to their child while the instructor catches the pony. The rally organiser or instructor will only get involved if it is medically necessary.  They have been given specific training and appropriate PPE.

 

Venues need to adhere to strict guidelines so please bear the following in mind:

  • You will not be able to use the venue toilets. We will not be able to offer refreshments. 

  • Please park with 5m space between trailers or lorries.

  • Please bring hand sanitiser to use for before and after opening gates to the venue. 

 

Booking and payment

We will not be subsidising one to one rallies but you will know in advance what the rally will cost.  

Please book as normal by phone or email. When you space has been confirmed please pay by BACS (details below) as soon as possible to confirm your space. 

If you or your child show any symptoms, or have any other reason to self isolate, please cancel your place. The branch will cover the cost of your rally rather than put the instructor or rally organiser at risk of infection.

As soon as regulations are relaxed we can get back to a bit more normality, but for now our focus will be on making it as fun as we possibly can, while keeping everyone safe.

Payment details for BACS:

Account name: OBHPC
Sort:    40-45-36
Acct:    21314106
Reference: Child name or initials and rally date

I hope everyone really enjoys getting back out and about!

Alison

EASTER 2020

This weekend is usaully packed with Pony Racing, Lambourn Open Day and mounted Easter Egg hunts. What a change for us all this year.

Our badge “rallies” for the coming week are now on Facebook, don’t forget to get your Easter Hat entries in tomorrow to enter the OBHPC competition and the National competition – we will forward your entries on.

To add to the Wednesday craft challenge, this week we will be stepping up our activities for members C Test level and above. Prepare for some stable management video tutorials, Aaron’s weekly challenge and start tidying your yard to prepare for video yard tours. I’ve attached Fiona’s Spring Cleaning list for added inspiration!

For our older members we have the Caroline Moore training series on Horse + Country TV. No subscription needed if you use this special PC link: https://app.horseandcountry.tv/training-and-learning

For younger members Pony Club HQ have online resources to help keep you entertained. https://pcuk.org/coronavirus-advice/creative-activities/

Keep an eye on Facebook and Istagram for more on all the activities during the week.

Keep safe,

Alison

OBHPC Training – Spring Cleaning

February 2020

If you haven’t already, please sign up TODAY for the Awards Night on Friday February 21st February by emailing joy@obhpc.co.uk with numbers. It’s free, but we need to know who’ll be there (before we decide on a few of the awards!). 
 

About the Awards Night

Once a year we have a social evening, with around 100 members, families and friends eating picnics on long ‘french night market” style tables in Hanney Village Hall, watching a video of highlights of the past year and giving out a few fun awards. It’s suitable for all ages and is very relaxed. It is also our opportunity to thank our volunteers including Tor Perring and Tussel Humphries who are stepping down from the committee after many years so please come to show your support.
On the night we will talk about plans for camps, tests and teams this summer. Bring your horse’s passport if you’d like vaccinations to be checked and stickered and bring any hats that need tagging.
 
Half Term
We’ve got something for everyone next week with tiny trotters and mini rallies, a badge rally, dressage, SJ, XC, a trip to the Blue Cross and an opportunity to have a go at Polo – brilliant fun and totally addictive! Some of the rallies still have space, but please book today.
 
2020 Members
We look forward to delivering great value for your membership fee throughout the year, with subsidised rallies, access to great venues and instructors, competitions and camps, as well as really good insurance.  Most of all we hope that membership of OBHPC gives you and your child or children access to a supportive network of riders, all learning and having fun together.
 
Best wishes,

February 2020

Spring is just round the corner and we have a fantastic choice of riding activities taking you through to the end of the Easter holidays.

If you haven’t already sent in your subs form, please send payment today as your insurance lapsed on 31/1.

Send cheque or BACS (sort code 40-45-36, Account 21314106, Ref Subs/Name), print off the form (link below) and post to Joy please. 

https://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/files/2019/12/Branch-Membership-Form-2020-v1.0.pdf 

Grab your diary, get booked in to some rallies and start planning for Spring!

Best wishes,

Alison

January 2020

Rallies
With evenings getting lighter our rally organisers are hard at work on the rally schedule for the rest of this term and the Easter holidays. Some of the fixtures are below, with a further list to follow at the end of January.
 
For our younger members we’ll be taking advantage of the many indoor schools available to us while it is cold and wet. For C Test level upwards, this Spring we’ll have a focus on rider straightness so look out for opportunities on and off horses and ponies, with equi-pilates, video analysis and specialist clinics on offer.
 
Chuck out your cheque book!
With the new financial year comes a new online accounting system and the ability to pay by BACS. For rallies, the reference should be the date, child initial and last name (or part name) eg 2903ZSMITH. Please pay on the day of the rally, ideally while you are there.
For anything else, the reference should be item you are paying for, child initial and last name eg CAMPZSMITH or SUBSZSMITH 
 
Subscriptions
Subscriptions for 2020 are due now. We look forward to receiving your form so that your child is eligible for 2020 teams, their insurance doesn’t lapse and they are able to continue to attend rallies.
The form is attached for printing, completing (including the Gift Aid section please as a proportion comes back to the branch) and posting to Joy. If paying by BACS please write the reference you have used on the form.
 
Awards Night 2020
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Awards Night at 6.30pm on Friday 21st February in Hanney. The evening aims to celebrate the past year in OBHPC, is suitable for all ages and is our opportunity to thank our volunteers and instructors so please be there if you can. 
Please email joy@obhpc.co.uk with approximate numbers as soon as possible so we know who’ll be there.
 
Strangles and EHV
After various rumours at the weekend we were all relieved to hear that it was “just” a Strangles outbreak in Hanney. 
Strangles is a bacterial infection that is very easily spread from one horse or pony to the next, through direct contact between ponies or indirectly by people on their clothes, hands or equipment including feed bowls and tack. 
Signs that your pony might have Strangles include and increased temperature, thick and yellow discharge from both nostrils, swelling around the throat, loss of appetite and depression. 
Speak to your vet if you think your horse or pony may have have been infected.
If any horses or ponies in your yard may have been in contact to horses affected by the Crofton Manor EHV outbreak or may have been exposed to Strangles, please play safe and don’t attend rallies.
 
Here’s to a happy and healthy 2020 for all our members, horses and ponies!
 
Alison
 

December 2019

Coffee Morning
It was great to see so many at the coffee morning. Thank you to Jess Simpson and family for hosting such a lovely event in her beautiful home. We raised £200 for the Blue Cross and it was SO nice to get together with each other for coffee, cake and Xmas shopping.
 
Pampeano belts
Last call for Pampeano Belts before Xmas. The narrow design is available in 70cm, 75cm, 80cm, 85cm, the chunky width is 85cm, 90cm and 95cm lengths. They come gift boxed. Pampeano belts usually sell for £65 online but they are keen to support our branch so these are just £35 each! Limited stock, email alison@obhpc.co.uk to order.
 
Rally Payments
The bank is (helpfully!) now rejecting cheques unless written in dark blue or black ink. Please write the child’s name and rally date on the back of your cheque.
If you’d prefer to pay by BACS, this is an option during the rally if you have banking access, however the rally organiser needs to know before you leave whether the payment has been sent. BACS details are on the Contacts page of the website; please ensure the reference is the rally date and your child’s name. 
 
Badminton Camping Trip
Every year we have a group camping at Badminton, usually consisting of mums coming and going on the Wednesday to Friday for the shopping, dressage and rosé fuelled evenings, with dads arriving with children (and bikes) on Friday night ready for the weekend. We’ve had a group of mums with older members going for years; it would be great to set up a younger group too. You don’t need to know anyone else; they park OBHPC together and it doesn’t take long to get to know each other! Some bring a horsebox to sleep in, others are in hired or borrowed caravans. 
Next year it is 6th – 10th May. The discounted group rate is around £220 and usually includes camping for any size vehicle or tent, 2 x adult entrance passes for the week, 1 x car pass and entry for unlimited u12s. Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk if you might be interested; booking opens over Xmas and I’ll ask them to provisionally reserve some pitches.
 
For those heading to Olympia this week; have a great time.
 
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!
 
Alison
 

November 2019

Pony Club Christmas Coffee Morning

Tuesday 3rd December, 2019   10.00 am – 12.30 pm

Monks Farm, East Hendred, OX12 8LG

Come along for a cup of tea/coffee and a slice of cake/biscuit and enjoy a social morning with friends in Jess Simpson’s lovely home. There will be a small raffle the proceeds of which will go to the Blue Cross.  We will have a few small stalls selling some seasonal gifts; if you know of anyone who makes/sells jewellery who might want to have a stall please ask them to contact Joy Wilson by e mail: joy@obhpc.co.uk or mobile 07811 927803.

Entrance free but donations to cover cost of refreshments very welcome.

We look forward to seeing many of you there – please encourage your Pony Club friends to come along

Joy and Lisa

Joy Wilson – joy@obhpc.co.uk Mobile 07811 927803

Lisa Smith – lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk Mobile 07779 354442

 

Awards and Social Evening

Awards Night is on Friday 21st Feb at 6.30pm at Hanney Village Hall. It is always a great evening for all ages, it’s free to attend, just bring a picnic or drinks and nibbles and join in. Please let Joy know numbers as soon as possible – a few of the awards aren’t decided until we know who’ll be there! (joy@ohbpc.co.uk)

 

Membership Fees

Pony Club will be raising Membership Fees in 2020 and we suspect it will be quite an increase to keep in line with their costs. However, the increase is from 1st Jan. Anyone sending their form and cheque to Joy before 31st December will only pay this year’s rate. The form is attached or can be downloaded from our website. 

Please remember to put the member’s name on the back of any cheques.

 

Members with special educational needs

Whether it is dyslexia, dyspraxia, difficulty hearing or concentrating, or a more challenging condition, we want to ensure that all our members can get the most from their Pony Club, while also recognising that riding can be an opportunity for them to be the same as their peers. Lots of our rally organisers, junior coaches and instructors attended a course last week with educational psychologist and autism specialist Amanda Benbow, to give them simple techniques for helping children who may need to be taught in a different way from others or need a little more time to process instructions. If your child is one of the many members who’d benefit from a slightly different teaching technique – for example if it helps to watch others before jumping a round of jumps – please let the instructor and/or rally organiser know.

 

Winter rallies

If your pony is kept outside, please don’t worry about it looking pristine for rallies. Bathing removes the natural oils they need to keep warm. 

If the weather is bad on the day of a rally, please check your email before leaving home in case of cancellation. We try to avoid cancellation for the sake of those without facilities to safely ride at home in bad weather, so the rally organiser won’t make a full assessment until as close to the time as possible and we’ll try to ensure the rally can go ahead if it’s safe to do so. 

 

Keep warm…and dry!

Best wishes,

Alison

 

October 2019

Children with special educational needs

We’re holding a training session with an educational psychologist for Instructors, Coaches and Rally Organisers on “How to coach children with special educational needs”. Parents are very welcome to attend.
It is on Thursday 14th November 6.30-8.30pm at The Loyd Lindsay Rooms in Ardington and costs £15 / person (free for OBHPC Junior Coaches and Rally Organisers). Email alison@obhpc.co.uk to book space. 

Late Rally payments

Please always remember to bring a cheque for rally payments or pay by BACS while you are at the rally, using the child’s name and rally date as reference. The BACS details are now on the contacts page of the website: 

https://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/contact/

PC clothing and Saddle Pads

White Horse Feeds in Childrey, are currently very well stocked with OBHPC coats, sweatshirts, polos, tracksuit bottoms and saddle pads so please shop now while they have every size available.

A Test Success

Well done to Sasha Hargreaves and Jack Whiteford for passing the Pony Club “A Test” this month. We’ve not had any members passing this decade, so to have 2 in a month is very exciting and a measure of the standard so many of our older members are reaching now.

Horse & Pony Care Championships

Good luck to our members competing at the Championships this weekend. The Senior Team are defending their National Title and we are delighted that 2 Junior and 1 Mini team will also be there, along with their coaches, Fiona Jack and Alicia Lee.

Fixtures

There are 32 branch rallies, plus Yummy Mummy rallies, Area 9 training for older members and various other fixtures to choose from over the next 6 weeks, so plenty to keep everyone busy. 

Don’t miss the Children’s Meet, the Visit to Oliver Sherwood’s Yard and the Under 10 Fun Rally – all part of the half term schedule. 

Remember to check the website as more is added weekly.

Enjoy half term!

Alison

August 2019

Boomerang Fun Camp
We have members aged 5 to 16 coming to Boomerang for our end of summer fun next Thursday and Friday with Aaron Nobbs, Sarah Charles and Ginny Halliwell. Details on Fixture list below.
If you haven’t yet booked, but would like to come, please email Pam Knight ASAP: pamelaknight99@gmail.com
 
Mock Hunt
Whether you are interested in hunting or would enjoy a hack with a difference and to learn more about hunting, join us for our mock hunt on 28th August. It is suitable for all levels from lead rein upwards, with a few optional jumps. See details under fixtures.
 
Household Cavalry Visit
We have a group of 30 going to Windsor next week for a day with the Household Cavalry. This trip was oversubscribed but their recruitment department would be very happy to arrange a private visit, especially from anyone who might be interested in a career in the Household Cavalry Band! Email Rachel.Taylor499@mod.gov.uk to arrange a visit.
 
Area 9 SJ Championships on Sunday 1st Sept
If you have qualified (double clear throughout the summer at any participating show) please enter ASAP as they are keen to sort teams.
 
Regional Championships
Good luck to the following members who will be competing at the Regional Championships next weekend. 
We are still desperately in need of fences judges for the Monday if anyone can spare a few hours? Please email me if you are able to volunteer: alison@obhpc.co.uk
 
Annabel Knight
Arthur Souter
Bea Cadogan
Bert Souter
Charleigh Pettit
Chloe Ferguson
Daisy Chugg
Ella Ackrill
Emily Sanders
Eva Martin
Georgia Verdon
Grace Soden
Grace Watson
Harry Vigors
Kitty Winfield
Liesl de Reuver
Lila Toop
Lily Starkey
Maddie May
Oscar Fitzgerald
 
Pony Club Championships 
We were all devastated to learn that the Pony Club Championships at Cholmondley Castle has been abandoned due to waterlogging. Jane Marsh kindly hosted a BBQ last night and many of those due to be competing at the Championships had a fun evening together. 
 
Alternative Championships
Area 14/15 are hosting a “South West Championships” at Bicton Arena in Devon on the 29th – 31st August. Currently it is open to all those that qualified for the Championships (teams and individuals), and they are acception waiting list entries for those competing at that level that didn’t qualify for the Championships.
Please let me know if you are going. Depending on numbers we may try to get a team trainer there for one or more days.
Bicton is a great venue and is a similar distance to Cholmondley Castle. Plan to stable overnight and make a weekend of it!
 
The following had qualified for the Championships, we are disappointed for them that they won’t be able to compete for national titles this year but hope they might make it to Bicton instead:
Flora Insley
Freya Soden 
Freya Webb
Hannah Richardson
Henry Hobby
Honor McFarlane
Issy Insley
Jessie Saunders
Katie Baker 
Kitty Winfield
Lara Marsh
Lottie White
Luisa Lisi
Marcos Pejkovic
Marina Jacobs
Mia Elvin
Olive Nicholls
Ottie Hunt
Poppy Charles
Rex Winfield
Scarlett Starkey
Sophie Gordon
Sophie Johnson
Sophie Oakland
Verity Smith
Zoe Hay 
 
Test success
We have had some great test results with a very unusual 100% pass rate for all our B Test and C+ candidates, and I also want to give a special mention to those just starting out with PC tests who achieved their E or D test this summer.
 
B Test
Emily Taylor
Freya Soden
Jessie Saunders
Lucy Perring
Polly Kilgour
 
C+ Test
Gabriel Jennings 
Eva Fowler 
Mia Elvin
Emily Sandars
Tara Lockhart 
Ottie Hunt
Mimi Johnson
Scarlet Starkey
Lucy Horsfall
Jemima Keen
Antonia Shriane
Lara Marsh
Annabel Taylor
 
D Test
Eddie Hills
Lettie Snowden
Oliver Vigors
Amalfi Preston
Nicole Harris
Flora Chugg
Merlin Roskill
Till Van Poortvliet
Gisele Reece
Sophie Simpson
Zara Nicholls
Sophie Hale
Isobel Simpson
Alice De Quincey Adams
Poppy Hubbard
Emma Donkin
Margaux Kinch
Eddie Keen

 
E Test 
Archie McCoy
Bobby Keen
Arabella Spence
Alexia Fletcher
Harry Snowden
Zac Campbell
Phoebe Marshall
Oli Mangen  
Lorcan Aumonier
Ella Hayward-O’Neill
 
90th Celebrations
Our branch celebrated the 90th Birthday of Pony Club at the Junior Show and unveiled our beautiful new #BlueForBonnie jumps, made by Sasha Cammack of Ella’s Poles in memory of Bonnie Armitage. Meanwhile at Gatcombe International, two of our SJ teams paraded in the main arena  and Scarlet Beavan was selected to present flowers to HRH Princess Anne. Certainly a day to remember!
 
Finally, at the end of a very long end of summer, I’d like to share a few words from a parent and take a moment to thank all of our volunteers and instructors for making the Old Berks the amazing club that it is.
 

“Driving home today, I once again reflected on how lucky our children are, not only to be part of the pony club, but part of the Old Berks. They are surrounded by a team of people who strive for excellence and are so full of enthusiasm, knowledge, fun and love.”

 
Enjoy the last weeks of the holidays, let’s hope we see a glimpse of summer before term starts again!
 
Alison

July 2019

The holidays are here and there’s lots going on…
 
Junior Show
A fun, friendly day for all aged 12 and under at Sower Hill, Uffington. At noon we will have a special parade to mark the 90th Birthday of Pony Club worldwide.
Schedule: https://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/files/2019/07/OBHPC-Junior-show-schedule-2019-print.pdf.
 
Household Cavalry Trip on 20th August
We have been offered the opportunity for members and parents to visit the Household Cavalry in Windsor on Tuesday 20th August for an exclusive look behind the scenes. It is open to all ages but particularly aimed at those aged 8-14. You’ll visit the stables, watch the guard change at the castle, have a talk on uniform and a chance to try things on for photos, and a taster drill session on the square. To book email: alison@obhpc.co.uk
 
Boomerang Fun Camp
We’ll be holding a fun end of summer camp on Thursday 22nd – Friday 23rd August at Boomerang. Ponies will be stabled overnight, camping in the field and plenty of riding over the 2 days. Open to all, however the XC fences are ideally suited for those jumping 60cm-95cm. There will be an option to do just 1 day if preferred. Cost TBC but it will be a max of £120. Email: pamelaknight99@gmail.com
 
Area Showjumping
We had tremendous results at the Area Showjumping this year; a testament to all the hard work put in by members and trainers. Full results are online and a special well done to all the top 3 placings who have all qualified for the Championships. 
 
OPEN
2nd Team: Sophie Gordon, Honor Mcfarlane, Henry Hobby and Charlotte Young 
3rd Individual Henry Hobby 
 
INTERMEDIATE 
1st Team: Luisa Lisi, Poppy Charles, Lottie White and Olive Nichols
2nd Individual Freya Webb 
3rd Individual Poppy Charles
 
NOVICE
1st Team: Scarlett Starkey, Ottie Hunt, Zoe Hay and Fifi Rosenfeld 
3rd Team: Bella Stevens, Rex Winfield, Mia Elvin and Olive Nichols 
 
REGIONAL
3rd Team: Daisy Chugg, Kitty Winfield, Ella Ackrill and Grace Soden
 
Area Tetrathlon
Well done to Lexie New and Jack Church who have both qualified for the Tethrathlon Championships.
 
Area Eventing
Good luck to all our competitors and Dauntsey on Saturday. We’ll update Facebook and Instagram throughout the day.
 
Area Dressage
OBHPC are hosting the Area Dressage next Friday. Thank you to all those that have offered help on the day. It has been wonderful to have so many volunteers at such a busy time of year.
 
Camps
More than half of our members will be at Camps over the next few weeks. Our instructors and camp organisers work hard to ensure the rides are balanced in terms of aims, abilities and friendship groups. It isn’t all about the height a child can jump and our instructors are great at tailoring every lesson to suit every child in their group. Camp is a rare opportunity for children and ponies to simply have fun together; we all want them to progress a little too, but the focus will always be on having FUN and we hope parents will support us in our mission.
 
Kit
OBHPC Tracksuit bottoms are now available for sale at White Horse Feeds. They will have more OBHPC Cob size saddle pads coming in over the next week and they have plenty of Full size in stock; we’ll put a note on Facebook when the new ones are in. LeMieux don’t do Pony size.
 
Fixtures are below and there will be additional rallies being added over the next few days so please check the Fixtures page: https://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/rallies/
 
Enjoy the holidays!
 
Alison
 
June 2019
The holidays are coming….  and we’ve got an incredible 38 rallies lined up between now and the end of term so hopefully there is something for everyone and ponies and riders will be fit and ready for the summer. 
Please see the list below, or check online for updates, and book in. Rallies are subsidised up to £5 per member per rally so make the most of the discounted rates.
 
 
Neurodiversity
We discussed neurodiversity at our coaches’ supper last week and whether we can be doing more at rallies for our many members with dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD and other mild neurodevelopmental conditions. We’d like to arrange a CPD (continual professional development) session on this topic for our coaches but are finding it surprisingly hard to find a suitable trainer – ideally one with experience of teaching riders. If anyone has a contact I’d love to hear from you (alison@obhpc.co.uk).
 
 
LAST CALL for Summer Camps!
If you have put your name down but not yet sent in your form and cheque, or not put your name down at all but plan to – PLEASE send in your form and cheque now – ideally today. 
We can’t confirm your child’s place without payment and can only now take bookings if there is space in a suitable ride.
We know how disappointing it is to miss out; there are a few spaces at each Camp still so please get in touch straight away so we can fit your child in. 
 
Tiny Trotters – Lisa Smith lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk
Mini Camp – Erica Howe erica.louise.howe@gmail.com
Junior Camp – Juliet Souter juliet.souter@btinternet.com
Senior Camp – Jenny Gordon jenny@thegordons.eu
 
 
Teams for Dressage, SJ and Eventing 2019
A link to the 2019 team long list is on the home page of www.obhpc.co.uk.
If you think your child should be on the list please email alison@obhpc.co.uk. Our team managers keep lists all year of all those that have expressed interest but it is easy to inadvertently miss someone off. We have an inclusive policy; anyone that has been to 3 rallies since last July and is competing at the relevant level is eligible for the long list.
 
If your name is on the list and you’d like to accept your place, read the information on the web page below and send confirmation and entry fees as soon as possible. 
 
 
Junior Show
Our wonderful friendly show for members aged 12 and under is on Saturday 3rd August. Schedule to follow.
 
 
Area Dressage
We are hosting the Area 9 dressage this year and will be looking for volunteers to help on Friday 26th July, and beforehand to set up the arenas. No experience is needed so this is a chance for everyone to help the branch. Please email lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk to volunteer … or wait for her call!
 
 
Vaccinations
For camps and teams your pony needs to be fully up to date with vaccinations, with the latest booster within the past 6 months, so now is the time to check passports.
 
Hopefully horses, ponies and riders are all looking forward to the summer ahead, when it finally arrives!
 
Best wishes,
 
Alison
 
May 2019
 
PC Kit now in
After a slight delay from our suppliers we have now received a huge delivery of PC kit to White Horse Feeds in Childrey. Please remember to pay by cheque only. White Horse offers this service free of charge to support the branch so if you need feed, supplements and equipment while you are there it would be great to support them too.
 
Second Hand Kit
We have two willing volunteers, Lesley Griffin and Kirsti Murray, who will be running an OBHPC second hand shop. It will be based in the shop at Blewbury Riding Centre and will travel to various events, the first one being the Elmwood Big Rally. The shop will be run to raise funds for the branch and enable parents to recycle used kit. 
So, if you’d like to receive money for your old kit, please sell it on eBay, but if you’d like to help raise funds for the branch please donate anything except hats and out of date back protectors (they should have purple label 2009) to the second hand shop. There is always a big demand for PC saddle pads, sweatshirts, small riding boots and hacking jackets, but we’re happy to take anything for horse or rider including good condition rugs, bridles and saddles. Anything that doesn’t sell will be donated to horse charities.
We’d love to build up some stock before the summer holidays so please drop anything you may have to Blewbury Equestrian Centre or to me at Larkhill Farm, Wantage at any time, in bags marked Pony Club. Alternatively bring it along to the Elmwood Big Rally.
 
Rally payments
It’s frustrating to still need to remember cheque books for rallies in an age of internet banking, BACS isn’t an option as rally organisers don’t have access to see who has paid. The only online system Pony Club currently allows is PayPal which makes bank reconciliation very difficult and time consuming. 
Is there a volunteer in the branch who’d be happy to make everyone’s life easier by taking on this PayPal reconciliation task?
Until then a reminder to ALL that payment for rallies always needs to be by cheque. If you don’t have a cheque book please take cash and ask another parent to add you to their cheque. 
 

Teams

Information on dressage, eventing and showjumping teams is going out this month with long list selection early in June. We welcome all members into our teams regardless of ability as long as they are active members (3 rallies / camps since last July) and are currently competing regularly at the relevant level. If they would like to be involved, please put your child forward – please don’t wait to be asked! 
 
For those competing at 70-80cms
We’d love you to join our Regional teams! Our Regional teams are suitable for all members keen to be in a team but not quite competing at Novice Area level, which is 90cm for SJ and Eventing or PC Novice dressage.
Regional Team SJ is 80-85cm and has a 70cm individual class for those not yet ready for 80-85cm. Regional eventing is 80cm with a 70cm non-qualifying class and Regional dressage is a simple walk, trot and canter test. There is just one Regional competition in Area 9 for each discipline to qualify for the Regional Championships held at the end of August at Rectory Farm.   
As with all our teams, it is as much about taking part in a team as winning so please put your child forward if they are already competing at this level and would like to join in.
 
Camps
If you haven’t already sent your forms in, time is running out. All details and forms are on www.obhpc.co.uk
 
Looking forward to seeing lots of you at Elmwood.
 
For those doing exams … good luck!
 
Alison
 

April 2019

OBHPC Kit

There’s an order in for more kit as some lines are running very low, especially sweatshirts and polo shirts for 7-11 year olds. The new stock will be at White Horse Feeds in Childrey by April 26th and will include tracksuit bottoms, new for 2019. Please remember payment should be by cheque and that White Horse Feeds manage our PC “shop” free of charge.

 
Polo in OBHPC
After a successful taster session earlier this month we have 6 of our younger members competing in a polo tournament in Hampshire this Thursday. OBHPC were nationally renowned for their polo in the past. It is great to see a revival and we look forward to far more of our members getting involved. At all the lower levels you don’t need a polo pony or special kit. For details contact Mel Pejkovic on mellie_rc@hotmail.com
 

Horse and Pony Care Results
Thanks to some really excellent coaching from Alicia again this year our two Junior teams came first and second in the Horse & Pony Care Areas, with Marcos Pejkovic, Rex Winfield and Kitty Winfield qualifying for the Championships and Sophie Hardman (nursing an arm in a sling and bravely facing 6 weeks without riding), Gabriel Jennings and Lily Starkey as runners-up. 
Our Seniors, Sophie Oakland, Hannah Richardson and Eleanor Hubbard cruised to a huge win and collected the turnout prize as well. Our enchanting Minis, Tilly van Poortvliet, Florentina Pejkovic and Lettie Snowden bravely joined 13 other teams to contest this new division in the Competition, and came away with 3rd place. Beautifully turned out, cheerful and polite – they were perfect ambassadors for the branch.
The brisk, freezing easterly did nothing to dampen the high spirits of all the competitors, the sun shone and it was a tremendous Old Berks day.

Mounted Games
Described by Joanna Lambert as a “Kipling sort of day”, our squad of 13 enjoyed some good competition and a fabulous picnic.

The results:

2nd in Tack and Turnout
3rd in Assisted
4th in Leading Rein
5th in Juniors

 
Badminton
Annie Miners will be competing in the Mitsubishi Motors Cup at Badminton this year. It is a huge achievement to qualify so we wish her the best of luck. The Rural Planning Practice have invited Area 9 parents and members to a drinks party in their lakeside pavilion from 12-3pm on the Weds and 11-2pm on the Sunday.  Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk if you’ll be at Badminton and would like to be added to the guest list. With 10 families camping for the long weekend there are already a lot of OBHPC families on the list.
 
Area 9 Ball – change of date
This is a new event to mark the achievements of Area 9 members and the date has been moved to 29th May by popular request. Max Warburton, Jack Whiteford, Henry Hobby, Alicia Lee, Sophie Oakland, Eleanor Hubbard, Sasha Hargreaves and Ottie Hunt will all be receiving awards. If you’d like to come and join in the fun please book tickets on HorseMonkey and email alison@obhpc.co.uk to be added to a table. 
 
Rally cancellations
If your plans change – and we appreciate that with ponies and children they often do – please let the rally organiser know at least a week in advance, before they sort groups. It’s not just that we have to charge you for late cancellations, it also means a lot of work in rearranging the groups.
 
Easter rallies
We’ve got loads going on over the next weeks including lots of members competing at the point to point pony races. 
Don’t forget to book into the Easter Mounted Scavenger Hunt on 19th April at Brook Farm, Drayton with erica.louise.howe@gmail.com
 
Enjoy the chocolate season!
 
Alison
March 2019
Camps 
The forms for summer camps are now on the website. The earlier you book, the easier it is for camp organisers to sort the right instructors for the rides. We have bursaries available for members where the cost of camp may preclude them from attending. Please email Alison or Tor (alison@obhpc.co.uk or perring@compuserve.com) in confidence to apply for a bursary. Please note that for ALL camps you will need a flu vaccine within the 6 months before camp.  
 
Hunting
As the hunting season comes to an end we say a huge thank you to Vanessa Kilgour who has been the most fantastic Pony Club hunting rep for the past 3 seasons, making sure our unaccompanied members are matched up with a mounted mentor and encouraging numerous young thrusters on the hunting field. She will still be around to help, but Alice Margey will be taking on the role of Hunting Rep, assisted also by Margaux Manners. Alice live in Littleworth and is mother of 7yo Kit who loves his PC activities.  She was a Master of the Bicester Hunt for 6 seasons, and her great-grandfather was Master of the OBH 100 or so years ago. She says that PC Camps were the best days of her life! Contact Alice on alice@manorfarmchase.com 
 
Rallies
We have some great rallies coming up over the next months, highlights including the Mini and Tiny Trotter Easter Egg hunt, a polo have-a-go rally and a picnic ride. Our pre-season eventing Camp has just one space left.
 
Booking rallies
With all rallies, please book as early as possible and ensure that if you need to cancel you do so at least a week in advance. Rally organisers are always happy to have enquiries for late space (in the 7 days before the rally) but they will only be able to fit you in if there happens to be space in the right group.
 
“Friendly” teams
There are various friendly PC team competitions throughout the Spring. For most of them the process is to enter individually and the secretary will either contact us just before the competition or automatically add you to an OBH or mixed team. Remember to email alison@obhpc.co.uk with any results and photos!
 
Fingers crossed for some better weather soon.
 
All the best
 
Alison
February 2019
Vaccinations
It’s great that some of last week’s restrictions have lifted in time for half term, but several venues are still asking that we only take horses and ponies that have been vaccinated in the past 6 months. Please ensure that your horses’ passports travel with them at all times in case of spot checks. 
 
For those that haven’t been vaccinated in the past 6 months:
Please check with rally organisers whether the venue has restrictions in place as early as possible. We will try to add updates to the Fixtures list.
Horses shouldn’t be worked hard or go to venue with restrictions in place for 6 days after their vaccination so it is probably too late to vaccinate for half term rallies. We don’t know whether the restrictions will stay in place in the long term but if you don’t want any interruptions to your plans you may feel it is easiest to get into the habit of vaccinating every 6 months rather than annually. 
 
Awards Night
Hanney Village Hall was packed on Friday night for a fun evening looking back over the past year and welcomed Rachel Mathieson, Lisa Smith and Alicia Lee to the committee.
Tussel and Joanna talked everyone through plans for tests and camps and Ros spoke about Regional and Area team selection. For those with major exams in the summer, PLEASE get out to relevant rallies now while you aren’t buried in books, so that you don’t need to in April and May when you have more important things to do. 
 
This year we celebrated so many successes, but we are proud to also be giving out so many awards for sportsmanship and commitment. 
 
CONGRATULATIONS to all those that won awards. 
 
  • Hunting Awards – Zara Tearney, Freddie Fletcher, Cecily Townrow
  • Hunting Stock – Jessie Saunders
  • Progress in Dressage – Eva Fowler
  • Most Improved Dressage – Laura Fowler
  • Most Improved Junior Dressage – Edmund Howe
  • The Racing Award – William Dunlop
  • Showjumping Award – Harry Vigors
  • Commitment and Progress in Mounted Games – Chloe Ferguson
  • Outstanding Performance in C+ Test – Emily Taylor
  • Determination and Vocal Encouragement – Grace Soden
  • Progress in Eventing – Anya Cornago, Mia Chopping, Sophia Rosenfeld
  • Sportsmanship and Integrity – Lily Rosenfeld
  • Commitment to Teams – Verity Smith and Sophie Gordon
  • Commitment to Coaching – Abi Richardson
  • Camp Spirit – Lucy Verdon and Lucy Perring
  • Tetrathlon Award – Peter Aird
  • Sit Tight Award – Tara Lockhart and Tyger
  • Bravery Award – “Joe” and “Duchess”
  • Team Spirit – Niamh Warburton
  • Team of the Year – Open Eventing Team – Max Warburton, Henry Hobby, Jack Whiteford
  • Regional Team of the Year – Regional Eventing Team – Scarlett Starkey, Bea Cadogan, Daisy Chugg, Freya Soden
  • The Molly Trophy – Arthur Souter’s “Blue”
  • The Bonnie Cup – Zara Tearney
  • Member of the Year – Jack Whiteford

 

The video showing highlights of 2018 is on Facebook. Despite several attempts to re-post with different soundtracks Facebook keeps muting it. I’ll keep trying, but in the meantime, turn your radio up load to add your own soundtrack!  https://www.facebook.com/OBHPC/videos/397108770863206/

Enjoy half term.
 
Alison 

January 2019

Awards Night

We’re looking forward to seeing you at the Awards Night on Friday 15th Feb at 6.30pm at Hanney Village Hall. It is always a great evening for all ages, it’s free to attend, just bring a picnic or drinks and nibbles and join in. Please let Joy know numbers as soon as possible – a few of the awards aren’t decided until we know who’ll be there! (joy@ohbpc.co.uk
We’ll also be giving details about how to get involved in the OBHPC teams for showjumping, dressage and eventing and telling you more about this summer’s camps including a new Mini/Junior eventing camp.
 
PC Coaching Conference
Not just for coaches and instructors – this year’s conference will be an informative day for our older members and any parents interested in learning more about “How to succeed”. There will be sessions from Caroline Moore, who coaches Ros Canter and the GB Juniors, psychologist Professor Tony Ghaye will talk about dealing with fear, Katie Stephens is a sports physio who will talk about recovering from and avoiding injury,  horse biomechanics expert Russell Guire will share his latest findings on horse balance and rider symmetry.
 It is on Thursday 14th February at Hartpury and tickets are available online:  http://www.pcuk.org/index.php/training/coaching/coaching_conference/
 
Junior Show 2019

Our lovely Junior Show this year will be on Sunday 9th June.  The format will be similar to previous years, with possibly a few new classes.  Open to everyone 12 years and under, both members and non-members, there’s something for everyone.  From showing and show jumping, working hunter classes and dressage, clear rounds, fancy dress and gymkhana… it’s a lovely day out.  More details will be posted online and on Facebook soon but please save the date now (in a break from tradition, it’s now the one after half term!).
Can you help? We would love to have some new recruits to the show committee. We have a handful of evening meetings before the show to sort out sponsorship, volunteers, judges etc (where  wine and crisps are a given!). The weekend of the show itself is busy but the more helpers we have, the lighter the load.  If you’d like to join in the fun please email Helen Keen – hkeen@designtoo.com or call 07785 718571.

 
Jump the PC Jumps
Our set of show jumps are set up in the large outdoor arena at Alden Farm near Upton over the winter and are available for members to use. Half the proceeds of the £15 / hour fee goes to the branch so we’d love our members to make the most of the opportunity to use the jumps. Book with Lisa Heneghan lheneghan@btinternet.com 
 
Membership fees for 2019 are due now and you’ll see there is now an option to join as non-riding members, particularly helpful for those doing PC triathlons as it allows non-horsey siblings to join in too. PC members get various discounts, including an intro rate for BS membership, reduced ticket prices at most horse events, special rates for hunting and subsidised rates for rallies. You also get excellent 3rd Party insurance which doesn’t just cover you for PC activities. Please fill in the Gift Aid part of the form as we get a financial bonus for each one completed. If you’ve not received your form by email it is here: https://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/files/2019/01/Membership-Form-2019-1.pdf
 
This week we have the first of 3 meetings to plan rallies and activities for the next few months so get ready to start filling your calendar for half term and the holidays. In the meantime, fixtures already planned for the next month are below.
 
Best wishes
 
Alison
 

December 2018

With the Christmas holidays upon us it is a busy few weeks…. so here goes….

Hunting

The “Children Priority” Meet will be on 31st December so come along on foot, on lead rein or suitably mounted to join in the fun. Parents are welcome on horseback or on foot and it is the best opportunity of the year to try hunting if you haven’t before, and to ride at the front of the field for our regulars. Contact Vanessa for details: vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk

For all other hunt meets Pony Club members are very welcome and hunt at a special low rate. The hunt are keen to encourage parents to accompany them, so please contact Vanessa for details of special rates for accompanying a child, or to arrange a hunt mentor to supervise them.

Team Show Jumping

There are two opportunities coming up for members jumping 50cm+ to join our SJ teams for some friendly team and individual competitions.

Sat 29th and Sun 30th December the Avon Vale SJ SJ at West Wilts with classes from 50cm to 1m and Sunday 10th February Cotswold Vale PC SJ at Hartpury from 50-90cm.  Please put your entries in as individuals and let Phoebe Hobby (phoebe@brightwaltonstud.com) know so she can add you to a team. Please note, ALL are welcome in teams, there is no selection criteria. We will be looking for volunteers to look after the teams on each day so please let Phoebe know if you are happy to take that on.

Olympia

If you are at Olympia this week watch out for Sophie Stiles who will be competing in the Dartmoor showing classes, Katie Bradburne in the Mini Major SJ on Wednesday afternoon and Sasha Hargreaves in the Medal Parade on Thursday evening.

If you’d like a free ticket for a performance, HQ are looking for volunteers aged 14+, or younger with a parent, to help on the Shop and Drop stand. You will work during one performance and watch the other performance (afternoon / evening). Please contact Kirsty@pcuk.org ASAP for details.

Riding and Road Safety

This is a great time of year to get this important test under your belt, so if you are 12+ and have D+ please email Joanna Lambert (JRJLambert@aol.com) and come along this Monday 17th December at Stainswick Manor, Shrivenham for 4.30-6.30pm for a Dismounted Rally in casual clothes/school uniform, for tea and to see the training DVD.

For those that have seen the DVD, the mounted section is Tuesday 18th December at Radcot Equestrian with Aaron. Mounted, warm clothes, with Hi-Viz reflective clothing for horse and rider. Groups are from 2pm to 6pm – so turn up when you finish school for mounted training and the final assessment.  

Racing

If you are following us on Instagram and Facebook will have seen Alicia Lee riding in her first point to point this month alongside ex-member Lily Bradstock. Well done too to Katie Bradburne who was 3rd in the 128cm Pony Club racing league this season.

Coaching Conference – *HIGHLY RECOMMENDED*

14th February 2019 at Hartpury College, GL19 3BE  

‘All you need to succeed’ the perfect title for an action-packed day with talks from leading industry experts including Caroline Moore, Russell Guire, Professor Tony Ghaye, and Katie Stephens. This is aimed at coaches but is an incredibly informative day for parents and riders and is highly recommended for those aiming for the higher levels.

Tickets are £45 for adults or £30 for members and can be purchased at: http://events.pcuk.org/?page_id=6503

The OBHPC Awards Night

The Awards Night for 2018 will be on Friday 15 Feb at Hanney Village Hall at 6.30. Please put the date in your diary and join us with your picnic and bottle of wine for a sociable evening looking back over 2018. We’ll take numbers in the New Year but please save the date if you can.

Wishing all our instructors, members and their families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Best wishes,

Alison

November 2018

Junior Camp
We are excited to announce a change of venue for Junior Camp 2019 to Bucklebury Equestrian on Mon 5th to Thurs 8th August. We have enjoyed many years at Wickstead, and will be back there again, but felt it was time for a change. There are great facilities including a cross country course and surfaces, enough stabling for all, optional camping for older members. Booking forms will be available in the Spring and any enquiries should go to our Junior Camp leader Juliet Souter: juliet.souter@btinternet.com 
Dates for all Camps are on the website.
 

C+ Success
All 12 Old Berkshire members who took their C+ Test over half term passed.
They, and their parents, have put in a lot of hard work and effort as did their trainers Fiona Jack, Aaron Nobbs, Mandy Holloway and C+ test coordinator Joanna Lambert.
Well done to:
Lottie White, Ella Ackrill, Morgan Oldridge, Anya Cornago, Tilly Dollar, Sophie Hardman, Romilly McIntosh, Esme Powell, Freya Soden, Bella Stevens, Emily Taylor, Freya Webb

 

Household Cavalry Trip

A few of our members have been lucky enough to get a place to see the Household Cavalry in action this week and to join in with a band practice. For the under 14s who sadly couldn’t go this time, they are arranging a special day for you all once the weather is a bit warmer with activities that they feel will be more suitable. The date is to be confirmed but is likely to be over the Easter weekend. 

 
Jump the Jumps
The OBHPC jumps are in the large outdoor school at Alden Farm for anyone who’d like to use them. The cost is £15 / hour with half the proceeds going to the branch. Please book with Lisa Heneghan and remember that you are there at your own risk when not riding as part of a rally. lheneghan@btinternet.com
 
Pony Club Focus Groups

Could we possibly have a few more volunteers at Larkhill Farm for next Saturday to help Pony Club with some research to understand how its members feel about The Pony Club, how it could better meet the needs of its members and how potentially it can attract more people to membership. OBHPC has been chosen to speak on behalf of lots of other branches so it would be great to have a good range of members.

  • 4pm:  4 members aged 14 & 15 (this group will run for around 45 minutes)
  • 5pm:  8 members aged 16 or above and parents of younger members (this group will run for around 90 minutes)

Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, biscuits all supplied, and Pony Club will give all the volunteers a goody bag or bottle of wine! Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk if you are available.

 
Best wishes
Alison
 

October 2018

Jumps at Alden Farm

A set of the branch show jumps is currently being kept at Alden Farm, Upton for upcoming combined training and show jump rallies.  The jumps are being kept out on an all weather arena and are now available to hire for private sessions, with or without a trainer.  The cost is £15.00/hour for one or two ponies/horses (one to jump at a time) which is being divided between the branch and the venue.  The facility is also available in the evenings with flood lights for which there will be an additional £2 charge.  Anyone interested in booking should contact Lisa Heneghan lheneghan@btinternet.com .  Users must have either an adult or trainer present.

Hunting

Pony Club was orignally founded to teach the children of farmers and landowners how to ride well enough to hunt, and it is great that we maintain such strong links to the hunt to this day. There are a few more opportunities for Autumn Hunting with the Old Berkshire Hunt before the season starts on 3rd November, with special rates for OBHPC members. Please contact Vanessa Kilgour for details, venues or to be put in touch with a hunting mentor: vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk or 07775558673 

Horse of the Year Show

Well done to Sophie Styles for being awarded Home Produced Champion in the Equissage Part Bred ridden class at HOYS, and to OBHPC Instructor and ex-member Alfie Bradstock for being joint winner of the Puissance on one of the horses he brought to show us at Senior Camp.

Area 9 Rallies

For members already competing confidently at Pony Club Novice level there are various excellent Area 9 rallies with Rob Lumb, Richard Waygood and Caroline Moore that you are invited to attend. Booking is on HorseMonkey and the dates tend to book up very fast.

 
Have a great half term, and good luck to our ten members taking their C+ exam next week.
Alison

September 2018

The summer holidays seem a distant memory already, but the OBH finished in style with a fantastic 75th Anniversary celebration organised by Antonia Roskill. It was lovely to see several of our instructors on the bucking bronco, although none could come close to the record time set by Henry Roskill. Huge thanks to Antonia for arranging such a great night for all ages. Please check out her website http://arpartyplanning.co.uk if you are planning a party!
 
After clinching the Open Eventing title at the Championships for the first time for 25 years with our all-boy team of Jack, Max and Henry, as well as Alicia, Sophie and Eleanor retaining the Senior Horse and Pony Care trophy, our younger members demonstrated the considerable talent coming up through the ranks.
Scarlett Starkey set high standards on day 1 of the Regional Championships by winning the Regional dressage. The show jumpers battled dreadful weather on the Sunday and showed incredible determination and team spirit. On day 3 the eventers were out in force, coming 2nd and 4th in the team competition with Issy Insley winning her section, Scarlett Starkey and Bea Cadogan 2nd in theirs and George Gardiner 3rd in his. To add icing to the cake they finished 1st and 2nd in the team Tack and Turnout competition with Scarlet winning individually.
In the Rectory Farm Area 9 SJ competition 2 weeks later, our team of Daisy Chugg and Harry Vigors, WON the 75cm competition.
 
Championship entry fees
With such a huge number of children qualifying for the Regional Championships this year we will be asking members to pay for their own Regional Championship entry fees next year rather than the branch automatically fully funding them. We will continue to pay entry fees for the National Championships and hope all our members will aspire to compete there in one of the many disciplines. 
 
Kit Amnesty!
We are missing a few of the new senior camp and junior camp hat silks which some members inadvertently took home. We need full sets for next year’s rides so please could you ask your child to check if they still have one. At senior camp it was particularly members with hats that don’t need a silk as theirs ended up in the accommodation block. The silk should be signed with a permanent pen before returning! 
Also several OBHPC team saddle cloths went home to be washed after various different competitions this year and haven’t yet been returned. We need them for our team chasers.
If you have any of these items, or any other OBHPC kit, please drop it to Alison at Larkhill Farm, Wantage, or Joy at Manor Farm, East Hanney. 
 
Olympia
Thursday tickets are now sold out, we have just 5 tickets for Sunday evening. They are very good tickets reserved as soon as ticket sales opened, at the special PC rate of £46.50 each.
Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk if you’d like some or all of the remaining 5.
 
OBHSC Show
The hunt supporters club have their annual show at Sower Hill, Uffington tomorrow starting at 9am. There are a good range of showing and jumping classes. Details: http://www.oldberkshunt.co.uk/events/old-berks-hunt-open-horse-show/
 
OBH Reeling

Back by popular demand …“Reel in to Autumn” Scottish reels and picnic supper
Saturday 10th November, 7.30pm Shrivenham Memorial Hall, Oxon SN6 8AU
Dancing to the Craigievar Band, tickets £40 each.
Tickets and information from juliet.souter@marriotts.co.uk / 07770 640080
There are two reels practices & everyone is welcome – 
Thursday 1st November, Faringdon Town Hall, 7.30pm
Wednesday 7th November, Hinton Waldrist village hall, 7.30pm

 
Camp dates 2019
  • Senior Camp 28th July – 2nd Aug
  • Junior Camp TBC but aiming for straight after Senior Camp
  • Mini Camp 28th – 31st July
  • Tiny Trotters Camp 28th – 31st July
Timings will be adjusted from this year for Mini Camp and Tiny Trotters to work well for parents with children at both camps.
 
Fixtures for the next few weeks are below. Please see http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/rallies for the full list as it is currently being updated daily.
 
Alison

August 2018

It’s been a busy month!
 
Our four fabulous summer camps already seem a distant memory. Around 150 members aged 3 to 20 took part and I suspect all the horses and ponies appreciated so many of the sessions being on a surface after so much dry weather. A massive thank you to our amazing camp teams: Lisa, Margaux, Erica, Danni, Abi, Tor, Mary, Juliet, Joanna, Caroline, Jill and Joy. They work incredibly hard throughout the camps and for weeks beforehand and we all really appreciate all that they do.
 
Regional and Area tetrathlon, dressage, showjumping and eventing brought some highs and a few lows, and an almost embarrassing number of team and individual Championship qualifications for the OBHPC. We look forward to cheering those members on at the National Championships from tomorrow and the Regional Championships the following weekend. Our branch ran the Area showjumping, thanks to lots of help from volunteers, re-filling the branch coffers.
 
Lots of members passed numerous tests at Camps but if you weren’t at Camp and would like to do your D, D+ or C Test on Monday 3rd September, please let Ann Addington know: addington.ann@gmail.com
 
Rallies this week have been quiet so we are assuming a lot of people are on holiday, but to end the summer we have a couple of big rallies suitable for all ages: the Mock Hunt on Friday 31st August (you don’t need to be interested in hunting to come, but this is a great introduction if you are) and a BIG end of summer rally on Monday 3rd September.
Both promise to be huge fun from lead rein upwards and not-to-be-missed for our older members wanting to test their skills cross country or over a puissance wall.
 
And finally …. we are all looking forward to our 75th party on Friday 31st August. We are unlikely to hold a party like it for another 25 years so please make sure you are there and pass the invitation on to any friends, family or connections that have associations old or new with OBHPC. Please, please let Antonia know numbers so we can sort catering rather than leaving it to nearer the time! ar@arpartyplanning.co.uk
 
Enjoy the rest of the holidays,
 
Alison
 
May 2018
 
The Elmwood Big Rally
If you haven’t already booked for the Elmwood Big Rally on 30th May, please book now with Ann Addington (addington.ann@googlemail.com) for your first choice of sessions. We have lots of fun activities for all ages and it is the one opportunity for us to get all our members together on horseback. For those aiming for dressage, SJ or eventing teams it is a good opportunity to be seen by team trainers and team managers.
 
Dressage Demo
A highlight on our fixture calendar, Shaun Mandy will be giving a dress demo from 4.30pm on Friday 1st June at North Farm Stud, Fawley. Shaun will be riding his Inter 1 horse Inky as well as three of our members’ horses/ponies to demonstrate how and why he would ride each one differently. Those that have been to Shaun’s camp demos will know how brilliantly they add context to his lessons so come along and bring your friends; it is open to members, families and friends. Refreshments included, small charge on the night to cover costs, numbers to Lisa Smith (lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk).
 
The Junior Show
The schedule for the OBHPC u12 Show on Sunday 3rd June at Sower Hill, Uffington is online. Members and non-members are all welcome so please encourage your friends to come along. Stainswick Show for novice riders is on 30th June. Again the schedule is online.
 
Mounted Games
Our three teams had a great time at the Mounted Games Area competition. A special well done to the polishing skills of the Junior and Senior teams who won the turnout award for BOTH competitions!
 
Countryside Day
Aaron’s display team of Charlotte, Ella, Rex, Kitty and Grace put on a great performance at the OBHPC Countryside Day on Sunday. See Facebook for photos and the full report.
 
Tetrathlon
Well done to Lexie New who has been selected for the Central Junior Tetrathlon team. The Tet squads have continued their streak of great results throughout the Spring. A full report of their fantastic April results is online: http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/disciplines-and-teams/tetrathlon/
 

Badminton Horse Trials

The annual camping trip to Badminton Horse Trials was again a great success.
It was lovely to have so many members there, particularly to support two of our older members who made us very proud for very different reasons.
After the challenge of qualifying and months of preparation, Honor Macfarlane made the very mature decision to withdraw Ziggy during the showjumping phase of the Mitsubishi Motors Cup as he really wasn’t enjoying the ground conditions.
Later in the week, in a very emotional presentation, Erin Angel was awarded the Hannah Francis Award for Talent, Courage and Inspiration.
 
Olympia
We have a total of 40 tickets available for Olympia this year. They are 2nd tier seats in Block 16 so a very good view and close to the shopping area, at the special PC Group rate of £46.50 each including booking fee.
Thursday 20th December for the afternoon performance
Sunday 23rd December for the evening performance
Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk to reserve your tickets. Payment is required by 1st September.
 
PC Kit
White Horse Feeds will be getting a delivery of new OBHPC kit in all sizes in time for half term. Please remember payment must be by cheque or cash (even if you are paying by card for feed and other items) as they kindly sell kit on behalf of our branch, not as part of their own business.
 
Concussion
Our very best wishes go to Sasha Cammack who is spending this week in hospital in London undergoing treatment for on-going concussion following an innocuous looking fall 2 years ago.
It is a good opportunity to remind parents of the Pony Club’s “If in doubt, sit it out” policy. If any member sustains a fall which may have shaken their brain, whether it involves an impact to their head or not, they will be asked to sit out the rest of the lesson. Children with a suspected or confirmed concussion from any cause should not attend rallies until they are completely symptom free and either 21 days have passed since the injury or 10 days have passed and they have been signed as fit to ride by a doctor. Please support rally organisers and instructors in implementing this policy.
 
For those with exams, good luck! The summer isn’t far away.
 
Alison

 

April 2018

Summer Camps
Camp forms for all four of our camps are now on the website with guidance on the ages that each camp aimed towards. It is really helpful to camp organisers if you can give them an early indication if your child is intending to attend their camp. There is a full refund for cancellations before 5th June.
 
Eventing
Despite the weather, 20+ members had a fantastic time at this years eventing camp and were very grateful for the all weather XC and new clubhouse at Aston Le Walls.
With so many cancelled events and rallies this Spring we will be adjusting the eventing team qualification criteria for this year. Details to follow, but as with all other years, we will balance the intention of including as many members as possible in teams with ensuring that they are capable of safely completing at their chosen level.
The Area 9 PC/BE League is up and running for 2018. Details on http://branches.pcuk.org/area9/area-9-pcbe-league/
This is a fun league with an end of season Ball for any members who compete in British Eventing and costs just £10 to register. Last week lots of us were at the Ball to see Esme Powell winning the 90cm title and we are looking forward to following everyone’s progress on the league table again this year.
 
Pony racing
Our pony racers have been enjoying considerable success over the past month with several new jockeys making impressive racing debuts. To find out more about racing rallies contact Do Curtis. joannacurtis@upperfarm.uk.com
 
Area 9 Horse and Pony Care
Our Horse and Pony care teams, coached this year by national champion Alicia Lee alongside Fiona Jack, faced tough competition at the Area 9 competition this weekend with 14 teams competing for the Junior title. The Junior teams (Scarlett, Lily, Kitty, and Gabriel, Rex, Marcos) came 3rd and 4th with the Seniors (Sophie, Eleanor, Eleka) coming second in their competition.
 
Test success
Alicia Lee and Honor Macfarlane both passed their B+ exam this week. This is a relatively new exam bridging the gap between B Test and A Test, testing riding and riding theory rather than stable management which is covered in the AH Test.
Verity Smith, Hannah Richardson, Ella Dixon, Zoe Martin and Siobhan Heneghan have all passed the Stage 1 Coaching Course so you will see them assisting at rallies and camps this summer.
 
Calling all ponies – Laminitis Alert!!
Spring has arrived in a rush and the first sunny day in weeks means the grass is super-rich. Protect your horses and ponies from laminitis by restricting access to lush spring grass from now until beginning of July.
 
Dates for your diary
***Save the date*** On the evening of Friday 31st August we will be holding a party for past and present members, parents and supporters of OBHPC to celebrate the branch’s 75th birthday. Details to follow.
 
Friday 4th May – An evening rally for Skill at Arms and Horseball at Asti Stud. Details in Fixtures below.
 
Thursday 30th May – The Big Rally at Elmwood. Details on: http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/the-elmwood-big-rally-30th-may-2018/
 
Sunday 3rd June – The OBHPC Junior Show at Sower Hill. Schedule available soon on http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/schedules/
 
These and other fixtures are below and online.
 
Alison
 

March 2018

Good luck!
It’s the the Dengie Area Show Jumping Finals this weekend and we have lots of members out competing for the OBHPC at  in the hope of a place at the National Championships.
Our Teach Chase teams will be at the Beaufort Team Chase for their Spring debut. Good luck Ella, Camilla, Henry, Jessie and Lottie, Talia, Gabriel, Lara.
 
Trainee Coaches .. and D/D+ Guinea Pig riders
We’re running courses for Trainee Coaches at Alden Farm, Upton on the 3rd and 13th April. If you are 16+ and have C+ or ideally B Test and would like to do the course please contact alison@obhpc.co.uk. There is one space available still on each day.
If you would like a FREE LESSON we need 4 guinea pig riders for 2 hours each afternoon, riding at D or D+ level, email alison@obhpc.co.uk. Payment in sweets!
 
Point to Point – Easter Monday
The Lockinge Point to Point is a major fund raiser for the OBH. It is our opportunity to thank them for all the support they give our branch so please help out on either the day or the day after, particularly if you hunt.

On the day Jane March would love to hear from anyone who can sell race cards between 11-2.30, even for just an hour. There is a prize for selling the most and it is a great way to burn off a lot of energy! Contact Jane on 07836687814 or email marshjane1965@gmail.com

The morning after, Vanessa Kilgour is coordinating the litter picking from 9-10am. Please just turn up with empty feed sacks and a pair of gloves. Those that assist will get a free day’s hunting as a thank you.
 
Pony Racing

There are flat races at the Point to Point for 13.2hh and 14.2hh ponies. Members that have taken part in the past have had an amazing time; you don’t need a racing pony, and there is a special prize for the highest placed Pony Club member. Email joannacurtis@upperfarm.uk.com to find out more.

 
Details of The Big Rally at Elmwood (30th May) will be out in the next week, as will Camp forms, so get ready to book.
 
There are loads of fixtures on over Easter, listed below. Please, please be considerate to rally organisers and keen their admin to a minimum by making essential requests for times, or any cancellations, at least a week in advance – not after times have been sorted and sent out!
 
We are hoping that another visit from the Beast from the East this weekend won’t cause too much disruption but again please be considerate to rally organisers if we have to make last minute changes and cancellations. They are at the mercy of the weather and the venue’s H&S policies but will try to keep rallies going if at all possible for the sake of those that can’t otherwise get ponies out.
 
Keep warm!
 
Alison

 

Feb 2018

2018 Membership
If you haven’t returned your membership form for 2018 time is running out, especially if you want to be in branch teams. Please post to Joy or bring on Sunday for the Awards Night. With unlimited £5 subsidies on rallies, 3rd party insurance for your horse / pony (whether taking part in PC activities or not), liability insurance for trainee coaches and a huge choice rallies, camps and activities, make sure you are a member of the biggest branch in the UK for our 75th anniversary year!  The link to the renewal form is here: http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/files/2014/12/Membership-Renewal-Form-2018.pdf
If for any reason you are leaving us it is really helpful if you can let Joy know. We’ll miss you!
 
Young Coach of the Year
Aaron Nobbs was awarded Young Coach of the Year at the national Pony Club Coaching Conference on Monday. In addition to all of his teaching over the past year he has put in a huge number of hours helping out as a volunteer and while this isn’t something that we expect, we are delighted that his commitment to the branch has been recognised and rewarded.Instructors v Coaches
It seems an appropriate time for our branch to follow other branches as well as BS, BD and BE in recognising our “instructors” should be referred to as “coaches” as their role is to work with our members to help them achieve their goals rather than simply instruct them.
To minimise confusion (as we have referred to our trainees as “coaches”) our part-qualified, supervised coaches will be referred to as “trainee coaches” and those that have completed their qualification, probation and assessment will be “junior coaches”.

 
Coaching Course
We will be running a Step 1 Coaching Course over Easter. This is suitable for members interested in gaining their coaching qualification. You need to be aged 16+ and hold C+ test. Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk to register interest.
Awards Night
We are delighted so many of you will be at the Awards Night on Sunday night. There is space to squeeze a few more in to Hanney Village Hall if you’d like to join us from 6.30pm. If you’ve never been before it is a fun, relaxed and sociable evening, please let Joy know you are coming so we have enough tables and chairs. joy@obhpc.co.uk
Please bring your HAT and PASSPORT (unless already been stickered) as we have new hat tags for 2018 which are valid for all riding associations; RC, BE, BD, BS as well as PC. All members attending camp or riding in teams need to have their passport checked and this is a great opportunity to get your sticker.

 
Area Showjumping
We are hosting the Area 9 Showjumping on Saturday 28th July. Lisa Powell is coordinating the list of volunteers available to help out on the day (various roles), the day before (setting up) and the day after (moving trailers). Lisa would love to hear from anyone that can assist; lisa.p@me.com
 
Sponsoring a Class
We’d like to offer our members an opportunity to sponsor a class at the Area 9 SJ either as a family, as a business or in recognition of a special horse or pony. For £50 the sponsor will be mentioned on the schedule and the site plan as well as throughout the day. Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk with your preferred (and second choice) of class; 70cm, Regional (80cm), Novice, Intermediate or Open.
 
Elmwood Big Rally
To celebrate OBHPC’s 75th birthday this year, the Elmwood Big Rally will be even bigger this year! Please put the date in your diary; Wednesday 30th May; earlier this year as schools break up for the summer particularly late this year.
Rallies
We’ve had a lot of members at rallies over half term and some slightly frazzled rally organisers spending far more time on admin than they should. When booking, please include any essential requests, such as “only if after 4pm”. It takes time to sort the groups out and it isn’t fair to ask for changes once they have been sent out. Rally organisers try to send times and groups a week in advance; any cancellations and requests need to be before then. Thank you for your consideration; it is in everyone’s interest to make the rally organisers’ job as pleasant as possible!

 
Enjoy the rest of half term.
 
Alison
 
 
Jan 2018
 
OBHPC Awards Night 
Join us on Sunday 18th February at 6.30pm at the Hanney Village Hall for our Annual Awards Night.
Bring a picnic or wine and nibbles and join us for a couple of hours of fun to celebrate our members’ ups, downs, successes, trials and all the highlights of 2017.
Please email joy@obhpc.co.uk with numbers.
 

Tetrathlon
12 OBHPC competitors will be heading to Wroughton for the VWH Triathlon this weekend, Good luck to Oliver Vigors, Tegan O’Neill, Zara T, Cecily Townrow, Harry Vigors, Arthur Souter, Bert Souter, Kayleigh O’Neill, Peter Aird, Bella Stevens, Lexie New and Jack Church
If you’d like to join the Tet squad, on Sat/Sun 10-11 Feb there is the Beaufort SJ Tet and Tri at Summerhouse and Westonbirt. An excellent and friendly competition at 2 great venues with the option of doing just the Tri, or adding the Showjumping to make it a Tet. If you’d like more info or to enter, email fm.ej.church@btinternet.com. No experience needed to come and join in.

 
Badminton Horse Trials. 1-6th May
We have 7 camping pitches available for OBHPC at a special rate of £204 (15% discount). The pitches are suitable for any size of horse box or caravan (or tent) and there are local companies that hire and set up caravans if needed. The rate includes access to Badminton for all 6 days of competition for 2 people and unlimited U12s. Most years tends to involve a lot of mums and prosecco for dressage / shopping with children and dads arriving on the Friday evening in time for the action over the weekend. Email alison@obhpc.co.uk to reserve your place.
 
Horse & Pony Care + Horse & Pony Care Teams
If you are taking C, C+, B or AH Test this summer, or aren’t aiming for any tests but would like to test your skills, Alicia Lee – National Horse & Pony Care Champion 2017 and OBHPC senior member – will be running Horse & Pony Theory sessions between now and the Area competition on 14th April. The sessions will be late afternoon / early evening on Sundays and you can join in for the series or pick and mix the topics you are interested in. They will be a great way to prepare for tests and the H&P Care Areas are a really good opportunity to qualify for the Championships where Fiona Jack’s teams have been incredibly successful for the past few years. Email Alicia to register interest: alicia-lee1994@hotmail.co.uk.
 
Yummy Mummy Rallies
Don’t let the children have all the fun! Our Yummy Mummy rallies are a great way to meet other mums (and occasional dads and grannies) while keeping your horse or your child’s pony fit over the winter. The group sessions cover SJ, polework, flat work and occasionally XC. They are suitable for all abilities and always feature coffee and cake at the end. As they’re not officially PC rallies you are not covered by PC insurance for these lessons.
 
All the best
 
Alison
 
Our thanks to White Horse Feeds in Childrey for kindly sponsoring our newsletters. Don’t forget that White Horse Feeds deliver free in the OBHPC area (minimum 15 sacks / bales). Call 01235 751529.

 

Dec 2017 Update

Xmas Rallies

We have loads of great rallies lined up for the holidays. Please book in as soon as you can so the rally organisers can get plenty of Mince Pies and chocolate in!

Hunting in the Xmas holidays
There will be a number of meets over the Christmas period and if anyone would like to know where a specific meet is please get in contact with Vanessa Kilgour on vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk
In addition to the usual meets, the Old Berks Hunt are very kindly hosting a Children’s Meet on Wednesday 27th December.  This is aimed at children and accompanying adults only and should be a great day for all abilities – lots of jumping over old grassland and plenty of gates for those non jumpers.  If you are interested in coming please let Vanessa know so she can send you details on the venue, parking etc.
 
Taster rallies
Several members have taken the opportunity to invite a friend to a rally over Christmas and it isn’t too late if you know of anyone that might be tempted to join Pony Club. Just email joy@obhpc.co.uk with your friend’s name and email address and contact the rally organiser to book them in. The taster rally is free for your friend, there are loads of activities to chose from and they don’t even need to get their hat tagged for it.
 

Awards Night

The 2018 Awards Night will be on Sunday 11th February in Letcombe Regis Village Hall, starting at 6.30pm with a picnic supper. The focus again for this year will be a fun and random selection of awards, and this year we will also have badges for all those attending that competed in Area Teams in 2017 so be sure to sign up early with Joy (joy@obhpc.co.uk) as we need to know who’ll be there.
 

The PC Coaching Conference
The 2018 Pony Club Coaching Conference takes place at Bury Farm Equestrian Centre, Leighton Buzzard, on 12 February 2018 and had a range of world-class speakers and insightful demonstrations including international show jumper and trainer Matt Lanni. There will be demonstrations from Neue Schule and the Society of Master Saddlers. The conference is open to all and is particularly recommended for coaches (and counts as CPD). We’d also recommend it for teens that compete seriously and their parents of  as it is a great opportunity to attend a talk from equine biomechanics expert Russell Guire and performance psychologist Charlie Unwin
Tickets are £40 and if you book your place before 12 January 2018 you will go into a draw to win a Neue Schule bit. Booking is online: http://events.pcuk.org/?page_id=5092

 
Badminton Horse Trial Tickets
We will be arranging a camping trip to Badminton Horse Trials (2nd-6th May) again next year. It is always brilliant fun and the package includes entry for 2 adults and unlimited u12s for the entire event, with a 15% Pony Club discount. Details will follow in January but as there isn’t group booking priority for grandstand tickets I would encourage everyone to book their own dressage and SJ tickets when booking opens after Christmas to get the best seats.
 
Olympia
Two lucky members had the time of their lives at Olympia last week after qualifying to compete there. Thomas Bradburne on Dolly finished 3rd in the Mini Major and Sophie Stiles on Hunter competed daily in the Shetland Grand National, winning on the final day. Photos and a video are on https://www.facebook.com/OBHPC/
 
Hat tags
We have new mint green tags for 2018 which will also enable you to compete at RC and BE events with the same tag.
 
Thank you to White Horse Feeds in Childrey for the generous sponsorship of our Newsletter. As well as selling feed, hay, bedding, riding equipment and Xmas trees they are a great place to stock up on last minute Christmas gifts.
 
Wishing all our members and instructors a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
 
Alison
 

Nov 2017 Update

Invite a friend
 
Do you know anyone who owns or has access to a pony and isn’t a member of Pony Club? This is your chance to invite them to come along to a rally for free to see if they’d like to join. We have a voucher for every member to give to a friend, to be used any time between now and the end of January, but the Xmas rallies are probably a great opportunity for them to get involved.
Your voucher should be attached, but email alison@obhpc.co.uk if you haven’t received yours. Just ask your friend to contact Joy Wilson using the contact details on the voucher.
 
Teams for Avon Vale Christmas ShowjumpingThe Christmas show-jumping extravaganza has something for everyone!  It is being held on 28th and 29th December and always has lots of support and is lots of fun.  We would love to enter some teams this year – particularly on Friday 29th December when Lisa Powell and Emma Aird will be there, along with a trainer to help warm-up and walk courses.  We are hoping to come home with lots of tinsel and lots of rosettes so please come and join in and end the year on a high!!  Entries to Emma Aird at emmaaird@btinternet.com.  Emma will be sending in entries on 1st December to make sure we can enter everyone that would like to take part.  She will need to know the name of the horse/pony, the name of the rider and the Class no/s you would like to enter.  First come first serve with teams.  The schedule and entry form can be downloaded from http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/schedules/.Children’s Meet

We’ve got an exciting change of venue for this year’s Christmas Children’s Meet and whether you enjoy jumping or will be following the action on the lead rein we can guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Other than our lovely hunt mentors, any adults there will need to be accompanied by a child (!) so if your child would like to go but doesn’t yet have a suitable adult, Vanessa Kilgour will be happy to help find one for you. The meet will be on Wednesday 27th Dec and the venue will be advised to all booked in, a few days in advance. vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk

Summer Camps 2018
 
To help you plan your holidays well in advance, we have a provisional date for Mini Camp and Tiny Trotter Camp, which will Mon 30th July to Weds 1st August.
Confirmed date for Junior Camp is Monday 6th August to Thursday 9th August at Wickstead.
Confirmed date for Senior Camp is Sunday (eve) 29th July to Friday 3rd August at Hartpury.
Details and booking forms will be available in the Spring.

Pre-Season Event Camps 2018Dates are now confirmed for our two pre-season event camps.  Both camps are designed for those members serious about eventing.   The Unicorn Camp will be for those already competing at PC novice level and above and The Aston Camp will be for those focussed and competitive riders who are likely to be competing later in the summer from 70cm – 90cm.The Unicorn Camp will be at the Unicorn Trust, Stow on the Wold on Day 1 including stabling and then to Lyneham on Day 2.  This is being held on the 4th-5th April and we have been lucky enough to secure BE u18 coach Mandy Lucey and professional event rider Dan Bizzarro as our trainers for the two days.  The camp is limited to just 16 places and will cost £265.00 per horse.  This will include lunch and dinner on day 1 and breakfast and a packed lunch on day 2.  Additional meals for parents are available but will be charged for – in particular it would be good for everyone to have dinner together and the cost for this (two courses) is £15/headThe Aston Camp will be on the 3rd and 4th April.  Instructors are to be confirmed but rest assured they will be of the usual OBH high standard and members can be guaranteed exceptional teaching and a huge amount of fun.  The cost of this camp will be £180.00 per horse and the camp is limited to 20.In the first instance please email your interest to Lisa Heneghan lheneghan@btinternet.com and follow this up within 7 days with a £50 deposit, cheque payable to OBHPC, to Lisa at Alden Farm, Upton, Oxfordshire.  OX11 9HS

Have a go at Tetrathlon!

For anyone thinking of giving Tetrathlon a go, Sunday 28 January 2018, is the VWH Triathlon at the Ridgeway School, Wroughton, near Swindon.  This is a normal Triathlon, but is also the Area 9 qualifier for the National Pony Club Triathlon Championships.  It’s our most local Triathlon, and we usually have a great turnout for this event. Contact Fred Church for details. fm.ej.church@btinternet.com

2nd Hand

For those missing the PC 2nd Hand shop, Blewbury EC now has a 2nd Hand section in their tack shop and are happy to sell good quality 2nd Hand tack, tugs, riding clothes and equipment including saddles, for a 20% commission. They are open 12-5.30pm Mon-Fri and 12-4pm on Sat-Sun above the indoor school.

Warm coats

There is a new supply of our warm, water-resistant winter coats at White Horse Feeds with every size now available. Call in to stock up on that and other PC kit. White Horse Feeds kindly sponsor our newsletters so this is a good opportunity to remind you that as well as horse equipment and feed, they will also be selling Xmas trees.
 
Christmas Rallies
 
We have lots of wonderful fun rallies over Xmas and a chance for members to take their D and D+ test. Please book in now so rally organisers can get plenty of chocolate, mince pies and mulled wine ready!
 
All the best
 
Alison
 

Oct 2017 Update

Body protectors
The safety standard for body protectors will be updated in 2018 so if you are thinking of buying a new one in the next few months you may prefer to wait for the new standard to be announced. There will be a phasing out of the “old” standard over at least 2 years so current body protectors should be fine until around 2020. We’ll bring you more details as soon as we hear more.

Horse of the Year Show
Sophie Stiles and Thomas Bradburne both qualified to compete at HOYS this year and had a great time there last weekend. Sophie and Joey finished 12th in the SHP and Thomas and Dolly came 15th in the 12.2hh showjumping. Photos are on www.facebook.com/obhpc
The North Hereford Mounted Games team qualified for Olympia this year and finished 5th. It is the first time for many years that an Area 9 team has qualified and gives lots of hope to all our junior games teams for their future prospects!

Olympia

We sold out of Olympia tickets quickly this year however Tamsyn Lay no longer needs hers so there are 6 available for the Monday pm if anyone would like some. £43 each (special PC rate) email tamsynlay@hotmail.co.uk if you are interested.

Awards Night
Please put Friday 16th February in your diary for our Annual Awards Night. It will be a special one next year as we’ll be celebrating the OBHPC’s 75th birthday.

Area 9 Rallies
In addition to branch activities listed below, Area 9 runs a huge number of activities for our members. You’ll find details on the Area 9 website (https://branches.pcuk.org/area9) and I have listed them at the foot of this email so you have an idea of the variety available. A lot of the more specialist training for older members is run by Area 9 as well as First Aid and Safeguarding courses for volunteers.

Team Chasing
OBHPC teams have been having a great time at the autumn events and there are just one or two left before the season ends. Email emmaaird@btinternet.com if you’d like to go on the list

Triathlon
Fred will be running a Postal Shoot competition over the winter, you can join in at the Thursday practice sessions or from home. Please email fm.ej.church@btinternet.com for details of the postal shoot or if you’d like to have a go at a Triathlon over the winter as there are plenty more fixtures in October and November. We have competitors aged 7 to 24 in the branch. Over the winter it is just swimming, running and shooting (beanbag throwing for minis) with XC riding added in when the weather improves.

Hunting
The policy for supervision of children hunting with the OBH has been updated and we ask that members follow the recommendations from The Masters:

  • Children 5 and under should be on a lead rein.
  • Children 6-12 should be accompanied, unless they hold Pony Club C Test or have the requisite experience to hunt unaccompanied.
  • Children 13-17 can hunt unaccompanied if they hold Pony Club C Test or have the requisite experience to hunt unaccompanied.

Vanessa Kilgour would be happy to arrange a mentor to accompany your child: vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk 0777 555 8673

The OBH have an Introduction to Hunting evening on Wednesday 18th October 7pm at the King & Queen, Longcot for anyone who is interested in coming out hunting but is unsure of what goes on…this evening will let them hear first hand what hunting with the OBH is all about and they’d love to see PC parents and members there too.
 

Rallies
There are some great rallies over half term including an opportunity to drive ponies, a Ridgeway hack, Autumn hunting, Tiny Trotters and XC training so get booked in now and make the most of the warm weather while it lasts.

 
White Horse Feeds
White Horse Feeds kindly sponsor our newsletters. They are holding a sale with 50% off giftware throughout October so get ahead with your Xmas shopping!
Enjoy half term,Alison

 

Sept 2017 Update

Blenheim Eventers Challenge
Jack Whiteford, Ella Charles, Lottie Aird and Shannon Lewis are our team competing in the PC100 Eventers Challenge at Blenheim on Friday. They will be on at 9.30am if you are there and able to cheer them on.
 
Team Chasing
Good luck also to our 2 teams made up of Lottie, Talia, Ella, Henry, Camilla, Taryn and Bella competing in the first novice team chase of the season. There is one space in a team for an over12 jumping 2’9″+ to join them. Contact emmaaird@btinternet.com for details on this or any of the other upcoming team chases. Please note that you will need your own insurance.
  • 8 Oct Bicester & Whaddon Chase (3’ any age)
  • 22 Oct Grafton (2’9” any age)
  • 29 Oct Cotswold
Autumn Hunting
Lots of members enjoyed the mock hunt last month and we’d love to see you and others out again with hounds. For September and October a lot of the Saturday Meets are in the afternoon, the pace is slower and you don’t need to plait. It is correct to wear a hacking jacket but your OBH coat or another warm, dry coat is fine. We can usually arrange a mentor for unaccompanied children (must be arranged in advance) but parents will need to follow on foot or stay with their horsebox at the Meet. Please contact Vanessa on vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk for venues and times.
Area 9 SJ Championships
After a few busy weeks we had a few less members than usual competing in the Area 9 SJ Championships and some highs and lows, but a win for Lottie Aird in the 1m class helping her team with Sophie Gordon and Mimi Johnson to 2nd place.
 
Senior Camp Dates
For those keen to book holidays around it, Senior Camp at Hartpury will be from Sunday 29 July – Friday 3 August 2018. Dates and venues for Junior, Mini and Tiny Trotters Camps will follow as soon as they have been confirmed.
 
Upcoming events:
There are various events on the schedules page (http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/schedules) but these ones may be of particular interest:
 
Sunday 24th September
OBH Supporters Club Show in Uffington
 
Sunday 1st October
Berks & Bucks clear round XC at Kingsclere
 

Sunday 15th October

OBH Hunter Trial

 
 
Rallies
We have loads of rallies being added to the fixtures list at the moment so check back regularly over the next week as there will be limited availability during the colder months so rally organisers don’t freeze! (http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/rallies)
 
If you are on the waiting list you must let the rally organiser know if you no longer want the place. They often juggle groups to make space for everyone and it is frustrating to discover someone has made alternative plans and not told them, so a quick email to update them on plans is a big help.
 
I hope horses and ponies are enjoying a quieter few weeks after a busy summer!
 
Best wishes,
 
Alison

 

August 2017 Update

We have had the most wonderful month of camps; all four camps enjoyed their share of sunshine, along with some torrential showers which failed to dampen spirits. My thanks go out to all of the camp organisers, instructors, coaches and helpers; they work their socks off at camps and find it incredibly rewarding to see skills, confidence and friendships developing throughout each camp.

There are photos from camp as well as lots of other updates on our Facebook and Instagram pages as well as a couple of great offers for OBHPC members.

www.facebook.com/OBHPC

For those at Senior Camp, keep and eye on the Fixtures list as Charlotte will be offering her popular Equipilates sessions (fantastic for improving the rider’s position and balance) at rallies.

Lots of members passed D+ and C Tests during camp. Tussel has put on an extra Road Rider Test on the 8th and 16th September for those that haven’t yet taken it; if you have already passed your C Test you need Road Rider before your C Test is recognised, if you have taken D+ now is the time to do your Road Rider Test, before embarking on C Test. Details are on the Fixtures list.

The OBHPC Mini ODE at the weekend attracted entries from miles away to tackle the challenging and technical Lyford XC course. Our thanks to Tor Tearney and her team for organising it all (and offering to run it again next year) and Carol and Richard Starkey for hosting it and a huge well done to all our competitors. The Pony Club SJ set will be there for a few weeks so we can look forward to some SJ rallies on grass as well as some technical XC rallies for those jumping up to 80cm and mini rallies over the mini XC course.

Next week is the Mock Hunt at Warborough Farm. It is a wonderful opportunity for all our members from tiny trotters upwards to enjoy riding across beautiful farmland on the edge of the Downs. Our hunting mentors will be on hand to assist with leadreins but parents may want to bring their trainers! For older members it is some of the best XC jumping in the area so join us for a morning of fun, followed by a BBQ. It is open to those that hunt, those that might want to hunt and those that just enjoy being out in the countryside withe their horse or pony. Book with Vanessa Kilgour: vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk

Our Tetrathlon team had a fun few days of competition, camping and fancy dress at their national Championships last weekend, finishing with a 3rd for their mixed team. The main Championships are this weekend at Cholmondley Castle in Cheshire with the less competitive Regional Championships the following weekend at Rectory Farm. Good luck to those competing at either Championships; fly the OBHPC flag with pride and good sportsmanship.

Our Fixture list will be filling fast over the next 2 weeks as rally organisers and members return from holidays so check back soon. We will have a particular focus on mini rallies while the evenings are still warm and light but plenty for everyone else too!

http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/rallies

Our thanks to White Horse Feeds in Childrey for sponsoring our newsletters.

Enjoy the holidays!

Alison

 

 
July 2017 Update

A slightly late newsletter in a very busy month…

It was lovely to have so many members at Elmwood for the Big Rally; over 100 riders all having a great time with their horses and ponies. It is always such a nice start to the summer.

Final preparations are underway for our four summer camps and we are really pleased with the take up for our new Tiny Trotters camp, giving 3-6 year olds a little taste of the fun to come.

Mini and Junior camps will give our u12 members the chance to fine tune their skills in time for our Mini One Day Event at Lyford Stud on Sunday 13th August. It is a wonderfully friendly introduction to eventing so please come along to support it. If your child isn’t competing Tor Coxhead (wispywasp@hotmail.com) would love to have offers of help for a few hours on the day.
https://www.horse-events.co.uk/horse-events/the-old-berks-hunt-pony-club-mini-ode-12-years-under/

Various teams have been out representing the OBH with great success; our Intermediate SJ team (Shannon Lewis, Niamh Warburton, Honor McFarlane and Gorgia Lisi) won at Barbury with Honor taking the individual win too, and our Open Tetrathlon team (John Church, Jack Church, Tina McPeak) won their Area competition and will be joined at the Championships by Lexie New who qualified in the Junior section.

At the Area Show Jumping, hosted by OBHPC, we had team wins at both ends of the competition; our winning regional team of Annie Miners, Lottie White, Mia Elvin and Scarlett Starkey will be joined by 5th placed Zoe Hay at the Regional Championships in August. Honor McFarlane, Miranda Hobby and Estelle Stables won the Open Team competition, along with a £500 voucher from Devoucoux, and will be joined by 2nd and 3rd placed Intermediates Sophie Gordon and Lottie Aird.

Results aside, the Area SJ competition was a huge success thanks to great organisational skills from Claire Lisi, Lisa Powell, Helen Keen, Caroline Norton-White and Joy Wilson plus a team of well over 50 volunteers over the weekend. So many of you were so generous with your time, regardless of whether your own children were competing and we really couldn’t have done it without you. We also had an incredibly supportive sponsor, Webbs Wood, and we hope that you will all be heading there for any fencing, gates and jump poles you may need in the future, to support them in return. We will be hosting the competition again next year, on 14th July, so I hope we can count on such generosity from parents and sponsors one more time.

We have been invited to send show jumping teams to Gatcombe to compete in a competitive 1m+ class on Friday 4th August and 90cm and 80cm classes on Saturday 5th August. If your child would like to be considered for any of the teams please email Claire Lisi on c.lisi@hotmail.co.uk THIS WEEKEND so we can select teams on Monday. Priority will be given to active members.

Good luck to our Area `Eventing squads competing at Dauntsey tomorrow and Foxcote next month, and our Dressage squad who have their Area competition on Wednesday. Fly the OBHPC flag with pride and make sure you have fun!

This month sees 3 members making their GB eventing debuts; Sasha is currently in Ireland with the Junior squad and Saffie and Georgina’s ponies are on the way to Hungary for the European Pony Championships. Honor and Rosie will be heading to Frickley for the BEu18 Championships this week and we wish all five girls the best of luck.

If you haven’t already found our Facebook page go to www.facebook.com/OBHPC/ for the latest news and results from our members. You don’t need to be “on Facebook” to look at the page.

Finally, our thanks to our newsletter sponsor White Horse Feeds in Childrey who can help you with all the kit you’ll need for summer camps as well as feed and equipment for horses, ponies, dogs and chickens. They are now fully re-stocked with PC clothing in all sizes after a minor hitch from our suppliers. If you have a sweatshirt with faded print please email a photo, the size and your address to alison@obhpc.co.uk and I’ll arrange for a replacement to be posted to you.

Enjoy the holidays!

Alison

June 2017 Update
 
Summer Camps
There are very few spaces remaining at the summer camps. If you haven’t yet booked and intend to, please email the organiser in the next 48 hours to let them know. All details of camps are on the Camps page of the website, including (for the next 48 hours only) the list of those already booked in in case you want to double check you are on there.
 
Teams
Team long lists for Eventing, SJ and Dressage are now online along with the acceptance form which needs to be returned as soon as you can.
Congratulations to those selected; for those not on the list we hope to get you competing confidently at the required level for next year. Our expectation is that all those on the long list will be able to compete at the Areas however this will be subject to training and space at each Area competition.
 
Tetrathlon Areas
The Area 9 Tetrathlon is on 8 – 9 July, with shooting (near Westonbirt) and swimming (Malmesbury) on the Saturday and running and riding at West Littleton on the Sunday.
All classes from U-8 to Open are catered for. The event is also a qualifier for the National Championships (for Junior, Intermediate and Open classes) however you do not have to want to qualify to enter. Please email Fred on fm.ej.church@btinternet.com if you would like more details or to be entered. It is always fun and friendly and this is a great opportunity to give it a go.
Eventing results

Our eventing results at the Areas last year suggested that we had some exciting times ahead and we haven’t been disappointed. Our members continued to build on the foundations that Ros, Spencer and Bert laid down and we have seen an unprecedented number of our older members getting noticed nationally and regionally. Saffie Osborn, Georgie Herrling and Sasha Hargreaves have all been long listed for GB Pony and Junior teams, Honor MacFarlane and Rosie Mason have been selected for the Central U18 team and Chiara Heneghan is on the reserve list. Well done to you all and good luck for the next 6 weeks.

 
Dressing for the weather
With warmer weather finally here, a quick reminder on dress code for rallies.
For XC long sleeves and a shirt and tie or stock are advised at all levels. A stock is compulsory for those jumping over 80cm.
For all other rallies, PC polo shirts are ideal, but otherwise please ensure shoulders and midriffs are covered, so no vest tops or crop tops.
 
New kit
We have had a report of the printing on one of the new sweatshirts fading in the wash so we have returned all the new stock of sweatshirts and XC skins for the printing to be re-set. If you have any problems at all with kit you have bought please let me know. We have changed suppliers which has brought prices down but we want to ensure we don’t compromise on quality. The new stock should be in White Horse Feeds late next week and prices are all on our website.
 
Our thanks again to White Horse Feeds in Childrey for sponsoring our Newsletters. In addition to stocking PC kit and saddlepads they are the place to go for feed, bedding, yard and riding supplies and even Father’s Day gifts!
 
Only a few weeks until the holidays!
 
Alison
 

 

May 2017 Update

The OBHPC Hunter Trial at the weekend gave members, parents and friends a welcome opportunity to compete on a traditional grass course and raised an impressive £1500 for the branch. Huge thanks to Vanessa Kilgour and her team of volunteers; these funds will help towards our new set of show jumps as well as subsidising rallies for all our members.

It’s a busy three months coming up for the branch so could I send a personal plea to all parents to help out where you can. The jobs that we struggle to find volunteers for are often the ones that anyone could help with. If you could tow a set of show jumps from A to B or help put up a marquee, please let me know so I can let you know dates we’ll need help. Other than instructors our branch is 100% volunteer run so we are dependent on parents helping out and not leaving it all to the rally organisers, camp leaders and committee. Thank you in anticipation of your help with this.

Our Camps are filling fast; it would be a huge help for forms to be sent in for all camps as soon as possible, especially for Junior Camp so that places can be released to members on the upper and lower age boundaries as early as possible. Forms for all four summer camps are on the website.

If you are hoping to be in teams for SJ, Dressage or Eventing please make sure results at the relevant level have been sent to team managers by 5th June and try to be available for the Big Rally at Elmwood on 4th July as it is an ideal opportunity for team training.

The fixtures list is below; please remember to give AT LEAST 7 days notice if you need to cancel a place and PLEASE avoid asking for any changes once times have been sent out!

Finally, big congratulations to Lexie New for being selected for one of the Central England teams for the Junior Regional tetrathlon. We look forward to hearing how she gets on and will update on Facebook (www.facebook.com/obhpc).

For those with exams over the next few weeks, good luck!

Alison

April 2017 Update

The Easter Holidays started with two very successful pre-season eventing camps at Aston Le Walls and a Mini Easter Egg Hunt in The Secret Garden. Tomorrow a number of our members will be competing in Pony Races at Hackwood Park and Lockinge Point to Points.
If you missed The World According to Kids, featuring a number of our younger members, the first episode is now available on catch up. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08mn6yd and episode 2 is on BBC2 on Thursday at 8pm.

Elmwood Big Rally

Booking is open for the Elmwood Big Rally on Sunday 2nd July. It is suitable for ALL ages with lots of different activities from treasure hunts and handy pony to equicise, gridwork, dressage, SJ and XC. There will also be an opportunity to take D and E tests.

If you are going to Tiny Trotter, Mini or Junior Camp PLEASE attend if at all possible as it helps us ensure you will be in the right ride for Camp.
Please email Ann Addington on addington.ann@googlemail.com to book, stating the height you would be comfortable jumping a full course at (if applicable) and a preference of the type of activities you would like to do. Priority for activities will be given to those booking early.
 
Second Hand Kit
We are closing down the 2nd Hand Shop. If there are items you would like to collect please come to the Elmwood Big Rally before 12pm. From 12pm we will be offering all remaining items to be sold in aid of the branch at knockdown prices.
 
Teams
If you are hoping to be considered for Area teams for SJ, Dressage or Eventing please ensure that you have put your name forward and are out competing at the relevant level and are sending in results. For SJ it is important that you have competed at the relevant level ON GRASS at least once. Deadline for results to be sent in before Monday 5th June to:
Claire Lisi (SJ – Sat 15th July) c.lisi@hotmail.co.uk
Millie Dollar (Eventing – Sat 22nd July) milliedollar@btinternet.com
Amelia Macpherson (Dressage – Weds 26th July) ameliamacpherson@yahoo.co.uk
If you are not sure PLEASE PUT YOUR NAME FORWARD so we can put you on the list for consideration. If you aren’t ready for this year the discipline managers will be happy to point you towards suitable competitions to prepare for next year, but there is nothing worse than hearing from someone that was hoping to be asked. If we don’t hear from you we will assume it is because you are away / busy / not wanting to compete!
 
Eventing with BE?
If you are doing any BE events this season please join the Area 9 PC/BE Eventing League. It is just £10 per horse to register; you’ll be able to track your progress on the league table and the top 3 at each level will win a lesson with a professional event rider and various other prizes. Most importantly, ALL those that register will be invited to an end of season Black Tie evening. The entry form can be downloaded from this page:
http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/disciplines-and-teams/eventing/BE-PC%20AREA%209/
 
Mounted Games
Good luck to our Mounted Games squad who will be competing at their Areas next Sunday. We will keep results updated on Facebook.
 
Horse & Pony Care
Congratulations to our Horse & Pony Care squad who came 1st and 2nd in both the Junior and Senior Areas last weekend. The winning teams are off to the Championships in August.
 
Enjoy the rest of the Easter break!
 
Alison
 

March 2017 Update

Let’s hope those horses and ponies are ready to lose their woolly coats as there is a busy time ahead over Easter for our members! In addition to numerous rallies we’ve got team chasing, pony racing, eventing camps, Horse and Pony Care Areas and the Mounted Games Areas all coming up next month.
 
Good luck tomorrow to two of our triathletes, Jack Church, Lexie New and Peter Aird, competing at the Pony Club Winter Championships and to our members competing at the Dengie SJ Area 9 finals.
 
A huge thank you to the Show Jumping committee; Claire Lisi, Helen Keen, Caroline White, Lisa Powell and Joy Wilson in particular and the many volunteers who have so generously given up time to help tomorrow.
 
Eventing Camps
Both our eventing camps are now being held at Aston le Walls where there are some fantastic facilities at our disposal. The camps are both full but with no one on the waiting list, so if you’d like to attend the fun camp (70cm – 110cm, Mon 10th – Tues 11th April) or the more intensive camp (90 – 120cm, Thurs 13th – Fri 14th April) please let Lisa Heneghan know so she can put you on the waiting list: lheneghan@btinternet.com
 
BE Eventing League
There is a new league this season for Pony Club Area 9 members who are members of British Eventing. It is £10 to register for the season and you gain points every time you compete. Full details and the registration form are online:
http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/disciplines-and-teams/eventing-league/
 
Team Chasing
Is anyone interested in coming to the Heythrop team chase on 15th April near Moreton-in-Marsh for the novice bogey time class – max height approx. 3’.  The other classes are described as “full up and a challenge but beautifully built” and we are guessing the novice will be the same. There is a prize for the best Pony Club team. We have one definite team and a part team who would love more to join them.  The National Team Chase Championship will be taking place later in the day so it should be a fun day with some spectacular viewing. For details please email emmaaird@btinternet.com

Pony Racing at the Point to Point
On Monday 17th April it’s the Old Berks Hunt Point to Point at Lockinge and the Vine and Craven Point to Point at Hackwood Park with opportunities for pony racing on the flat at both.
The Vine and Craven Junior Hunt Club Pony Charity Scurries at Hackwood Park are fun pony scurries for V+C Junior Hunt Club members and members of adjacent hunts who have hunted this season, suitable for under 8s on the lead rein to more experienced members.
It’s a great opportunity for the children to experience pony “racing” but in a very relaxed and friendly way and not under Pony Racing rules.
Details and schedule available from Antonia Roskill –  07795 423 401 – jhc@vineandcraven.co.uk
The Lockinge Pony Races are run under PRA rules with classes for under 138 cm and under 148cm. You don’t need to be on a racing pony, there is a special prize for the highest placed OBHPC member and it is a great chance to try you pony out against some good competition. For details and an entry for email joannacurtis@upperfarm.uk.com 

Schedules

Remember to check the schedules page for up to date information on that all that is going on. For our junior eventers the list includes the popular Shipton Moyne Ode on Wed 12th April hosted by the Beaufort Hunt PC.

http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/schedules/
 
Bonnie’s Show Jump
We have had some incredibly generous donations towards a jump in Bonnie’s memory. If you would like to contribute please send a cheque payable to OBHPC to Bishops Cottage, Ginge OX12 8QR or hand to any rally organiser.
 
Our thanks to White Horse Feeds for sponsoring our Newsletters. Pop in to their shop between Childrey and Sparsholt for all your feed, stable equipment, pony club clothing and some great gifts.
 
I’m looking forward to cheering on lots of our showjumpers at Hartpury tomorrow,
 
Alison

 

February 2017 Update

It was lovely to see so many members at the Awards Night last weekend. We have so many incredibly talented, cheerful and deserving members so it was very hard for the committee of ten to whittle the list down. For those not recognised with an award this year, please don’t feel that your efforts and achievements weren’t noticed; we hope to have you on the list for next February.
The highlights video is now on our Facebook Page. https://www.facebook.com/OBHPC/

Hunting Badges awarded to:
Henry Jennings
Jessie Saunders Rose Curtis Lottie Aird Helena Tomlinson

The Sheila Nash Memorial Stock awarded to:
Jack Whiteford
Max Warburton
Camilla Kilgour
Polly Kilgour
Lexie New

The Awards 2017:
Groom of the Year – Sasha Cammack
Smile award – Romilly McIntosh
Allrounder – Gabriel Jennings
Dressage Award – Siobhan Heneghan
Show jumping – Progress award – Archie BugnerShow jumping – Determination – Jules Farrant
Show jumping – Achievement – Lucy Perring
Senior Eventing Award – Sasha Hargreaves
Junior Eventing Award – Esme Powell
Tetrathlon Awards – Peter Aird, Fenella and Olivia Mathieson.
Racing Awards – Freddie and William Curtis
Viral Video award – Caspar Stephenson
Best Dressed Instructor – Shaun Mandy
Fun Rally award – Luke Stiles
The Bonnie Cup for Bravery Cross Country – Daisy Chugg
Photobomb of the Year – Joy Wilson
Volunteer of the Year – Emma Jennings
Team of the Year – The Open Dressage Team, Max, Jack, Sasha, Siobhan
Ambassador of the Year – Hannah Richardson
Pony Club Pony of the Year – Lottie Aird’s “Blue”
Lyndsay Cup for Best Shetland – Alice De Quincey Adams’ “Sparkle”
The Molly Award for Participation – Rex Winfield & Mr Pickles
Coach of the Year – Jack Church
Member of the Year – The entire Church Family

Bonnie’s Fund
We have had some incredibly generous donations to enable our members to remember Bonnie Armitage in various ways, including with the purchase of a special #BlueforBonnie showjump. If you would like to make a donation in memory of such a special girl please leave a cheque with any rally organisers or send direct to Tor Perring or Joy Wilson, payable to OBHPC and with “Bonnie” on the back.

West Wilts Eventers Challenge
We had a huge number of competitors in various sweetie-inspired teams for last week’s friendly team competition. Well done to you all for being such great ambassadors for the branch and bringing home so many rosettes, polos and carrots!

 

Tetrathlon
Our tetrathlon squad has been returning some great results with new recruits starting with triathlon (running, shooting/beanbag throwing and swimming) in the Under 8, Tadpole and Mini sections. Peter Aird, Lexie New and Jack Church have all qualified for the National Triathlon Championships; the first time the OBHPC have members qualifying across all three age groups.
Fred Church is always delighted to hear from new members keen to give it a go; it is very inclusive, no previous experience is needed and he has pistols available to borrow for the shooting. Email him on fm.ej.church@btinternet.com to be added to his email list to find out what is going on.

Our newsletters are sponsored by White Horse Feeds in Childrey; the perfect place to stock up on feed, yard equipment, horsey gifts and even hairnets. They have plenty of warm winter OBHPC coats in stock, and their PC rugby shirts are currently at a reduced price.

As the weather starts to improve look out for more after school rallies and lots more for our younger riders being added to the Fixtures List (http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/rallies),and for those thinking about entering the Pony Races at Lockinge or Hackwood Park there is a racing rally this weekend suitable for all ages.

Best wishes
Alison

 
 
January 2017 Update

Our members have started 2017 with huge energy and enthusiasm, with rallies and camps booking up as fast as we can arrange them and an incredible 40+ entries for the West Wilts Eventers Challenge on 14th February. If you would like to join a team please contact Lisa Powell (lisa.p@me.com) as soon as possible.

Mounted Games
We’ll be sending Junior and Novice Mounted Games teams to represent the OBHPC at the Area Trials on April 23rd.
We have several training rallies already planned (usually Fridays and occasional Sundays at Lyford) where you can learn the games. have fun with your pony and perhaps be selected for the teams.
Mounted Games is really good for increasing your general riding skills, balance and confidence while having a lot of fun. It teaches the rider and pony many essential skills useful across other sports. Contact Joanna Lambert by email for more details: JRJLambert@aol.com
Segway Rally
We have the opportunity to take 20 members for a “Segway Rally” at Bray Lake, Windsor from 6-8pm on Monday 1st May. The perfect rally for those older members on horses who miss the fun of mounted games and horseball. Team games, races, games and even polo, all on Segways! You need to be over 7st1lb to take part. £20 for 2 hours including Segway hire. To reserve your space please email alison@obhpc.co.uk before Mon 23rd Jan.

SJ Camp
The SJ camp is all but fully booked already so if you haven’t applied and had intended to, please contact Claire Lisi on 07880 622177 or c.lisi@hotmail.co.uk.

Eventing Camp
We have had an overwhelming response for the pre-season eventing camps at Aston and Boomerang so to secure places please send a deposit cheque for £50 to Lisa Heneghan, Alden Farm, Upton, OX11 9HS.
Just to clarify, the Aston camp will be seriously challenging at all levels and clearly aimed at those already competing at respective heights. Meanwhile, the Boomerang camp, whilst by no means the easy option, will be geared to encouragement and confidence building such that riders may even think, by the end, they would like to be moving up a level! Unfortunately there was a slight error on the last email as we are hoping the instructors at Boomerang will be Bert Scalesi, Ginny Haliwell, Toby Pigott and Nick Campbell – all highly experienced trainers who will be looking to push riders just a little bit out of their comfort zone. Lisa Heneghan lheneghan@btinternet.com

Dates for your Diary for this summer:

OBHPC Hunter Trial
Saturday 13th May at Wickstead
This year there will be a shortened course for younger riders as well as all the usual classes. All ages and abilities including parents!

OBHPC Junior Show
Sunday 4th June at Sower Hill, Uffington
Aimed at members and non-members aged 12 and under and those hoping to represent the branch in Grassroots SJ or Dressage teams this summer.

The Big Rally at Elmwood
Sunday 2nd July
Members of all ages are encouraged to come for a sociable day of riding. Please try your best to attend if you are going to Mini or Junior Camp as it is our opportunity to ensure you are in the correct ride for Camp.

OBHPC Mini ODE
Sunday 13th August at Lyford Stud
A lovely relaxed, fun event, with a mini XC course in a roped arena as well as the main XC courses.

A few changes to PC rules
There are a few changes to PC rules for 2017, the most relevant to our members is that long sleeves and medical armbands are now recommended but not compulsory for XC. Anyone with any chance of concussion following a fall will not be allowed to re-mount until they have been checked by a doctor; in reality this will mean not riding again that day. Anyone with confirmed concussion will not be allowed to ride for 21 days or until passed fit by a doctor.

Membership
The membership year runs to the end of January and we hope that everyone will be re-joining for another year to take advantage of the huge choice of rallies, camps, competitions and other activities as well as discounted hunting and event tickets, plus the great insurance that comes with membership of Pony Club. We’ll be sending the membership form out by email later this week, once Joy is back from the Philippines.

Below are rallies to the end of next month. Please check the website later this week as we are currently in the process of adding rallies for the next 4 months.

Finally, please make sure that you have the Awards Night on Saturday 11th February in your diary. In addition to giving out various awards we will be looking back on 2016 and discussing plans for camps, teams and tests for 2017 so it is the one event you really don’t want to miss.

Keep warm and dry!

Alison

December 2016 Update

The Christmas holidays started this weekend with a Xmas hack and jumping rally with Santa (Aaron), Mrs Santa (Sarah Charles) and they elves (coaches Jake, Jules, Honor and Faith) and 55 members, families and friends at Olympia.
On Thursday there is a very popular Musical Mince Pie Ride at Malthouse.

New Years Eve Mince Pie Ride
The Mince Pie Ride will be on New Year’s Eve this year starting at 11am from Larkhill Farm, Wantage, OX12 8PJ and going up beside the Point to Point course for a canter up the Point to Point Car Park field. Perfect for anyone with concerns about their brakes! It is aimed at those confident hacking in a group. Names please to alison@obhpc.co.uk

Hunting
After Christmas don’t miss the Children’s Meet at 11am on Weds 28th Dec  As with all Meets the exact venue will be confirmed 5 days in advance but it will be somewhere suitable for all abilities including those on the lead rein and is particularly aimed at children that have not hunted before. For those children (and parents) that regularly hunt – and coaches – it would be lovely to see you there too to assist with newcomers. Correct dress is beige jobs, shirt and PC tie with hacking jacket, or stock and black / navy jacket for older members, with ponies plaited, however we would rather see you out and comfortable than staying at home because you can’t plait or don’t have the right jacket. If it is cold or wet it is absolutely fine to wear a warmer coat or waterproofs. Please have your parent’s number in your pocket (not just on your phone) and we ask parents to stay in the area or follow on foot. It is helpful if you can email vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk to let her know you are coming so she can notify you of any last minute changes if there is adverse weather.

For older members – Area 9 training and lunge test 
A Test Training has proved to be very popular so Area 9 has arranged another training day on Monday 13th February 10.00 – 12.30 at Rectory Farm.
There will be a Lunge Test for members 16+ who already hold B Test.
Show Jump Training with Richard Waygood Friday 17th February at Rectory Farm.
Show Jump Training on 26th March at Rectory Farm with Spencer Sturmey at Rectory Farm.
Please book Area 9 training and tests with Julie Crew julie@jcrew.plus.com. Early booking very strongly recommended.

Summer Camp dates
Dates for 2017 Camps are now on the website http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/camps/
You will see that there is a little more flexibility on ages to allow members more choice in when to move up to the next Camp and we have introduced a new Tiny Trotters Camp aimed at our youngest members.

Specialist Camps
Following the success of last Easter’s eventing camp we will run two eventing camps in 2017 to ensure we can accomodate everyone.
SJ and Dressage Camps – would your child be interested in a specialist SJ or Dressage Camp? Please register interest with alison@obhpc.co.uk

PC Jackets
We will be putting in an order for warm, waterproof PC jackets later this week. They are £48 and the price includes adding a name under the logo if you pre-order.
They will be available from White Horse Feeds in Childrey in early January. Please pre-order if you would like us to put aside the right size for you or for your FREE personalisation – alison@obhpc.co.uk.
3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 or adult sizes 32, 34, 36. Payment on collection from White Horse Feeds by cheque only please.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Alison

November 2016 Update

Christmas Rallies
We have a lovely choice of fun Christmas rallies during the holidays, so please book early so that organisers have all the chocolate and mince pies they will need. While these rallies may not be the most obvious step towards equestrian Olympic success, they are the ones that memories are made of, and over the years it is clear that the riders that do these fun rallies are the riders that are still enjoying their horses well in to their teens.

Wooly Coats
For those with field kept ponies please don’t feel that your ponies need to be perfectly polished for rallies now that they are growing their winter coats. Equally we would prefer that members are warm and dry so they can enjoy their riding even if it means sacrificing a bit of their usual style!

The Beach Ride
The 2016 Beach Ride over half term will go down in OBHPC history as “the year it rained”. Well done to the brave parents that turned up in torrential rain, to the riders with huge grins galloping on the sand and the parents – in particular Keith Peplar – who dug and towed the horse boxes and trailers out of saturated sand when they started to sink….  For those who were concerned about the effect of salt water on tack, it really was well rinsed off. We look forward to do it all again next year!

Hunting
The hunting season has started and all OBH Pony Club members are welcome and encouraged to come along to any Meet. The address for each Meet is sent to hunt subscribers 5 days in advance so simply email our PC Hunt Rep Vanessa Kilgour (vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk ) to find out what is coming up. For those who hunt regularly you may prefer to ask Richard Holt, the hunt secretary (r-holt@hotmail.co.uk) to add you to the list but please CC Vanessa when emailing so she can verify that you are PC members.
We have a number of really good Mentors who would love to see more members out and will look after unaccompanied children to teach them what hunting is all about. This is not intended to be a “babysitting” service so members must be in control in all paces, and parents will need to stay nearby in case of problems. Vanessa will happily match you with a suitable mentor; whether you want to jump or not, or whether  you want to learn about how the hounds work, learn about traditions and etiquette or just to have someone to talk to.
Pony Club members pay a special rate of £20 (£10 for 12 and under).

Children’s Meet
There will be a special Children’s Meet on Wednesday 28th December 2016 and during February half term. For those that hunt regularly this is your chance to help the Master and whipper-in and for those that have never hunted this is the perfect opportunity to give it a go and there will be plenty of adults to help you get the most from the day. All welcome, younger children and those on lead rein will need to bring their own helper!

Awards Night
Our annual Awards Night will be on Saturday 11th February at the lovely new Letcombe Regis Village Hall. It is always a lovely evening, looking back at the thrills, spills and member achievements of the past year, so do put the date in your diary now.

Camps
Our residential Hartpury Camp will be 30th July – 4th August 2017.
We are finalising dates for our other Camps but they are likely to be the weeks immediately before and after Senior Camp and the confirmed dates will be on the website next week.

Our thanks to White Horse Feeds in Childrey for their ongoing support and sponsorship. In addition to feed, supplements and all the equipment you need for horse and rider, they have a great selection of gifts perfect for Xmas. They also sell the full range of OBHPC kit including the new style warm winter coats.
 
Keep warm,
 
Alison
 

October 2016 Update

Dates for 2017
Area 9 dates for tests and team events are now available. See the schedules / fixtures page for details. The Old Berks will be hosting the Area SJ as well as the Dengie SJ next year so be sure to put 15th July in your diary now. As soon as we have confirmation of dates from Hartpury, which rely on the BE calendar, we will be able to confirm all of our camp dates.

Hunting
Half term is the last opportunity for some autumn hunting, which tends to be at a slower pace until the proper season starts early in November, so is a great introduction for children. Contact Vanessa to check where and when upcoming meets will be or to be put in touch with one of our hunting mentors. v.kilgour@yahoo.co.uk 

Second Hand Kit
We will be having a clear out of Second Hand Kit later this month and propose to donate items to the Blue Cross if they have been in stock for some time and are unlikely to sell. If you have anything you don’t want us to donate please let Vicki know. vicki@clifford-jones.co.uk 

For older members
In addition to our branch rallies you will have received an email this week with some more specialist rallies in Area 9. Book fast as they always oversubscribe.
We will be running a Stage 2 Coaching Course on Nov 6th for members aged 16+ who have completed over 40 hours of coaching since passing their Stage 1 course. To book email alison@guidesforbrides.co.uk

Olympia 
We have just 6 tickets left for the Sunday afternoon performance and the entire show is now otherwise sold out. If you would like to join the group please let Sophie know. sophie@pearce1017fslife.co.uk

Half term rallies
There is a great choice of rallies next week including a couple of opportunities for parent participation on the Beach Ride and at the Lynham XC rally.

Our newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds Ltd, Foxhill Farm, Childrey  www.whitehorsefeeds.com – for all your horse feed, stable equipment and rider accessories. They have a full range of PC sweatshirts, rugby shirts, XC base layers and the new winter coats so stock up now before the weather turns cold.

Have a great half term!

Alison

 

September 2016 Update

Olympia 
With children back at school it is time to think of the annual OBHPC trip to Olympia. We have some great tickets in Block 14 for the afternoon performance on Sunday 18th December. They are £62.75 per person, with return bus from Wantage or Abingdon for £10 per person. Please email sophie@pearce1017.fslife.co.uk within the next 7 days, but as soon as possible. We always sell out!
 
Blenheim Eventers Challenge
Well done to our 1m team of Chiara, Flora, Max and Niamh who led the Pony Club Eventers Challenge for most of last Friday with an impressive team score of 372 out of a possible 375. They were beaten into 2nd place by just one point – or 0.5 of a second – towards the very end of the competition.
 
Area 9 SJ Championships
Well done to all our competitors who qualified for the Area 9 SJ Championships; we had some great results throughout the day and a WIN in the final class of the day for the team of Lila, Izzie, Scarlett and Sophie.
 
PC Championships, Tetrathlon Championships, Polo Championships and Grassroots Regional Championships
We had great success across all disciplines and at all levels at last month’s Championships – far to many to mention here. Former DC, Sue Cobham, summed it up in a letter saying “Every time I open Horse & Hound I see pictures of beaming OBHPC members waving rosettes or clutching silver cups”. Most importantly we saw some great team work with members and parents supporting each other and having fun together.
 
Mini ODE
Tor Coxhead and her team ran a fantastic Mini ODE at Lyford Stud earlier this month. It was a really fun, friendly day with competitors from numerous branches, and will hopefully become a regular fixture on our calendar. 
 
SJ Painting
After a busy summer our show jumps are in need of a bit of TLC and we need your help! If you haven’t been able to volunteer for anything else this summer this is your chance to do your bit. Details of two jump painting sessions will follow by email over the next week. Please look out for the email.
 
Volunteers Supper
And for those that have been working hard a throughout the year, running camps or rallies or making another significant contribution, look out for your invitation for the volunteers’ supper on Thursday 13th October. It is our opportunity to say thank you for all the time you give.
 

Mounted Games

After the success of the Junior team who reached the Zone Finals this summer, we are hoping to have teams for Junior, Senior and Lead-rein for next spring. If you are interested in giving it a go get in touch with Emma Jenning on emmajennings131@icloud.com and come along to some of the Friday sessions.

 
Team chasing
We will be sending a novice team to the Berkeley team chase on 2nd October and there is space for more members (aged 12+) to get involved. To find out more contact: emmaaird@btinternet.com.
 
Autumn Hunting
Autumn hunting has started. Some of the Saturday Meets are in the afternoon which tends to be a better option for children than the usual dawn start. If you would like to check where the next Meet is just email vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk
We have a number of Hunting Mentors who would love to help introduce our members to hunting, or help children already hunting to get more out of their day. Vanessa can put you in touch; please do use them – they are there to help.
The hunt have a couple of fixtures that members may want to get involved in:
Sunday 25th September – Gatejumping and Equine boot sale
Sunday 16th October HT at Wickstead
Full details of both are on www.oldberkshunt.co.uk
 
Our newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds Ltd, Foxhill Farm, Childrey  www.whitehorsefeeds.com – for all your horse feed, stable equipment and rider accessories.
They have a full range of PC sweatshirts, rugby shirts, XC base layers and the new winter coats so stock up now before the weather turns cold.
 
I hope you are enjoying the lovely September weather,
 
All the best
Alison
 

August 2016 Update

Wow! What a month the Old Berks have had!3 fantastic camps with lots of very happy children enjoying their ponies, challenging themselves and having lots of fun. Our thanks go to the incredibly hard-working camp leaders and also our fantastic instructors who throw their hearts and souls into the camp spirit.At Mini Camp the well established team of Lucy, Emma and Pam ran their final camp together as a team with their customary enthusiasm, efficiency and sense of fun that ensured parents had as much fun as the children. Facebook was full of photos of happy children and colourful ponies all having a great three days and culminating in a lovely parade. We really hope to see the trio back together in the future!Michelle, Jonathan, Claire and Sandra had an incredible 68 members at Junior Camp this year. The slick organisation was something to behold with instructors, coaches and volunteers all carefully timetabled to ensure that members and their ponies could enjoy all that Wickstead offers. I particularly take my hat off to the Junior Camp team who, despite having record numbers during the day, re-introduced a night of camping for those moving on the Senior Camp next year.Joanna took over the reins at Senior Camp, ably assisted by Joy, Jill and Caroline. With most 12 year olds staying an extra year at Junior Camp we enjoyed lower numbers at Hartpury, enabling us to offer a flexible afternoon programme which gave us a real insight in what members really enjoy – a lot of which didn’t involve saddles. 17 members took, and passed, C Test and we ran a successful program under Caroline’s watchful eye with 6 of our coaches taking on the role of stable managers.To prepare for Camps Lisa and her team ran a great Elmwood Big Rally with a great range of activities to get everyone warmed up for the summer. It also served as final team training for some of our teams, and what a summer the teams are having!If anything is testament to the importance of training it is the results our teams have had this year.
In dressage, SJ and eventing, teams or individuals qualified for the Championships in every level we entered and our teams won both the Mini and Junior eventing Areas.
3 members qualified for the Tetrathlon Championships.Well done to all those that have qualified for one of the three Championship weekends; we hope you enjoy a great weekend of competition, team work and camaraderie. Thank you to our incredibly hard working team managers and instructors for all you have done to help so many children achieve their dreams.Last, but by no means least, the OBHPC Jorrocks team won the U11 section at the Polo Championships. In the past the OBH were well known on the PC polo circuit and it is lovely to see  our younger members doing so well.Enjoy the rest of the holidays, and don’t forget to give your busy ponies an occasional day off!AlisonOur Newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds in Childrey who can equip you with all your feed and stable requirements and have a new supply of OBHPC XC skins and jackets available now.
 

July 2016 Update

Firstly, an apology for the number of emails we have sent out recently. HQ have updated their database and we don’t yet have the facility to just send emails  to the relevant members. That will be resolved soon, but in the meantime please accept our apologies.

 
Elmwood Big Rally
120 members will be at the Elmwood Big Rally on Thursday for a fun day of riding, picnics and ice-cream to start the holidays. Our apologies for the handful of children whose schools have broken up very late – the following week is Senior Camp so sadly we couldn’t hold it any later.
 
New Kit
We have some great new kit coming in ready to try on and buy at Elmwood, and available from White Horse Feeds after that.
The range will include long sleeve base layers, suitable for all ages. They are a quick drying high performance fabric so perfect for XC rallies, camps and competitions and available for all ages. Boys will be delighted to hear that we have reversed the colours; they are navy blue, with OLD BERKS in pale blue on the sleeve.
For older members we are adding a more fitted jacket to the range, available in winter or summer weights, and a high performance fitted polo shirt.
 
High Flyers
A huge well done to three of our members this month on International selections; John Church has been selected for the Pony Club Tetrathlon team competing in Ireland; Niamh Warburton is Reserve for the Pony Europeans in Denmark and Becca Bell is on her way to Spain with the GB Junior Dressage Team having successfully made the transitions from ponies to horses since last summer. It must seem a long time since their days in Minis to these members, but that is where all three started.
 
Mounted Games Zones
Our Mounted Games squad had a great day at the Zone Finals this month, making it into the finals for the first 3 races and finishing 10th overall. They will be recruiting new members in the hope of a Junior and Senior team for next year to make a bid to get to the Championships.
 
Badminton dressage
12 members competed at Badminton in the PC Dressage Championships this week, with all 12 finishing in the top 10 across the 2 classes. Our teams of Verity, Erin, Zoe and Jake, Izzie, George finishing 4th and 8th with Jake finishing 8th in the Ride-Off and Sasha winning the Open Warm-Up class.
 
Area Competitions
Good luck to our Area teams who will be competing in SJ this Sunday, Dressage on Wednesday, Eventing next Saturday. We have 72 members competing in total; keep up with the results by liking OBHPC on Facebook. www.facebook.com/obhpc
 
Over half our members will be at Camps over the next few weeks; have a fantastic time and enjoy the start of the summer holidays!
 
Alison
 
Our newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds Ltd, Foxhill Farm, Childrey  www.whitehorsefeeds.com – for all your horse feed, stable equipment and rider accessories.

June 2016 Update

Camps
Junior Camp is fully booked. If you would like to be added to the waiting list please contact the organisers as soon as possible.
Mini and Senior Camp both have limited space left.
 
Teams
Team long lists are on the website for SJ, Dressage and Eventing. Please check to see if your name is on there! Final deadline for entries for SJ teams is this Friday with Eventing and Dressage soon after, so if you haven’t done so since lists were sent out on Friday, if you are on the long list PLEASE contact the discipline managers to re-confirm your availability, book into at least one team training session, and confirm your horse / pony’s name. If you are no longer available to compete, or cannot attend any training, please let us know so you can be removed from the list.
 
Stainswick Show
Joanna Lambert’s wonderful no-plaits, no-stress Stainswick Show is on Saturday 25th June. This is a fantastic show with lots for young or novice members, and there are SJ classes up to 85cm with qualifiers for the Rectory Farm SJ Championships. The 85cm class won’t be before 3pm, and it would be great to see some of our Junior team hopefuls there.
Elmwood Big Rally
It is time to book in for the Elmwood Big Rally! It is on Thursday 21st July and we hope that as many members as possible will be there. It is particularly important to attend if you are going to be at Mini or Junior Camp, or your first year at Senior Camp, as it enables us to ensure everyone is in the right ride for Camps. It will also be a key training date for the Mini and Junior Eventing teams.
To book – simply choose 2 (or just one if you would prefer) activities from the list below, stating the height/level you would prefer, and email lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk – as soon as possible!
This year the rally will be a “Bring a Friend” day. If you have a friend who isn’t a member of Pony Club, invite them to come along and join in the fun. Simply forward this to them so they can book direct with Lisa. 
As before, in addition to your two riding sessions there will be plenty of opportunities to spend time with your PC friends, have a picnic and eat icecream!
  • SJ – Mini On or Off Lead Rein, 50-60cm, 60-70cm, 70-80cm, 80-90cm, 90-100cm, 1m+
  • XC – Mini On or Off Lead Rein, 50-65cm, 70-80cm, 85-95cm, 1m+
  • Flatwork – Mini, Junior, Senior (12+)
  • Dressage (bring a test to ride) – Mini, Junior, Senior
  • Mounted Games – Mini On or Off Lead Rein, Junior
  • Handy Pony – Mini On or Off Lead Rein, Junior
  • Treasure Hunt – Mini On or Off Lead Rein, Junior
  • Eventing Team training sessions – Mini (60-70cm), Junior (80cm), Novice (90-95cm) covering Dressage, SJ and XC

 

Junior Show
The Junior Show earlier this month was a great success. We have had some lovely comments from judges, delighted by how polite children, parents and ponies were. Sower Hill is a great venue and we are very grateful to the Soden family for hosting us, as well as organisers Lisa Powell, Helen Keen, Caroline Norton-White and their committee for their hard work which ensured that members and visitor all had a great day AND raised more than £1500 for branch funds to help subsidise rallies throughout the year.
 
PC Coats, Polo Shirts, Sweatshirts and Saddlepads
White Horse Feeds in Childrey will be placing an order for PC Coats in the next couple of weeks. They have the new logo with OBHPC below and your name if you would like it to be personalised, and OLD BERKS on the back. To order please call Maureen or Lynda at White Horse Feeds on 01235 751529.
They also have a supply of sweatshirts and polo shirts in all sizes in stock, and will be receiving a new delivery of OBHPC saddle pads in the next few days. Please remember they can only accept payment by cheque or cash for PC items as they stock them on our behalf.
 
Enjoy the last weeks of term; the holidays are nearly here!
 
Alison
 
Our newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds Ltd, Foxhill Farm, Childrey  www.whitehorsefeeds.com – for all your horse feed, stable equipment and rider accessories.
 
Fixtures – there are an incredible 58 activities on offer over the next 6 weeks to ensure that ponies (and members!) are fit and ready for the summer. Please book in as early as possible to make life easier for our busy rally organisers and instructors. 
 

MAY 2016 Update

Ready for the summer?

Too hot, too cold, rugs on, rugs off, too little grass, too much grass. With the erratic Spring weather it is a real challenge to get the balance right to ensure horses and ponies are feeling at their best in time for a busy summer, but one of the benefits of being a Pony Club member is the access to free advice whenever you want it. There are various people here to call on, starting with our instructors who are all incredibly knowledgeable and who you all hopefully know well enough to discuss any concerns with – and vice versa. Alternatively Fiona Jack (07879 854712), Tussell Humphrey (07975 986270) and Ros Hayward (07702 959869) are always happy to help. For advice on getting the right balance when it comes to feeding, White Horse Feeds (01235 751529) can give specialist advice.

 
Congratulations
Well done to our Mounted Games team: Lara, Scarlett, Daisy, Gabriel and Charleigh, who finished as runners up at the Areas so have qualified for the Zone Finals in July.
Well done also to Lauren Obosi and Honor McFarlane who both competed in the Mitsubishi Motors Cup at Badminton with a huge crowd of OBHPC supporters cheering them on.
 
Olympia
Tickets are now available for Olympia for the afternoon performance on Sunday 18th December. The organisers are unable to offer any discounts for the weekend performances this year as they sell out so early, however we have a great assignment of tickets for what is possibly the best performance of the week, and it is alwanys a great trip. The cost is £62.75 per person, with return bus from Wantage or Abingdon available at £10 per person. Please email sophie@pearce1017.fslife.co.uk to reserve your tickets as soon as possible and send her a cheque before the end of the month.
 
Camps
Booking is now open for all three summer camps so please get your forms in and come and join in the fun. We have worked hard to keep prices as low as last year which is great value for excellent instruction and great facilities. The tetrathlon camp in June is fully booked.
 
New Members
There is a national recruitment drive to encourage new members to join Pony Club so we have two opportunities for potential members to see what we are all about. If you know anyone aged 8 or under who might want to join, Amelia is running a fun and games rally on Tuesday 1st June at Oldfield Farmhouse with games, a treasure hunt, handy pony and a picnic. We hope that lots of our members will be there, so please book in and encourage any non-members you know to come in. Please book with Amelia by email: ameliamacpherson@yahoo.co.uk
The Big Elmwood Rally on 21st July will be a “bring a friend” rally so feel free to encourage non-members of all ages to come along for a trial session. Book in with Lisa Smith: lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk
 
Junior Show and Mini ODE
Our fabulous 12s and Under Show is at Sower Hill on Sunday 5th June.
The Mini ODE is at Lyford Stud on Saturday 2nd July with jumps at 50cm and 60cms.
Schedules for both, plus details for lots of other local shows and events, are on our schedules page: http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/schedules
 
Good Luck
Good luck to all our members competing for their schools at Stonar tomorrow, and well done to those who competed for their schools at Royal Windsor today.
 
And finally, Hannah Richardson and her pony Kit have been having the time of their lives at Royal Windsor all this week, meeting the Queen and playing her as a young princess in the Parade every evening. We’ll be adding more photos to Facebook as they become available. www.facebook.com/OBHPC
 
For those with GCSEs, AS Levels and A Levels this month, good luck!
 
Alison
 
Our newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds Ltd, Foxhill Farm, Childrey  www.whitehorsefeeds.com – for all your horse feed, stable equipment and rider accessories.
 

APRIL  2016 Update

This month we have been devastated by news of Bonnie Armitage’s tragic death while riding her beloved pony, Lindsay. While her family face the future without her, they have taken comfort from so many beautiful tributes on social media, from our members, and then the wider equestrian world, showing their support by using the blueforbonnie hashtag.
Representatives of the Old Berks, Cotswold and Beaufort Pony Clubs are honouring Bonnie with blue armbands at official events this month and our mounted games team, which she was part of last year, will be leading the junior competitors in a moment of silent reflection at their Areas on Sunday.
When the time is right, we will discuss a lasting tribute to mark Bonnie’s time with us.
 
Horse & Pony Care
Our Horse & Pony Care teams triumphed at the Areas this month, coming 1st in the Senior competition and 1st and 2nd in the Junior competition. Huge congratulations to Shannon Lewis, Rosie Mason, Holly Mason, Eleanor Hubbard, Ophelia Spracklen and Fenella Mathieson who will be heading to the Championships in August, and Henry Jennings, Jessie Saunders and Thea Hubbard who are hoping to have been the highest scoring runners-up to secure their place at the Championships too.
 
Pony Racing
It was great to see so many pony club jockeys competing at the pony races at the OBH point to point and dominating the winner’s podium at the neighbouring point to point at Hackwood Park. Well done to all. Next year the OBH are hoping to put on some races open specifically for pony club ponies.
 
Novice Team Chasing
Our team of Toby, Sasha, Lottie and Estelle finished on an impressive score of zero at the Avon Vale team chase last week, coming 4th over a challenging course in deep mud. If you would like to join them in the autumn please contact Emma Aird.
 
Coming up…..
 
Mounted Games
Good luck for the Areas at the Four Counties Showground on Sunday to Lara Marsh, Gabriel Jennings, Scarlett Starkey, Charleigh Pettit and Daisy Chugg. Romilly McIntosh has been a key team member, but a change of pony has meant missing the competition for this year.
 
Badminton Mitsubishi Cup
Good luck to Honor McFarlane and Ziggy who will be competing for the Mitsubishi Cup (previously known as the Grassroots Championships) at Badminton next month.
 
Camps
Booking opens for Mini, Junior and Senior Camps on 1st May. It is a huge help to organisers if you can book early;  we will be able to guarantee places for all members booking by 1st June into the appropriate Camp and will try our best to accommodate those booking later, especially for mini camp.
 
Tetrathlon Camp
Booking is open for the joint OBHPC and VWHPC tetrathlon camp weekend at Boomerang in June. It is the ideal opportunity to improve your skills, give tetrathlon a go if you haven’t tried it before, and spend time with pony club friends. Email Annabel Saunders to book your space: maxsultan77@googlemail.com
 
Blenheim Eventers Challenge
We are delighted to have made it through the ballot for the Blenheim 100cm Team Eventer Challenge on Friday 9th September. The team to represent the OBH will be selected nearer the time.
 
A Princess in our Midst
Those who have been keeping an eye on Facebook may have spotted that the search for a Princess for the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations ended here in the OBHPC. Very well done to Hannah and her pony Kit who were competing against members from all over the UK for this honour. They have an exciting week of rehearsals and performances to look forward to in Windsor next month.
 
And finally …
You will be able to see a number of our mini and junior members in a BBC documentary later this year. After lots of top secret screen tests and interviews they spent three days filming with a film crew of twenty at Boomerang over Easter. Details will follow once we know the screening dates.
 
Our newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds Ltd, Foxhill Farm, Childrey  www.whitehorsefeeds.com – for all your horse feed, stable equipment and rider accessories.
 
 

MARCH  2016 Update

We are looking forward to seeing lots of you at the Dengie SJ Finals at Hartpury on Sunday. We are hosting the competition, so huge thanks go to all those who are assisting on the day and the night before, and particularly to Claire Lisi and Helen Keen for running the event.

Grassroots Championships
This year, in addition to the main Cholmondley Championships there will be Pony Club Regional Grassroots Championships at Rectory Farm on 27th August (Dressage – PC Grassroots Test 2016) & 28th August (SJ – 80cm).
Teams will be able qualify in the relevant classes at the Area 9 Dressage (27th July) and Area Show Jumping (17th July), the top 10 teams at each competition will qualify for the Regional Grassroots Championships.
This competition is open to any age of member with any size of horse or pony, but riders must not have represented their Branch at Novice level or above. Please let Amelia (dressage) and Claire (SJ) know if you are interested in taking part.

Spurs Permission
You should have received your blue Members’ Reference Book in the post, along with your membership card. If you need Spurs Permission please send your membership card and an SAE to me for signing, or bring it to the Dengie SJ on Sunday.

Advice on spurs permission is here: http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/useful-information-for-new-members/wearing-spurs/

 
C+ and B Test Assessments
For those thinking of taking their C+ or B Tests this summer please get your name down ASAP with Fiona Jack. There are ridden assessments on 31/3 and 7/4 and it is important for you to attend one (or both) so that you know what you need to work on before the tests. There will be a Boot Camp at the end of August for final polishing for B Test (and C+ space permitting) but these tests both need a fair amount of preparation before then.
 
Mini ODE
We will be holding a Mini ODE at Lyford Stud on Saturday 2nd July. The Schedule is here: http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/files/2014/03/Mini-ODE.pdf
 
New PC Logo
At the Pony Club conference this month the new logo was unveiled as part of a complete re-branding of Pony Club. You can see the new logo on the HQ site, however the transition will take a significant amount of time. We will continue to stock clothing with the existing logo for now, particularly as they still haven’t finalised the new design.
 
And finally, if any over 12’s, with a parent, can spare a couple of hours next Wednesday or Thursday to re-paint the point-to-point runner and rider boards, Henry Allenby would really appreciate your help. If you can spare a couple of hours please call Henry on 07775 678254.
 
Our newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds Ltd, Foxhill Farm, Childrey  www.whitehorsefeeds.com – for all your horse feed, stable equipment and rider accessories.
 
 

February 2016 Update

According to new statistics from headquarters, Old Berks Hunt is now the second largest pony club in the UK. That is all down to having such enthusiastic members, parents and volunteers getting involved in supporting an incredibly wide range of activities.
 

Awards Night

Well done to all of the winners at our annual Awards last Friday. We were delighted that Mel Jones flew back from Ireland for the weekend to receive a Lifetime Award, having taught for the OBHPC for 25 years. Lucinda was presented with an apple tree as thanks from us all for the time she dedicated to the branch as a Joint DC. Jasmine Humphries has kindly donated a wonderful plaque in memory of her horse Molly which was presented this year to Henry Jennings for his involvement in all areas of Pony Club life. Member of the Year went to Jack Whiteford in recognition of his high level of horsemanship demonstrated in the Areas, at the Championships and in his B Test – as well as for his excellent sense of fashion!
The full list of winners, and the public version of the video of 2015, are on www.facebook.com/obhpc
 
Teams and Tests
During the Awards evening we discussed teams and tests for the coming year to avoid the need for the annual “Teams and Tests Meeting” now that all of the information is online. 
 
Accounts
The evening also gave members the opportunity to view our annual accounts; if you weren’t there and would like to see a copy please email me. Our balance is looking healthy so we will be able to continue to subsidise rallies and training. 
 
Eventing Camp
The two day eventing camp at Easter is fully booked. If you missed out this year we expect to repeat it next year.
 
Area 9 Quiz
Good luck to our Quiz team at the Areas next weekend. It is the first time we have entered a team for a few years so we look forward to hearing all about it.
 

Dengie Show Jumping

If you haven’t already entered, the Indoor SJ we are running in the International Arena at Hartpury on 20th March is filling very fast so please enter now! There are classes from 75cm to 110cms for teams and individuals and for most classes you don’t need to have qualified in order to enter. If you don’t have a full team don’t worry, we will put teams together as entries come in. http://branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire/files/2014/03/Hartpury-schedule-2016-f3-1.pdf
 
If you aren’t all exhausted from a packed schedule of rallies over half term, the fixture list for the next month is below.
 
Enjoy the rest of half term,
 
Alison
 
Our newsletter is kindly sponsored by White Horse Feeds Ltd, Foxhill Farm, Childrey  www.whitehorsefeeds.com – for all your horse feed, stable equipment and rider accessories.
 

January 2016 Update

Awards Night
We are gearing up for our annual Awards Night on Friday 12th February. If you have any great photos taken during the year that show what the OBHPC is all about we would love to include them. Please email high resolution images to erica.louise.howe@gmail.com. We have had a request for a “Big Break” award this year, restricted to those that broke a bone as a result of their pony activities – not necessarily while riding. So if you are unlucky enough to *fall* into that category, please dig out a photo and email it to Erica.
  
Calling potential Coaches
There will be a Step 1 Coaching course again this Easter for members aged 16+ who would like to get involved in teaching younger members. The expectation is that Coaches have already passed their C+ Test however exceptions will be considered. It is a one day course after which you will be able to start assisting at rallies to gain experience before taking the Step 2 and Step 3 courses. If you are interested please email alison@obhpc.co.uk
 
Horseball
Back by popular request, our first horseball rally will be on Wednesday 17th February at Malthouse. It would be great to have some of the “old hands” who have played before to come and show the younger members how it’s done.
 
Polocrosse taster day
Take your horseball skills one step further with a polocrosse taster day at Hartpury on Friday 19th February. Your pony will need to wear bandages or protective boots but no other equipment is needed. See the fixtures list for details.
 
Pony Racing
Described by previous competitors as “a chance in a lifetime” the Lockinge point-to-point gives members the opportunity to experience racing their own pony, on the flat. The point-to-point is on Easter Monday 28th March and there will be two pony races, both of which are 7 furlongs – roughly half way round the course. Competitors are briefed and taken on a course walk before parading in the main ring and being escorted to the start. After the race the highest placed ponies return to the winners enclosure – just as they would after the main races. And yes, there is betting on the race results!
13.2hh and under for children aged between 9 – 11 years 
14.2hh and under for children aged between 12 – 15 years 
Only 8 competitors are allowed in each section with priority going to OBHPC members and we are really hoping that this year there will be enough members to make it an OBHPC race, particularly in the 13.2hh section. Henry Allenby is kindly sponsoring a prize for the highest placed member in each race. 
If you are interested in taking part please contact Do Curtis joannacurtis@upperfarm.uk.com. She will send you all the information you need and dates of the gallops rallies to help get ponies really fit.
 

Life after the C Test?
If you are thinking about moving on to take your C+ or B test, plan ahead and book your Pony Club Road Rider or BHS Riding and Road Safety Test now. You need to have one of these tests under your belt before you can take your C+ or B test.   The BHS one is the most suitable if you are ultimately planning to take your A Test, and it is recognised outside of Pony Club, however there are limited BHS centres offering it. The Pony Club equivalent is a shorter, less expensive course but availability is strictly limited so apply early. The dates for this year are 27/6/16 theory and 3/7/16 ridden assessment. For details or to book contact Tussel Humphrey: info@brookfarmcottages.com

 
Our team of rally organisers have been working on some great rallies for the Spring, many of which are already on the Fixtures list below.
 
Keep warm!
Alison
 

December 2015 Update

The last schools have broken up today so Christmas has officially started!  The highlight of the holidays for younger members will be the Minis Christmas Hack on Sunday 27th December. This will be a relaxed amble in walk and trot for those on or off lead-rein, across Fawley Stud’s fields and countryside, hunting for chocolates and goodies as you go. The perfect way to burn off a mince pie or two for parents too! Please contact Erica Howe to book. erica.louise.howe@gmail.com
 
The Children’s Meet is at 11am on Monday 28th December. It is suitable for all ages and abilities, including lead rein, and there will be plenty of jumping for older members keen to challenge themselves. Mounted parents are welcome if they are leading / assisting their children but otherwise the Meet is aimed at children and mentors. While your child is hunting please stay either in the lorry park or follow on foot / in a car.
What to wear: beige jods, shirt and pony club tie, hacking jacket or a warm riding coat (your pony club coat is fine) and a dark plain silk on your hat. Back protectors are strongly recommended. In your pocket you should have your parents’ telephone numbers on a piece of card (even if you have a mobile phone), and a chocolate bar too if it fits. Ponies should be clean and plaited.
The exact location of the Meet will be sent out 5 days in advance so please email our Hunting rep Vanessa Kilgour for details, or if you would like any other details of this Meet or any other. vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk
 

Dates for senior camp are now confirmed as the 25th – 29th July, with arrival on the evening of Sunday 24th and departure at lunchtime on the 29th. We received some really helpful feedback from the recent senior camp surveys and as a result we will be offering some specialist rides for 2016 including a C+/B Test preparation group, a specialist dressage group and a “countryside” group, as well as the 16+ group which proved so popular last year. The countryside group will be aimed at those members who are keen to come to camp and have an active and interesting week but don’t necessarily want to spend every moment with their pony. Further details will follow, or speak to Joanna Lambert for more information. jrjlambert@aol.com

You may have noticed that the Area Dressage falls on the Wednesday of senior camp, however it is at Kemerton Hall this year, just off the M5 and only 30 minutes from Hartpury so plans are being made to make sure members don’t have to miss out on either.
If you were at senior camp last summer and haven’t completed the survey please do it now. Your feedback is really important to us and makes a difference to how camp is run. This is the web address for the survey, and it should now work for a second child from the same household: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7HMW5CF
 
Don’t forget to put the Awards Night in your diary for Friday 12th February. It is a lovely opportunity to catch up with friends, see a round up of the past year and see who wins the increasingly ridiculous awards we will be coming up with.
One such award will be the Sock award, this year sponsored by SoxTrot who have offered 5 pairs of their fabulous american riding socks to whoever comes up with the most creative photo featuring their socks. If you have already got a pair, now is the time to get creative, simply take a photo and upload it to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OBHPC. If not, you might want to get a pair of socks on your Christmas list! http://www.soxtrotuk.com
 
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
 
Alison & Lucinda

 

November 2015 Update

Winter is definitely upon us and rallies are moving indoors with a focus on trying out new things and consolidating all that members learnt over the busy summer months.

A number of our under 10s have submitted screen tests and are waiting for news of whether our branch will be chosen to feature in a BBC documentary next year. At the other end of our age spectrum some of our Coaches will be taking the next steps in their training in order to qualify to teach SJ and XC to our younger members.

The hunting season has started. Check with Vanessa Kilgour (vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk) if you would like to know where the Meet is on a particular date. PC members wearing their PC badge are entitled to a discounted rate of £10 per day, or £5 for under 12, but please remember to go and find the secretary as soon as you arrive at the Meet and don’t leave it for them to come and ask for your cap. Dismounted parents must follow on foot or in a vehicle or remain in touch and nearby.

Camp dates for next summer have now all been confirmed. See www.obhpc.co.uk for more details.

We are delighted to welcome two new Assistant District Commissioners to assist in the smooth running of the Branch. Both are well known to many of our members and will each bring a new set of skills to our committee: James Gardiner will help oversee team selection, branch logistics, fundraising and our events as well as being our Health & Safety Officer.  Joanna Lambert will help oversee the co-ordination of tests and hunting and be a point of contact for members looking for or selling ponies, as well as heading up the Senior Camp team.

We have also taken this opportunity to look at the committee structure, re-introducing a small “decision-making” committee voted in to serve a three year term, to run alongside our team of rally organisers.  These rally organisers really are the life-blood of the Branch and we are pleased to have a number of new faces joining the experienced team. We can boldly say that we are approaching 2016 with a refreshed and enthusiastic team with lots of exciting plans and ideas.

Rally dates to the end of December are below and please come along to support the Pony Club Xmas Coffee Morning next Tuesday 24th November from 10am-12pm in Sophie Sayer’s barn; Warren Down House, Letcombe Bassett.

Best wishes

Alison & Lucinda

 

October 2015 Update

There is definitely an autumn feel in the air and as the clocks go back and we have less opportunity to ride after school, demand for spaces at rallies suddenly increase, so please be considerate to rally organisers and book in as early as you can so they can plan their groups.

Details of half term Autumn hunting have been circulated, and if you would like further information please contact our hunting rep, Vanessa Kilgour (vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk). For those aged 12+ and working towards their hunting badge, or those just keen to learn more about hunting, we have a number of mentors that you can be paired up with on the hunting field. For children hunting for the first time, on a new horse, or for parents wanting some peace of mind, we now have an instructor who is happy to escort and instruct on the hunting field for a couple of hours on a one-to-one basis. Vanessa Kilgour will be happy to put you in touch.

Our newly formed Team Chasing squad had their first outing last weekend and stormed home with huge smiles, more than a minute inside the bogey time. They will be heading out again on the 8th November (perhaps with more effective brakes?) with 2 teams in the 3ft Novice class which again is judged on a bogey time. If you are interested in joining them please email Emma Aird (emmaaird@btinternet.com) for details.
 
There is a tetrathlon Postal Shoot again this winter, so anyone wanting to improve their shooting skills with some friendly competition, contact Fred Church for details. He can also give you details of the Triathlons coming up later this month.
 
Wickstead Horseplay will be running their Arena Eventing series again this winter. There is a Pony Club section and classes from 80cm to 110cm. The first date of the series is on 1st November.
 
Also on 1st November is the OBH Gate Jumping competition at Gainfield Farm with an under 16 section starting at 10.30am, followed by a 16-25s class with £100 prize, and an Open class where competitors can remove clothing to stay in if they knock down the gate.
 
Dates for your Diary are below, in addition to rallies coming up over the next month.
 
Have a great half term!
 
Alison & Lucinda
 
Dates for your Diary 2016
 
The Awards night is on Friday February 12th in Hanney Village Hall and we hope that all members and their parents can be there.
 
Dates for Camps are now being confirmed with Senior Camp at Hartpury the last week of July, Junior Camp at Wickstead the first week of August, and Mini Camp dates to be finalised but probably over the first weekend of August.

Area 9 Dates for 2016:

  • 13th Mar Dengie Dressage – Moores Farm
  •  
  • 20th Mar Dengie Show Jumping – Hartpury (Hosted by Old Berks Hunt PC)
  •  
  • 25th Mar Pony Racing Cheltenham
  •  
  • 2nd Apr Dengie Show Jumping Finals – Addington
  •  
  • 3rd Apr Dengie Dressage Finals – Addington
  •  
  • April Area Horse and Pony Care
  •  
  • 30th May Hickstead SJ Qualifier – Kemble Show
  •  
  • 2nd-3rd  July Area Tetrathlon – Gadbury
  •  
  • 4th-5th July  16+ clinic – Rectory Farm
  •  
  • 10th July Barbury Show Jumping
  •  
  • 14th July Area Eventing (Open class only) to be held at Upton House BE Event
  •  
  • 17th July Area Show Jumping – Stowell Park
  •  
  • 23rd July  Area Eventing (Intermediate, Novice and Junior 80cm) – Dauntsey
  •  
  • 27th July Area Dressage – Kemerton Hall
  •  
  • 3rd Aug Jorrocks Polo
  •  
  • 5th-7th Aug Cowdray Polo Champs
  •  
  • 6th-7th Aug Reg Tetrathlon
  •  
  • Aug TBC Area Mini Eventing – Rabson
  •  
  • 11th-14th Aug Tetrathlon Championships – Bishop Burton
  •  
  • 19th-23rd Aug Main Pony Club Championships – Cholmondeley Castle
  •  
  • Sept 4th Area 9 SJ Championships – Rectory Farm

 

September 2015 Update

As children return to school and ponies finally get a few well earned days off, we can reflect on an incredibly busy and successful summer for the OBHPC. More than half our members – 167 in total – attended Mini, Junior or Senior Camp and enjoyed the opportunity to try a variety of different activities. Lila and Evie enjoyed a moment of fame when Spencer’s video of them jumping bareback at Camp went viral on Facebook. Members qualified for the PC Championships in SJ, Dressage, Eventing, Tetrathlon and Horse & Pony Care, with top 10 Championship placings in SJ, Dressage and Eventing, Team 2nd in Intermediate Dressage and another national win for Fiona Jack’s Horse and Pony Care team. 135 members passed tests from E to AH level, with a 100% pass rate within the Branch, which is quite a feat at C+, B and AH level. The holidays ended with the Area 9 SJ Championships at Rectory Farm where OBHPC almost swept the board with our teams winning 4 of the 6 classes.

Our branch is bucking the national trend and is growing in membership year on year, thanks largely to an incredibly committed committee of volunteers putting on such a range of rallies, camps and team activities. Sadly, increased work commitments have meant that Lucinda is stepping down from her role as Joint DC at the end of the year, but will be continuing in a slightly less time consuming role. To continue to serve our members well we will be making some changes to the way the committee is structured, opening the way for more parents to get involved in a wide variety of roles. Now is your chance to step forward if there are any areas that you feel you can help with; simply reply to this email for more details.

Hunter Trial

The OBH Hunter Trial is on Sunday 11th October. The schedule is on the website and if yu aren’t competing but can give up a few hours to jump judge please contact Jane Marsh.  email: marsh-jane@btconnect.com

Team Chasing

We will be putting together a team or two for some low key (approx 90cm) team chasing this autumn. At the moment we are aiming for Grafton on 18th October and Bicester on the 8th November but there are various other opportunities. For more details please reply to this email.

Alison & Lucinda

 

August 2015 Update

What a busy month it has been!
  • More than 100 members have had an amazing time with their friends and ponies at either Mini Camp in Brightwalton or Junior Camp in Wickstead.
  • 116 members enjoyed the very well-named “Big Rally” and BBQ at Elmwood.
  • We had a very successful Dressage Area competition with members qualifying for the Championships in all three levels.
  • At the Eventing Areas we had 5 teams competing at the Mini and Junior competition and all 5 teams were placed in the top 5. At Novice, Intermediate and Open levels we had members qualifying for the Championships in all three levels.
  • Jack Church has been competing as part of the Tetrathlon Central team this week and has qualified for the Championships.
  • Members have has great results in dressage and show jumping at the Trailblazers championships and the RC Eventing championships.
  • Becca Bell is heading home from an incredible week in Malmo as part of the European Pony Dressage Team where she was part of the gold medal winning team.
  • Numerous tests and badges have been achieved and 34 members passed their D+ test at Junior Camp.
  • Lots of  members gave up time to help at camps, and their assistance, along with the new coaches, proved absolutely invaluable.

Results and lots of photos from all of our activities are on our branch Facebook page: www.facebook.com/OBHPC

 
Coming up later this month we have Senior Camp at Hartpury which will include a new over 16’s Camp. We have a number of candidates taking C, C+ and B test. Members will be representing us at the Championships for Horse and Pony Care, Show Jumping, Dressage, Tetrathlon and Eventing and we wish them all the best of luck.
Although it seems like the summer is only just beginning, autumn hunting starts next month so in preparation we have a kennel visit and mock hunt, and on Friday 28th August we have our end-of-summer BBQ and fund raiser at Aaron Nobb’s yard in Radcot. If you haven’t already bought tickets they are available from Michelle Noys.
 
Kit amnesty. Now that the Areas are over it would be great to gather in any kit that is still out there. Please check tack rooms, horse boxes and your laundry baskets, and if any OBHPC kit has made its way home with you please pass it to Amelia, Joy, Ros, Lucinda or Alison, or bring to the BBQ on the 28th August. We are missing a couple of radios, saddlecloths (new borrowed ones that haven’t yet come back and the old style with OBHPC in blue), pale blue hat silks, OBHPC rugby shirts, a royal blue Hit Air air jacket and a black and red pull cord for the air jackets.
 
Enjoy the summer and don’t forget to give your ponies an occasional day off over the holidays!
 
Alison & Lucinda

 

July 2015 Update

Camps

Mini and Junior Camps are now full, with waiting lists being held for both. There are a few spaces left at Senior Camp but please get your forms in to Joy in the next few days if you would like to come.

The Big Rally at Elmwood

We have 87 members of all ages already booked in, so please book by return if you would like to come and haven’t yet booked. We will have morning and afternoon sessions with a BBQ lunch and icecream van in between. Book with Lisa Smith: lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk

Area SJ

Our Area teams were 9th in Juniors, 8th in Novice, 3rd and 8th in Intermediate, only just missing out on a Championship Qualifier, with Sasha H qualifying as an individual. However the new saddlepads may have contributed to fantastic results outside the ring, with OBH teams claiming 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th positions across the Novice and Intermediate Tack & Turnout competitions!

Barbury SJ

Well done to Niamh – 2nd Individual, and to Sasha Cammack, Issy Rowsell, Maddie Plumb and Izzie Miners for being 3rd in the team competition.

Tetrathlon

Good luck to the following members who will be representing the OBH this weekend in the Tetrathlon Areas. After the great results they have been achieving throughout the season we are looking forward to a good weekend of competition!

  • John
    Jack
    Olivia
    Ella
    Archie
    Bea
    Ella
    Lexie
    Polly
    Fenella

Dressage and Eventing Areas

The dressage and eventing teams are training hard and there is no doubt that by training together our members get so much more from being part of a team competition. Mini and Junior eventing teams will be finalised after this Monday’s rally at Rabson Manor.

A huge thank you!

Can we take this opportunity to thank all of our wonderful volunteers who are all particularly busy at this time of year with camps, rallies, team training and area competitions. Most of our volunteers take time off work – unpaid – to put on such a busy programme for the benefit of our members and we are incredibly grateful for every hour given to the Branch.
Children, please remember to thank them as they do it all for you.
Parents, at this time of year the smallest gesture to a busy volunteer can be a godsend so please step forward where you can, whether it is loading or towing a trailer of jumps for camps or taking cups of tea to instructors at rallies. All help will be hugely appreciated!

Enjoy the holidays!

Alison & Lucinda

 

June 2015 Update

OBHPC Junior Show

The Junior Show on 31st May was a huge success again this year with over £2500 being raised for the Branch. Lisa Powell, Caroline Norton-White and their fantastic team did an amazing job, despite challenging weather conditions relocating the marquee into a hedge the night before. We have received some lovely emails from parents of members and non-members, including some who hadn’t been to a show before, who really enjoyed the friendly, encouraging atmosphere and gorgeous rosettes. Former District Commissioner, Sue Cobham, summed it up beautifully in her letter to the organisers, I want to thank you and all your team involved in running Sundays PC Show so much for such a wonderful day.  Everyone was having a such marvellous time, from the oldest judges (me?) to the youngest spectator (probably less than a year old), including Ring Stewards, helpers, secretaries, announcers, PC Members, and, most of all, those amazing over-18 year old ponies!”

Schedules

Remember to check the Schedules page for details of shows, hunter trials and events in the area. There is lots of choice on there for every level.

Area Teams

Squads for dressage, showjumping or eventing are being finalised this week. If you are hoping to be involved and haven’t had an email this week please get in touch with Alison or Lucinda by email ASAP as it may be that the discipline manager didn’t think you were interested or available. If you are riding safely at the required level, have been an active member of Pony Club all year and are able to attend team training in June / July, we would like you to be involved, even if you aren’t the most competitive; it is not all about winning! There tend to be more members than there are spaces at the lower levels (75cm – 90cm classes) but selection is based on several criteria including age and attendance of rallies, not just ability.

Yummy Mummy Camp

We are incredibly lucky in the OBHPC to have Lisa Smith organising group lessons for pony club Mums and a group of intrepid campers have just enjoyed two wonderful days at Boomerang with instructors Fi Dowding and Charlotte Jackson.

The Big Rally at Elmwood 
The Big Rally is on Thursday 23rd July and we hope that every member can be there. It is suitable for all ages from minis on lead rein up to our open teams, with gymkhana, dressage, SJ and XC. We are particularly keen for those planning to go to mini or junior camp to be there as it helps us finalise rides, and there will be team practices for the eventing and dressage squads.

There will be a BBQ and an ice-cream van so you can make a day of it if you want to.
Book by email with Lisa Smith lisasmith@bensmithandsons.co.uk

Beach Ride

Back by popular request, our Beach Ride will be on Saturday 25th July at Brean Beach. It is great fun and well worth the drive. See the fixtures page for more details.

End of summer charity BBQ

Friday 28th August at Radcot Equestrian, 5.30pm – 10pm. Join us for a social evening of fun activities, hog roast and a silent auction with some fabulous prizes. Tickets are £5 per family and are available from Aaron Nobbs or Michelle Noys and available at The Big Rally and at our camps. Michelle is collecting raffle, tombola and auction prizes so please let her know if you are able to help.  noyses@ntlworld.com

Alison & Lucinda

 

May 2015 Update

Junior Show

Final preparations are underway for the OBHPC Junior Show on Sunday 31st May. The schedule is here.  It is a great help to organisers (and saves on late entry fees) if you can get entries in nice and early, and please email the link on to anyone outside of PC that you think might be interested – it is open to members and non-members, 12 and under.

A massive amount of work has already gone into arranging the show and Lisa Powell and her wonderful committee would really appreciate some extra hands for the set up on Saturday 30th and most importantly for the clear up on Sunday afternoon. If you can spare an hour on either day please email her on lisa.p@me.com – just the offer of towing a trailer of jumps back to Oldfield Farmhouse on the Sunday afternoon makes a big difference at the end of a long day.

 
Hunter Trial
Perfect ground conditions, a well prepared course and a newly filled-in trakhener ensured that the OBHPC Hunter Trials at Wickstead this month was a huge success. Vanessa Kilgour and her team had an impressive 171 entries which has raised a significant amount to help subsidise rallies over the next year. Full results are on the website but a particular well done to Emma Hazell and Marina Jacobs for winning their classes, and to ex-OBHPC ponies Whisper and Cocoa for winning two of the classes with their new jockeys. Massive thanks to all of the volunteers who helped on the day and a special mention to Archie Bugner and Jamie Richardson for being on gate duty for hours in all weather.

The OBH Hunter Trial is at Step Farm on Sunday 7th June with courses from 2’3 to 3′. Schedule here.Area Showjumping is on Sunday 5th July at Stowell Park. We will be entering teams for the Novice (90cm), Intermediate (100cm) and Open (110cm) qualifiers, and also for the Junior class which is 75cm and open to members 12 and under on the 1st January. Those on the long list for possible selection, based on interest already expressed or attendance of SJ rallies, will be emailed over the next week. If you don’t receive an email and would like to be considered for teams please email Claire Lisi on c.lisi@hotmail.co.uk. We try to include as many members as possible so please don’t be shy in coming forward!

Olympia
There are still a few discounted tickets for Olympia on Monday 21st December with a bus from Wantage town centre. Please email alison@obhpc.co.uk to book.
 
Camps
Forms for all three Camps are now online.  Please book as soon as possible and remember to send a photocopy of ALL the vaccination pages and the ID page from your pony’s passport with your application. ALL abilities are catered for at ALL camps to ensure every member can attend, including a “gung-ho” group at mini camp and a non-jumping group at senior camp.
 
Facebook
Facebook is becoming an increasingly effective way to keep in touch with members and their families and there are hundreds of photos on their from the past year. If you have a Facebook account and “Like” the page the updates should appear in your newsfeed. Anyone under 13 can’t have a Facebook account of their own, but can still see all of the content on the page by using the following link: www.facebook.com/OBHPC
We ensure that content on our Facebook page is suitable for members of all ages.
 
Well done to… Henry Hobby and Honor McFarlane for being selected to ride in the Inter Hunt Relay at Royal Windsor this week. They both did very well to help their teams to finish in 7th and 8th position. Well done to Sasha Hargreaves (BE90) and ex-OBHPC member Chloe Arnold (BE100) for finishing 7th and 8th respectively at Badminton Grassroots last week.
 
There are an abundance of rallies over half term, details below, and don’t forget to come along to the Countryside Day tomorrow at the OBH Hunt Kennels. There is loads to see and do all day and our drill riders will be performing in the main arena at 1.15pm.
 
Happy riding!
 
Alison & Lucinda
 
 

April 2015 Update

Coaches
We have 6 new coaches in the OBHPC; well done to Axie Finch, Ben Boscowen, Jack Church, Jack Whiteford, Jake Elliot Jennings and Shannon Lewis. You will see them assisting at rallies over the summer to work towards their full qualifications.
 
Helping at Camps
The forms for our 2015 Camps will be online from 1st May. This year we will be having a bit of a change with helpers at Mini and Junior Camps as we see this as a great opportunity for our coaches and older members to work closely with an instructor and gain valuable experience. There are 9 helper spaces at each Camp, and priority will be given to our new coaches and those hoping to do their coaching course in 2016 or 2017. Priority on coaching courses in future will be given to those who have already gained experience by helping at Camps. Please email the Camp organisers if you would like to help at the following camps:

Junior Camp is Monday 27th July – Thursday 30th July. Email Ann Addington

Mini Camp is Monday 3rd August – Wednesday 5th August. Email Lucy Winfield

 
Horse and Pony Care Areas
A massive well done to our Junior Horse and Pony Care Teams at the Areas last week; Louise, Eleanor and Ophelia won, with Milly, Jessie and Macey coming 2nd. The winning team will go forward to the Championships at Cholmondley Castle in August and the runners-up are hoping for a “wild card” after being 45 points clear of the next closest team. This is the 12th consecutive year that Fiona Jack’s Juniors have won the Areas. We hosted the event at the Hunt Kennels – all brilliantly run by Fiona Jack –  and it was a great OBHPC day with lots of cake for all the volunteers!
 
Dengie Showjumping Championships
Well done to Niamh W for coming 2nd in the Pony Club Dengie SJ Championships – and getting a mention in Horse and Hound – and to Lila B who won the best U12 award and got her photo on the main Pony Club Facebook page!
 
Mounted Games
Our teams will be competing this Sunday at the Areas so good luck to them all and to their coach, Joanna Lambert.
Stars team – Tilly, Kate, Gabriel, Bonnie and Scarlet
Saltires team – Lara, Freddie, William, Ella and Bea
Come and join us to cheer them on at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern from 1pm, if you can. If is a really fun event, and is followed by industrial quantities of sweets.
 
Volunteers please
Busy with your children at weekends and unable to help at the events we run? Don’t worry, there is still an opportunity for you to volunteer! Please come along to Oldfield Farmhouse, Baulking, on Wednesday 29th April between 9.30 and 11.30am to help sort, wash off and put out the show jumps ready for our summer rallies and the Junior Show. Absolutely no skill required, just bring your rubber gloves, a bucket and a sponge and we will supply coffee and cake. Many hands make light work and we really do need your help. Please add your name to Claire Lisi’s list if you are able to help; email c.lisi@hotmail.co.uk
 
The OBHPC Hunter Trial is on Sunday 3rd May. PLEASE come along either to compete, or if you can’t please contact Vanessa Kilgour on vkilgour@yahoo.co.uk to help for a few hours with jump judging. It is an important event in our calendar a great opportunity to compete at a traditional hunter trial.
 
The Junior Show is on Sunday 31st May and is open to members and non members under 12 years. The schedule will be on www.horse-events.co.uk in the next few days.
 
The fixture list up until the end of half term is below, with a few more rallies being added over the next few days, and many of you will be pleased to see the old Ridgeway Ride and Cook Out Breakfast on the list for half term. This is for ALL ages and abilities; a sociable hack for older members right down to our smallest members on lead reins. Venue to be confirmed but probably close to Wantage as the gates at the White Horse Hill car park are a bit narrow for lorries.
 
We also have loads of Schedules on the website, and Joy is adding more every day and is always delighted to receive more if you know of any she has missed.
 
For those with school exams over the next few weeks – good luck. Half term isn’t far away!
 
Best wishes
 
Alison & Lucinda
 

March 2015 Update

This comes a few days late this month following a particularly tricky week for both your DCs!
 
Hunter Trial
The OBHPC Hunter Trial is on Sunday 3rd May and the schedule is now available on our website and on www.horse-events.co.uk. Please support it and enter early; it is an important fundraiser for the branch. There are courses from 1’9″ upwards and pairs classes for those wanting to give their pony a confidence-giving round to start the eventing season, as well as clear round show jumping.
 
Pony Racing
At the Lockinge point-to-point on Easter Monday, 6 April 2015 there will be two pony races, both of which are 7 furlong, with no jumping involved!

138cm (13.2) and under for children aged 9 – 11 years
148cm (14.2) and under for children aged 12 – 15 years
There is a pony racing rally this Saturday, 21 March, at 10am at the Lockinge point-to-point course, so that anyone intending to ride in the pony races this year or are considering it for next year can practice riding the course before entries close. Please contact Do Curtis to book or for ore information.

Email: joannacurtis@upperfarm.uk.com or phone 07881 821500

Blenheim Eventers Challenge
Despite a major ballot, our entry has been accepted for the Blenheim Eventers Challenge, held on Friday 18th September during the Horse Trials. They advise it is a stiff 1.05m course of SJ and portable XC fences. As with all our teams we will be selecting a team nearer the time based on a proven record at this height and involvement in all PC activities.
 
Spurs
If you are competing in PC competitions over Easter and have not yet applied for Spurs Cards, please do so as soon as possible. The spurs policy is here.
 
Well done and good luck to…
Lottie Aird for selection for an England Trial for the DAKS Home International Mounted Games this weekend.
Jemima Gray and Sasha Hargreaves for selection for Rider Development Pathway trials early next month.
Francesca Young for qualifying for the Royal International Showjumping at Hickstead on 1st August.
 
Congratulations to the winners of the OBHPC Trophies from the Wickstead Arena Eventing Championships last weekend; Jules Farrant, Honor McFarlane and Erin Angel. It was great to see so many members (and instructors!) there for the qualifying rounds and competing at the Championships and we will be supporting the series again next winter with a PC section again.
 

A huge good luck to our two Junior Horse and Pony Care Teams who will be representing the Branch at the first of the 2015 Area competitions early in April.

And good luck and a sad farewell to Mel Jones who will be moving to Ireland early next month. Mel has been teaching for the OBHPC since the 1980s. She has trained our eventing teams, prepared candidates for tests at every level, taught all levels of rider and has been as popular at mini camp as she is with the top rides at senior camp. She will be greatly missed and we wish her, Steve, Gee and Lily the best of luck for the future. She has promised that she will be flying back to teach at senior camp this summer!

Wishing you all plenty of riding for the Easter holidays.
 
Alison & Lucinda
 
 

 

February 2015 Update

Awards
Well done to all the members, siblings, parents, grandparents (and even a dog!) who were recognised at our first Awards Night at the end of January. Having promised not to just be about riding achievements, awards were presented for everything from Best Photo Bomb and Craziest Socks to Best Pony Club Kick.
 
The evening was a great success and a larger hall will undoubtedly be needed next year!
 
 
Our 2015 Awards Winners were:

Niamh Warburton

Verity Smith
William Curtis
Freddie Curtis
Di Scott
Willie Cadogan
Arabella Brooking
Chiara Henegan
Granny Warburton’s dog, Rosie
Alec MacFarlane
Jack Whiteford
Henry Insley
Archie Bugner
Jack Church
Ella Dixon
Henry Jennings
Chloe Barlow
Sophie Johnson
Romilly McIntosh
Bea Cadogan
Immy Sanderson
Max Warburton
Luisa Lisi
 
 
Polo Rallies
We are delighted to have some “Have a Go” Polo sessions in April and May at Longdale Polo Club where they have hirelings available for those members withut a suitable pony.
 
 
Racing Rallies
Racing Rallies start next Sunday, so if you are thinking of doing the pony race at Lockinge Point to Point, or would just like to know how to use the gallops for fitness work, please book in with Do Curtis. The Point to Point pony races are great fun, with a mix of racing ponies and pony club hairy ponies in each class. It is half a circuit of the course and no jumping involved!
 
Classifieds
Lots of adverts were added to our Classifieds this week including a couple of great OBHPC ponies, ponies wanted on loan, available on loan, a trailer and an ex-member looking for work. Please take a look and pass details on to anyone you know that might be interested.
 
Wickstead 2 Phase Eventing
Is anyone able to help at the Wickstead Horseplay 2 Phase Eventing this Wednesday 18th? Either as a jump judge, collecting ring or secretaries tent? Please contact Ros if you are able to volunteer.
 
Area 9 Quiz
This takes place on March 7th with a team of 4 members aged from 10 – 24. If you would like to be in the team, and are available that afternoon, please email Alison. We haven’t entered a team for this for a few years so have no idea of what to expect!
 
Tests
E, D and D+ Tests can all be taken at Camps this summer, with additional dates available for those not at the Camps.
For C Test or Riding & Road Safety please contact Tussel. C Tests will be held on 28th May and 12th August.
For C+ and B Tests please contact Fiona Jack. C+ will be on 26th August and B Test on 28th August after a 2 day B Test “Boot Camp” on 26th-27th. The full Riding and Road Safety Test is now required for both C+ and B Tests.
 
New Hat regulations
The new hat regulations come into effect at the end of this year, so if you are buying a new hat please check that it can be tagged as safe for Pony Club; there are a lot on the market that aren’t up to the required standard so can’t be used after 2015.
 
Neck straps
A number of our instructors and rally organisers are keen to see more neck straps at rallies. Learning to use a neck strap is an essential skill and one that your pony will thank you for! You don’t need anything smart – and old stirrup leather will do – but if you don’t use a martingale or breast girth please pack a neck strap for all SJ and XC rallies.
 
Details of forthcoming rallies are below and include all the rallies currently available until the end of March plus a few key dates for the spring and summer that you may want to put in your diary now.
 
Have a great Half Term!
 
Alison & Lucinda

 

January 2015 Update

Hat Tagging

During 2015 all purple hat tags will be replaced with a new purple and white tag. This is partly due to more rigorous standards which will mean that hats only marked with (BS)EN1384 cannot be used after 2015. Full details of accepted hats are attached and our hat taggers, Amelia, Joy and Tor Tearney will be able to answer any queries, but IF YOU ARE BUYING A NEW HAT check with the retailer that the hat they are selling you will be compliant AFTER 2015. Inevitably there will be a lot of hats they will be keen to shift at great prices as they can’t now be used for PC activities beyond 2015.

HeadCams are no longer permitted for PC rallies as they can compromise a hat’s effectiveness.

Hats must be replaced after a severe impact as subsequent protection will be significantly reduced.

Awards Night

The most important reminder for this month’s update is the Awards Night this Saturday 24th January, 6.30pm – 9pm at Hanney Village Hall. The evening is intended as a celebration of ALL that goes on in our Branch of Pony Club, not just the riding achievements, and we hope that all members across all ages will bring their parents along to join in. Bring a picnic, the bar will be open and dress code is casual. Numbers in advance to Joy please.
Trips

The annual trip to Olympia this year was more popular than ever with over 65 in the OBHPC group. Our allocation of showjumping tickets for the last day of Badminton Horse Trials have already sold out but remember you can still book on line and there are a couple of camping pitches left for anyone wanting to join the OBH camping group for the week. Quote Old Berks Hunt Pony Club when booking direct with the Badminton Box Office.
Competitions

Well done to those who have been out braving the weather. We had lots of members competing in the PC sections of the 2 Phase eventing at Wickstead’s Horseplay today with several more members qualifying for the Championships, and some great results from the Pony Club Xmas Team Show Jumping competition at West Wilts at the end of December  Ces Young represented the OBHPC at Olympia in the Mini Major Relay last month.

If you are out competing at PC events or have anything else that other members will be interested please send photos and results for inclusion on Facebook to alison@obhpc.co.uk.

Coaching Course

Last call for members interested in becoming a Pony Club coach in time for for this summer. You need to be aged 16 or over and ideally already hold your B Test. We will be running a one day Coaching Course on Wednesday 9th April followed by a mentoring programme to get you ready to coach in the summer. Names to Alison asap.

Dates for your Diary
Sunday 3rd May 2015 – OBHPC Hunter Trial at Wickstead.
Sunday 31st May 2015 – Junior Show
Please note that this is a change of date for the HT as it clashed with the Elmwood HT.
Schedules to follow but please put the dates in your diary now.
 

Rallies v The Weather

Our rally organisers are an pretty amazing bunch, but the one thing they can’t control is the weather. If it is particularly wet, windy, snowy or icy remember to check your email and mobile for messages before you set out in case they have made the decision to cancel (something we try to avoid as we know that many of you rely on having a good surface to ride on during the winter). You will not be charged for rallies in that instance, however if you decide that you would rather not venture out to a rally that is going ahead, you may still be liable to pay as we are still likely to be charged by the venue and instructor. Please don’t venture out if you feel your journey will be unsafe or if your child won’t enjoy the rally.

 

December 2014 Update

Membership Renewals
Membership renewals are due before the end of January. A link to the renewal letter and form is on this page and it would be great if you could print it off and post it to Joy with your cheque.
For the cost of a set of shoes you can have another full year’s membership of the Old Berks Hunt Pony Club including subsidised lessons, subsidised hunting, summer camps, social events and competing in teams.
Pony Club members and their horses or ponies are all covered by the PC liability insurance, which covers you regardless of whether you are at a Pony Club activity at the time of an incident.
 
Coffee morning
Sophie Sayer kindly hosted a Christmas Coffee Morning last week – an opportunity for parents to catch up in front of a lovely log fire, with coffee, delicious cakes and a range of festive trade stands to browse. The morning proved very popular and will definitely be an annual event in the future.
 
Awards Night
The countdown has begun to what will be the highlight of the OBHPC social calendar; the Awards Night. Instructors and rally organisers are comparing notes to decide who will make it on to the Roll of Honour for 2015 – but you will need to be there to find out if it is you!
Please put the date in your diary; Saturday 24th January from 6.30pm at Hanney Village Hall.
Bring a picnic supper, the bar will be open and there will be plenty of entertainment for all ages throughout the evening, including a previously unseen video taking us inside Senior Camp, a guest speaker and of course the much anticipated Awards. There will also be a chance to see the annual accounts.
 
Horse and Pony Care Teams
It is great to hear that we have had so many members expressing interest in being in the Horse & Pony Care Teams for 2015. If you are interested in finding out more about it please contact Fiona Jack by email as soon as possible: fionajack1000@gmail.com or look on the Horse & Pony Care tab of the website.
 
Rallies in cold weather
As the weather gets cold please dress for the weather. It is far more important to be warm and enjoying the lesson than looking immaculate – and that goes for ponies too. If your pony is unclipped or kept outside please don’t bath it for rallies, just brush the mud away from the saddle and bridle area and pick out hooves.
 
Enjoy the holidays and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
 

 

November 2014 Update

OBHPC members had 23 different rallies to choose from over half term, including mounted games, mini showjumping, horseball, dressage, hunting rallies, SJ at Rectory Farm, XC at Lynham and arena eventing at Wickstead. Definitely something for everyone!

Well done to the 6 members who all passed their D+ test.

Camps

Summer Camps are the highlight of the Pony Club year for many members so we are delighted to have all of our dates confirmed for next summer so that holidays can be planned around them.

Mini Camp at Brightwalton – Monday 3rd August – Wednesday 5th August (Ages 3-8)

Junior Camp at Wickstead – Monday 27th July – Thursday 30th July (Ages 9-11)

Senior Camp at Hartpury – Sunday 16th August – Friday 21st August (Ages 12+)

Booking forms will be available on line on 1st May and we will ensure that we can offer places to all those who return forms promptly. All abilities are catered for at all camps. Further details are on the Camps page.

Xmas Coffee Morning and Xmas Fair

The OBHPC Xmas coffee morning will be held on Wednesday 3rd December from 10.30am to 1pm at Warren Down Farm, Letcombe Bassett OX12 9LR. This is a scaled down version of the Oaksey House Xmas Fair which has now moved to Newbury. Join us for a coffee, cake and a chat, and an opportunity for a bit of Christmas shopping and a rummage through the 2nd Hand Tack shop. If you are able to bake a cake beforehand we would love to receive cakes either on the morning or the day before. Please let Sophie Sayer know if you are able to help.

The OBH Xmas Fair is on Tuesday 18th November at Kidson Trigg.

Hunting

The hunting season has now started and we already have one member who has completed their hunting badge this season. Now that Annabel Saunders is no longer a Master with the OBH she has stepped down as Pony Club Hunt representative after an incredible 10 years. Thank you Annabel for all that you done during that time, and the numerous mock hunts, rallies and kennel visits you have organised. Vanessa Kilgour is taking on her role as Hunting Rep and is the person to speak to if you are thinking of hunting with the OBH for the first time, or just to find out where the next meet is.

The Childrens’ Meet is on Monday 29th December, venue TBC.

For those wanting to give drag hunting a go, the Berks and Bucks Meet Card is on our Hunting page. Please speak to Phoebe Hobby for details.

Team Indoor Showjumping at Christmas

The Ledbury PC are hosting a showjumping competition at Hartpury on 7th December, schedule is online. There are classes from 60cm upwards and ALL are invited to be part of a team. Just let Claire Lisi know that you are entering. It is a popular show so it tends to be quite a long day!

The Avon Vale have their show at West Wilts on the 28th – 29th December with classes from 55 – 90cm on the Sunday and from 65 – 105cm on the Monday. We tend to have a good number of teams going and again ALL are encouraged to join in. Entries are limited, and close on 18th Dec, so enter early and then let Claire Lisi know so she can add you to a team.

Rider Development Pathway

The Rider Development Pathway was launched last year to aid the development of Pony Club Members who show the ability to progress in their sport and provides a stepping stone for young riders working towards the talent pathways of the Olympic riding disciplines.

Assessment dates for 2015, training dates and application criteria are now online.

And finally …. Amelia’s Chocolate Biscuit Cakes are back!

The Original chocolate biscuit cake, which many of you already know and love, (has sultanas in and a squidgy milk chocolate icing) has been joined by a very indulgent Dark Chocolate Ginger one (dark chocolate icing), a deliciously decadent Salted Caramel (or unsalted, according to taste also with a dark chocolate icing) and a Rocky Road (with toffee popcorn and mini marshmallows and the same icing as the Original) completes the quartet.

Available in Large (A4ish) £11 or small (A5ish) £6 sizes. All freeze well except Rocky Road.

Amelia will be at the Hunt Christmas Fair on Tuesday 18th November at Kidson Trigg and at the OBHPC Coffee Morning on Wednesday 3rd December but of course you can order at any time.

Email Amelia or call/text 07867971934.

Best wishes

Alison and Lucinda

October 2014 Update

There is a great range of rallies to book in to over half term, listed below, plus Aaron will be hosting a Chase me Charlie competition on 30th October with generous prizes for each group. The rumours are that Jo Burnage and Mel Jones will be joining in!

Booking rallies

When booking into rallies with an organiser that doesn’t yet know your child it is helpful to give them the following information so that your child gets the most from the rally:

Age of child and pony

How long owned (if a new combination)

What test they are working towards

Height comfortable jumping

Anything else the instructor should know (eg recent problems, learning difficulties)

Camps and Areas

Dates for Mini, Junior and Senior Camps will be added to the website early in November as soon as Hartpury’s BE schedule has been finalised. Dates for the Areas and Championships are now on the website under Fixtures.

Ponies Wanted and For Sale

Details of ponies Wanted and For Sale are in the classified section of our website, but there were so many in the OBH in September that we have put together a list (attached) which was circulated to Area 9 last week. Please email Joy with anything for our Classified pages, sending it as text and a photo rather than as a word document please.

Date for the OBHPC Awards Night

We have moved our Awards Night at Hanney Village Hall from Friday 23rd January to Saturday 24th January to avoid a clash with the OBH AGM. It is your opportunity to see the annual accounts and to socialise with other pony club families in a warmer, dryer setting than usual! The bar will be open and the evening will start with bring and share picnics on french-style tables before moving onto a short slideshow of the year (including rare footage of what really happens at Senior Camp) and Awards for everything from the most spectacular tumble of the year to the best turned out combination (instructors and rally organisers – it is time to start comparing notes!).

New hat tags will come in on 1st January and this will also be a great opportunity to get you hat re-tagged.

The OBHPC Committee needs YOU!

We have a few positions looking for willing volunteers. Are you able to get involved? If so, this is your chance. Please contact Lucinda or Alison for details – or to volunteer.

1. The OBHPC Hunter Trial at Wickstead. This is a popular event and a great fund raiser. It is a relatively simple day to run as the course is set up and numbered by Wickstead, and there is a big file with everything you need to know. We need someone keen to run the event with a small team, with assistance from the committee if required.

2. Christmas coffee morning. This used to be a very popular event in the diary, which started as a coffee morning and over the years grew into a big Christmas Fair that then merged with the Oaksey House Christmas Fair, which in turn grew so big that it has moved to Newbury Racecourse! We would like to re-claim the small and friendly event, ideally hosted in a house or small village hall, possibly with a few little Christmas stands but most importantly with coffee, cake and a chance to chat. Absolutely no horse knowledge required, you could organise it single-handedly or put together a small committee.

3. Minutes secretary. After many years of making sense of all the discussions at committee meetings, Sophie Sayer is stepping down from her role as Minutes Secretary. We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to her for all she has done for the Pony Club, and are delighted that she is going to continue to be involved in other roles. If you are interested in what happens within the OBH, can keep notes at 3-6 meetings per year (midweek term time evenings), type them up and circulate them to the committee, this is the role for you, and again no horse knowledge is needed.

Have a great half term!

Alison and Lucinda.

September 2014 Update

With children back at school, ponies and the PC committee are able to catch their breath and look back on a very busy and successful summer for the OBHPC. Membership is now well over 300, we have a very dedicated and enthusiastic team of volunteers and instructors, and at the committee meeting last week the list of member’s achievements at every level, from Mimi McGregor winning most improved Mini Jorrock to Becca Bell’s silver medal, seemed to go on forever.

OBHPC and OBH One Day Event

Yesterday’s ODE at Step farm was a great success again this year, with entries for two of the classes closing early as they had filled so fast. Nearly 100 riders took part, with almost as many volunteers assisting in one way or another to ensure that everyone had a very happy, successful and incident free day.

PC Championships

We only had one OBH rider, Max Warburton, at the Open and Intermediate Championships, but he did us proud by coming 3rd in his Open dressage section and winning the Open Eventing. The Junior Horse and Pony Care Teams beat strong competition to come 1stand 4th in their Championships, silencing the critics who had questioned the fact that they were 1st and 2nd at the Area competition that the OBHPC ran in April.

At the Novice Championships Henry Insley was 13th in the show jumping and Sasha Hargreaves was 3rd in the Dressage. Henry Hobby was 5th in the eventing, and the youngest competitor there. Although neither of our eventing teams were placed, the Blue team came away with a far greater accolade; the Horsemanship Award. This is awarded to the team that was judged to have ridden the most competently cross country. Congratulations to Niamh Warburton, Henry Hobby, Honor Macfarlane and Charka Stout, and thanks to their team trainer Spencer Sturmey, who also arranged for HitAir to supply them all with air jackets for the weekend, and to Fiona Stout for coaching them at the Championships.

Area 9 SJ Championships

Very well done to all of our members who qualified for the Are 9 SJ Championships last weekend; we had competitors in every class and despite incredibly strong competition a number of members were placed. Full results are here.

Tests

If your child is interested in doing their D+ this autumn, please contact Emma Elliot as soon as possible.

Ponies wanted / for sale

September is a popular time of year for ponies to move on to new homes. If you would like details of your pony for sale, or pony wanted, to be circulated around Area 9, please send details by email to alison@obhpc.co.uk before Monday 22nd September to be included on the list and on our Classifieds.

Time for a clear out?

Our 2nd Hand tack shop does a roaring trade and is a great way to get rid of unwanted tack, rugs, boots etc – for horse and rider. We can’t sell hats, and prefer not to take saddles, but kit in good condition always sells well, particularly the higher value items that people don’t want to buy new. You get 75% of the proceeds of the sale, with the balance going to Pony Club, and all you need to do it ensure it is clean and labelled, and drop it off to Vicki Clifford Jones at Sunwillow Farm, Childrey. Full details are on the website.

Ensure your name and telephone number are on the label, and the price if you know what you want for it; otherwise Vicki will use her judgement as to a reasonable price.

There are a few items that have been in stock for a long time without selling, and we would like to move them on now by reducing the price or donating them to an equine charity. Please contact Vicki before the end of September if you would prefer to collect anything of yours that might fall in to that category.

Items available for sale are on the website and can be viewed by appointment with Vicki, as well as being at many of our bigger events.

Fixtures

We are in the process or organising the rally list for the next few months, taking us all right through to February, but in the meantime the forthcoming rallies are listed below. Please note that Miles and Annabel Sunders have kindly left their XC course open so that we can hold a rally there on Wednesday evening. Please book with Therese before Tuesday evening if you would like to come along; it is suitable for 1’6″ lead rein right up to 3’+.

Enjoy the last of the summer,

Alison and Lucinda

August 2014 Update

It has been a busy few weeks for the Old Berks, with 59 members at Junior Camp, 49 at Mini Camp and 60 at Senior Camp, all having a fantastic time with their ponies, friends and their instructors. A huge thank you to all of the camp leaders and helpers who worked so hard to ensure everything ran so smoothly.

100 members came to the Big Rally at Elmwood just before the Camps this year which gave them a great opportunity to see old friends, make new ones, meet instructors and enjoy a BBQ and huge amounts of ice-cream. Don’t forget you can order photos from Olivia Pile’s website from this rally and Junior Camp if you haven’t already done so.

Lots of members have passed Tests to be awarded their next “felt”; well done to you all. Others are working hard towards tests later in the holidays.

Two of our members have enjoyed international success; John’s tetrathlon team came 2nd in Australia and Becca brought home a silver medal, this time from the Pony European Dressage in Ireland.

Earlier this week everyone who has attended show jumping rallies throughout the year was invited to a BBQ at Aaron Nobb’s yard. Despite a downpour as the BBQ was lit, everyone enjoyed a lovely evening, thanks to Claire Lisi and Aaron’s great cooking skills, and 17 members were awarded their Show Jumping competition badge.

Area Competitions

We have had teams competing at all the Areas, with Max (Open Dressage and Open Eventing), Sasha (Novice Dressage) and Henry I (Novice Showjumping) qualifying as Individuals for the Championships in Cheshire and our Novice Eventing Teams doing incredibly well, with 2 of the 3 teams qualifying. Good Luck to those two teams, Charka, Honor, Henry H, Niamh, Effie, Henry I, Amelia and Jack, and our two Novice Individuals, when they compete for the OBHPC on Sunday.

Our Mini Teams were 1st and 4th at this years Mini Eventing. This was the first time for a few years that a 70cm competition has been run and it proved very popular and likely to be repeated much closer to home next summer.

Our Polo Jorrocks did very well having moved up a division and a special mention to Mimi McGregor for winning “Most Improved Girl” across the entire Jorrocks age group.

Jack and John Church are at the Tetrathlon Championships this week so we look forward to receiving news from them.

Open and Intermediate Championships

We had a very successful representation at the Intermediate and Open Championships last weekend, with 2 wins, a 3rd and a 4th. A particular well done to Max Warburton who won the Open venting as well as coming 3rd in his arena for the Open Dressage. A full report from Fiona Jack on the Horse and Pony Care is below:

“The two Junior Teams had a terrific day at Cholmondeley Castle: our ‘A’ Team of Victoria Holt, Sasha Hargreaves and Hannah Richardson romped home to reclaim the Junior Trophy by the narrowest of margins – half a mark! The Chiddingfold Farmers, who have held the Trophy twice before, came second and the South Northumberland, who have held the Trophy for the last two years, came third. In fourth place were our ‘B’ team of Eleanor Hubbard, Louise Hancock and Ophelia Spracklen. An awesome result!

Our Senior Team – Sophie Oakland, Megan Borland and Rosie Mason faced stiff competition and finished 13th out of 20 teams a very creditable result as they were among the youngest. The rule change this year to allow teams to field an Associate member (aged 21 – 25 years) means that the standard is now higher than ever, and faced with this Sophie, Megan and Rosie stayed cheerful and positive and gave a really commendable performance – well done all of you!”

Area 9 SJ Championships

Lots of our members have qualified for the Area 9 Championships on 7th September. We will be putting teams together nearer the time and it has been lovely to see lots of you at the preparation rallies for this competition.

Hunting

Autumn Hunting starts tomorrow and there is likely to be an afternoon meet on Saturday. As our usual hunting representative for Pony Club, Annabel Saunders, is away this week, if you would like to check where it is so that you can go along please call Mel Wright, OBH Secretary, on 01793 780104 or email mel.wright@btinternet.com. Annabel will be back in time for the Mock Hunt on Friday 29th August. Members aged over 12 get a discounted rate of £10 if displaying their PC badge, and anyone who litter-picked or sold racecards at the Point to Point should have received a voucher for a free day.

The OBHPC One Day Event

Our event at Step Farm is on 14th September so please get your entries in now if you haven’t already. The schedule is here and you can enter online on www.horse-events.co.uk. There are courses from 1’9″ lead rein to 3ft, so something for everyone including parents! Please come and support it as it is an important fund raiser for us.

Email Addresses

We currently only have email addresses for a minority of members and would like to be able to send emails such as this one to members as well as their parents. If your child has their own email address please reply to this email with their name and email address so that we can update their record. We will continue to send all emails to you too.

Enjoy the rest of the summer holidays!

Alison and Lucinda

July 2014 Update

At last, the summer holidays are upon us and we have an action packed calendar to look forward to, and a print-friendly version of the calendar at the bottom of this email to make it easier for you to see what is on offer. As before, for up to date information and for email links direct to the rally organisers it is best to look at the fixtures page on the website, but we are aware that many members had asked for a printable version too.

News

This weekend several of our Junior members, plus instructors Fi Dowding and Sarah Charles are representing the Branch at the CLA Game Fair at Blenheim. If you are going, look out for them on Sunday.

The dressage squad got off to a great start with some fantastic results at the Badminton Dressage competition on Tuesday with almost every OBH competitor being placed in their section. Jack C won his section and Max W came 7th overall in the ride-off. Well done to Amelia and Edward for all their hard work training the teams. More details and photos of the dressage are on our Facebook page where you will also find updates on how John Church is getting on in Australia; as this goes out his team is leading the boys’ competition after an impressive shoot score of 920 from John yesterday.

Rallies

Next week brings The Big Rally and Summer BBQ at Elmwood on Thursday 24th July, and if you are booked in you will have had an email earlier this evening. Over 100 members will be doing a range of activities, fuelled by burgers and sausages, to celebrate 85 years of Pony Club. We are delighted that so many of the older members are coming along to help. Our Area 9 representative, Pleasance Jewitt, will be there to meet some of our members and see what we get up to in the Old Berks.

Don’t forget Horseball on Wednesday 6th August, and book in soon with Amelia if you haven’t already. It is great fun and a really good way to gain confidence on your pony and meet new people, and the OBH is one of the only pony clubs to offer this activity.

Camps

More than half of our 299 members will be at one of the Summer Camps over the next few weeks, with many more members giving up their time to help at Mini and Junior Camps. If any other members (ideally over 12) can spare a day to help please email Lucinda.

Teams

Over 60 members will be competing in Area Teams for Dressage, Show Jumping, Tetrathlon, Polo and Eventing over the next 3 weeks and we are so pleased to be able to include so many capable riders across the age groups, competing from 70cm upwards.

Hunting Badge

For members who enjoy hunting there will soon be the opportunity to work towards your Hunting Badge. Register your interest with Annabel Saunders now and put the hunting rallies and kennel visits on 25th July, 29th August and 1st September in your diary. Members (aged 12 and over) will need to demonstrate a keen interest and knowledge in hunting and hounds before being assessed in the hunting field by a hunt mentor. Hunting Badge holders who consistently demonstrate good manners while hunting with the OBH stand a chance of being the first to be awarded the Sheila Nash Memorial Stock later in the season.

Volunteering

Please don’t forget that every Pony Club rally, camp or event is run by busy volunteers, and at this time of year they are all working really hard to make this Pony Club great for your children. You may not have the time to train as a first aider or to run a camp, but please look out for opportunities to help out, whether it is loading and towing a trailer of show jumps, baking a cake to share at a rally, or picking up a box of icepops for children to enjoy at the end of a hot day at camp. Everyone will appreciate anything you can do to help.

One Day Event

Finally, a date for your diary; the OBH and OBHPC One Day Event on Sunday September 14th. We have classes from 1’9″ in a mini roped arena to 3′ around the main course so there is something for everyone including hopefully lots of parents! If you don’t fancy competing, we are looking for help with jump judging. No experience necessary as you will be shown exactly what to do. The schedule is attached.

Enjoy the sunshine, your ponies and the fact that there is no more school until September!

Alison and Lucinda

June 2014 Update

We hope that you found our update last month useful, it seems amazing that another month has flown by, there is much to celebrate, which include the fantastic news that Becca Bell has been selected to represent the GB pony dressage team with Valido’s Sunshine (Sunny); and has been made her own reserve with her other pony, Valido’s Starlight (Star).  John Church leaves in 2 weeks to represent GB in the PC Tetrathalon in Australia, we wish him good luck, as well as all the other fantastic members of the OBHPC as you go out and represent us at all the many events you all go to.  It is impossible for us to name everyone and all the events we are represented at.

Half term was busy with many fantastic rallies, thank you to all who organise these, some of the highlights being a ride along the beach,  horse ball, and the Craven PC competition, where we had many great results.

The Junior Show was a resounding success and we are so grateful to Lisa Powell and her incredible team for all they did to make this happen against all odds, and we are thrilled to include a write up from them about it.

“The sun shone and against all odds the PC Junior Show was a huge success this year, despite the last minute change of venue!  There were over 150 entries and approximately £2,500 was raised.  We could only manage this with the help of Annabel and Miles Saunders who kindly offered their land at the last minute and also about 20 people who rose to the challenge and came to set up on the Saturday.  It was great to see so many Dads helping out.  They seemed to achieve an incredible amount with a smile and a beer in hand!  Many thanks as well to all the committee for working so hard and making it happen on the day.”

Mounted Games Areas were earlier this month, and great sportsmanship, determination, skill and team spirit was demonstrated by our teams. Fabulous turnout (thanks in part to Joanna’s beautiful handmade bibs, scrunchies and special OBH browbands) lead to very well deserved 1st Prize for turnout for the Senior Team and 2nd and 3rd for the Junior Teams. Well done to those competing: Grace B, Sasha and Ella C, Camilla and Polly K, Lucy P, Lara M, Lottie and Peter A,  Rose and Freddie C, Faith J, Lucy H and Tilly K, Bea C

And a HUGE thank you Joanna Lambert for all you do to make this happen.

Then to top it all the Yummy Mummys had their very own Yummy Mummy camp at Boomerang, organised and run by Lisa and Risi.

 

Coming Up

We are heading towards the summer holidays and many more rallies have been added to the website so please do continue to check it regularly as it is constantly being updated.

One we are keen to highlight is our Big Rally at Elmwood on Thursday 24th July,  there  will be something for everyone so please do try and come along, there will be XC from 60cms to 1m+, with lead rein hack around the XC course and paddling in the water jump, SJ from lead rein to 1m+ and dressage at all levels.

We will also be having the Summer BBQ that day and it would be fantastic to see as many members as possible at that, even if you aren’t riding at the rally.  Details on the Fixtures page, and names for those coming to just the BBQ to Joy please.

AREA TEAMS

Emails will be going out shortly from the different discipline managers to all those who have put their names forward for teams. If you think you have put your  name down for something and you have not heard anything in a week or so, please do contact the discipline manager.  Please do remember that if you want to be part of a team at the Area’s you must have attended at least three rallies since 1st july 2013 and 30th June 2014, so time is running out.

CAMPS

The highlight of the year are always the fantastic camps that are run by our wonderful Camp Leaders. We are always looking for members of the Pony Club who have moved onto the next camp to come back and help at a younger camp, so if you are interested in being a volunteer at Mini or Junior Camp, please could you contact Lucinda on lucinda@obhpc.co.uk .  It is a fantastic time to give back a little to someone younger than you and have great fun at the same time, so please do think about it, we do need your help.

OLYMPIA

There are still a few tickets left for the Olympia trip on Sunday 21st December, details are on the website.

Remember to keep checking the website for all that is going on, we are aware that some people are struggling with not being able to print the fixtures list, and we are trying to work out a system to make this possible, but meanwhile please keep looking at www.branches.pcuk.org/oldberkshire

Have great fun on your lovely ponies and don’t hesitate to get in contact with us if you have any queries.

Lucinda and Alison

p.s. Do you need help this summer? Our wonderful OBHPC member Axie Finch is back from medical school for the summer and is looking for work helping with children, ponies, dogs or anything else you may need doing. Contact her on: 07724 048978 or axie@btinternet.com

May 2014 Update

It has been just 2 weeks since we took up the reins as DCs but it is already clear what a talented, energetic and enthusiastic Pony Club the Old Berks is across so many disciplines. We are hoping to minimise the use of the “magic button” emails by sending out a monthly update that should be relevant to all, so here goes ….

In the past month we have had members having fun competing in the Lockinge Pony Races and making successful raids at Andoversford and Shipton Moyne One Day Events and the Cricklands dressage championships, amongst many other events and competitions. The minis had a wonderful Easter Egg hunt and members of all ages enjoyed some adult-free time on the Team Challenge, followed by a very sociable BBQ organised by parents. The OBH hosted the Horse & Pony Care Areas, with our teams sweeping the board with 1st and 2nd places in both the Junior and Senior sections. We heard news that John Church has been selected to go to Australia this summer as captain of the GB Tetrathlon team and that Becca Bell has been long listed for the Dressage Pony Europeans. 7 lorry/caravans full of members braved the elements with a camping weekend at Badminton, where we were able to cheer on Saffie Osborne in the Shetland Grand National. Last but not least, Joy Wilson became a granny earlier this week!

Looking ahead to the next month, our Drill Team will be riding at the OBH Countryside Day on Sunday, John Church will be hosting a fund raising dinner on Saturday night and our Mounted Games teams will be competing at the Areas on 31st May. We have lots of great rallies to look forward to in the lovely light evenings and over half term, including horseball and a beach ride. Check the Fixtures/Rallies tab on the website for the latest, and remember to tick the “show descriptions” box and click on the rally to see full details (we are hoping to find a volunteer to put together a printer-friendly version of the list, but hope that most people are finding their way around the web version so far).

One of the OBHPC annual highlights is just 2 weeks away; the Junior Show on 1st June for which we still need a few volunteers – particularly strong men for setting up and tidying away.

Which brings us neatly on to our volunteers survey, which we are hoping every family will complete. We have a fantastic committee, and would love to add to their skills with extra help, particularly with admin tasks such as updating the Facebook page, website and rally lists, and with manual tasks such as helping to move show jumps. Please click on this link to access the survey; it won’t take more than 3 minutes to complete and it would be a huge help to hear your thoughts, even if you don’t have time to help as a volunteer.

Tests

Last call for anyone wanting to take their C+ or B test in 2014. If you haven’t put your name down, or you aren’t sure if it is down, please email Fiona Jack. There will be a final assessment session on 28th May for those not yet assessed, and training sessions in the summer holidays.

Teams

Last call for anyone interested in representing the branch in the Area Teams for DressageShow Jumping,Eventing or Tetrathlon this July. If you aren’t sure if you are ready, or if you aren’t sure if you have put your name down, please contact the relevant team manager before the 31st May. We can’t consider you if we don’t know that you are interested, and would rather hear from you twice than not at all!
Dressage: Amelia Macpherson
Show Jumping: Phoebe Hobby or Claire Lisi
Eventing: Ros Hayward
Tetrathlon: Fred Church

Camps

Forms are on the website for all 3 camps. It is a great help for us in booking instructors if you can get forms back in soon.

Olympia

We have 120 tickets for the Sunday evening performance on Sunday 21st December. They are the 2nd price bracket tickets at a discounted PC rate of £39 per person (child or adult). We will be chartering a bus again, this time leaving Wantage town centre at the earlier time of 12pm to allow plenty of time for shopping, £10 per person. We always sell out of tickets so if you would like to join the group please post a cheque payable to OBHPC for the appropriate amount including bus if needed, with an SAE, as soon as possible to Alison Hargreaves, Larkhill Farm, Wantage, OX12 8PJ. We will put a message on the website when they have all gone.

We are looking forward to seeing many of you out and about over the next few weeks, but in the meantime please don’t forget to take a moment to complete the survey.

Happy riding!

Alison and Lucinda