The Pony Club Branches



Autumn 2020 NewsletterDear Eridge PC MembersI hope you are all settling back into school/college and it hasn’t been too much of a shock to the system after the past months. It has been a very different summer for all of us and although we were all disappointed not to hold camps and the 4 days rallies this year I hope you have enjoyed the varied activities we managed to put on for you.This week’s Covid-19 announcements have the following effect on how we run Pony Club. We continue to have to comply with the “group” of 6 rule but need to strictly limit accompanying persons to minimum numbers and maintain distance from the arena etc to not exceed the 6 limit. We appreciate it is difficult when children have been mixing in higher numbers at school but please try to explain to them that the rules for PC are different.We can currently continue to run PC competitions under the rules of Organised Sport.TESTSThe Committee were delighted to see 39 members successfully complete Pony Club Achievement Tests and Riding and Road Safety ( full list on Facebook page and website) Particular praise is deserved by the C and C+ candidates who were very diligent in their preparation, attending weekly stable management sessions with Angie and impressed the examiners with their knowledge. We are hoping to put on test sessions in October for those who were unable to do the summer dates, please contact Marian Moon or myself if you are interested.We have 5 members aiming to take their B Test (or part of) in October and I look forward to reporting further successes.RALLIESThere will be a Working Rally for all levels on Sunday 4 October at Crockstead EC. This will include 1 hour of ridden (flat and jumping) and 30 minutes stable management. A good way to prepare for our Weekend of Showjumping on 10 and 11 October (see below). Book via Eridge bookings page on website.If you wish to represent Eridge in competition, especially at Regional/Area level, or do your PC Tests it is a requirement to regularly attend working rallies. ERIDGE & EAST SUSSEX WEEKEND OF SHOWJUMPING COMPETITIONWe are jointly hosting interbranch showjumping at Petley Wood EC with East Sussex PC on 10 & 11 October. Saturday – Cross poles up to 70cm including lead rein and assisted classes. A great opportunity to come and have ago.Sunday – 75cm up to 1m+ including Spring Festival 80 and 90 qualifiers ( open to non PC) plus a fun Accumulator classSchedule on Eridge website/ facebook and My Riding Life. You may enter direct but please notify me in advance so I can organise teams. will need helpers on both days so please see if you can offer some time. Due to Covid rules help will be for a morning or afternoon session (obviously you’re welcome to hep all day!) Please contact me if you can assist – you don’t need to be “horsey” to help.PONY RACINGThere is a possibility that we may be allowed to run our Pony Club Racing Day at Lingfield Racecourse on Tuesday 27 October – we will update you as soon as we receive a decision. If you are interested please contact me and start getting your pony fit now!Pony Racing mirrors the Horse Racing you see on the television, it’s held on licenced Race Courses across the UK- the only difference is that the equines taking part can only measure up to 14.2hh (148cm).?Members wishing to give Pony Racing a try must be aged between 9 years old on the first of January (in the current calendar year) and can race up until the day of their 17th Birthday.The Ponies taking part must be aged between 5 and 20 years old whilst being fit and well in order to race.?CAMPSWe are already looking at camps for 2021 – subject to Coronavirus restrictions. We hope that we can return to Ardingly Showground, however anticipating the change in the age profile of the Branch there will be some changes. The provisional plan will be for Senior Camp to run as a residential camp from Monday to Saturday. Junior Camp will run alongside from Monday to Thursday; ponies will have the option to stay over (subject to stabling availability) with children travelling in daily. We hope that this will help parents with children of different ages; having all camps in the same week appeared to be popular this year. We hope the younger children will be inspired by seeing the activities of the older members, whilst the older ones will have the opportunity to take on additional responsibilities. Mini Camp will continue at Holewood Farm, Crowborough, courtesy of the Fuller family, provisionally the weekend before Senior/ Junior Camps.Proposed dates will not be available later in the year when Ardingly set out their diary for next year.Camps rely on help from parents/volunteers so please let Marian Moon or Jo Fuller know if you are interested in helping.Upcoming Events/ Training/SchedulesThe website will shortly be updated with links to local Pony Club events, please check in and let us know if you wish to take part.Showjumping Group training with Judi-Piper Dadswell at Starnash Farm with the addition of some team training sessions for those aiming at Regionals and Area next summer.Training for all levels at Crockstead EC and Petley Wood – dates to follow.DressageEast Sussex & Eridge PC Interbranch dressage at Crockstead EC on 29 November including Spring Festival (formerly Dengie) qualifiers.Emma Goldsmith is hoping to organise a Test/Re-Test training session with Emma McGurk prior to this event to give riders some pointers on their test riding. Details to follow.Polework Clinic with Alison Short Level 3 BD Coach 22 or 23 December at Crockstead EC. Please contact Emma or me asap if interested in order we can assess numbers of groups.Arena Eventing Suzy Bull will organise more of the popular training sessions at her yard over the autumn/winter. We have purchased extra Jump 4 Joy fences and hope to be able to use them out on grass whilst the ground is good.Eventing Technical training – more winter dates with Tom Crisp are being planned. Mini Pony Club Showjumping training from cross poles both on and off lead rein. Dates to be released shortly.Halloween/Christmas games – we may have to adapt how we run these activities to comply with Covid-19 rules but will do our best to work something out.Eridge Pony Club MerchandiseWe will be introducing an Eridge PC yellow polo shirt which can be worn during the warmer months at practices and camps which we hope will help unify the turnout of members when it is too warm to wear a yellow sweatshirt. We also will shortly have available white Eridge PC saddlecloths in various sizes/styles which can be used at Branch activities or when representing the Branch – perfect Christmas present!Sarah Davies will shortly be emailing full details along with ordering information. Sarah holds a limited stock of all items but will be placing orders every 2-3 months so please contact her in plenty of time if you require new items.We have a sister Facebook page – Eridge Pony Club Community Group – which can be used for selling / seeking secondhand kit, asking questions, sharing information. No pony for sale adverts please as it is against FB rules.We hope that the above covers most areas of Eridge PC life but please do not hesitate to ask any of the Committee if you are unsure about any aspect of Pony Club. We look forward to seeing you all over the coming months and maintaining some element of normality in these uncertain times.With best wishesSarah Porter DC and the Eridge PC Committee ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download