The Pony Club Championships 2005

Rory was first to go in his arena in the dressage championships.

Rory doing dressageReg really didn't go at all badly there were a few movements that he still showed how much of a novice he still is but both judges said that there was a lot to like which is encouraging. I was really impressed by the standard of tests that I watched and as always amazed at how young some of the children were ( Rory's section was won by a 12 year old ! )
On the same day the individual show jumping took place and Sophie Harvey must have had the worst luck as she was jumping a really good round ( never touched a a fence) when aproaching fence 8 the bit snapped and poor Sophie was left galloping around the ring until such time as her pony decided he was out of puff, not a very nice experience. Sophie was allowed to jump in the next round and had 4 faults which was not bad at all over a bigger course. Well done to Sophie, Trish and Andrew who kept smiling all the time.

Then came the Eventing Championships, were we had both Rory and Racheal Rodman competing, again both of them didn't do bad tests at all rory getting 38.6 and Rachael 40.
Rory on the XC courseThe x.country had a few changes from last year with the very difficult water jump, altered to a bigger jump into the water and 2 strides to a lobster pot straight infront of you from which there was another lobster pot 2 strides on a lefthanded turn. Rory was thrilled with Reg who seemed to take everything in his stride and jumped a nice clear round, Rachael had a couple of runouts at a skinny fence but apart from that Jaffa went really well and it will have been great experience for both of them. Due to the fact that the ground was very hard at the show jumping Rachael didn't jump Jaffa as there was little point, his show jumping is very consistant but Rory jumped Reg and was a little onward bound to have 8 faults.

So although none of us won any rosettes at the Pony Club Championships, we had great fun seeing lots of friends from other pony clubs and  the weather was good and we did have the pleasure of seeing Victoria Walker from the L & R win the individual show jumping.

Aly Boswell