Pony Club girls fly flag for GB

Aug 23 2008 The Journal

INTERNATIONAL Mounted Games Great Britain team member Elizabeth Pettifer from North Togston was in a celebratory mood after returning from Perth where her team finished in first place, beating their Australian hosts by one point.

The 15-year-old Percy Pony Club member was one of five riders to represent Great Britain against Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA.

The GB team also included Pony Club members Alex Shaw, Cheshire Hunt North; Kate Granville, Llangeinor Hunt; Christina Fraser, Orkney and Hazel Kerr from the West Perthshire.

Elizabeth said: “The competition involved 20 races with four out of the five riders in each race and local horses/ponies provided for competition.

“The ponies were rotated between the five teams every four races and so much depended on the rider’s skill at handling a pony on which they had no practice.

“This is completely different to a rider’s usual experience of riding their own ponies. The Americans struggled to master the ponies and the GB team received ponies from them on the changeovers every four races usually in an excited state.

“In the final race the GB team were two points ahead although we were unaware of the exact position at that stage. We edged home by one point with Australia second, Canada third, New Zealand fourth and USA fifth.”

The competing nations rotate the venue each year and the stated aim of the competition is to improve collaboration and understanding between riders and national Pony Clubs and to broaden the scope of the Pony Club Movement.

Riders can apply in the year of their 16th birthday with each of more than 250 Pony Clubs in Great Britain able to put forward one member for selection. Riders are assessed for all-round riding ability and attributes such as team spirit, good sportsmanship and maturity which would make them good ambassadors for their country.