The Central Ontario Region of Pony Club will hold the first of its Qualifiers for the Central Canadian Show Jumping Championships on Sunday, June 10, at Thornlea Stables near Oshawa, hosted by the Durham Pony Club. Aspiring show jumpers from many of the 32 Central Ontario Region Pony Clubs have entered. Selection for the Central Ontario Show Jumping team, which will compete against teams from the Western Ontario and St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Regions, will be based on scores achieved at this meet and other qualifiers hosted by the Muskoka Lakes Pony Club on June 30, by the Ajax Pony Club on July 22 and by the Sudbury Pony Club on July 28. This year, the Central Canadian Zone Championships are being hosted by the St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Region August 18-19.
At the Durham show, there will be competition at the Starter, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Advanced levels, plus non-qualifying classes for Entry A, B & C level riders. Qualifier Divisions will consist of three classes—a speed class and two conventional classes, each over a different course. Each of the conventional classes includes a timed jump-off if needed. Those who go clear in a conventional class qualify for its jump-off. In the jump-offs, clean rounds count ahead of those with knock-downs, and the fastest clean round wins. Speed rounds are against the clock, with no jump-off.
Pony Club is an international organization to promote riding and horsemanship skills among young people (up to 21 years old). Nearly all of Canada's international show jumpers got their starts in Pony Club. Show jumping is the most familiar Pony Club activity to most spectators, but Pony Club also offers competition in dressage, mounted games, rallies (including dressage, cross-country jumping and stadium jumping), tetrathlon (including shooting, swimming, cross-country jumping, stadium jumping, and cross-country running by the riders) as well as "academic" competition in quiz format. Above all, the objective of Pony Club competition is for young people to have safe fun in horse-related activities.
Thornlea Stables are at 430 Howden Road West, between Thornton Road and Simcoe Street. Howden Road is between the towns of Raglan and Columbus. Spectators are welcome without charge.