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Young Riders from Around the World to Compete at

2003 Ontario's Pony Club Tournament of Champions

From Friday, August 15 to Sunday, August 17, the Ontario's Pony Club Tournament of Champions, hosted by the Central Ontario Region, will welcome young riders from across Canada and around the world. This show, being held at the York Equestrian Centre just east of Newmarket, features Zone, National and International Championships. In both show jumping and dressage, members of Pony Clubs in Western Ontario, Saint Lawrence-Ottawa Valley and Central Ontario have competed all season to represent their own Regions in the Central Canada Zone Championships being held at this show. The show also offers Rising Star competitions in both these disciplines, open to those who have not qualified for Zone Championships. Teams from the Pacific, Prairie and Central Canada Zones will compete for the National Prince Philip Games Championship. This year each Zone has been invited to send both its own Champion and its runner-up, so six teams will vie for the Canadian crown. Last but certainly not least, Australia, Great Britain and the United States will take on the host Canadians for the world championship in the International Mounted Games Exchange.

Friday features the Rising Star Dressage Challenge and the Canadian Prince Philip Games Championship. On Saturday, there will be Zone Championship competition in both dressage and show jumping. The Tournament winds up on Sunday with the Rising Star Show Jumping Challenge and the International Mounted Games Championship.

The York Equestrian Centre is on Davis Drive (Highway 9) east of Newmarket, between Highways 404 and 48. Competition starts each morning at 9:00. Spectators are welcome without admission charge.

More details are available from the Central Ontario section of the Canadian Pony Club website, www.CanadianPonyClub.org. Click on Regions/Branches, select Central Ontario from the drop-down menu, and follow the OPCTOC link. This and previous press releases may also be found in the Central Ontario part of the website. For information not on the website, please get in touch with Liz or Bob Inglis, Central Ontario Communications Co-Chairs, at 416-493-1223 (work) or 416-491-4230 (home) or lizinglis@technalysis.on.ca or bobinglis@technalysis.on.ca; Games Competition Managers Sally Chamney (905-833-8381 or schamney@intralec.com) or Dace Phillips (905-833-2019 or phillips.family@sympatico.ca); Dressage Competition Manager Audrey Robbescheuten (905-723-0247 or arobbescheuten@hotmail.com); Show Jumping Competition Managers Marg O'Neill (905-427-6773 or maggieoneill@sympatico.ca) or Sarah Bortoluss (905-839-0472 or S_bortoluss@hotmail.com); or Show Organizer Bev Rice (705-424-5639 or brice@yorku.ca).