The Ajax Pony Club will host the second of three Central Ontario Region show jumping qualifiers at Audley Road Stables this Sunday, July 18. Aspiring show jumpers from 15 different Pony Clubs have entered. Results at this show, along with those from two others, will determine the Central Ontario show jumping team which will take on teams from the Western Ontario and St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Regions at the Central Canada Zone Championships. This year, St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley is hosting the Championships August 28-29 near Ottawa.

In this show, three divisions of Pre-Entry level riders will compete in two classes each, both single round plus jump-off, preceded by a warm-up round. Some of these riders are under ten years old, and the jumps are set accordingly (1'9" to 2'0"). Pre-Entry riders do not qualify for the Zone Championships.

The higher divisions, Entry, Starter, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Advanced, compete in three classes each, two conventional classes and one speed class, to determine a Champion and a Reserve in each division. Each of the conventional classes includes a timed jump-off if more than one rider gets through the first round without any knock-downs, refusals or falls. In the jump-off, clear rounds count ahead of those with faults, and the fastest clear round wins, just like at the televised shows. Speed rounds are against the clock, with no jump-off. Jump heights increase for each division, with the Advanced riders facing obstacles ranging from 3'6" to 3'9".

Pony Club is an international organization to promote riding and horsemanship skills among young people. Nearly all of Canada's international show jumpers got their starts in shows like this. Show jumping is the most familiar of Pony Club's activities to most spectators, but there is also competition in dressage, mounted games, rallies (including dressage, cross-country jumping and stadium jumping), tetrathlon (swimming, shooting, cross-country jumping, stadium jumping and cross-country running) as well as "academic" competition in quiz format.

Audley Road Stables are at 777 Audley Road, between Rossland Road and Highway 2. The show starts at 8:00 am, and spectators are welcome without charge.

For more details e-mail Bob Inglis, Central Ontario Regional Communications Chair, or call him at 416-493-1223 (office) or 416-491-4230 (home), or e-mail Show Secretary Marg O'Neill , or call her at 905-427-6773 (home).