Nova Scotia Region
Letter from the Regional Chair
August, 2004

In June the Fairwind Pony Club was host to the Regional Pony Club Dressage Show. There were approximately 40 entries for this event. Along with doing individual tests member were also able to compete in a freestyle and pas-de-deux. Due to the large number of entries another Dressage Show is in the works for late September in the Valley.

On July 11 the Nova Scotia Pony Club held a D Rally Clinic at Hobby Horse. Members received instruction in Dressage and Cross Country. Clubs were given the option of bringing their own instructors and booking time in the dressage ring and cross country or taking advantage of the clinic instructors, Pam Graves and Elizabeth Crewe. Along with the riding, members also attended a talk by Jackie Allen on caring for your horse after cross country. Feedback on this clinic indicates that the clubs very much appreciated the efforts of Pam, Elizabeth and Jackie in holding this clinic and want another one next year!

The “first for a long time” NS Regional Prince Phillip Games Cup(PPG) competition was held at the Central Nova Horse and Pony Association grounds in Truro on July 25. This event was organized by NS Pony Club PPG rep, Jackie Allen with help from host club, Opportunity Pony Club. Jackie has been holding PPG clinics at various clubs around the province this summer. It is great to see this discipline making a comeback!

On July 18 teams from across the province competed at the NS Pony Club ABC Rally, run in conjunction with the Central Nova Horse Trials. Teams were made up of four riders with the best three scores to count for each riding phase; Dressage, Cross Country and Stadium Jumping. Eight out of the ten branches from across the province took part in this rally. NS Pony Club Regional Youth Rep. Kate Mattocks held a meeting with Branch Youth Reps in the spring and on their recommendation the Region is looking at hosting a full phase 2 to 3 day ABC Rally in 2005.

Aug 2nd to 6th brought riders from across Canada to the Canadian Pony Club National Tetrathlon. Members competed in swimming, cross country running, air pistol shooting and riding (each horse and rider competed in both cross country and stadium jumping). Competitors stayed at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College ( www.nsac.ns.ca) and the riding was done at the Central Nova Horse&Pony Association grounds. (http://www.getapresence.com/cnhp/index.htm) On the final day, following the running, everyone involved in the event headed to the Shubenacadie River to experience River Rafting and mud sliding! A great way to introduce our visitors to the Bay of Fundy Tides!

This event was a big undertaking and couldn't have been held without the work of many volunteers and the support of many individuals and organizations. Thank you! A special thank you to Jen Healy, who did a great job of taking care of all the horses with the help of the official grooms, Erica Johnson, Carrie Hoyt, Emma Eisses, Jenna Lee Reid, Nikita Blaauwendratt, and Merilee Yuill. A big thank you to the many people who lend their wonderful horses for this event. And lets not forget the tetrathletes of the Tantramar Pony Club for sponsoring the water bottles and the shooting supplies from the money they earned bagging garden manure, and for the time they spent this summer schooling and conditioning some of the borrowed horses. The Nova Scotia Pony Club Region would like to recognize and say a big thank you to the NSEF and the Sport and Recreation Division of the NS Office of Health Promotion for a hosting grant.

I am saving a great big thank you for Gay Hansen, Thaddeus Holownia, Debbie Sloan and all their families for the time and effort they put into making this event a success! For more information of Tetrathlon and for results go to the NSPC website: www.canadianponyclub.org

Congratulations go out to Inga Hansen and Jenn Wilson of the Tantramar Pony Club. Inga and Jenn were chosen to represent Canada at the International Tetrathlon Competition. They are two of eight members of the Canadian Pony Club taking part in this three week cultural exchange and Tetrathlon competition held in Ireland, Scotland and England. A unique opportunity to experience new sights, new friends, and new cultures while taking part in a sport they love.

The Nova Scotia Pony Club would like to congratulate the following members:
  • Jackie Allen, who was the recipient of the Canadian Pony Club Governor General's Award. This is a $1000 scholarship given to an A or B2 level member of the Canadian Pony Club.
  • Emily Dexter, who was the NS Pony Club regional youth rep. for 2 years, has been chosen to sit on the National Board of the Canadian Pony Club as the Eastern youth Rep.
  • Kate Mattocks, who has replace Emily as out regional youth rep. Welcome aboard.

British Columbia is host to the Canadian Pony Club National Quiz Competition being held on Thanksgiving weekend. Congratulations to Jessica Swinkels, Merilee Yuill, Katie Gloade and Emily Dexter who have earned a position on the team to represent Nova Scotia for this event. This event includes a written test, visual identification of over 100 horse items and team stations. Good luck and keep hitting the books!