| NS/NF Region
Spring 2001 Newsletter
|  |
From the Editor - Joy Brown:
It is with pleasure that I take on the role of Communications Chair for the Region. This is my first attempt at the Pony Club Newsletter, and my predecessor, Carollyn Crewe, has set a very high standard for me to live up to. I want to thank Carollyn for all the help and advice she has given me. I am also going to require the help of you, the readers. Your suggestions for improvements, additions, and articles will be very welcome. You can contact me at brownj@nscc.ns.ca or (902) 665-2964.
One feature that I hope to be able to include regularly in the newsletter is a Members' Corner with articles written by the members, for the members: members who have gone on beyond Pony Club to achieve success in some way related to the equestrian field, current members who have had an opportunity to compete at the National or International level, members with an interesting story to tell. I encourage you to “tell your story”- tell the other members in the Region how you got there and why they should aspire to do the same!
I would also encourage you to visit the Canadian Pony Club web site regularly for updated information. The web site can be found at www.canadianponyclub.org, and it is an excellent site. Each Region has a site that can be accessed through the main CPC page. Each Branch has a web site that can be accessed through the Region page. If your Branch is interested in enhancing your web site, please let me know and I can give you more details.
I also need your help in sending me photos of various events to include in upcoming newsletters and for the web site. If you are able to get your photos scanned, or if they are already in a digital format, you can just email me the image. If you wish to send me the photo, I can scan it and return it to you. (Box 651, Bridgetown, NS B0S 1C0). (Due to a camera problem, or perhaps “user error”, most of the photos that I took at the quiz did not turn out.)
I hope that you enjoy this issue and find it full of useful and interesting information!
Upcoming Events
There is a busy spring and summer planned. Following are the currently planned events with dates and locations. Please check the Region's web site for updated information.
| May 6 | Avon Training Show, Windsor |
| May 12-13 | Jenn Hamilton Mega Clinic, Windsor |
| May 18-20 | Avon Windsor Spring Show |
| May 27 | Tetrathlon Clinic, Sackville NB 10 am to 3:30 pm. (entry forms have been sent to all DC's) |
| June 9/10 | Nova Scotia Pony Club Prince Philip Games clinic, Salmon River (contact Pam Graves at 902-489-8299) |
| June 10 (or 17) | Sheffield Horse Trials (NB) |
| June 23 | Strathgartney Horse Trials (PEI) |
| June 23 & 24 | NS/NF Regional Tetrathlon Championship Strathgartney, PEI, and Sackville, NB, (entry forms to be sent to branches soon). Contact Gay Hansen (506)536-2532 or via email ghansen@mta.ca |
| June 25-30 | Show Jumping Clinics with Shelley Bowen (tentative)location TBA |
| June 30-July 1 | Avon Summer Show, Windsor |
| July 3-6 | Tetrathlon Camp, Port Elgin, NB. Contact Gay Hansen |
| July 15 | Redbank Horse Trials |
| July 16-20 | B – B2 Camp with Susan Fraser at Medford Meadows, contact Judy Allen, 902-538-8703 or email Pam Graves, mynico@hotmail.com |
| July 22 | Galloway Horse Trials (NB) |
| July 29 | Salmon River Horse Trials |
| July 29-Aug 1 | Zone Rally, Hampton, NB (must be over 12, pretraining level or higher) |
| July 30-Aug 1 | Regional C Rally, Salmon River |
| August 5 | Medford Meadows Horse Trials |
| August 12 | Foshay Horse Trials (NB) |
| August 12 | Regional D Rally, location TBA (tentative) |
| August 25 | Nova Scotia Pony Club "Dressage-Is-Fun" Show, Salmon River, NS (contact Pam Graves at 902-489-8299) – new riders are encouraged to attend |
| August 26 | Nova Scotia Pony Club Regional Dressage & Show Jumping Championships, Salmon River (contact Carollyn Crewe at 902-895-4059) |
| Sept 2 | Applewood Horse Trials |
| Sept 8-9 | Opportunity Jumper Show, Salmon River (low level) |
| Sept 9 | Hobby Horse Farm Horse Trials |
| Sept 15 | Strathgartney Horse Trials (PEI) |
| Sept 22-23 | Zone Show Jumping and Dressage Championships, Port Elgin, NB |
Members' Corner
National Quiz 2000 by Susi Brown, West Valley
| | (L-R) Susi Brown, Mary Roop, Lauren Johnson, James Hardy |
Last Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to attend National Pony Club quiz in London, Ontario. The quiz, hosted by the Western Ontario Region was a first for me. In fact, quizzes last year in general were a first for me. I didn't have any idea as to what I should expect, but I shouldn't have worried. My teammates, Mary Roop, James Hardy, Lauren Johnson and our chaperone Margie Johnson, who had attended National quiz the year before, filled me in.
The quiz was a great experience for me, not just because I got to go away for a weekend to Ontario, but because we met so many new people and had so much fun with the different stations at quiz. Whether it was charades or pictionary, we always seemed to be laughing, (maybe it was my trying to act out intravenous tranquilizers at charades?!).
We arrived Friday afternoon and were met at the airport by one of the host' mothers. She then took us to our hotel where we settled in and began preparing for our written test that evening. Although this was the hardest part of the quiz because we were all separated, our team pulled through without many problems. After written was over our team was in tenth place (out of thirteen teams). We were ecstatic! Once written tests were handed back, we had the chance to appeal any of our answers that had been marked wrong. Our team captain, Mary Roop, won back at least ten points to help our team. Way to go Mary! After written tests were over, we all were able to relax a bit.
The next day (Saturday) was station day. This was by far the most fun and exciting part of the quiz. The stations were very similar to what we do at our regional quizzes, except there were a lot more of them. As a group we did very well and managed to bring our team up to ninth place, (yeah we're in the ribbons!), even though we had a bit of trouble with famous riders and horses!
That night there was a karaoke dance held in the conference room at the hotel. At first no one was dancing so Lauren and I showed our Nova Scotia spirit and started swinging in the middle of the dance floor....solo. Eventually we encouraged others to join in and soon the dance floor was full. We even went up and did some “karaoking”! The night wore on and too quickly we were back in our rooms.
We had a big day ahead of us the next day as we prepared for our second individual test: artifacts. Sunday morning, we walked into the ball room to complete our artifacts phase...and my jaw dropped. Imagine 15- 18 tables, each one with at least ten artifacts on it. And they were all for us. We were separated from our team mates and rotated from table to table. The entire phase took three hours to complete and was I ever glad when it was over and we got to back to the tables and find out what each thing was. Had anyone else ever heard of fenbendazole? Neither had I. Overall our team did fairly well on the artifacts to hold our ninth place finish.
After lunch, we headed over to Guelph for a tour of the veterinary college. The group was split in half to do our tours of the complex. It was really interesting to see all the equipment and technology used there. We got to see the small animal surgery room as well as the large animal operating room, the large animal treadmill and even some of the patients. After our tour, we left to go back to the hotel and relax until the awards banquet and presentation.
After the buffet style turkey dinner (it was Thanksgiving weekend) we had a guest speaker named David who was a Dressage rider, but had started out in Pony Club. He spoke about how he had worked and what he had gone through to get where he was today. After the banquet and presentations (we received beautiful orange rosettes for finishing ninth-go team NS/Nfld!) Lauren and I talked to David for a few minutes to thank him for his interesting speech (and considering he wasn't bad looking from afar, we figured we should get a close up look!).
The next morning we left the hotel via limousine and headed for the airport...where we realized we had left Lauren's jacket and book bag at the hotel. Luckily for us, the other teams had the same idea about using limousines and the bag and jacket were sent with the very next one, arriving at the airport in plenty of time! On the trip home we were all pretty tired and worn out, but we felt really good because we'd done so well and had so much fun. We all made plans to work really hard throughout the coming winter so we might all make National Quiz in 2001out in BC.
It was a blast and an experience I will never forget. You meet so many neat and interesting people and learn so much. And to all the pony clubbers out there that are busy (which I know is most of you), find the time to study and make an effort to attend our regional quizzes and maybe even National. I promise you, it will be an experience you won't forget!
Discipline Reports
Tetrathlon
 A Tetrathlon clinic (run shoot swim only) was held at the AgriTec Park in Truro on March 25. Seventeen Pony Club members attended. These members represented five branches, Tantramar, Colchester, Opportunity, South Shore and Charlottetown from the NB/PEI Region. Most of the participants were relatively new to Tetrathlon. Everyone did extremely well and proved to be remarkably good swimmers overall. Thanks to Opportunity for booking the facility and to Carollyn Crewe and Linda McPhail for help with time-keeping and chaperoning.
Another run shoot swim clinic will be held in Sackville, NB, on May 27. Notices have been sent to all branches. Please let Gay know if you plan to attend. Limited billeting is available.
The Regional Tetrathlon Championship will be held June 23 and 24 at the Strathgartney Horsetrials in PEI and in Sackville NB. Stabling and billeting available. Notice of the Regional Championship will be sent out soon. All Tetrathletes considering attending Nationals, must attend either the clinic or the Regional Championship and are strongly encouraged to attend both.
Tetrathlon Camp will be held in Port Elgin July 3 to 6. This camp is open to any interested Pony Club members. No previous experience in Tetrathlon is necessary but campers must be old enough to care for their own horses. Space is limited.
The National Tetrathlon Championship is to be held in Langley, BC, on August 6 to 11.
We can do a run shoot swim clinic at your branch, just set a date, book a pool and find a space where we can shoot and find some volunteers to run stop watches and chaperone. I'll come with some older Tetrathletes, run the clinic and score-keep.
We are looking forward to a busy summer!
Please call if you have questions. Phone 506 536 2532 or email: ghansen@mta.ca
Gay Hansen, Regional Tetrathlon Chair
Dressage - “Down The Centre Line”
I hope everyone is having a good start to Spring, and that you're all getting out there to practice your transitions and twenty-metre circles! Just a few notes on what the Region has planned for you this summer in Dressage:
1. “Dressage Is Fun!” Show: Slated for August 25 (the day before Regional Championships) at Salmon River show grounds (CNHP) in Truro. Divisions will include Novice (walk/trot), Beginner 3 (walk/trot/canter), Basic 1, and even Basic 2 and 3 (if any of you are interested in showing at those levels). Classes will be Individual Test, Kur, Costume Kur, Pas-de-Deux and Quadrille. Any branches who need a little help putting together a Quadrille, or even just a little brushing up on riding a nice dressage test, please contact me at or phone (902)489-8299 and I'd be happy to come spend a day at your branch to help. This show is open to all pony clubbers - you don't need to be an accomplished dressage rider - and will be a great warm-up for Regionals.
2. Atlantic Zone Dressage Championships: These will be held in Port Elgin, New Brunswick, in conjunction with the Zone Show Jumping Championships, and will offer Basic 1 through 4 levels. You must qualify with two scores of 55% or higher at Regional Dressage/Show Jumping Championships, which are on August 26 at Salmon River (CNHP) show grounds.
3. Regional Basic 1 and 2 Year-End Awards: these are for anyone who will be going to some dressage shows over the summer. Simply hold on to your tests from any Cadora show, the Dressage-Is-Fun Show, Regionals or Zones, and send your 2 or 3 best scores in to me in October. The top scorers in Basic 1 and 2 divisions will receive an award.
Also, we are working with Nova Scotia Cadora to promote Dressage among younger riders. We now have a “Pony Club Corner” section in the Cadora newsletter, so if you have any comments, news, or even questions you'd like answered, please let me know by phone or email and we'll include them in the newsletter.
Trot on!
Pam Graves, Regional Dressage Chair
Branch Corner
FAIRWIND PONY CLUB
Earlier this year the idea of reviving Fairwind Pony Club became a reality. With an enthusiastic group of riders and parents the hopes are that Fairwind Pony Club will be available to new and old members in the area for a long time to come.
Fairwind Pony Club members ride out of Fairwind Farm Equestrian Centre owned and operated by Mac and MaryLew Murray. Situated in Pomquet, Antigonish County, riders are drawn to Fairwind from all ends of the county and from as far away as Port Hawkesbury, 45 minutes away.
All members are students of MaryLew Murray and have varying levels of experience:
- Laura MacEachern (18) hopes to find a horse to part lease for this season.
- Lacy Richards (15) and her horse, Maitlin, registered Morab gelding have begun preparing for show season.
- Rachel MacDougall (15), Caitlin Doyle (13) and Jessica Mattie (12) do not own horses, but plans are to lease school horses of Fairwind Farm Equestrian Centre for testing and pony club events held on site for this season.
- Jessica Swinkels (14) and Robin, a chestnut Hanoverian/QH gelding, plan for a busy summer ahead.
- Alana Robertson (14) has just purchased a new chestnut QH/Arab gelding, Ripley, as her new equine partner.
- Carolyn VanDenHeuvel (13) and her Appaloosa mare, Molly, are getting ready for pony club events.
- Caitlin Swinkels (12) and her new horse, Chip, a chestnut QH cross are making plans for the season ahead. Chip was recently purchased from the Dexter's of Colchester Pony Club.
- The youngest members of the club are Haley MacDonald (10) and her horse Frosty, a chestnut QH mare and Catherine Partridge (9) who is leasing Misty, a Pinto mare for this season.
- Lacy Richards is the only returning member of the old Fairwind Pony Club, all other members are new to pony club.
Testing dates have been set for May and June and we plan for a fall testing also.
The stable management is given by way of monthly lectures and is taught by MaryLew and Claire Reeves. MaryLew and Claire, both have numerous years of coaching and competitive experience. The club also receives generous support of local guest speakers from professional equine fields.
The goals of Fairwind Pony Club for this season include spring and fall testing, dressage shows, show jumping and D rally.
Active Member - Eastern
Kirsten Scott is the Youth Rep (Active Member) for Eastern Canada representing NS/Nfld, NB/PEI, COR and WOR for the next 2 years. Kirsten says that she is very grateful to have been elected to this position,
And that she really hopes to make a difference, but she needs your help too! It is her responsibility to voice the opinions of the Pony Club members themselves to the Board. In order to do this she needs input from Pony Clubbers. She would like to hear from you with any suggestions, thoughts, ideas, etc they you like taken to the Board.
For example:
- How can we keep older/higher level Pony Clubbers interested and remain members?
- Pony Club relations with the CEF, would you like to see our testing levels recognized?
- PC liaison with Young Riders?
- How can we insure maximum participation in all the Pony Club disciplines?
- Should we split the higher levels of testing into individual disciplines?
- What can we do to encourage young members to join?
- Should we do more with the USPC?
- What can we do to include clubs in isolated areas?
Please feel to comment on anything else at all, she's here to listen and report!
Kirsten can be contacted via email at kirstyvega@hotmail.com or through regular mail at
RR #1, Box 1002A
McDonald's Corners, ON K0G 1M0
(Please provide Kirsten with input, as she has had a poor response from members to date.)
Results
We had a busy January and February with Regional Quizzes hosted by the Eastern Shore Pony Club on January 27, 2001, and by Opportunity Pony Club on February 24, 2001. Each of these quizzes was well attended and presented challenges for members from Novice to C level. Judging from the mood and noise level of the competitors, all had a great time! The results from those quizzes follow:
Eastern Shore (71 members from 8 branches attended)
NOVICE TEAM RESULTS:
| 1st |
Avon #1 |
Robyn Riggs, Amber Luddington, Tara Hood, Michelle Hood |
| 2nd |
Avon # 2 |
Morgan Parsons, Tricia Sanford, Mary-Beth Kehoe, Charles Edwards |
| 3rd |
West Valley/Tantramar |
Julian Holownia, Jackie Johnson, Kati Brown, Kari Brown |
| 4th |
Colchester/Eastern Shore |
Nicole Boucher, Jessica Stone, Whitney McDonald, Adonica Salter |
| 5th |
Opportunity |
Olivia Cox, Julia Locke, Megan Johnson, Sammy Blumenthal |
NOVICE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
| | Avon Novice Members Identify Artifacts |
| 1st |
Kari Brown |
West Valley Pony Club |
| 2nd |
Michelle Hood |
Avon Pony Club |
| 3rd |
Amber Luddington |
Avon Pony Club |
| 4th |
Charles Edwards |
Avon Pony Club |
| 5th |
Mary-Beth Kehoe |
Avon Pony Club |
D TEAM RESULTS:
| 1st |
Avon |
Sydney Hines, Andrea desRoches, Kaleigh Everett, Laura Shearer |
| 2nd |
Eastern Shore |
Jessica Buell, Kelsey Merritt, Julie Eldridge, Cheryl Wright |
| 3rd |
Fundy |
Megan Fraser, Ginny-Lou Crosby, Vanessa Robicheau |
| 4th |
Opportunity |
Jackie Burgess, Myra MacHattie, Holly Densmore, Connie McLellan |
| 5th |
West Valley/Tantramar |
Emily Weidhaas, Stephanie Burnie, Jessica Robinson, Laura Sloan |
| 6th |
Colchester |
Maya deBoer, Claire Mattocks, Erica Johnson, Amanda Leslie |
D INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
| 1st |
Vanessa Robicheau |
Fundy Pony Club |
| 2nd |
Andrea DesRoches |
Avon Pony Club |
| 3rd |
Kaleigh Everett |
Avon Pony Club |
| 4th |
Cheryl Wright |
Eastern Shore Pony Club |
| 5th |
Kelsey Merritt |
Eastern Shore Pony Club |
| 6th |
Julie Eldridge |
Eastern Shore Pony Club |
C TEAM RESULTS:
| 1st |
Avon |
James Hardy, Mary Roop, Wray Schofield, Lindsay Forgeron |
| 2nd |
Colchester # 1 |
Kate Mattocks, Emily Dexter, Lauren Johnson, Katie Gloade |
| 3rd |
Tantramar/Annapolis |
Erin Sloan, Tracey Smith, Jessica Gerrits, Kelly Gillespie |
| 4th |
West Valley |
Trish Starr, Nicole MacHattie, Jenna Gaul, Susi Brown |
| 5th |
Opportunity |
Robynne Murray, Risha Rushton, Krista Brouwer, Jenna Lee Reid |
| 6th |
Eastern Shore |
Laura Hudson, Jackie Merritt, Aimee Clark, Adrienne Sullivan |
C INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
| 1st |
Mary Roop |
Avon Pony Club |
| 2nd |
Susi Brown |
West Valley Pony Club |
| (tie) |
Katie Gloade |
Colchester Pony Club |
| 4th |
Tracey Smith |
Tantramar Pony Club |
| 5th |
Robynne Murray |
Opportunity Pony Club |
| 6th |
Lauren Johnson |
Colchester Pony Club |
Opportunity ( 81 members from 6 branches attended)
NOVICE TEAM RESULTS:
| 1st |
Avon |
Tara Hood, Michelle Hood, Robyn Riggs, Charles Edwards |
| 2nd |
Avon |
Mary Beth Kehoe, Tricia Sanford, Liia Roop, Morgan Parsons |
| 3rd |
Opportunity |
Julia Locke, Olivia Cox, Jessica Griffiths, Megan Johnson |
| 4th |
West Valley/Eastern Sh. |
Kati Brown, Kari Brown, Name Withheld, Adonica Salter |
| 5th |
Colchester |
Andrew McNutt, Shelby Gatti, Jessica Stone, Whitney McDonald |
| 6th |
Tantramar/Colchester |
Julian Holownia, Jackie Johnson, Nicole Boucher |
NOVICE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
| 1st |
Charles Edwards |
Avon Pony Club |
| (tie) |
Mary Beth Kehoe |
Avon Pony Club |
| 3rd |
Michelle Hood |
Avon Pony Club |
| 4th |
Tricia Sanford |
Avon Pony Club |
| 5th |
Tara Hood |
Avon Pony Club |
| (tie) |
Megan Johnson |
Opportunity Pony Club |
| (tie) |
Andrew McNutt |
Colchester Pony Club |
| (tie) |
Morgan Parsons |
Avon Pony Club |
D TEAM RESULTS:
| 1st |
Colchester |
Maya deBoer, Erica Johnson, Amanda Leslie, Claire Mattocks |
| 2nd |
Eastern Shore/Avon |
Sydney Hines, Kaleigh Everett, Kelsey Merritt, Jessica Buell |
| 3rd |
Opportunity/West Valley |
Chelsea Schneider, Ashley Cameron, Amy Corlett, Stephanie Burnie |
| 4th |
Opportunity |
Holly Densmore, Connie McLellan, Myra MacHattie, Madeline Trider |
| 5th |
Annapolis |
Sydney Goodfellow, Nicole Harvie, Rachel Lightfoot |
| 6th |
Opportunity |
Sarah Locke, Emma Eisses, Tracey Brouwer, Kelsey Jones |
D INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
| | West Valley Pony Clubbers - some last minute studying |
| 1st |
Erica Johnson |
Colchester Pony Club |
| 2nd |
Sydney Hines |
Avon Pony Club |
| 3rd |
Claire Mattocks |
Colchester Pony Club |
| 4th |
Amanda Leslie |
Colchester Pony Club |
| 5th |
Kaleigh Everett |
Avon Pony Club |
| 6th |
Kelsey Merritt |
Eastern Shore Pony Club |
C TEAM RESULTS:
| 1st |
Avon |
James Hardy, Mary Roop, Wray Schofield, Lyndsay Forgeron |
| 2nd |
West Valley |
Susi Brown, Nicole MacHattie, Trish Starr, Jenna Gaul |
| 3rd |
Tantramar |
Inga Hansen, Erin Sloan, Tracey Smith, Jen Wilson |
| 4th |
Colchester |
Carrie Hoyt, Beth Bradley, Merilee Yuill, Kate Mattocks |
| 5th |
Opportunity |
Jackie Burgess, Brittany Corlett, Jenna Lee Reid, Beth Brown |
| 6th |
Colchester/Annapolis |
Jessica Gerrits, Jessica Richards, Alicia Crewe |
C INDIVIDUAL RESULTS:
| 1st |
Mary Roop |
Avon Pony Club |
| 2nd |
Susi Brown |
West Valley Pony Club |
| 3rd |
James Hardy |
Avon Pony Club |
| 4th |
Kalina Whitelaw |
Opportunity Pony Club |
| 5th |
Lauren Johnson |
Colchester Pony Club |
| 6th |
Robynne Murray |
Opportunity Pony Club |
Did You Know?
- That former Annapolis Pony Club member Megan White was the recipient of the Doctor George Jacobsen Trophy presented to the CEF Equestrian of the Year? See full details on the Regional website.
- That Colchester Pony Clubber Alison Johnson recently passed her A written test? Congratulations, Alison!
- That Pony Clubbers testing for their A can be tested for their CEF Level 1 Instructor at the same time?
- That the new A/B Testing Procedures are on the web site and can be downloaded?
- That there is an error in the C/D Testing Procedures Manual – members do not receive the Examiner's Worksheet back after testing – only the Individual Record Sheet?
- That effective immediately D2 testing will now include a full oral test on test day? (will no longer be using a SMOTS for testing)
- That there are many awards and opportunities available for Pony Clubbers? Information is on the CPC web site.
- That the Region needs a Youth Rep? You must be 18 or over. Mail or email Pam Graves a letter stating why you would like to do this.
- That the deadline for applications for Zone and National Competitions must be postmarked by May 18, 2001?
|