United States Pony Club Rallies

In the spring, the girls and horses traveled to Peace Point Equestrian Center to a Tri-state rally competition. Pony club members from all over the region gathered to test their skills in dressage, jumping, horse management, and even musical horse and rider routines. The competitors work together with their club mates on teams of four. Scores are tallied for the group, so it is not as easy to win as one might think. One rider may be outstanding, but if the three others are poor, scores will be low. Our team did not perform well, as Heidi, Jacinta’s Quarter-Morgan cross mare decided to perform a bucking show both during her dressage patterns, and during her show jumping rounds. Tippy, Sarah’s five year old quarter horse, is still very green, and though good natured and a sweet horse, doesn’t know much, and it shows. The other team members did their best to make up for our weaknesses, but they also had a problem or two of their own.

Most fun are the musical performances, in which the young riders put together a horse and rider “dance” routine. It’s not as easy as you think—timing is everything.

United States Pony Club National Championships

In which Mrs. Roberts speaks about United States Pony Club National Championships:

In March 09, Jacinta Roberts, age 12, qualified to compete in the United States Pony Club National Championships held in Lexington Virginia, at the Lexington Horse Park. There are many divisions to the competition: show jumping, dressage, games, etc. The division in which Jacinta will compete is called the Quiz. This is a three day test of the competitor’s knowledge of horses—horse management, care, equipment, etc. The children compete against outstanding pony club youths from all around the eastern United States. The United States Pony Club has an excellent series of manuals, that help a rider move up from beginning to skilled horsemanship. Clubs have a series of unmounted lessons, as well as mounted--Our club holds unmounted meetings usually during the cold winter months, when the ground is too icy and slippery for riding. A dedicated volunteer teacher, Melanie Stewart, who is quite an expert when it comes to horses, works with the children to increase their knowledge of horse care and management at these meeting. She does her best to prepare the children for the regional quiz, and her efforts this year paid off--four of the children from her club qualified to compete nationally.

In order for children to qualify to compete in the National Championships, they must win in their regional divisions first. Our regional competition was held in March 09, at a site near Kenyon College in Ohio. Children from clubs all around the Tri-State region gathered and were tested on their equine facts. Jacinta and three others scored highest to form a team representing the tri-state region to compete nationally.

Aside:
Lunch was held in the cafeteria at Kenyon College, a beautiful four-year liberal arts college started by the Anglicans in the early 1800s? The first president was a minister named Philanderer Chase, who was not married and definitely not a philanderer.

Kenyon College is well-known in academic literary circles for John Crowe Ransom, the Kenyon Review, and in sports for their excellent swim teams. But, I would not recommend the cold noodle dish in the cafeteria.