Pony Club Championships

The Flint & Denbigh Hunt Branch have had the most amazing time at the champs: teams and individuals appearing on the podium and being placed in all four disciplines.

  • It all started on Friday with the intermediate dressage- Jody Nettleton 4th in her arena.
  • Senior games team were 4th in the intermediate competition: Alys Williams, Daniel Evans, Lois Williams, Joe Owen and Eden Greaves
  • Open Dressage Team – 10th  – Rebecca Owen 5th, Phoebe Woodbine 9th, Georgina Clarke 10th and Georgia Webb 16th
  • Open Show Jumping Team – 2nd: Sophie Toogood, Brier Leahy, Laura Cocking and Lois Roberts, finishing on 4 faults after two rounds. Lois was 10th in the Elite SJ competition
  • Open Horse Trials Team – 1st: Sophie Toogood 3rd, Brier Leahy 3rd, Phoebie Woodbine 3rd and Lucy Grindal 5th. Lucy also won the horse mastership bursary.

Also competing were Nicky Gray Williams – intermediate dressage, and Ffion Roberts – intermediate show jumping.

I must congratulate our members on how well they rode and they were immaculately turned out. I heard several comments on how smart our members looked.

I would also like to thank Louise Shepherd, Paul Davies, Arwyn Roberts, Fran Hughes and Chris Leahy for training our teams. The preparation and training started months in advance of the area competitions.

The success of our branch rewards the dedication of all the riders, parents & trainers. CONGRATULATIONS!

Show Jumping at Denbigh Show – 23rd August

Starting at 10am. Open to members and non-members. This is a fundraiser for the Branch so it would be great to see lots of support.

Area 5 Tetrathlon and Triathlon, and Beginners & Novice Eventers Challenge

13th and 14th September at Belle Vue Farm, Guilden Sutton, Chester

C Tests – October Half Term

Could any members wanting to take their C Test in October half term please let Iona know. Minimum recommended age 11 years. Email garethion@hotmail.com

Please Note: before taking C Test members must have trained for and passed the Pony Club Road Rider Achievement Badge OR the Pony Club Road Rider Test.

Worming Main Badge

Wednesday 17 September. Names to Jude Bennett (Judeb69@gmail.com).

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Prize winners from the Llandyrnog Dressage & SJ training and competition day on 14th August. Thank you to you all for attending.

Correct Dress for Riding (Rallies & Training)

When attending all mounted Pony Club activities Members should wear a riding jacket or Red Branch Sweat Shirt. Hoodies are NOT allowed. Sweatshirts & PC jackets are available from Iona Pierce. And beige, black or navy jodhpurs with leather shoes or jodhpur boots, or breeches and either leather or rubber riding boots, a suitable shirt and the official Pony Club tie. In the interests of safety, wellington boots or plimsolls should not be worn. Boots with heavy treads should also not be worn.

HEADGEAR. Hard hats must be worn at all times when mounted. Only hats or skull caps to BSI. kite mark standard PAS.015.1998 European Standard BS EN 1384 1997 or EN 1384 1996 or Snell E2001,  AS/NZS 3838 1998 or AS/NZS 3838 2003 can be worn .No other standard will be allowed. It must have a correctly fitted harness and be fastened at all times when mounted -and this includes prize giving.

All hats must be tagged.

Hats or hat covers must be black or dark blue except for cross-country when a plain red silk should be worn.

Hair should always be tidy with no stray strands hanging down over your eyes. Hair should be worn in a net. Long hair must be tied back in a plait or plaits with plain dark bands and preferably very long hair twisted up into a bun.

JEWELLERY. Jewellery should not be worn. Earrings, nose rings or any other sort, however small should never be worn. Leave them at home where they will be safe and so will you. They are dangerous.

Area 5 of the Pony Club Respect Code of Conduct for Riders, Parents/Carers, Spectators, Instructors, Team Managers, Judges, Stewards and other Officials

Following concerns expressed by a number of branches relating to the behaviour of a small number of individuals at some inter-branch events, it was decided that the Area should formulate a good-behaviour policy which would apply to all persons attending any Pony Club organised event. This code was unanimously adopted at the Area 5 District Commissioner’s meeting on the 23rd May 2011.

Members and guest ridersWe all have a responsibility to promote high standards of behaviour in the sport.As a rider, you have a big part to play. That’s why all branches in Area 5 are asking every member to follow this Respect Code of Conduct.I will:

  • Always ride and compete to the best of my ability
  • Compete fairly – I won’t cheat, complain or waste time
  • Respect my fellow riders, team-mates, other teams, instructors, judges, stewards and officials
  • Respect my horse or pony and the horses or ponies of others
  • Play by the rules, as set out in Pony Club and relevant discipline rulebooks
  • Listen and respond to what my instructor tells me
  • Talk to someone I trust or the branch welfare officer if I’m unhappy about anything in my branch.

I understand that if I do not follow this Code, any or all of the following actions may be taken by my Branch or the Area: I may:

  • Be required to apologise to my fellow riders, team-mates, other teams, instructors, judges, stewards and officials
  • Receive a formal warning from the instructor, District Commissioner or the branch committee
  • Be prevented from continuing in the competition or training
  • Be suspended from training
  • Be required to leave the branch

In addition:

  • My Branch or the Area may make my parent or carer aware of any infringements of this Code of Conduct
Spectators and parents/carersWe all have a responsibility to promote high standards of behaviour in the sportThis branch is supporting the Area’s Respect programme to ensure equestrianism can be enjoyed in a safe, positive environment.Remember Pony Club organised events are a time for members to develop their technical, physical, tactical and social skills. Winning isn’t everything.Play your part and observe the Area’s Respect Code of Conduct for spectators and parents/carers at all timesI will:

  • Remember that children and young people ride and compete for FUN.
  • Applaud effort and good play as well as success
  • Always Respect the officials’ decisions
  • Remain outside the arena and within the Designated Spectators’ Area (where provided) unless invited to do otherwise
  • Let the instructor do their job and not confuse the riders by telling them what to do
  • Encourage the riders to Respect other riders, judges, stewards and officials
  • Avoid criticising a rider for making a mistake – mistakes are part of learning
  • Never engage in, or tolerate, offensive, insulting, or abusive language or behaviour

I understand that if I do not follow the Code, any or all of the following actions may be taken by the Branch or Area: I may be:

  • Issued with a verbal warning from a Branch or

Area official

  • Required to meet with the Branch or Area committee
  • Obliged to leave the training or competition venue by the organiser or my branch
  • Requested by the branch not to attend future events
  • Suspended or have my child’s Pony Club membership removed
  • Required to leave the Branch along with any dependents
Branch and Competition officialsWe all have a responsibility to promote high standards of behaviour in the sport.The behaviour of the training or competition officials has an impact, directly and indirectly, on the conduct of everyone involved in the game – both in the arena and on the sidelines.Play your part and observe this Code of Conduct for officials at all time.I will:

  • Be honest and completely impartial at all times
  • Apply the rules of the discipline and competition rules fairly and consistently
  • Manage the training or competition in a positive, calm and confident manner
  • Deal with all instances of violence, aggression, unsporting behaviour, foul play and other misconduct
  • Never tolerate offensive, insulting or abusive language or behaviour from riders and officials
  • Support my colleague officials at all times
  • Set a positive personal example by promoting good behaviour and showing Respect to everyone involved in the event
  • Communicate with the riders and encourage fair competition
  • Respond in a clear, calm and confident manner to any appropriate request for clarification by branch representatives

I understand that if I do not follow the Code, any or all of the following actions may be taken by my Branch or the Area: I may be:

  • Required to meet with branch officials
  • Required to meet with the Branch or Area Committee
Instructors and Team ManagersWe all have a responsibility to promote high standards of behaviour in equestrianismPlay your part and observe the Area 5 Code of Conduct in everything you do. In and outside the arena or training area.I will:

  • Show Respect to others involved in the sport including competition officials, riders from other branches, instructors, managers, officials and spectators
  • Adhere to the laws and spirit of the sport
  • Promote Fair Play and high standards of behaviour
  • Always Respect the competition official’s decision
  • Never enter the arena without the judges/stewards permission
  • Never engage in public criticism of the competition officials
  • Never engage in, or tolerate, offensive, insulting or abusive language or behaviour

When working with riders, I will:

  • Place the well-being, safety and enjoyment of each rider above everything, including winning
  • Consider the well-being and safety of all horses and ponies in all situations
  • Explain exactly what I expect of riders and what they can expect from me

I understand that if I do not follow the Code, any or all of the following actions may be taken by my Branch or the Area: I may be:

  • Required to meet with branch officials

MEMO FOR PARENTS/ CARERS & MEMBERS:

We all have a responsibility to promote high standards of behaviour in the sport. This Branch is supporting the Area’s Respect programme to ensure equestrianism can be enjoyed in a safe, positive environment. Please remember Pony Club organised events are a time for members to develop their technical, physical, tactical and social skills. Winning isn’t everything.

TEAM TRAINERS decide who is in which team; please do NOT question their ability or choice. Their decision is final.

  • Remember that children and young people ride & compete for FUN.
  • Applaud effort & good play as well as success
  • Always Respect the officials’ decisions
  • Remain outside the arena and within the designated spectators Area (where provided) unless invited to do otherwise.
  • Let the instructor do their job and not confuse the riders by telling them what to do.
  • Encourage the riders to respect other riders, judges, stewards and officials.
  • Avoid criticising a rider for making a mistake- mistakes are part of learning.
  • Never engage in, or tolerate, offensive, insulting or abusive language or behaviour.

Our Branch volunteers & trainers put  a great deal of their unpaid time into organising training sessions & organising the teams for competitions, so please respect them & understand that not everyone can be in the ‘A’ Team.