Message from Bethan
I hope that all our members and their parents are all well.
Well done to all our members who took part in the Winter League show jumping teams and as individuals. Congratulations to Isabella Stone has won the individual competition, with her team being 2nd overall. It is quite a commitment for parents and members to compete at all the Winter League competitions that are run by different branches in Area 5 throughout the winter months. A big thank you also to Bethan Edwards for organising all the training and also for putting all the members in teams. Final results can be found on Area 5 website.
As soon as the lockdown is lifted, we can hopefully start having rallies etc. In the meantime I hope you can continue to safely ride your ponies and also have a go at the craft competitions run by Area 5.
Best regards
Bethan Jones
Collage competition
Update: You can use ANY material you like but you must include the hair, wool, tree etc. Also please send – in your own handwriting – about 100 words about your Collage.
It would be helpful if entrants could let Meg know of their intention to have a go, then she will have some idea of the numbers to expect!
“Vaguely Equestrian.”
Size – 12 x 16 inches (30 x 40 cm)
In your design somewhere you must use:
- horse hair (mane or tail),
- some sheep wool,
- some part of a tree,
- something in the 3 Pony Club colours e.g. a skirt, flag, tablecloth, tent, dog!
This is not a painting and does not have to be Pony Club orientated e.g. it could be a beach scene with a PC coloured deckchair.
- Class 1 – 10 and under.
- Class 2 – 11 and over.
Please send two photographs, one from the front and the other at 45 degrees to Area5@pcuk.org. Please do not give your name (use a nom de plume) but give your Branch. Closing date 24th May at 6pm. Prizes will be a choice of an Individual lesson (dressage, SJ, XC or shooting). Be prepared for your entry to be on the website.
DECORATE YOUR PONY OR HOBBY HORSE COMPETITION
Decorate your pony or Hobby Horse however you wish. You may choose to have a theme, a colour or a character. Please do not use paint on your pony but you can use flowers, ribbons and any plaiting style to make your pony look beautiful (you can put paint on your Hobby Horse). Please take a side on photo with the Pony Club Member in their Branch/Centre Sweatshirt/Polo Shirt or T-shirt holding the pony (not mounted) or Hobby Horse. Ponies and Hobby Horses will be judged separately. If you don’t own a Hobby Horse you can use a broom. More information and entry form:
#Write2Ride Pony Club Creative Writing Competition Update and Information
It is fair to say everyone has been extremely positive about the project and judging by the number of entries that are flooding in the word has spread around the country. Parents of younger children in particular have all said it has given them something to include in the home schooling department and of course the fantastic prizes on offer have been a great incentive for them to put pen to paper.
I received a wonderful email from a Mother who said her daughter had been suffering from lockdown blues, missing the chance to compete in what should have been her “all or nothing” season and writing a piece about her experience at the Pony Club Tetrathlon Championships had really raised her spirits.
We have also received feedback from other branches in other Areas raising a couple of points which, after consideration with our professional judges, we would now like to address. The first point concerned the wide variation that might be prevalent in the submissions from the 11 years and under group. The judges will take into consideration the age of the child and we will be offering some special prizes for the best submissions for 7 years and under. So please encourage any younger members to have a go. Currently the youngest entry comes from a 5 year old and it is great to see lots of submissions from boys too!
The second request we have received concerns the older children in the 16 years and over section who, in some areas, are still having to work incredibly hard with school work which they have been told will impact on the grades given for GCSEs and A-Levels. It has been asked if the deadline could be extended to accommodate this group. At the suggestion of the judges it has been agreed to extend the deadline for the 16 years and over group by 3 weeks to the 16th June 2020 thus enabling them to enter a quality submission if they so desire. The original deadline of 22nd May 2020 will stay in place for the other two age sections and the judges will make a start, reading and assessing those submissions. Any pieces received after 22nd May, whatever the age of the entrant will automatically be entered into the 16 years and over group. It is hoped that this seems a fair way to address the feedback we have received in Area 3 concerning this competition.
The generosity of all the supporters of this project continues to astound and overwhelm, please continue to spread the word and give coverage to the businesses and people who are donating their skills and services freely to The Pony Club in the form of prizes. If you are able to share on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram any posts promoting the sponsors and this competition it really helps add to the momentum. Equally posting or making a page on a Branch or Area website is also a great way to spread information as it will come up on Google. It is such a positive story highlighting the friendship and teamwork that sets The Pony Club apart and makes it a unique youth organisation so let’s shout it out #ponyclubcarryon!
Hopefully lots of charities who might not share the limelight, which makes them nonetheless deserving, will be benefiting too from this competition. The nominated charities have been as wide and diverse as the entries currently received.
I hope everyone is staying safe and well in these strange and difficult times.
Best Wishes
Pippa Ireland (on behalf of Area 3 of the Pony Club)
