The Irish Pony Club

This page contains articles written by members experiences of Pony Club. We welcome write-ups from anyone who would like to share their experience with others, in particular older members who may have travelled abroad to represent the Irish Pony Club, those who participated in exchanges through the pony club, or experiences outside of pony club that helped you in your Pony Club endeavours.

Extreme Tetrathlon.

I remember going up to the first training day in Mullingar February, I couldn’t believe it was snowing of all things!!! What a way to start training, running in the snow! I should have brought my skies!!

That was the start of it as we all trained really hard knowing there was a trial for the shortlist of teams heading to Bedale Yorkshire. That trial arrived only too soon at the end of February in Mullingar. There was tough competition but the shortlist was decided and the real training started to whip us into shape to take on the English, Welsh and Scots in June.

The training took place in a number of venues, Mullingar, Athy, Kildare, Carlow and Kilkenny. We were put through our paces in the swimming, pushed to the limit in the running with Peter Flynn and God forbid if you were first one out in the weakest link!!!

In April we were encouraged to compete in the hunter trial Championship in Ballon Co Carlow to test our equestrian ability, it was great fun as we saw a lot of our friends in the squad from other pony clubs. The trials to decide the teams were on the bank holidays in May and June in Kells Co Meath.

The Irish squads are heading over to Bedale Yorkshire from the nineteenth to the twentieth of June with the ponies arriving on the eighteenth of June. Good luck to all competing.

By Sarah Dermody

YOUNG BREEDERS INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

Congratulations to our members who were involved in the World Breeding Federation of Sport Horses (WBFSH) Young Breeders’ World Championships 2009 held at Kildalton College July 17 and 18.

Hopefully their success will encourage more of our members to enter in the future as this competition compliments our B and H test.

Two members who were involved in this competition have written of their experiences.

Click here for write up by David Bourke, Bray Hunt Branch

Click here for write up by Jean Meagher, Tipperary Hunt Branch

International Hunting Exchange

The International Hunting Exchange took place in November. It was a great success and one of the Irish Participants, Marina Williams of the Louth Branch has written a diary to share her experiences. When you read it you will wish you had been there, despite the weather at times!! Thank you Marina.

Click here to read Marina's Diary

Click here for link to Irish Times Slideshow of Waterford Foxhounds and Hunting Exchange Riders

Click here to read blogspot by US Pony Club member who was part of the International Hunting Exchange.

Junior Tetrathlon Trip to Bedale in 2009

Click here to read a full report on the Junior Tetrathlon Trip to Bedale in 2009 written by Sive Brasil.