Cowichan Valley Pony Club

WELCOME

The Cowichan Valley Pony Club is a small branch of the Canadian Pony Club situated between Victoria and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. We have eleven active members ranging from untested to B level.

RECENT EVENTS

The Cowichan Valley Pony Club will have competed in all the Regional events this year: Quiz, Tetrathlon, Prince Philip Games, Rally, and dressage and show jumping Championships. Quiz is a fun filled day where the members socialize with those from other branches and test their knowledge on all things horsey. There is a written test, identification tables, and games. At Regional Quiz, Emily placed second in the C division and will go on to National Quiz represent the B.C. Islands Region in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in October. Tetrathlon is a four phase event where the participants shoot an air gun, swim 200 meters, run 2 km, and complete a stadium and cross country course. Mercedes came first in the senior girls division and will go on to National Tetrathlon in Bolton, Ontario in August. Prince Philips Games (P.P.G.) are games which require a fast, responsive pony and good motor skills. Some games include dropping balls in buckets, passing batons, bending poles, quick mounts and dismounts, popping balloons, spearing rings, and hopping in burlap sacks. The B team came second and the Masters team camr third in their divisions. The B team wore the same coloured boots, rugby jerseys, helmet covers, jodhpurs, saddle pads, and they even got their ponies to be the same colour! Obviously, they won Most Colour Co-ordinated. The Masters team yelled themselves hoarse and took home the prize for Most Encouraging Team. Rally is similar to a horse trials. A D team consists of a captain, three riders, and two grooms, and the C team consists of a captain, two riders, and one groom. The riders ride a dressage test, stadium round and cross country. They are also judged on their care of the horse. The captain is responsible for coaching, getting their riders to tack check and tests on time, and presenting the riders. They are in charge of the state of tack room and the organization of the team. The grooms help the riders prepare for the riding phases, making sure the horses are well cared for, helping the riders in the cool out after cross country, and the cleanliness of the feed room. We will be sending two C teams with an extra groom per team to Rally at Avalon Equestrian Centre in August. Championships consist of dressage and show jumping. To qualify for dressage, the rider must submit two scored dressage tests at the level they wish to compete at. They will complete two tests and the highest combined score wins. Show jumping is a test of the horse's speed and agility. The riders complete two rounds and, if required, a jump off. We will be represented at both phases of Championships.

We are having our annual Pony Club camp at Avalon Equestrian Centre in the last week of July. We will cover dressage, show jumping, pace and control, and cross country, as well as learn about lunging horses, dissecting a horse leg, farrier demonstration, work on badge projects, and other stable management topics.