FINLEY PONY CLUB INC

Team HORSE TRIALS 20/4/2019

Last year we tried a team event for the first time. Due to difficulties in getting suitable dates we needed to run the event in Easter. It is a double edged sword of course.

Some people are not available over easter and others might be able to get away.

The event was run over two days which, as it turns out, was quite lucky. Unfortunately we had a couple of nasty falls that created signficant delays. This is unfortunate. It reminds us all that horse riding has dangers. As does pretty much anything that is worthwhile. But it is the one thing that I dread as an official. I don't mind that some people have a bad day when their horse refuses to jump. That is a relatively minor setback. Next time the horse might be perfect. It is hardly what I would call a bad day. Even as competitors I "know" these people from their regular attendance at competitions. So I really am upset for them and hope for a speedy recovery.

Sometimes in racing I have heard the phrase "you won't see me for the dust". Well that might be metaphorical in other conditions but today with the deep drought it became true in every sense.

I have a few interesting photos from the Saturday evening with the low sun glinting off the brownish haze..

The day finished off with an easter egg scramble. Indeed I think that a great deal of effort was made on our behalf to give us the very best easter meeting that we could have.

As a further excitement we had a prize for the best team costume. Quite a few teams had gone to a lot of effort to present themselves and their horses as an integrated team..
It would have been nice to have more winners because there were plenty of deserving ones.
From my own perspective I enjoy dressing myself and my wife as a team when we go out together. It seems to be part of actually BEING a team.

I want one of these jackets. Stylish and understated.

Ahh teenagers. Much too early at 9:30 to rise out of bed isn't it.
Still we had a few bunnies around. If the horse could just jump like one ......

 

Of course every day needs to have a few winners. Not everyone wins a prize but everyone who can get out and spend a day with other like minded people is definitely a winner in every sense of the word.

I know that some of my friends are absolutely wrapped in having had a great day.

The Kyabram Krew. Our pony club team winner.

Our New Zealand team. Winner of the open section ( again ). Yet a well deserved win. Congratulations.
Although I might say that the "All Blacks" must be a bit colour blind. More like the "black and white minstrel show".

The prize for the best costume went to ( Insert drum roll here ) "too hot to trot". Some of the costume has suffered after the cross country. A shame that I didn't take the photo when they were on parade earlier.

Now look how well the white ribbon goes with all these riders. So much better than a red ribbon which would have clashed. It is important to get the correct ribbon to go with the clothes isn't it?

 

team results.pdf