Pony Club Season Ends on a High Note
By Zoe Chamel
C
oatesville Pony Club took time out to celebrate our successes and wrap up the 2021 season at prize giving on 30 May at Sanders Reserve. This year the Pony Club has seen member numbers grow and riders of all levels excelling and competing at local, regional and National levels. Prize giving was a fun social event for all riders and members to get together, socialise and recognise the high achievements of its members.
earlier in the year. This is a great accomplishment where riders compete from all over New Zealand. At prize giving the club also took time to recognise the hard work and effort that all members put in on a volunteer basis. Running such a large club cannot be done without the support from members and families, as well as the wider Coatesville community, and local companies that help us through giving time and support and sponsorship too. We’d especially like to acknowledge our two major sponsors: Albany Toyota, thank you for your continued support, and Bayley’s Real Estate who we welcomed as a new sponsor this season. In 2021 the club managed to hold most of our planned events, including show jumping, show hunter and a one day event. These are great opportunities for our riders to compete with riders from other clubs. This year the Coatesville Pony Club took out overall winners for the Waitemata district Show Hunter competition. A massive part of our riders' success is due to the quality of instructors that the club is lucky enough to attract and maintain. At present we have 11 instructors on our rally nights and two instructors who take our adult ride, and
A special mention was made for one of our senior riders, Matthew Verhoeven (above) who represented Coatesville at Waitemata Rodney Area level for the National Dressage Championship held in Marsterton
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4 | THE COATESVILLE CHRONICLE | JULY 2021
we also have many of our senior riders aspiring to step up and coach other
riders too. The Club prides itself on being a fun and enjoyable place and with over 100 riders we are one of the biggest pony clubs in the area. The Club runs three rallies a week; juniors on a Wednesday, seniors on a Thursday, and adults on a Tuesday night. The pony club season is over now so things are quiet, as we take some well-earned rest before the season starts again in September. Registrations open again in August, we look forward to seeing returning members and welcoming new riders who may wish to join our club. For more information email: coatesvillepc@gmail.com Top left: A collection of Pony Club trophies presented at prize giving; Far left: Matthew Verhoeven, competed in the National Dressage Competition held in Masterton; Left and above: Coatesville Pony Club riders put the Sanders Reserve playground through its paces at the 2021 prize giving party.
