PTSept 2010 p28-35 Pony Club YC captions missing
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Report Audi Pony Club Championships
Club chatter TWO POLO TIMES BEST PLAYING PONY RUGS were presented at prize giving. One was given to Rascal – real name Diptford Trina. Rascal is a 21-year-old, 13.1hh mare owned by the Dalton-Morgan family. Tom Dalton-Morgan, a member of the Eggesford Hunt branch, played her in the Handley Cross section for the Devon and Somerset team. The family acquired her when she was 18 after she had been turned out for four years. They say she is a speedy, brilliant little pony which Tom has also ridden in pony club races. Tom was grinning from ear to ear when he heard his beloved Rascal had won a prize. The second rug was given to Sky, who was played by John Kent in the Gannon I section for Cowdray. She is a 15.1hh eightyear-old grey Thoroughbred mare bought in Ireland by John’s father (former eight-goaler Alan) as a three-year-old. Alan trained her and John has played her for two seasons. “She is very level, gallops flat, easy to hit a ball off and very fast” says Alan. “She has been sourced by several high goal teams but we don’t want to sell her. She has the greatest temperament you could ask for in a polo pony.” This was John’s fourth successive victory in Gannon. ON THE SECOND DAY of the qualifiers at Cirencester the umpires were all high-goal, namely Jason Dixon, Julian Appleby and Tim Keyte. Julian Appleby had come straight from adjudicating at the Cartier International to overseeing the fluffies! Other umpires included Shaun Brokensha, Harold Hodges, Robin Spicer, Derreck Bratley, Nick Goode, Nick Winterton, Guy Verdon, Thady Duff, Hamish Denton, Phil Meadows, Matt Perry, John Kent, Francis Hurley, Nick Pepper, Jack Richardson and Stephen McCraith, 18, of the Avon Vale Rendell team, who was named best Pony Club umpire at the end of the tournament. THE WYLYE VALLEY PONY CLUB, with Jenny Blakey as branch manager, benefitted this summer from their successful championships in 2009. The branch’s Jorrocks team of Matthew Limmond on his pony Bee, Elizabeth Boher on Bonnie, Brigitte Boher on Twiglet and cherubic Harry Gascoigne on 28-year-old Biscuit won the best turned out award last year, so enjoyed the great honour this July of leading the parade at Cartier International Day. This year’s winners were the Old Berkshire Hunt. A HOBBY HORSE RACE on the Saturday evening before the final, a BBQ and disco raised almost £200 for equestrian charity Brooke Hospitals. Organised by Jenny Blakey (see above), the “Grand National” hurdle race was run for under-sevens, under 11s, under-14s, under 17s and Open, for parents. Entry was £5 and each “horse” was “hired out” at £1. Jenny, who has been collecting her brightly coloured hobby horses for years, built an imaginative array of jumps over a 150yd “course”, including a “canal turn” and “water jump” – using vegetable crates, jump poles and weed from the nearby river. Forty children took part and prizes were donated by the various trade stands. Tatiana Renfold, 13, from the South & West Wilts branch provided a lively commentary as children “saddled up” and raced off. Brooke hospitals (www.thebrooke.org) was founded by Dorothy Brooke after the First World War to help horses that were not repatriated but left behind as work horses in appalling conditions. The charity’s aim remains to prevent horses, mules and donkeys suffering. Soon after the championships Jenny set off on a self-funded 140-mile trek on Icelandic ponies to raise even more. Good luck, Jenny!
30 September 2010 www.polotimes.co.uk
Surtees I winners Beaufort Blue with section manager Jo Whittington: Issy St Aubyn, Max Dear, Lollie Stanhope-White, George White
Surtees II winners OS&B Red with Pony Club polo chairman Theresa Hodges: George Hervey, Danielle Thorpe, Fraser Wickes, Harry Revell
Loriner I winners HH Black with Dr Nigel Berman of the Worshipful Company of Loriners: Hector Fair, Nell Jacob, Georgina Wood, Max Nastasi-Grace
Loriner II winners the Beaufort Buff with Dr Nigel Berman: Tarka Carew, George Lodwick, Matilda St Aubyn, Alexander Van Der Steen
Hipwood Smail Trophy winners the OS&B with section manager Bridget Baxter: Jack Hyde, Sebastian Hancock, Tim Pearce-May, Charlie Holley