PONY CLUBS DRAW TOWN CHILDREN

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30287, 13 November 1963, Page 25

PONY CLUBS DRAW TOWN CHILDREN

Pony clubs still arouse a great deal of interest from children—particularly those in town—judging from the large membership of the- Christchurch Pony Club. Formed about 14 years ago, the club now has 16 branches between the Rakaia and Waipara rivers. Its membership, which at present stands in the vicinity of 750, is still growing. In fact, in some cases the rate of growth has caused the various branches some embarrassment because they find it difficult to get sufficient instructors to keep pace with the constant increase in membership.

Many pony club members take part in the various sections of the horse classes at shows throughout the province. The younger members often comprise a greater proportion of the pony classes, while many of the older riders take honours in the hack and hunter classes. One such graduate of the Christchurch Pony Club is Miss Diana Cunningham of Christchurch, who has won high honours at several shows, as well as winning the National Pony Club individual junior title, once, and the senior title twice. Most of the club members are girls and 454 of the total membership are under 17. The ages range down to as low as seven and eight, which is about the minimum age the club considers satisfactory. Members have to be able to ride their ponies to the rallies as well as catch, saddle and bridle them. The Christchurch Pony Club is the biggest in New Zealand and although riding in many people’s minds, is associated mainly with the country, the club’s two biggest branches are the Ferrymead one, with 134 members and the Ric-carton-Fendalton branch with 132. There is another club, the Hurunui Pony Club, which serves the area north of the Waipara river to Kaikoura. Between the two clubs, the first national championships were organised and held in the district some years ago. The championships will again be held in the area, at Motukarara in May of next vear.

Although the clubs have many members in their ranks who are show competitors, show competition is not the primary object. They teach young children to take an interest in equestian events of all kinds and how to handle their ponies properly. Among the clubs’ activities are rallies, dressage, jumping and cross country events and fancy dress

parades. The fancy dress parades have resulted in some members dressing their ponies as mules, for a pack train, as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and one as the donkey which carried Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Each year the Christchurch and Brackenfield Hunts organise a children’s hunt and some of the clubs’ branches have also started polo matches.