HORSE TALK

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33917, 9 August 1975, Page 4

HORSE TALK

Pacific rally An exciting few weeks are ahead for six New Zealand Pony Club members who left last week to represent their country in the 1975 Inter-Pacific Rally in California. This young people's rally is held every two years with teams from Australia, Canada. Japan, Great Britain, the United States and New Zealand taking part. The two competitions incorporated in the rally are a scrambled teams’ competition in the form of one-day horse trials and the Nations Cup contest, which is a show jumping event. Teams for the oneday trials are made up of one rider from each country. and these will take place in Massachusetts. In the Nations Cup event, which will be held in Virginia, all riders will compete for their own country. The tour itinerary also includes visits to Washington. New York, Disneyland and a fox hunt in Philadelphia. Selection Preliminary selection for the rally begins at club level. Each club may nominate a boy and a girl between the ages of 17 and 21 years, who has attained an A or B certificate. The successful candidates are then examined at area level. The area can only send one boy and one girl to the final New Zealand selection, which this year was organised by the Manawatu Pony Club for the New Zealand Pony Association.

The 26 candidates were all billeted with Manawatu and Rangitikei pony club members. The riders were thoroughly tested on their ability to ride strange horses and their suitability as good ambassadors for New Zealand and the pony club movement. Sportsmanship and their ability to foster goodwill between the competing countries was also taken into account. The final team announced by the Minister of Recreation and Sport (Mr Walding) included three South island riders — Helen McGill (Marlborough - Nelson), Ann Lemon and David Letham (Mid-South Canterbury, North Otago). The three North Island riders are Wendy Sherriff (Gisborne - Wairoa). Simon King (Bay of

Plenty) and Mark Sullivan (Auckland). Ann Lemon and David Letham are both members of the Ashburton Pony Club. New Zealand will be the host country for the 1977 Inter-Pacific Rally. Springston trophy The South. Island interbranch teams’ event, for the Springston Trophy, which has only been functioning for four years, has become larger in numbers than the New Zealand Ponv Club championships. Twenty-nine teams have entered for this year’s trophy contest, which will be held in Kaikoura on August 28. 29 and 30. The teams entered are: Amberlev (2). Belfast. Cheviot, Dunedin. Geraldine. Gore (2), Halswell. HawardenWaikari, Kaiapoi (2), Kaikoura (2), Marlborough (2), Moutere. Oamaru, Rangiora. Riccarton-Fendalton (2). Springston (2). Temuka. Timaru. Wakatu. Waiau. Waihora and Windsor. Full programme Dressage judging, commencing at 8.45 a.m.. will take place all Thursday and Friday morning, followed immediately by the show jumping phase, all at the South Bay Racecourse The cross-country phase will be held on Mr D. Beattie’s property, Haldon Downs, Inland Road, approximately four miles and a half from Kaikoura. The course is about one mile and a quarter long, and this year the 12 years and under group will be doing the whole course, not a shortened one as they did last year al Oamaru. Team parade The day will finish with a teams’ parade. Gore, which has already won the trophy twice, is fielding a strong team of A. Collett’s Harvest Gold, L. Collin’s Naireena, J. Dickie’s Shah Khan, H. Pedlow’s Ikawai, R. Collett’s Lizette and T. Collins’ Nina. However, the Springston branch, which originated this event, also has a strong team in J. Foster’s Moonglow, M. Alfield’s Touch of Class, M. Dailey’s Buckskin, J. Tucker’s Pardonned, B. Harrington’s Eclipse and S. Morrish’s Golden Crumpet. Another team worthy of respect will be the kaikoura No. 1: J. Parson’s Young Nick, W. Dalzell’s Blue Sage. M. Smith’s Tom Thumb. A. Tombs’ Toni. J. Broadhurst’s Hop-a-long and B. Smilh’s Second Thoughts.