Team for pony champs

Press, 19 April 1985, Page 24

Team for pony champs

The Canterbury-Westland team to ride at the national pony club championships in Christchurch next month was chosen at Bullock Creek last Sunday. At the start of the day, there was only one certainty for the team — Toni Morrissey, riding the veteran, Carlos. The combination had recorded two wins in the Al section in the previous Area Trials. Although Bullock Creek was compulsory, Miss Morrissey produced a veterinary certificate saying that Carlos was lame. Uncertainty over who would fill the other five places was not finalised until after the show-jumping phase late in the day. This uncertainty could, in large part, be attributed to the devastating effects the second Area Trial, held at

Hurunui, had on the scores. After the relatively easy first Area Trial course, at Motukarara, the technical delegate, Mrs Diana Bain, believed that the riders went into the Hurunui course “with a blase attitude.” “That attitude certainly did not help the riders,” she said, and there were a number of eliminations. Riders seemed to be more careful at Bullock Creek and most competitors completed the course. However, knockdowns in the show jumping affected a few scores. The three Al team members include Toni Morrissey,

on Carlos, Zena Chart, on Malika, and Ann Carlyon, on Honeyglow. The three D.C. members are Kate Horn, on Royal Blaze, her sister, Sarah Horn, on First Impression, and Emma Stoothoff, on Second Thoughts. The A.l reserve is Tania Skene, on D’Urville, and reserve for the D.C. section is Michelle Peard, on Stroller. The team trainer is Mrs Florence West of Loburn. The national championships will be held at Riccarton Racecourse from May 23 to 25.