As if pony club parents and children don't do enough during the
summer, this year we added a first to our list of achievements - the first time
Newmarket and Thurlow has competed in the Team Musical Ride event at the Pony
Club Championships.
The challenge was great - to field a team of between 10-12 riders of
roughly similar ability on roughly similar sized ponies, in a display lasting
no longer than five minutes set to music.
The temptation was just too much to resist!
With two boys in the team of ten, we knew early on that glitter and
glamour were out, so we decided on the Pirates of the Caribbean. Whilst Sophie
Sandison and myself headed the team making pirate hats, Fi Bravery single
handedly made the phenomenal skull and crossbones rugs for the ponies. The very
experienced Jane Hood agreed to take on responsibility for training the team,
and slowly, very slowly, the ride came
together, culminating in a
wonderful dress rehearsal at the end of Junior Camp. We all breathed a sigh of
relief - it had gone perfectly.
However, as everyone who has either children or ponies knows,
nothing can be guaranteed! Fielding one of the youngest teams to enter the
competition, we arrived in plenty of time to get the team looking immaculate,
and achieved maximum marks for our "uniformity of turnout". We then
went down to the competition arena to practice.
The day was bright but windy. There were a huge number of riders and
horses milling around, many of whom were dressed in equally scary outfits! One
pony found it all too exciting, depositing his rider unceremoniously on the
ground. We regrouped and held our collective breath as a wobbly team started
the competition. A couple of early directional mistakes led to mass confusion,
and when the same pony protested again - this time bucking across the arena -
another child was kicked and spent the remainder of the ride in tears. We
completed the ride to huge applause - possibly given more for the stickability
of one of our riders than for overall impression!
Was it all worth it? In spite of the setbacks, the team did really
well, finishing 11th out of 14, in a field of very close marks, and with one of
the youngest and least experienced teams. The judges' comments were wonderful -
we were praised for our 'clever patterns' and 'daring display', with the
overall comment being that "this will be a ride to be repeated as so much
of it was good and clever". I likened it to being a bit like giving birth.
You swear you will never do it again, but somehow the memories recede and you
find yourself contemplating it once more!
We also had a huge amount of fun. In addition to the hours of
wonderful training the children received from Jane, and
the chance to compete as part
of a team at such a prestigious event, it was also great to be up at the
Championships, cheering our other Newmarket and Thurlow teams on, and the
camping was a riot!
So if anyone would like to participate in next year's musical ride,
let me know. I can't promise I'll organize it, but I would definitely do it
again!
Congratulations to all our team members: Belinda and David Dow,
Billy Vestey, Lillie Harrison, Lottie Sandison, Ember Finneran, Ella and Mia
Dettori, Lily Bravery, Martha
Dunlop.
Thanks to everyone who helped get us there and who helped on the
day: Jane Hood, Tim and Tessa Vestey, Sophie Sandison, Fi Bravery, Ond
Finneran, Frances Dow, Catherine Dettori, Becky Dunlop