Waimarino well represented at Wanaka nationals

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 279, 21 March 1989, Page 20

Waimarino well represented at Wanaka nationals

Five members of the Waimarino Pony Club are to represent the King Country at the New Zealand Pony Club Horse Trials Championships to be held at Wanaka in early May.

They are Tania Taylor(Al) and Count Donegal; Maria Fredericksen(Al) and Delegate; Cindy Langdon and Sir William; Rodney McCoubrie and Picadilly; and Fiona Evans and Adelaid. The team will leave for Wanaka early Monday morning May 8. They will be travelling in style, thanks to local transport company Barrett and Taura who have offered their new truck and a horse box from within the King Country to ensure a safe and comfortable trip for the horses. The riders will travel by mini bus. It will take two days to get to Wanaka. The first overnight stop will be a Kaikoura after the Cook Strait crossing. The second day the team will travel through Canterbury, MacKenzie Country and on to Wanaka. The horses will have two days to recover from the long trip before competition starts. The horses will be accommodated in covered sheep yards and pad-

docks kindly lent by a local farmer. The competition starts on Friday May 12 with Dressage, followed by Cross Country on Saturday and Show Jumping on Sunday. All phases take place within Wanaka, close to the lake and surrounded by the mountains. Team trainer Roie McGill said it was just coincidental that five of the rep team are Waimarino Pony Club members. As well as the Waimarino riders, Taumarunui's Judy Dixon riding High Flyer, are in the team as reserve. Riders from the King Country area, taking in Taumarunui, Ongarue, Kaitieke, Owhango and the Waimarino took part in a series of three trials to decide the team that would represent the region. Team manager Merv Williams said the Waimarino Pony Club has raised considerable money through a raffle and other fund raising activities to meet the cost of travel and related expenses.

Mr Williams said there is still a large amount needed to be raise however, with

some costs being met by parents. The Waimarino Pony Club has enjoyed only

limited success at the national championships in the past. Ohakune branch mem-

ber Tania Taylor won the dressage cup in the senior section last year. The club is hope-

ful of a win in the team's event for 1989, which will be a first for the region.