Waimarino adult riding club update

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 369, 15 January 1991, Page 16

Waimarino adult riding club update

The Waimarino Adult Riding Club had a successful weekend at The Crossing near Litchfield at the end of December taking part in the New Zealand Riding Clubs North Island Teams Championships. The team of Graham and Debbie Hill, Helene Godfrey and Evelyn Cooper attended the event which started in good weather but which did not hold. Before horses were plaited the drizzle started which culminated in a steady downpour by mid afternoon. A very strong wind did little to help the quadrille for those wearing capes which at one moment were draped over faces and the next acted as parachutes! The event is run in several phases. 1. inspection (uniformity, safety and cleanlincss for all stages) and drill ride. 2. Quadrille. 3 Cross country. 4. Show jumping and result overall. The quadrille is ridden in a 60m x 20m

arena, and to music, movements and costume of the team's choice. There was a great variety in this spectacle with teams named Bandits, Officers' Mcss Locomotives, Florabunda, Rags to Riches and Cats which was rather spoilt for riders and spcctators alike by the weather. Once the riding was over the weather improved for a barbecue dinner and dance in the woolshed with an Irish band. Apart from the team the local club had thrce supporters and five small children, so there was never a dull moment. Sunday dawned fine and the cross-country and the show jumping phases were hcld. In the former all team members ride together and help one another where necessary over a cross country course of jumps up to 90cm with many alternatives for novice riders. The show jumping is a gamblers course where

riders ride individually, the whole team riding before the next starts. Six jumps of diffcrent values have to be attempted with the joker being optional, a clear adding twenty points to the score or a knockdown deducting twenty points. At the end all ten teams paraded for a mounted prcsentation with Papatoetoe gaining lst place honours for the second year and the Waimarino Cats were well pleased with their 4th for phase one and 6th overall. Many club members are working towards further riding and grooms exams to be hcld at Queens Birthday weekend at the Waiouru Saddle Club grounds. While these qualifications are not evcryone's aim they offer great motivation for improving skills especially for those unable to go through the Pony Club system earlier. Mrs. Judy Simpson will be visiting the club

again in the last weck of January .. Some members will be competing in the Mas-^ ters Games in Wanganui at the beginning of Fcbruary which for the first time will include equestrian cvents among the 30 or so sports offered.

The club's next mceting/social evening will be on Thursday 7 February at 8pm at Mrs Cooper's rcsidence whcn wc hope to have a gucst spcakcr. New members are very welcome, pleasc phone ihe sccretary Mrs. Helene Godfrey for further dctails.