Sadly Alison Garlick who has been the Branch Secretary for 3 years & has done a brilliant job in that time has stepped down from the committee. I would like to say a huge thank you from the rest of the committee & membership.

Members Night on Friday 29^th March at Pitstone village hall.

 This was very well supported with 100 members & parents attending. First part of the evening included a short review of activities, rallies, competitions & successes during 2007. Afterwards Presentations of awards & trophies to members

 We then moved into the large hall for an excellent buffet supper provided by Karen Groom. Thank you very much to all those parents who donated such brilliant prizes.

 Sales of PC clothing & saddle cloths.

Patti organised a mini polocrosse teach in.                                    

There was a powerpoint presentation on Tetrathlon & triathlon training & competition by Caroline Killin.

 Louise had her video running throughout the evening on photos & video clips of all events & competition that were held during 2007. If any one would like a copy  - contact Louise.

Attendance Awards for the most number of rallies from January 07 – Dec 31^st 07.

10 yrs &  under group

18 rallies Sadie Lupson & Annabel Coppen

22 rallies Liberty Fogden

23 rallies Teagan Summers

Over 10 yrs

19 rallies Izzie Fernandes

22 rallies Louise Hunt

26 rallies Debbie Daniels.

VAH Hunting  Badge – Sarah Ridger-Taylor

Improved Awards

Rosettes & small cups were given out to riders who our instructors thought had made a great improvement over the winter months.

Katherine Daniels , Lorna Chambers, Anastasia Sewell, Lucinda Alderson, Amber Newbury-Barr, Isabel Jones, Freya Michalski, Oliver Raja-Brown, Rosie Atkins, Alex Julier, Lucy Cooke, Morgan Summers.

Awards for Riding Perseverance

Lou-Lou Mason, Ellie Holland, Olivia Jonas, Ellie Mitchell, Emma Killin.

Pony Club – Pony Awards

Ollie  -  Izzie Fernandes

Timmy  - Georgia Garlick.

Jasper – Debbie Daniels

Triathlon / Tetrathlon Awards

Best shot – Ellie Mitchell

Best Run – Jimmy Mitchell

Best Swim – Isobel Jones.

Woodcock Trophy – Annabel Coppen

Given for the member who has been successful over the year.

Hertfordshire Hunt Trophy – Tsarin Pike

Given for show Jumping

Senior Cup – Stephanie Gibbins

Best senior all round PC member

Partnership Cup – Debbie Daniels & Jasper

Most Successful at Area competitions & competing at the Horse trials  Championships at individual

Easter Egg Hunt at Wendover woods was great fun for 13 younger riders & 3 riding parents. The weather held out for the whole ride. Thank you must go to Caroline & Brian Killin for arranging the permits, sorting out the trail ride with egg surprises for all. 

Jacquie Wilson planned & escorted a ride round Ashridge Park for the over 10’s & riding parents. Again a good ride had by all.

The brand new set of  multi surface polypropylene  dressage arena boards, hopefully sheep proof !  & more mounted games items arrived by post a week ago from Sportsmark  by Sigam.

I have ordered 24 new painted poles, 3 pairs of fillers 1’3” high, 3 planks from Boxmoor Show Jumps in Hemel Hempstead. Brian has kindly offered to sponsor a pair of  5’ wings, 1 x pole & 1 x plank sign written. These poles, fillers & planks are all for the younger riders arena. So we should now have enough jumps for two full courses.

I would like to say thank you very much to all those  who came morning / evening on Friday 11^th April to help. 16 Mums, a Grandad & younger members turned up at Jacquie Wilson’s farm with trailers & Ann Young bought her open backed truck which was great for the poles. We managed to get every thing unloaded before the thunder, lightening & rain started.

 Then at 6.30pm a second group of families arrived including some dogs!! We were then able to move jumps around the rings, set courses. 4 Dads set to work putting in posts for all 5 rings. Some rings are also roped now as well.

A great job done. Thank you every one.

We are always very grateful to Rod & Jacquie Wilson for allowing Herts Hunt PC to store the jumps & equipment in their barn over the winter months.

Showing talk & practical  demonstration

By Martin & Barbara  Surman                     & Stephanie McNarmara on

        Saturday 19^th April at 2.30pm    

        Ashridge Farm, indoor school.

Ringshall, opposite PC field

All members & parents are invited to come along and learn more about the way to show your horse or pony.

* Brush up your skills - turnout - pony & rider.

* What to wear for the different showing classes.

* How lead & show a horse or pony in hand.

* Do a good ridden individual show for the judge

*Tips on bathing, trimming &  Plaiting.

* Questions are welcome during the talk

Please bring a folding chair as seating is very limited in the galley, others will sit at the top end of the indoor school.      

 How to understand & ride the  dressage tests better.

On foot practice walks for  help towards the  dressage competition on Sunday 4^th May. (This is unmounted) 

·         Walk each test so you know how to ride it on the day

·         learn how to ride a 20m circle, centre line.

·         Get a better diagonal change of rein.

·         Be more familiar with letters in the arena

·         Very important to see where the jumps are placed on the arena for the Prix Caprilli test

·         How to ride round them for the circles & long rein walk.

Venue: Rose Cottage Farm Arena, Dagnall, HP4 1RE. Date: Friday 25^th April. Park at house.

Times

* Walk & trot test practice 6.pm – 6.30pm

* Prix Caprilli practice 6.30pm – 7.00pm

* Pony Club Novice Eventing test 7pm  – 7.30pm

* Any other tests 7.30pm  onwards.

Please just e.mail me if you would like to come along, its  always useful to get an idea of numbers. You can just turn up on the evening. hhpcdc@yahoo.co.uk

 Diane Hunt

Dressage competition at Warehill EQ on Sunday 4^th May.

 There 6 classes open to all members except those on lead reins.

  Please try to come & support  this competition as I have booked

four really good dressage judges. Ordered super luxury rosettes. .

There are classes with dressage tests for those riders interested in practicing in front of a judge for the Area dressage & horse trials competitions at all levels.

Schedules, Dressage tests for Walk & Trot /  Prix Caprilli. Plus 4 of the   tests  diagram plans on www.hertshunt.com Other tests can be found & printed off by going to  www.pcuk.org  Disciplines, then Dressage, then tests.

Please remember that the entries close in 

9 days  time.

 Dressage Trophies weren’t given at the members night as we only had one competition last year. So these trophies will be given out on the 4^th May.

Points / placings taken from May 07 & May 08

 under 12 years ( Webster Cup )

 12 – 15 years. ( Dyson Cup )

Over 15 years age groups. ( Warner Plate )

Cross country  instruction with Janeen Shepherd.

 Primrose Hill Farm, Gawcott, Nr Buckingham.

 On Saturday  17^th  May. This a really good xc course with lots of well built fences. Nice water complex, steps, sunken road, ditches, hedges, corner, rails etc. There two  PC One Day Event  competitions held here: Sunday 15^th June ( Bicester & Warden)  &  Whaddon Chase have a ODE in August too. This is a good opportunity to have a practice over the course.

 Please contact Secretary: Claire Alderson if you would like to attend this XC date. So far only 6 members are booked in. We can accommodate more. Cost £20. Organiser: Diane Hunt  hhpcdc@yahoo.co.uk

Summer Members Show is on Sunday 22^nd June at PC field, Ringshall.

2 rings of Show Jumping & showing. 

Classes for everyone to enter.

Challenge trophies in most classes.

Schedules will be out mid May.

Aitchison  Estate Agents of Berkhamsted  have kindly offered  to sponsor most of the rosettes for this show.

All  rosettes will  be tail printed for this show.

 Aitchisons are  also donating a Perpetual Challenge Trophy for one of the classes.

Schedule Printing for Summer Show

Would any parents who perhaps  has a company or business   like to sponsor the printing of the schedules this year & in return they can have an advert in the schedule & on website. Cost for printing is £40. Maybe a few parents would like to share the cost.  Just contact me on hhpcdc@yahoo.co.uk

Sunday 21^st September at Rose Cottage Farm

This competition will be open to all ages & riding abilities. Classes will be at various jumping heights, so you can do one Dressage test & enter in more than one class jumping height.

Combined training classes ( Dressage test & a round of show jumping ) 

 Eventer trial classes combining a Dressage test, Show jumping round & a cross country round.

SOHC PC Triathlon competition at Thame leisure centre on Sunday 30^th March

Well done & congratulations to everyone who took part, you all did fantastically!

Stephanie Gibbins & Libby Daniels joined a member from OBH North PC to make up a senior team. Just missed being placed.

Results:

Freya Michalski, Liberty Fogden & Amber Newbury-Barr came 5^th in the Tadpoles teams.

 Isobel Jones & Annabel Coppen won their swimming sections.

Debbie Potten, Kat Daniels & Abi Mustoe came 3^rd in the Senior team class.

Sophie Gibbs, Isobel Jones, Emma Stone & Sorrel Overy came 3^rd in the Minis team class.

Annabel came 4^th overall in the Tadpoles.                                         

Amber Newbury-Barr came 6^th overall in the Tadpoles.

Emma Stone was 5^th  in her running section out 100 competitors !

These were excellent results.

A big thank you to Paul Gibbins for all his help with the shooting training and gun loading on the day, Sally Gibbins  for swimming training, Brian Killin for gun loading on the day & Karen Coppen for help during the day.

 Please remember: Parents of members competing need to offer assistance at these competitions, not just rely on the co-ordinators to be there all day long. Gun loading can  to be done by parents. Paul I am sure  would be  very happy to give a lesson on   

 “how to load a gun” for competitions.

Next competitions are on:-

Ø      Saturday 19^th & Sunday 20^th April at Great Westwood Park & Chesham High School. There are classes for nearly all levels in Triathlon (run, shoot & swim) & Tetrathlon (riding XC, run, shoot & swim) Chilterns PC

Ø      Saturday 10^th ( XC riding section at MKEC  ) & Sunday 18^th May ( running, shooting & swimming) Whaddon Chase PC

Ø      Entries will need to be in very soon.

For more information on getting involved in these competitions contact Caroline Killin on 01296 661368. You can get training & practice help in running, swimming, shooting & riding cross country.

Levels of competitions & classes for ages etc are all & explanations on distances are on  www.hertshunt.com

Practices are continuing through April & May.

Herts Hunt had a training session on Monday 7^th April at PC field. Ed Gall came & helped out. Libby, Debbie, Mickey shared Jasper & Alex Morris came with her pony.

 Unfortunately  most members were back at school by this date.

 Polocrosse Summer 2008

All Branch and Centre members welcome at any of these practices.

They usually run one and a half to two hours.

Sunday 27^th. April

At Manor Farm, Westoning MK45 3PH    11 am.

No charge for this practice.

Sunday 18^th.May

Training and Practice Chukkas Day

At Manor Farm, Westoning.11 am – 3 pm.

Training in the morning, lunch break, then chukkas.

Please let me, or your D.C. know about 10 days before if you plan to come to this so I can make sure I have sufficient coaches so we can work in small groups.

Also let me know if you can come only for the morning or afternoon.

Wednesday 28^th May

At Manor Farm, Westoning.  11 am.

Deirdre Glover 0794 1017511

Ride & Road Safety training & exam test will be organised for several dates in  May, for all those members who have taken their “C” test without R&RS test last year & those about to take “C” this year. Please try & attend as 5 hours training is required for the Pony Club Approved Achievement Badge.

Achievement Badges have been very popular both at February half term & Easter holidays. Badges taken & passed were:

. Badges & passes

Handling & Grooming: Jessica, Jimmy, Kirsty, Lucy, Mae, Morgan, Teagan, Oliver, Rosie, Amber, Charlee, Emma.

Rugs & Bandages: Amerlia, Holly, Isobel, Liberty, Lou-Lou.

Plaiting: Amber, Charlee, Emma, Jimmy, Kirsty, Lucy, Mae, Morgan, Teagan, Sadie, Brandon, Alex, Emily, Sophie, Fawn.

Points of the horse: Fawn, Sophie, Emily, Alex, Brandon, Teagan, Morgan, Mae, Lucy, Kirsty, Jimmy, Emma, Charlee, Amber.Amerlia, Lou-Lou, Sorrel, Ann, Gerry, Holly.

Mucking out: Amerlia, Lou-Lou, Sorrel, Ann, Gerry, Holly, Liberty, Sadie, Brandon.

For April,  May & June.

All schedules can be found on their own websites. By going to www.pcuk.org . Click find a Branch at top of front page, then click Area 12. Then choose PC from list.

Monday 26^th May Grafton PC One day Event at Aston-le-Walls, Northants.

Classes 2’6” – 3’3”

 ( I can e.mail you the schedule; hhpcdc@yahoo.co.uk )

Sunday 10^th May  Whaddon Chase are holding Hunter trials at MKEC part of the Tetrathlon competition. Mini course classes 1’6”  &  2”. Main XC course classes 3’ & 3’6”.

Monday 26^th May Vale of Aylesbury have a open dressage competition at Bury Farm, Slapton.

Tuesday 27^th May Chiltern PC  have a show at Sallery Field, Icknield Way, Tring.

 Jumping classes with Teams & C&T Q, Showing & gymkhana classes.

Sunday 1^st June OBH North PC open dressage & combined training classes at Great Westwood Park. All tests &  will be on grass arenas Team classes too.

Sunday 8^th June  Woodlands PC  has a One Day Event at Rosehill, Hendley-on-Thames. Schedules are now printable from their website. Class heights range from 2’ / 2’6” / 2’9”. This is an interesting XC  course, mostly through woods, up & down tracks with a small ride through water jump.. You do need to have £10 as deposit for XC bib. A bit of a walk for trailer / lorry parking to SJ arena & XC course. There is a One way system lane  for driving to the event  & out of. So allow plenty of time. Otherwise good competition. Worth the trip.

Sunday 15^th June Bicester & Warden Hill PC have a One Day Event at Primrose Farm, Gawcott, Nr Buckingham. Always a good competition.

Class 1: Sec A: 12 yrs & under. Sec B: 13 – 14 yrs. 

SJ & XC courses (65cm 2’3” max )

Class 2 14 yrs & under SJ course 95cm ( 3’2” )  & XC course 90cm (3’ )

Class 3 Open Novice same heights as Class 2  for both SJ & XC.

 Schedules are on Bicester & Warden Hill ( Area 12 )  

The Spring Event planner has now been e.mailed out to all members &  is also out on the website.

Sunday 4^th May

Dressage & Prix Caprilli classes at Warehill EQ

Sunday 22^nd June

Summer show

PC field, Ringshall

Sunday 21^st September

Combined training class

Eventer trial style classes

Rose Cottage Farm

Schedules will be e.mailed out during the following weeks & months.

For all dates of instruction rallies please see Spring event planner.

Classes include walk & trot test, Prix Caprilli test no11, PC  Novice Eventing test 2006, PC Novice 2004, Novice Championship test 2005 & open dressage test 2008. All these tests except the W & T class will be used at Area 12 competitions & interclub branch Dressage & ODE’s. This will give you an opportunity to ride these tests in front of the 4 really good judges that I have already booked.

 Schedules will be available at Member’s night, after on website. All tests can printed off from either www.pcuk.org under disciplines ( Dressage ). Prix Cap & W & T tests  from www.hertshunt.com .

 Just a reminder: Please could   members  & parents offer to  help with the running of this competition on the day. I will need writers for the judges from 8.45am – 5.30 pm. Scorers to add up & time stewards for competitors to get to the arena in order all day.

 Possible need appointed person first Aider on duty all day too. Contact me if you can help: hhpcdc@yahoo.co.uk  Thank you, Diane Hunt

 This is an interesting way of learning more about horse &  pony care and the country side, as well as collecting up to 25 different  badges. Designed for D, D+,  C & those working towards C+ tests. Subjects covered include: points of the horse, handling & grooming, mucking out, feeding, saddlery, wildlife, birds, flags of the world, knots, map reading etc.

 For the younger children there are mini badges: grooming, pony’s rugs, pony behaviour & points of Pony.

 This is great opportunity to get together & learn more about your pony’s needs. Make sure you sign up for some of the dates on the event planner.

For the younger children there are mini badges: grooming, pony’s rugs, pony behaviour & points of pony.

 This is great opportunity to get together & learn more about your pony’s needs. Make sure you sign up for some of the dates on the event planner.

Great Westwood Park is about  40 - 45mins drive from  Little Gaddesden from Hemel Hempstead. Follow the A41 road  towards Watford Turn right at the traffic lights by Langley bury Church. Go up hill & round past a big school on left side. Past a farm entrance on right, then next turning looks like a wide concrete drive – Old house Lane. Turn right there – this road goes over M25 . The parking gateway  is on  the left side. Draw in & park on the right.

 There is a reasonable sized  hard standing parking area. ( please make sure you lock your cars & lorries up as there is  a 10 - 15 min walk from the trailer park along a fenced track to the start of the cross country course. Make sure you  allow time  for this walk.

 The course is laid out around a large open  field. With some fences in a couple of woods. Jumps range from 2’- 2’3”  up to some at 3’. All riders need to be able to control their  horses / ponies in open spaces. See www.greatwestwood.co.uk

Milton Keynes Event Centre, Castlethorpe Road, Hanslope.

 Maps can be found on www.mkec.co.uk

This is north of MK. 40 – 50 mins from Little Gaddesden. Plenty of hard standing parking near to the indoor school. 5 min walk to cross country course. Which is laid out over several large open fields. Ground conditions are good. Stones on take off & landing  tracks. Hedge line fences, large water complex, steps, tyres, banks, logs, drops. Fences range from 2’3” – 3’3”.

Primrose Hill Farm, Gawcott, near Buckingham. Turning to Gawcott village is on the A413 road between Padbury & outskirts of Buckingham. Journey time approx 50- 60mins.

 This is another nice course well looked after. Built on a hill side / valley with fences to jump up & down slopes, in hedge lines, sunken road, corners, steps, a good water complex, log piles, fenced coffin complex etc. Course sizes from 2’3” – 3’3”.

Plum Park Farm, Paulerspury, A5, north of MK. This course has been built with fences in different fields. Fairly flat.  Course including  Running river, logs, steps, open ditches, chairs, small water, barrels, stone wall etc. 2’3” – 3’ heights.

There is a field with mini fences just right for younger riders. Fences range from 1’ – 2’

HHPC CAMP DATES are all booked now. Senior residential camp is from Monday 28^th July until Friday 1^st August at Foxhill Farm, Eydon.

Mini / Junior Day camp starts on Friday 1^st – Sunday 3^rd August. Venue PC field at Ringshall. Ponies & riders come daily for flatwork & jumping  instruction, stable management, mounted games & XC training. Letters have been sent.

Main camp starts on Saturday 9^th – Wednesday 13^th August at Milton Keynes Event Centre. Letter will be sent out very soon.

Please remember that camp is only a small  part of Herts Hunt PC all year round activities / instruction rallies & any member wanting to attend any of the above camps must be an active member of this pony club. If you can’t ride at a rally or competition then please come and help and this will count towards you being active.

For the Area 12 qualifying competitions & inter branch team competitions ( Area 12 qualifiers for PC Championships do have slightly different levels to other inter branch competitions ), ie Novice Area level in SJ – courses are 90cms 1^st round. Novice Area level dressage is a Novice test.  Novice Horse Trials – SJ & XC courses 95cms max. Intermediate Area level: SJ course is 1.00m 1^st round. Horse Trials – SJ & XC courses 1.05m max. Open Area level: SJ course is 1.05m 1^st round. Horse Trials – SJ & XC courses 1.15m max

Carol Bennitt is organising training instruction sessions in novice level dressage open to any rider interested.  Intermediate & open dressage levels, intermediate / open level cross country & show jumping for the senior members. See letter sent out by email recently.

Janeen Shepherd is putting together various sessions for all those riders who would like to do extra training practices towards competing as individuals & in teams at Area Novice level/ inter branch competitions in show jumping, horse trials & will also train those keen on competing in the non qualifying Prix Caprilli team class at the Area Dressage show on Thursday 24^th July. Please keep a watchful eye out for forthcoming dates on event planners.  

AREA 12 DIARY DATES for other pony club branch  shows, hunter trials & ODE  competitions. There is a list of dates on a page on  www.hertshunt.com . These schedules can be found on their website, by going to www.pcuk.org – click find a branch, then click Area12.

AREA 12 HORSE & PONY CARE competition is on Sunday 6^th July at Wormwood Scrubs centre, London. This is  really good practical competition with teams of 3. Junior team comprises of 3 members under 14 years on 1^st January 2008, one of whom must be under 12 on 1^st January 2008&  Senior team: 3 members aged between 14 and 20 years on 1^st January 2008, one of whom must be under 17 on 1^st January 2008.

We will be sending  teams again  this year so if you would like to be involved, please e.mail Janeen Shepherd zimjay@fsmail.com  or Diane hhpcdc@yahoo.co.uk as entries close in June. Then we can set up a couple of practices.

 Format: There are approx 20 sections; some practical, others sections involve identifying pictures or answering questions Teams have 6 minutes per round to answer as many questions as possible. Then bell rings & all teams move on to next section.  Sections include many of the subjects covered in the Achievement badges.

 Winners of Junior & Senior teams qualify for the The Salmon Products National Horse & Pony Care Championships at Draycott Manor, Derbyshire in August.

The pony club training structure encourages members to take tests which enables them to learn progressively about horse & pony care & improve their riding ablities.

E standard: Voluntary test for younger riders. Objective is to improve & enjoy  learning about ponies. To know basic points of the pony. Riding: sit on a pony in halt & walk. Hold the reins correctly. Ride at trot on a lead rein. 

D Standard: Learning the basic understanding of ponies , achieving confidence when handling & riding. Recommended age 8 -9yrs

D+ standard: Objectives is to work towards improving a balanced seat independent of the reins, so understanding the basic aids. Recommended age 10yrs.

C standard: Objectives are to understand the importance of a secure seat ,

(C standard)  independent of the reins & apply simple aids correctly. To know how to care & work a pony off grass. To have a regard for the country lore. Minimum age 11 – 12 yrs.

C+ standard: To become an educated  & practical rider, to ride over fences at all paces. To be capable of riding a pony out hunting and at all types of rallies. To have practical experience & knowledge of the care both for stabled & grass kept ponies. Minimum age 14 yrs.

B standard: To have in depth knowledge of horse & pony care.

B standard – Riding:  To become an effective rider who knows the reasons for what he/she is doing. Able to ride in a double bridle. Different horses. To ride over fences at all paces. Be capable of riding out hunting, in competitions ie: show jumping, horse trials etc. Recommended age 15 /16 yrs & above.

 Please see Spring Event Planner for all dates, in colour codes, times  & venues for above test  stable management training.

Pony Club is a leader in the promotion of road safety. Members need to learn the importance of riding with care & courtesy on roads be able to cope with any situation that they find when riding out.

The Pony Club  rules for R & R safety test, mean that all riders taking their C test exam must have done their PC R &R test either before & as near after as possible.  Riders do not need to ride on the road, but can use a simulated road in a field to pass this test. We will be holding training sessions for the 5 hour  Achievement Ride & Road Safety Badge during the evening & weekend rallies being held at the  field in Ringshall. Karen Potten is the organiser for these training sessions; 01442 843324