Pony Club members head to Tryon

EIGHT Pony Club members will represent Britain at the international tetrathlon championships, to be held at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) venue this month (28-29 July).

Competitors have undergone a rigorous selection process, taking into account national rankings, interview, references and their performance jumping two unknown horses.

“It was quite intense,” said 20-year-old squad member Miranda King, from the Vale of the White Horse branch.

Different countries host the championships, which take place every two years.

This year’s will be one of the last events at Tryon International Equestrian Center before the Games (11-23 September).

“Normally in the UK you ride your own horse but in America we’re being lent horses who have been ridden once round a course in the arena beforehand,” Nottingham University student Miranda told H&H.

“We have 20 minutes with them and are allowed to jump four fences before we go in, so it will happen thick and fast but that makes it exciting, and I think it tests your skill as an athlete more.”

Miranda added that she believes competing at the venue so close to the Games will create a strong atmosphere.

“It’s huge; it’s such an honour to be able to look up to riders going round WEG and think we’re competing at the same venue. It brings home what an honour it is to be selected.

“We have a strong squad and hopefully we’ll be able to bring it home and inspire some younger members of the Pony Club.”

Miranda’s team-mates are

Jack Stephens, Ella Eadon, Adam Carlile, Rebecca Leadbeater, George Budden, Charlotte Whitaker and Toby Johnson, with Jack Church and Jess Telford as non-travelling reserves.