Pony club saddles up for success
HORSE riders took part in their first ever competition and rode their way to first and second place in the team events.
Two teams from Weir Riding Centre’s Pony Club were competing at Carrington Riding Centre in Manchester against 62 other riders from four different clubs.
The riding school took two of its ponies, Wizard and Maizie, and loaned two horses.
Sophie Mills, 12, from Bacup, only had 15 minutes training to get her used to a new horse Acorn but only narrowly missed being placed first.
She said: “I was riding a horse that I had never ridden before and was much bigger than the ponies I am used to, but I came second overall with the judges scoring me 76.2 points while the winner got 76.5.
“I go to the riding centre three times a week during term time and almost every day when it is the holidays. I like seeing my friends.”
Pony Club trainer Elaine McGinley said: “We started the Pony Club here in October 2016 and we have about 25 members. They get the chance to do badges and get rewards.
“We were invited to enter by Carrington and it was the first ever competition we had done. They did wonderfully well to come first and second. It was a great experience and they loved getting dressed up in the outfits.”
The youngest member of the team was Lola Lister who has just had her 10th birthday and the oldest member was Poppy Preece, 15, who entered the individual competition on her own horse Maf and placed third overall.
Despite being ‘grumpy’, Maizie earned a rosette for being the best looking pony in the competition.
Riding Centre owner Kaye Thompson said: “I am really proud of how well the teams did and we are looking forward to our next competition.”