Feb March Programme 2015
Membership
It's that time of year again when your membership is up for renewal. PLEASE, if you can, fill out the Gift Aid section for the branch as this is very valuable to us. If there are any amendments at all, ie, new address/email/mobile, please highlight them – we may not notice changes otherwise. You will all see that there is no joining fee or branch admin, so it is just the basic membership fee of £64 that is due.
Programme
Please reply to the relevant organisers should you wish to take part. Please note, should you put your name down for training, but not turn up, payment will still need to be made as instructors and venue will have been booked in advance. A few reminders at rallies:
- We really need members and parents to help get jumps etc set up and tidied away afterwards- please help.
- Please come dressed in PClub attire (shirt and tie/ tops – no hoodies), cream jods, hair nets and plain saddle cloths and tack on ponies
- Ponies should be left in the box/trailer when not being used, or, if they are temporarily outside and not being ridden whilst you change into XC clothes, they should be tied on to a piece of string which is then attached to the box/trailer.
- Please keep dogs on leads at all times and as always, take home any litter with you. Thank you.
Trophies ……. Please remember to engrave and return any trophies you may have won during the year 2013 (and awarded at the last prize giving).
Dressage rallies at Brookhouse Farm, Nethertown, (near Hamstall Ridware) WS15 3QH
The first of these rallies will be on the morning of Saturday 24th January starting at 10a.m. and the cost will be £10.This is a new venue available to us on Saturday mornings. The sessions will be 45 minutes taught by Caroline in pairs. The arena is 60 x 30 so is a great opportunity for those of you wanting to practice tests in a long arena and for those of you who are contemplating putting your names forward for the Area Team.
To book a place ( first come, first served ) please either email or text Lizzie Boylan
07974 965503
Winter Training rallies Indoor rallies Abbots Bromley School for girls
Winter Training resumes at Abbots Bromley Girls School on Saturday 31st January 1.30 - 4.30 & Sunday 10 - 1.
We will hold sessions here at a weekend whilst in demand & until it is fit to move outdoors. The sessions are 1 hour long in groups of approx 5. The cost is £10 which must be put in a named envelope.If you want a place on the 31st Jan or 1st Feb please email no later than 6pm Sunday 25th January. Please just let me know what level you are now riding at & what you want to achieve from the sessions. The instructor for these first two sessions is Caroline Green.
Replies to Hazel Edwards: 07964 100 292
Tuesday 3 February 5.30 to 7.30pm Rider Nutrition Badge Admaston Village Hall
Rider Nutrition Achievement Badge and Dinner! This is one of the new Pony Club Equine Achievement badges which covers the importance of a balanced diet and good hydration in order to be able to maintain health and fitness leading towards more effective riding.
Sian Pipps from SP Coaching has kindly offered to instruct the children having studied diet and fitness within Equine Studies & Sports Coaching at Moreton Morrell. There will also be cartoon-style hand outs to take home to remind the children of the key themes. After learning and discussing about food and drink during the evening the children will then sit down for dinner together. Amanda Wayman, Catering Manager at Chadsmead School, will prepare a healthy (and tasty!) meal and she is fully qualified regarding food handling & preparation.
The evening will end with the presentation of the badges and children need to be collected at 7.30pm.
All children aged 9 years and over are welcome to attend the evening.
If any children have food allergies or special dietary requirements these will be catered for but please let me know in advance!
Cost £10 per child.
Children are to wear South Staffs sweatshirts and jodhpurs/jeans please.
All replies and any queries to Andrea Greaves
Monday 16th February Team Showjumping Rodbaston College.
Team show jumping competition at Rodbaston 1ft 6 to 3ft 3. More details to follow by email but anyone wanting to be on the team please let Hazel Edwards know before Saturday 7th February.
Contact Hazel Edwards 07964 100292
Wednesday 18th February Merchandising sale Wade Lane Farm, Hill Ridware
We will hold a South Staffs Pony Club Merchandising afternoon with the opportunity to purchase items of pony club clothing in our branch colours and logo, numnahs, and pony club books etc.
We will open the stores from 2- 4 pm at Wade Lane Farm Hill Ridware. Cash and cheques only please.
Wednesday 18th February Meeting about competitions and teams Bromley Park Farm, WS15 3AJ
Calling all potential team members!!
We are having a meeting on Weds 18th Feb. 7.30pm at Bromley Park Farm WS15 3AJ to explain the intricacies of Pony Club teams to prospective team members, new and old. We need to gauge interest and to put together training plans for each discipline. We enter teams and individuals in dressage (test must be learnt), show jumping (80cm and up) eventing (90cm and up).
Team managers will be on hand to take names and answer questions so if you think you may be interested come along and find out more. Those who have been in teams before also need to come to register their interest for this year, check out new rules, find about about competitions in the area and have their say on what training they would like.
Please let me know if you plan to attend.
Replies to Bridget Noakes email: noakes@ gotadsl.co.uk
Thursday 19th February Pony Club Hunt Meet Catton Hall, Catton.
The Meynell and South Staffordshire Hunt invite you to the Pony Club Meet moving off at 11.00 am.Please put money in an envelope with your name written clearly on it and ready to hand in at the Meet.
If anyone requires further details or any assistance - please contact the Hunt Secretary or refer to the MSSH web page for further information regarding dress and membership etc:
Recommended Hunt Dress:-
Pony Club Members – tweed jacket, beige breeches/jodhpurs, black boots, or black /brown jodhpur boots, pale shirt, Pony Club tie and badge. Black/navy cap with ribbon sewn up.
Senior – Black/navy coat, white stock, beige breeches, black boots. Black/navy cap (with ribbon sewn up) and Pony Club badge. Or as above i.e. tweed jacket etc.
When hunting, please remember to make your own arrangements for parking AT LEAST ONE MILE from the Meet and ensure that boxes and trailers are not parked in such manner as to obstruct other traffic or access to gateways. Sometimes parking is available. Inexperienced horses or horses that might kick must carry a red or green ribbon on their tails and riders of such horses must take special care to keep them out of the way, especially in gateways and other crowded spots.
Friday 20th February XC Rally Somerford Park
We have booked the arena eventing course at Somerford Park for an hour on Friday 20th Feb. You will need to be tacked up and ready to walk down to the arena by 9.40 am. The course is suitable for those members who are competing at level 3 ( 90cm) and above. We do not have an instructor on the ground but both Josh Noakes and Nicola Nelson who are both qualified instructors will be present on their horses if advice is needed.
Price will depend on uptake but will be less than £20 in addition to this a poo picking deposit of £10 a horse will be paid and reclaimed after assuming the arena is clear so each participant is required to bring with them someone to do this for them. The course is set over 3 acres, all on a surface, and includes a water complex and a good assortment of fences including a bank with an arrowhead.
Places are very limited and so immediate application to Bridget Noakes is required. Contact her on
Friday 27th February SSPC Open evening and prize awards Admaston Village Hall
SSPC branch Open Meeting evening and presentation of prize awards at Admaston Village Hall – starting at 7.30 pm. This is an Annual Prize giving and Awards night with the presentation of trophies for a range of riding levels and horsemanship abilities for our members. We have some lovely trophies to award. We are planning on providing a supper of delicious pies, peas and jacket potatoes and this is open to branch members and their families. Please bring your own drinks as we shall not be running a bar. Donations of prizes for a raffle will be gratefully received.
Cost:- SSPC members – free. Family members : £5 each.
We need to know the numbers for this event and so please send replies before Friday 20th February
Replies: Phil Colquhoun - email : mbi: 07796 191074
Note : Please return trophies to any committee member/rally organiser as soon as possible.
March 18th 2015 Stargazing Badge (venue to be confirmed)
Stargazing Achievement Badge -Wednesday 18th March, 7.30pm start. (If cloudy or raining will postpone to Wednesday 25th March, 7.30 and if still raining Wednesday 1st April, 8.30pm!)
A Countryside Achievement badge which will be run by Seb Jay from Dark Sky Telescope Hire. This will be held at a local pub to enable the children to explore the night sky from the beer garden whilst parents can keep warm inside! The evening will begin with a laser-guided tour of the planets, stars and constellations that will be on view with the naked eye and then the children will be able to use telescopes to view some of the more spectacular objects in the night sky. See darkskytelescopehire.co.uk for more information.
If your child would like to attend this badge and is aged 9 years old or over please reply to Andrea Greaves at to reserve a place. Cost will be £5 per child.
(This badge will require a good turnout to make it viable to run. It has been designed to be both informative as well as social. Details will be confirmed as soon as possible but please email if you would like to reserve a place.)
Riding and Road Safety Test 14th and 15th April at Greens Equestrian Centre
You must be a minimum of 12 years of age & preferably passed you D+ or C Test. To be able to do you C+ test you must have achieved the Riding & Road Certificate.
If you would like to be included in the training & take the test this year please contact Heidi Barratt by the 20th February so we know if it is viable to run - mbi - 07968 018625
And More Dates for your Diary !!
Please look at the Pony Club website and Area 7 Diary for further competitions which might suit your level.
Area 7 (and 6) Dengie Showjumping 14th March 2015 at Field House
Area 7 Dengie Dressage28 March 2015 at Field House
Area 7 Horse and Pony Care April 10th 2015
Associate camp at Somerford 8-11 April 2015
Riding and Road Safety 14th and 15th April 2015 ( Organiser Heidi Barratt)
Blanckensee May 25th ( tbc) half term 2015
SSPC branch organised ODE –at Eland Lodge, 11th July
Area Showjumping 18th July Solihull
Senior camp date: Sunday 19th July to Friday 24th July
Junior camp date: Monday 27th to 31st July
Area ODE 25th July at Offchurchbury
Area Dressage 1st August Moreton Morrell
Championships 21st to 25th August