C Star, Kand B camp report: Jenny O’Sullivan
West Gippsland Zone ran a C, K and C star camp on July 5th and 6th . We had 14 riders attend. Two working towards C star, 8 working towards K, one keen to move onto B quickly and four keen to see what was involved and to work out what they might tackle. 13 riders from West Gippsland Zone and one from outside the zone.
The weather was atrocious. Day one at Meeniyan Pony Club we could not ride because of the weather and spent whole day on theory in their lovely clean shed. Day two we moved to Tarwin Ground and were lucky to have better weather and could ride all day.
Sessions covered:
- Requirements for K, C star and B: Bev Shandley
- Horse Health and Mare and foal care: Dr. Cath Unkenstein
- Care of feet and farrier: Len Bell
- Requirements for Track work: Len Bell ( unfortunately to wet to ride)
- Horse nutrition and rules of good feeding: Jenny O’Sullivan
- Show Jumping and Cross Country rules: Bev Shandley
- Lungeing: Bev Shandley
- Showjumping Adam Wootton
- Cross Country Jenny O’Sullivan
- Ride at a Given Pace Deb Collins
- Rising assessment and Feedback Bev Shandley
- Written papers – some had a chance to complete rest had some to take home
Thanks to instructors: Bev Shandley, Adam Wooton, Len Bell, Dr. Cath Unkenstein, Deb Collins, Janine Bullock. We had great assistance with catering from Deb Collins, Cath Nunn and Michelle Debenham. Evaluations were completed by all on first day and some on second day- see attachment.
Photo: Bev Shandley teaches the finer art of Lungeing
Photo: Day one consisted of lots of theory due to poor weather! Len Bell talking hoof care
Photo: Adeline Collins in Ride at a given speed with Mango
Sophia Landy’s article in Tarwin Lower newsletter
Many dedicated senior riders from the west Gippsland zone came to join Alex and I at Meeniyan pony club for the first day of the camp, despite the rain pelting down and wind up to 150km per hour. We made ourselves comfortable in Meeniyan’s shed and settled in for what became a day of theory. We made a couple of attempts at tacking up but these were brought to a halt by the howling wind and the grey clouds. We even experienced a little earthquake!
We DID learn a lot of valuable theory though and more about what we had to be working towards for the specific sections we have each chosen.
The next day, we were much luckier with the weather and we were able to spend all day on the horses. First off I had cross country with Jenny. I had lots of fun and Shadow jumped really well. We had Adam Wooton, teaching show jumping and we were all learnt a lot. After a hot lunch we had ‘Ride at a given pace.’ I have never done anything quite like it before and I learnt heaps about judging the speed that I was going at. I especially liked the faster rounds were we were almost galloping around! Last of all we had dressage with Bev, and she told us what we need to work towards. On the way home the rain began to settle in and got heavier and heavier until it was streaming down causing rivers of water to appear everywhere; just showing how lucky we had been with the weather!
Photo: Sophia Landy Jumping Shadow