Narrabri Showground will host Pony Club NSW’s State Jumping Equitation, Tetrathlon and Formal Gymkhana Championships from today through to Sunday as an abundance of junior and associate riders compete across four action-packed days.
Pony Club NSW’s chairman of the chief instructor committee, Sarah Woodhouse, told The Courier that the three prestigious state events had been compacted into one program in 2023 to limit travel costs and time for competitors and their families and to give the competitors a chance to take part in an event or two they otherwise may not have had the opportunity to.
Jumping equitation will run across today and tomorrow, which will see competitors perform in three rounds of showjumping during the two days.
The tetrathlon, which is a shortened version of the modern pentathlon at the Olympics, will include a run, a swim, a laser shoot and a show jump. It will get underway on Friday and wrap up on Saturday. The swimming component of that event will be contested at Narrabri Aquatic Centre, and the cross-country run will be done around the west lake.
The formal gymkhana will start on Saturday with sporting events and will wrap up the weekend with hacking events on Sunday.
Presentations will be held after each championship event has concluded.
Juniors and associates will compete across the four days, which means that all competitors will be aged 25-years-old or younger.
Narrabri and District Pony Club’s president Chris Booby said he and the club were thrilled to have the chance to host such a significant event on the Pony Club NSW calendar.
“It’s a big thing for the club here,” he said.
“We’ve hosted one championships here in the past, about 25 years ago.
“It’s a really good opportunity for our members, the kids and the public in particular to see what Pony Club’s all about.
“The grounds are in good condition at the moment. The caretakers have done a good job. Given the dry conditions at the moment, the grounds are quite good.”
There will be six Narrabri members, three Wee Waa and District Pony Club members and one Boggabri Pony Club member competing across the four days.
Representing the Narrabri club are Eliza Dampney, Kate and Hannah Partridge, and Max, Lucy and Angus Booby, representing Wee Waa are Celia and Josie Gallagher and Emma Dixon, and representing Boggabri is Georgia Byriell.
In total, there will be 66 competitors in the jumping equitation, 35 in the tetrathlon and 72 in the formal gymkhana.
Meanwhile, Narrabri and District Pony Club held its first rally day of the year last month on Sunday, February 5.
The club hosted tetrathlon practice that day and thanked Narrabri Pistol Club’s David Dewsbury, Rob Boucher and Graham Smith for sharing their wealth of knowledge with young club members.
The club then hosted the tetrathlon on Sunday, February 12. Results are as follows:
Highest point score mini – Angus Booby, and runner-up – Lucy Booby.
Highest point score sub junior – Celia Galagher, and runner-up – Kate McDonald.
Highest point score junior – Rain Pritchard, and runner-up – Ivy Pritchard.
Highest point score senior – Georgia Byriell.
