2013 Pony Club NSW State Championships - Results

Georgia Hope from Canberra Riding Club Zone 16, U25 Age Champion

Brianna Cartwright Mangrove Mountain Pony Club, Zone 24, U15 Age Champion. (Photo: Barry McGregor photography)

L-R; 2013 Pony Club NSW State Dressage Age Champions, Sarah Farraway U17 Champion, Georgia Hope U25 Champion, Jessica McDonald U13 Champion and Brianna Cartwright U15 Champion. (Photo: Barry McGregor photography)

The first of nine Pony Club NSW State Championships for the year was held at the Exhibition Centre, Wagga Wagga from the 19-20 January 2013.

Competitors arriving on the Friday were met with extremely hot weather. Thankfully conditions cooled down when a southerly blew through Friday night, making for more manageable weather over the weekend.

The Pony Club NSW State Dressage Championships hosted by Zone 12, attracted 120 competitors from all over NSW and QLD. Competition was close with riders competing across two separate Dressage tests with the overall champion being determined by their collective placing’s.

Top scores occurred across all age divisions. In the under 13 age group Jessica McDonald was the age champion for the second year in a row riding horse Deltry Belucci from Wallsend Pony Club. Brianna Cartwright from Mangrove Mountain Pony Club riding horse Baringa First Class was the 13 and Under 15 age champion. Bathurst Pony Club rider, Sarah Farraway on Rum ‘N’ Coke took out first place in the 13 and under 15 age group. While in the 17 and under 25 age group, Georgia Hope from Canberra Riding Pony Club, placed first on her horse Kalgan Esprit.

The Champion Zone with the highest scores overall was Zone 16. Champion Zone 27 riders took out the Fitness Check prize. NSW was the Champion State with winning riders Sarah Farraway, Georgia Hope, Brianna Cartwright and Jessica McDonald.

Georgia Hope 17 and Under 25 Age Champion was extremely happy with her performance at the event. “I have competed at state dressage every year since I was 12 years old and this is the first time I have won age champion at state dressage and placed first in both the dressage tests. Last year I placed 2nd overall with a 1st and a 3rd place.  I am so happy that my horse put it all together for me in such hot weather, she is truly amazing. It was also great to be in the winning zone team with my friends from zone 16 and in the NSW state team”.           

With a busy year ahead, Miss Hope will be “competing at some local AG Shows and then I have Canberra Royal Show and the Sydney Royal Show”.

Thinking of the future Miss Hope aims “to continue to enjoy my riding and succeed as much as I can”. We wish Georgia every success.

For Brianna Cartwright 13 and under 15 years age champion this was a very special win, “I couldn’t have been happier. Buddy has had an amazing year at Pony Club and in the Pony dressage and I will now be focusing on moving Buddy up to Elementary.”

“My future goals are to continue enjoying schooling and competing my ponies and advancing them both up the levels,” said Miss Cartwright.    

The next State Championship is the State Sporting and Campdrafting Championships. This year’s event held over the same weekend will be hosted by Zone 25, located at Gloucester Showground, Gloucester from the 13 to the 14April 2013.

A special thanks to Zone 12 for hosting the championships in the trying conditions, and many thanks to everyone involved who contributed to such a successful event.

The Pony Club NSW State Dressage Championships is supported by Sport and Recreation a division of Communities NSW, Mitavite official feed partner, as well as other local sponsors. To find a Pony Club near you visit the state website on www.pcansw.org.au