Pony Club Showjumpers Head to Warialda for State Championship

Alexandra McLaughlin riding ‘Jimmy McElroy’  at last year’s PCA NSW State Showjumping Championships to win the Under 13 years Age Champion

Pony Club Showjumpers from around New South Wales and Queensland will be planning their travels towards Warialda over the coming weeks, in preparation for the 2015 Pony Club NSW State Showjumping Championships. The Championship event is being held at Warialda Showground on Saturday 4^th and Sunday 5^th July and will showcase riders between the ages of 10 and 25 years battling it out for the title of Pony Club State Showjumping Age Champion.

Around 130 riders have entered in the State Championship, with competitors from as far as Burra District Pony Club in Urila NSW making the strenuous 10 hour drive with their horses.

The youngest rider to compete over the weekend, Lucy McLaughlin from Nyngan Pony Club will be hoping for some birthday luck as she celebrates her 10^th Birthday on the first day of competition.

Lucy’s mother Abigail McLaughlin said “Lucy has been going on and on about having to celebrate her birthday at State Showjumping because it happens to her nearly every year. This is the first year she will be competing which should hopefully make it a lot more fun”.

Lucy’s older sister Alexandra won the Under 13 years Age Champion at the 2014 PCA NSW State Showjumping Championships in Condobolin last year riding the family’s home bred Thoroughbred X Australian Stock Hose, ‘Jimmy McElroy’.

“Jimmy is a distinctive 16 hand-high grey with the most exceptional temperament, and this year Alex has given him to Lucy to ride at the Championship” explained Mrs McLaughlin.

“We will probably have a cake around the campfire at Warialda to celebrate Lucy turning 10, I hope that Jimmy takes her around safely and that she comes back with a smile on her face.”

Pony Clubs in Zone 8 will be hosting the Championship and have 27 riders of their own competing from Garah-Boomi, Warialda, North Star, Moree and Gravesend Pony Clubs. The Zone 8 Chief Instructor, Julie Morgan explained “Preparation of the Team has been a work in progress for many months starting with our Regional Showjumping School held in early March, then the first round of our Zone Showjumping Competition at Moree, and continuing on with Zone 8 riders making up our Area 3 Showjumping Team to compete at this year’s Sydney Royal and running a very close second”. 

Competitors and their families will start to arrive from Thursday onwards, with most camping at the grounds for the duration of the championship. The competition will commence Saturday 4 July from 8:30 am and conclude Sunday afternoon with the mounted presentation ceremony.

Entry into the Championship is free to the public and Julie Morgan encourages locals to see what it’s all about;“Spectators can expect to see some of the best youth riders from around the state showcase their horses with high quality showjumping”.

The next state event is the State Mounted Games Championship to be held at Bungendore from the 10-11^th October 2015. The Pony Club NSW State Showjumping Championships are supported by Mitavite official feed partner and Global Entries Online, as well as other local sponsors.

Quick Links

• To find a Pony Club near you visit the state website on www.pcansw.org.au
• PONY CLUB HORSES AND PONIES FOR SALE on HORSEZONE
• SELL a horse or pony on HORSEZONE