Top Results at Pony Club NSW State Combined Championships

By: Leanna Haines/PCANSW

Katie Kelly from Wingham Pony Club in Zone 9 had a very successful Combined Championship placing overall 9th in the Sporting, Reserve Champion in the Campdraft and Reserve Champion in the Team Penning. Photos: Paul Smith Photography

Emily Mills from Moree Pony Club in Zone 8 competed in the State Campdraft Championships.

Charlotte Bennetts from Cassilis Pony Club in Zone 7 is pictured with President of Pony Club NSW, Mr Wayne Pernice

The Champion Team Penning Junior Team was awarded to the Gloucester Pony Club Team from Zone 25 with riders (L-R) Chloe Shultz, Amy Shultz and Charlotte Maslen who received a Champion Sash, Trophy and Rug thanks to Horseland

The first of four Pony Club NSW State Combined Championships for 2017 were held from the 8^th-10^th April at the Gravesend Pony Club Grounds. Over 150 riders made the journey to the remote small town of Gravesend to contest their speed, skills and agility in Sporting, Campdraft and Team Penning over three days of competition.

Competitors and their families from all over NSW and interstate from QLD were treated to exceptional hospitality from the Gravesend Pony Club and Zone 8 volunteers with a Welcome Dinner held on the Friday night and a Championship Dinner on Saturday night. The grounds were carefully prepared with extra yards, amenities and equipment brought in from around the region.

The State Sporting Championships commenced at 8:30am on Saturday Morning with the best Sporting riders from all over NSW and QLD taking part in seven races including the Flag, Barrel and Bending Races. In the Under 11 years age group, Zali Duncan all the way from Cobargo Pony Club, 12 hours south in Zone 14 was declared the Champion and Madison Shaw from Queensland took the Reserve Champion.

The 11 & under 13 years was the largest Sporting age group with 33 riders aiming for the title of Age Champion. The riders were very competitive with Hannah Gordon from Queensland recording the fastest time in the whole competition for the Bending race at 10.84 seconds. Hannah was awarded the 11 & under 13 years Sporting Age Champion, while Georgia Osmond from Dungog Pony Club in Zone 25 claimed the Reserve Champion award.

Kiara Bressington from Queensland scored the most points across all races in the 13 & under 15 years Age group and claimed the Sporting Age Champion title, with Amy Shultz from Gloucester Pony Club in Zone 25 being awarded the Reserve Champion. Riders in the 15 & under 17 years division claimed the fastest times of the competition for the Flag, Barrel, Bonfield Bounce Bend and Key Hole races with rider Thomas Smith from Queensland claiming two of those records and being declared the 15 & under 17 years Sporting Age Champion. Martin Clancy was announced the Reserve Champion from Merriwa Pony Club in Zone 7.

Long-time competitor Kate Patch from Queensland showed she isn’t slowing down taking back the Associate Sporting Age Champion award which she claimed in 2014 & 2015. Fellow Queensland competitor Tegan Byrnes was also awarded the Associate Reserve Champion title for the third consecutive year in a row.

Queensland dominated the Interstate point score for the Sporting championship, claiming the Champion State Award with riders Thomas Smith, Madison Shaw, Kate Patch and Hannah Gordon scoring the highest points for Queensland. The Sporting Zone with the highest points and winner of the Champion Zone was awarded to Zone 7 in NSW with riders Clancy Martin, Anastasia Martin, Makayla Mobberley and Jack Mobberley all from Merriwa Pony Club recording the highest points in their Zone. The Sporting Fitness Check Trophy winner for smartest Zone was awarded to Zone 24.

The State Campdraft Championships kicked off on Sunday 9^th, with just under 100 competitors taking part. Cattle were brought in from neighbouring farms and the event was held in the newly built Gravesend Campdraft Arena. Riders were fortunate to have two runs in the campdraft, doubling their chances to get a great score.

The Under 13 years age group saw Queensland rider Mitchell Lunney at the top of the leader board and awarded the Under 13 years Campdraft Age Champion with Madison Whitley from Oberon Pony Club in Zone 3 coming away with the Reserve Champion title. Darcy Curran from Queensland was the most successful in the 13 & under 15 years age group, with a top score to take out the Age Champion, while fellow Queensland competitor Kira Holmes was declared the Reserve Champion.

It was a winning streak for Queensland with Rohan Fenlon rounding out the final award for the Queensland team, being awarded the 15 & under 17 years Campdraft Age Champion and Taylah Wilkinson from Upper Horton Pony Club in Zone 8 claiming the Reserve Champion. The Associate age group was the largest of the championship with just under 30 riders vying for the top position. The sibling rivalry was high as Daniel Kelly from Wingham Pony Club in Zone 9 scored the highest points of the competition to be declared the Associate Campdraft Age Champion, with his sister Katie Kelly also from Wingham not far behind to be awarded the Reserve Champion title.

The Champion State Award was on everyone’s mind as the points came very close between NSW and QLD, but for the 3^rd year in a row NSW was declared the winning state with riders Daniel Kelly from Wingham in Zone 9, Katie Kelly from Wingham in Zone 9, Matthew Ireland from Walcha in Zone 13 and Jack Hart from Breadalbane in Zone 27 awarded the highest point scoring riders in the state.

Zone 9 was awarded the Champion Zone award with siblings Daniel, Katie and Matthew Kelly all from Wingham Pony Club and Jane Laurie from Camden Haven Pony Club earning the highest points for their Zone. The Campdraft Fitness Check Trophy winner for smartest Zone was awarded to Zone 25.

The State Team Penning Championship was the final event to be held and in only its second year running the entries were on the rise this year with 22 teams competing. Teams consisted of 3 riders whose aim is to separate three specifically identified cattle from a herd of 30, and put them into a pen at the opposite end of the arena within two minutes.

The Team Penning is always fun to watch and this year did not disappoint with both the Junior and Associate Age groups setting great scores. In the 10 & under 17 years Junior competition it was the team from Gloucester Pony Club in Zone 25 who took out the top position. Riders Amy Shultz, Charlotte Maslen and Chloe Shultz were able to pen 3 cattle in a time of 59.41 seconds to be named the Junior Champion Team for 2017. In second place Jane Laurie from Camden Haven, along with Tahya Stokes-Marshall and Kye Moran from Coffs Harbour Pony Club in Zone 9 were the second fastest team to pen three cattle and were named the Reserve Champion Junior Team.

In the Associate Team Penning competition the home-town Gravesend Team of Rhiannon Byers, Charlee Haley and Tayla Macey scored the best time of the competition, penning three cattle in a time of 53.22 seconds to be awarded the Associate Team Penning Champions. Just behind them with a time of 60.25 seconds with three beasts was the Wingham Team from Zone 9 with Matthew, Katie and Daniel Kelly who have had a very successful Combined Championship. The Team Penning Fitness Check Trophy winner for smartest Zone was awarded to Zone 9.

The State Sporting, Campdraft & Team Penning Championships will be held again in 2018 with applications for suitable venues being welcomed now through the Pony Club NSW Website. The next State Combined Championship for this year is heading to Tamworth for the Showriding, Showjumping, Dressage & Jumping Equitation Championships being held from the 1^st-8^th July.

Photos taken at the Gravesend State Sporting, Campdraft & Team Penning Championships by Paul Smith Photography are available to view and purchase at www.paulsmithphotography.com.au

For more information contact the PCA NSW State Office on (02) 4229 8977. To find a Pony Club near you visit the state website on www.pcansw.org.au