THE Irish Pony Club is slowly, and cautiously, resuming activities under the protocols drawn up by its Health and Safety committee chaired by Tony Ennis.

All details, including those regarding the Covid-19 protocols and guidelines which must be followed to allow members to return safely to their Branches, can be found on the IPC website. Since the easing of restrictions, more than 140 Branch officials have completed the Covid-19 compliance officer workshops offered by the IPC.

In addition to holding rallies, many Branches have resumed training for junior tests but, unfortunately, the IPC senior proficiency tests cannot be held this year due to time constraints and Covid-19 restrictions; hopefully these will resume next year. Adhering to the new guidelines, Branches are making plans for small competitions, junior tests and day camps.

There has been good news recently regarding some of the organisation’s national competitions which will be modified to comply with the new protocols. It is hoped to run a national Tetrathlon competition on Saturday and Sunday, August 22nd and 23rd; the national hunter trials have been rescheduled for Saturday, September 26th; the national dressage day has a new date of Saturday, October 17th, while the national Minimus competition is due to take place over the weekend of October 10th and 11th.

Top honours

IN Area 17 of The Pony Club (Northern Ireland), they are going ahead with senior tests this year and late last month five members travelled to the home of the de Montmorency family in north Co Down for the AH test.

While three of the quintet will have to retake certain sections, congratulations go to the East Antrim Branch’s Lucca Stubington, who passed with honours, and to East Down member Tara Dixon who passed with distinction. Both have evented internationally for Ireland and are daughters of female international event riders.

Taste of dressage

IN Area 17, they are also looking forward to some inter-Branch competition and among the activities planned is show jumping on Saturday, August 8th at The Meadows where the action will start with a mini/major Olympia qualifier. The following day, it’s back to the McCusker family’s equestrian centre for ‘Dressage on the Lawn’ which will offer tests to all levels of riders from Open to those competing in dressage for the first time.

Dirraw championships

THE very popular home championships in eventing are due to take place at Dirraw Farm, Finvoy over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, August 29th and 30th while there are plans in the pipeline to stage a new Arena Eventing competition during September.

This will be a qualifier for a championship in Britain next April.