Tivyside Pony Club Annual Team Christmas Show jumping competition was held on the 8th of December at Moor Farm Equestrian Centre in Haverfordwest. The competition open to members of the Pony Club in Area 18 was designed to allow everyone the chance to compete as part of a team, with the main focal point being ‘fun’.

The competition which started back in 2004 with a total of 6 teams has grown from strength to strength with 32 teams from Swansea, LLandeilo, Amman Valley, Neath, South Pembs, Pembrokeshire Hunt, St. Davids, Tivyside and the Vale of Taf competing this year. This has now turned into an annual event in the Pony Club calendar.

The festive spirit was flowing from the brightly decorated course, to the free punch, mince pies and sweets that were on offer to everyone. Horses and ponies were decorated with tinsel and bobbles and various forms of ‘rudolf’. The competition for the best decorated hats were very inventive and a treat to be seen. The winners being

Cari Toft on May – Tivyside Pony Club

Mali Thomas on Teddy - St Davids Pony Club

Lauren Boyce – Neath Pony Club

Merlin Kennett on Connie - Tivyside Pony Club

The competition consisted of four members in a team with competitors’ ages ranging between six and twenty three years. All team members had to jump two rounds at various heights with all scores counting. At the end of the two rounds four teams were on zero points and six on four faults. As prizes went down to 10 places, this meant that ten riders had to jump off against the clock for the placing.

First to jump off were the allocated riders from the teams on 4 faults. They were jumping for places 5th to tenth. This was followed by the riders on zero faults.

Excitement and tension were high with the crowd cheering their members on. In a highly contested jump off the winning team were the Tivyside, followed very closely by the Vale of Taf with only 1 second splitting the two riders- Elin Jenkins and Up to Date for the Tivyside and Fran Scott on Bobby George for the Vale of Taf. The final placing were:

1ST: TIVYSIDE PONY CLUB: Cari Toft on May, Maddy Adams on Solar System, Lucy Dobson on Charlie and Elin Jenkins on Up to Date VII.

2ND: VALE OF TAF PONY CLUB

3rd: PEMBROKESHIRE HUNT PONY CLUB

4th: SOUTH PEMBS PONY CLUB

5TH: PEMBROKESHIRE HUNT PONY CLUB

6th: TIVYSIDE PONY CLUB

7TH: PEMBROKESHIRE HUNT PONY CLUB

8TH: PEMBROKESHIRE HUNT PONY CLUB

9TH TIVYSIDE PONY CLUB

10TH: St DAVIDS PONY CLUB

Congratulations to all riders who took part and for the excellent sportsmanship that was displayed by all.