The Central Ontario Region of Pony Club will hold the second of its Qualifiers for the Central Canadian Show Jumping Championships on Saturday, June 30, at the Bracebridge Fair Grounds, hosted by the Muskoka Lakes Pony Club. This is the first Pony Club event hosted by Muskoka Lakes since its formation in 1999. Aspiring show jumpers from ten Central Ontario Region Pony Clubs have entered. Selection for the Central Ontario Show Jumping team, which will compete against teams from the Western Ontario and St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Regions, will be based on scores achieved at this meet and other qualifiers hosted by the Durham Pony Club on June 10, by the Ajax Pony Club on July 22 and by the Sudbury Pony Club on July 28. This year, the Central Canadian Zone Championships are being hosted by the St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Region August 18-19.

At the Muskoka Lakes show, there will be competition at the Starter, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Advanced levels, plus non-qualifying classes for Entry A, B & C level riders.

Qualifier Divisions will consist of three classes-a speed class and two conventional classes, each over a different course. Each of the conventional classes includes a timed jump-off if needed. Those who go clear in a conventional class qualify for its jump-off. In the jump-offs, clean rounds count ahead of those with knock-downs, and the fastest clean round wins. Speed rounds are against the clock, with no jump-off.

Pony Club is an international organization to promote riding and horsemanship skills among young people (up to 21 years old). Nearly all of Canada's international show jumpers got their starts in Pony Club. Show jumping is the most familiar Pony Club activity to most spectators, but Pony Club also offers competition in dressage, mounted games, rallies (including dressage, cross-country jumping and stadium jumping), tetrathlon (including shooting, swimming, cross-country jumping, stadium jumping, and cross-country running by the riders) as well as "academic" competition in quiz format. Above all, the objective of Pony Club competition is for young people to have safe fun in horse-related activities.

The Bracebridge Fair Grounds are on Fraserburg Road west of Highway 11. Competition is scheduled to start at 9 am. Spectators are welcome without charge.

For more information, get in touch with Liz Inglis or Bob Inglis, Central Ontario Region Pony Club Communications Co-Chairs, at 416-493-1223 (office) or 416-491-4230 (home).