The Central Ontario Region of Pony Club will hold its fourth and final Qualifier for the Central Canadian Show Jumping Championships on Sunday, July 28, at Foothills Farm near Chelmsford, hosted by the Sudbury Pony Club. Aspiring show jumpers from the Elliot Lake, Muskoka Lakes, Sudbury, Temiskaming and Valley View 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 Muskoka Lakes Pony Club on June 30 and by the Ajax Pony Club on July 22. This year, the Central Zone Championships are being hosted by the St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Region August 18-19.

At the Sudbury show, there will be competition at the Starter, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Open 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. Entry Divisions will consist of a clear-round (warm-up) class plus two conventional classes with timed jump-offs if needed.

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.

Foothills Farm is at 5715 Nickel Offset Road. Competition is scheduled to start at 9 am. Spectators are welcome without charge.

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