Teams from eight Branches - Brooklin, Centaurus, Durham, Kawartha, Pine Ridge, Timberline, Toronto & North York and Uxbridge-Scugog - have entered the Central Ontario Regional Tetrathlon, being held on Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30.

Tetrathlon is a very demanding competition with four parts: swimming, shooting (with air pistols), running and riding. Scoring varies with the phase. In swimming, points are given for the time taken to complete a fixed distance (50-200m, depending on level). In shooting, the points are given for the number of shots in the target and their position in the target, similar to darts. Running is scored by time taken to complete a cross-country course. Riding is scored like the cross-country phase of eventing, with penalty points for refusals, falls, and taking longer than the optimum time to complete the course.

Boys and girls compete in separate divisions in Tetrathlon, at five levels for each: Junior A, Junior B, Senior A, Senior B and Novice. The "A" and "B" splits are determined by the competitors' levels of riding skills as measured by the Canadian Pony Club testing system.

The winners of Regional competitions at the Senior and Junior "A" levels have a chance of being chosen to represent the region at national and international competitions. This year's National Tetrathlon will be hosted by Central Ontario in the Peterborough region, from August 11th to 16th.

The shooting, swimming and running competitions will take place on Saturday. Shooting is at the Aurora Gun Club, swimming at the Newmarket Aquadome and running at the Shepherd's Bush Conservation area. The riding phase will be held on Sunday, at the Toronto & North York Hunt on Dufferin Street north of Highway 9. Spectators are welcome at all phases of competition, without admission charge.

For details please e-mail or call Liz or Bob Inglis, Central Ontario Regional Communications Co-Chairs, at 416-493-1223 (office) or 416-491-4230 (home), or Tetrathlon Chair Carmen Cotter at 416-690-0711 (home).