Members of 11 Central Ontario Region Pony Clubs - Ajax, Brooklin, Centaurus, Durham, Eglinton, Green Lane, Kawartha, Pickering, Tynedale, Uxbridge-Scugog and Victoria - have entered the fourth and last of the Central Ontario Region's Qualifiers for the Central Canadian Zone Show Jumping Championships, to take place on Sunday, July 21at Audley Road Stables near Ajax, hosted by the Ajax Pony Club. 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 Uxbridge-Scugog Pony Club on May 26, by the Ajax Pony Club on June 23, and by the Sudbury Pony Club on July 13. This year, the Central Canadian Zone Championships are being hosted by the Western Ontario Region August 17-18.

In this show, two divisions of Pre-Entry level riders will compete in two classes each, both single round plus jump-off, plus a warm-up round. Pre-Entry level riders do not qualify for the Central Canadian Championships.

The higher divisions - Entry, Starter, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Advanced - compete in three classes each, two conventional classes and one speed class, to determine a Champion and a Reserve in each division. 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; time is added for each knock-down.

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.

Audley Road Stables are at 777 Audley Road, between Rossland Road and Highway 2. The show begins at 8:00 am. Spectators are welcome without charge.

For more information, e-mail Liz Inglis or Bob Inglis, Central Ontario Region Pony Club Communications Co-Chairs, or call 416-493-1223 (office) or 416-491-4230 (home)