Here are the results of the Central Canada Zone Prince Philip/Masters Games Championships, held at Durward Farm north of Port Perry in the Central Ontario Region on July 23. This year, each of the three competing Regions was invited to send two teams at each level.

At the A level, the team from the Temiskaming Pony Club, representing the Central Ontario Re-gion, successfully defended the Championship it won in 2002. The members of the Temiskaming Pony Club team are Bethany Brown, Shawna Chester, Mallory Durling and Jessica McVittie. Finishing in second place was a team from the Uxbridge-Scugog Pony Club, also in the Central Ontario Region, comprising Sean Cruikshanks, Mori Cruikshanks, Laura Parliament, Ashley Postill and Darlene Smith. Third place went to a mixed Grand River/Caledon Pony Club team from the Western Ontario Region. Temiskaming and Uxbridge-Scugog now advance to the National Championships, to be played at the Ontario's Pony Club Tournament of Champions August 15, where they will compete against the Pacific and Prairie Zone Champions for the Canadian Prince Philip Games crown.

At the Masters level, for older Pony Clubbers, the Uxbridge-Scugog "Cowboys" of the Central Ontario Region were again Zone Champions. The members of the "Cowboys," who are the defending Canadian Champions, are Brent Couch, Mike Durward, Allison Pascoe, Lisa Pascoe, and Lorraine Smith. Central Ontario also took second spot, with a mixed Temiskaming/Durham/Uxbridge-Scugog Pony Clubs team comprising Eliza Gravel and Candace McMahon from Temiskaming, Katie Murray from Durham, and Alison Birdsall from Uxbridge-Scugog. Third place went to Ashton First Field of the Saint Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Region. The first and second place teams are now eligible to play for the National Masters Championship, which will be hosted by the Alberta North Zone August 23-24 (availability of all team members to be confirmed).

At the National Championship level, all teams ride borrowed ponies, since transporting ponies across the country is impractical. Mounts are normally contributed by the host Region - Central Ontario for the A's and Alberta North for the Masters this year - but if a team from the host Region represents its Zone, its members would not be allowed to ride their own ponies in competition as this would give them an unfair advantage over the other teams. In fact, all teams generally switch ponies after a certain number of games, often several times.

For more details, call Liz or Bob Inglis, Central Ontario Region of Pony Club Communications Co-Chairpersons at 416-493-1223 (office) or 416-491-4230 (home) or via E-mail at bobinglis@technalysis.on.ca or lizinglis@technalysis.on.ca.