Members of 7 Central Ontario Region Pony Clubs have qualified for the Regional Dressage Finals, to take place on Sunday, September 21, at Lane's End Stable Inc., hosted by the Victoria Pony Club.

The show - OEF/EC Primary Competitions and Non-Sanctioned Pony Club Division - will include both individual and team competitions in six divisions, plus Drill teams, Pas de Deux and Freestyle tests.

Dressage is a system for training horse an rider that has its roots in ancient Greece. All work is done on the flat. Each horse/rider combination performs a set test in front of one or more judges (depending on the level of the competition). Dressage is an Olympic and Pan Am Games sport. Many of Canada's best Dressage riders, including Pan Am Games 2003 individual gold medallist Leslie Reid, got their introduction to Dressage as Pony Club members.

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.

Lanes End Stables are at 384 Cosh's Road in Bobcaygeon. Spectators are welcome without charge.

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