Teams from the Central Ontario, Western Ontario and St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Regions of the Canadian Pony Club will compete for the Central Canada Zone Championships of Prince Philip and Masters Games this Wednesday, July 21, at Durward Farm north of Port Perry.

At the A level, the host Central Ontario Region will be represented by two teams, the Uxbridge-Scugog Hot Tamales, and a mixed team calling itself the Left Over Riff-Raff, with members from the Durham, Northwoods, Pine Ridge, Temiskaming and Uxbridge-Scugog Pony Clubs. The Northwoods and Temiskaming Pony Clubs are both in the New Liskeard area, with Pine Ridge drawing its members from the Cobourg and Baltimore areas. Western Ontario Region's teams are from the Guelph and Mill Ridge Pony Clubs. Mill Ridge is in the Fergus area. The St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Region is sending a team from the Ottawa Valley Hunt Pony Club and a mixed team with members from the Temperance Lake, Appleton and United Counties Pony Clubs. Temperance Lake is near Prescott, Appleton is between Almonte and Smith's Falls, and United Counties draws its members from eastern Ottawa and Wendover.

Central Ontario's representatives at the Masters level are the Uxbridge-Scugog Cowboys and a mixed Temiskaming/Durham team called the Rowdies. The Cowboys are two time defending Zone Champions and were Canadian Champions in 2002. The Western Ontario teams are from the Grand River Pony Club (Elora/Waterloo area) and possibly a second team to be announced. St. Lawrence-Ottawa Valley does not compete at the Masters level.

The Championships for both levels will consist of two sets of eight games each. All are variations on the relay race and all are great fun for players and spectators alike. One of the races, for example, calls for the riders to carry an egg on a spoon while riding an obstacle course, then hand off to the next team-mate. Some of these players can do it at the canter. In many races, riders have to vault off of and onto their ponies.

The Central Canada Zone Champions at each level will go on to play against the winners from the Pacific, Prairie and Atlantic Zones for the Canadian titles. The National A Championship takes place on September 12 at the Southlands Riding Club in Vancouver. The National Masters Championship will be hosted by the British Columbia Islands Region in the Pacific Zone (date and place to be set).

For more details e-mail Bob Inglis, Central Ontario Regional Communications Chair, or call him at 416-493-1223 (office) or 416-491-4230 (home).