Two Pony Club members from the New Liskeard area have been named to the 2006 Canadian Prince Philip Games team, which will compete against national teams from Australia, Great Britain and the United States for world supremacy in Britain next year. Shauna Chester of Elk Lake, a member of the Temiskaming Pony Club, and Jessica McVittie of New Liskeard, a member of the Uxbridge-Scugog Pony Club, won their spots on the team at a national try-out camp held earlier this month in Surrey, B.C.. Both young ladies are 15 years old.

Shauna Chester reports, "My weekend was great! When we arrived in Vancouver a judge picked up me, Jessica and another girl from Guelph, Erin. We went on a tour around Southlands. Then we went back to Margo's house, the judge. All the girls came, we met and had supper. There was Colby from Vancouver, Kelsey from Alberta, Heather from Alberta, Andrea from Ontario, Erin from Ontario, and Jessica. After supper we went in groups of two and three to our billeted families. On Friday we did try outs and vaulting. Everybody was really nervous and was making a lot of mistakes. After try outs we went to Colby's house for a B.B.Q. On Saturday everybody wasn't so nervous and rode a lot better. This day was my best day. After riding we went into a building and had our interview. That went well. After that we went to Colby's house to get ready to go to Grouse Mountain and the Spaghetti factory. On the mountain we got to see bears and wolves, and a comedy lumberjack show. It was so cold! And then we went to the Spaghetti Factory...it was so good. On Sunday we finished our tryouts, it was like a fun day but still being judged. Everybody rode really well on this day. It was so sad to say good bye to everybody when they left. I had a really fun weekend because of the experience and getting to meet everybody and make friends."

The Games are a team competition played by Pony Clubs around the world, played by teams of five riders and five ponies, four of which participate in each game. All are variations on the relay race, and all are great fun for players and spectators alike. Many of the Games require the riders and ponies to run a slalom course around a series of poles from one end of the playing field to the other, where they hand-off something to the next rider on their team. In many races, riders have to vault off of and onto their ponies.

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).