53 young riders from 14 Pony Clubs have entered the second of the Central Ontario Region's qualifiers for the Central Canada Zone Show Jumping Championships, with entries still trickling in. This show takes place next Sunday, June 19, at Woodwind Farm near Oro, hosted by the Centaurus 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 three other qualifiers, hosted by the Uxbridge-Scugog Pony Club on May 29, the Ajax Pony Club on July 17 and the Brooklin Pony Club on July 31. This year, the Central Canada Zone Championships are being hosted by the Western Ontario Region on August 20-21.

This is a combined show jumping clinic and competition. All riders will take part in clinics tailored to their riding levels before competing in a single round plus jump-off class. In the jump-off, clear rounds beat those with faults, and the fastest clear round wins, just like the televised shows.

This show is open to three divisions of Pre-Entry level riders. Some of these riders are under ten years old, and the jumps are set accordingly (1'9" to 2'0"). Pre-Entry riders do not qualify for the Zone Championships. The higher divisions, Entry, Starter, Beginner, Novice, Intermediate and Advanced, see jump heights increase for each division, with the Advanced riders facing obstacles ranging from 3'6" to 3'9".

Pony Club is an international organization to promote riding and horsemanship skills among young people. Nearly all of Canada's international show jumpers got their starts in shows like this. Show jumping is the most familiar of Pony Club's activities to most spectators, but there is also competition in dressage, mounted games, rallies (including dressage, cross-country jumping and stadium jumping), tetrathlon (swimming, shooting, cross-country jumping, stadium jumping and cross-country running) as well as "academic" competition in quiz format.

Woodwind Farm is at 2465 Oro Line 10, just above Bass Lake sideroad. Clinics start at 8:00 am, with competition to follow. Spectators are welcome without charge.

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).