A team from the Uxbridge-Scugog Pony Club won the National Masters Games Championships August 23 near Cannington, Ontario, defeating teams from the Western Ontario, Alberta North and Nova Scotia Regions.

The competition comprised four sets of five races each, with the teams riding different ponies in each set. None of the Uxbridge-Scugog team members' own ponies were used, so all teams rode borrowed ponies exclusively. It soon became clear that it did not matter who was riding which ponies, Uxbridge-Scugog was clearly the dominant team. It won 16 of the 20 races, placed second in three and third in one, amassing 95 out of a possible 100 points (five points awarded for each first place finish). The members of the Uxbridge-Scugog team are Kendra Abbey, Mori Cruikshanks, Sean Cruikshanks, Jesse Durward and Samantha Macdonald.

This marks the sixth time in the past eight years that Uxbridge-Scugog has won the National Masters Games Championship.

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.

The Masters level is for players between 15 and 21 years old. The 2009 "A" championship, for competitors up to 14 years old, will be held August 28-30 in British Columbia.

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).