Woodville resident Chelsea Geer, a member of the Uxbridge-Scugog Pony Club, has been awarded a $1,000 Ontario Equestrian Federation bursary to pursue further equine training and/or education. Ms Geer, 16, is an honour grade 10 student at Fenelon Falls Secondary School. Chelsea has been an active member of Pony Club. Last year she traveled to Edmonton, to compete at the Canadian championships for Prince Philip Games. Her team was victorious and successfully defended Uxbridge-Scugog's Canadian dominance in PPG. Her planned Pony Club activities for the coming season include show jumping and rally (the Pony Club equivalent of eventing) on her coach's Thoroughbred mare, Canterberry, as well as taking part in the Pony Club riding and teaching clinics, and the Pony Club testing system, on her own pony, Tequila.

As well as her Pony Club activities, Chelsea competes in the East Central Trillium circuit in the hunter classes. Her riding objectives for the year include testing for her Pony Club C level (A is the highest). Chelsea is also interested in driving and hopes to work for Royal Lane Clydesdales both driving and showing their heavy horses on the line, this summer and fall.

Longer term, Chelsea hopes to have a career working with horses and will always have horses in her life as a hobby at the very least. "I plan to use the OEF funds to assist me in paying for my riding lessons, and showing and testing fees," says Chelsea. "I am very grateful to the OEF for their generous support of junior riders."

The Ontario Equestrian Federation awards a minimum of five bursaries a year to deserving young riders. The Ontario Equestrian Federation is a not-for-profit sport governing office that provides education, leadership and support to individuals, associations and companies in Ontario's horse community. It provides its members with a variety of services, programs, and benefits, and represents their interests to the general public, affiliated organizations and to varying levels of government. In short - the OEF stands for all things equine.

Committed to youth, the OEF offers bursaries annually to Junior OEF members wishing to pursue an equine career and/or further their competitive goals. Applications for 2009 OEF Youth Bursaries will be available beginning July 1, 2008. If you will be between 14 and 17 years old (as of January 1st, 2009) and will be attending a high school in Ontario in 2009 DO NOT MISS OUT ON THIS OPPORTUNITY!! For more information please visit the OEF website, www.horse.on.ca, or contact the OEF Office at 1-877-441-7112 or 905-709-654.

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).