When Ian Scrimger and Lisa Woolaver of Avon teamed up with Elizabeth Crewe and Nellie Friars of Colchester to form the Nova Scotia Quiz Team, they were very likely the least experienced team from this province to attend a National Quiz competition. But what they lacked in experience, they made up for with solid preparation and team work. And it paid off, as they took 5th spot in the C-level competition.

The quiz took place last Thanksgiving weekend at Heritage Valley, about two hours from Vancouver, BC. Take a 4am start to catch a plane, add in the time change of four hours, and the group had been on the road for nearly 15 hours when they wrote the individual written tests at 11pm Nova Scotia time, on Friday night. Just staying awake was a big challenge. Still Elizabeth and Nellie placed in the top 10 with Ian and Lisa in the top half of the 44 C competitors.

Day two began with identifying nearly 100 artifacts in the morning, with the team stations in the afternoon. This is where our group really worked well getting an almost perfect score on a demanding cross-word puzzle, identifying safety concerns on a mock jumper course, and sailing through "sock it to me''. On the recommendation of her mother, who says she is plenty argumentative, Elizabeth was chosen captain. This paid off for the team because using her knowledge of horsemanship and her powers of persuasion she convinced the judges to award 12 more points to the team during the captain's review of the written tests on Saturday evening.

With the work done by Sunday, the 94 competitors and chaperones climbed on busses for downtown Vancouver for a two-hour shopping spree at Robson Square. This was a welcome break as Heritage Valley was VERY isolated with few amenities (unless you count the over active fire alarm system in Lodge1 that went off at all hours of the day and night for no discernible reason). Then it was off to Hastings Park for an afternoon of thoroughbred racing with the 4th race designated The Pony Club Purse. Quiz organizers had arranged for competitors in groups of three to join a trainer, owner and jockey in the saddling enclosure before the races and some members were chosen to present the winners.

The final banquet on Sunday evening brought the excitement of wondering "did we place''. The scores for the individual tests had been posted the day before and we knew we were in the middle of the pack of 11 teams. The presentations went in reverse order and when St Lawrence-Ottawa Valley Team 11 (who had been ahead of us in the individual tests) took 6th place our hopes dropped, but only for a moment. The Nova Scotia Region was the next name called for the fifth place ribbon.

The team gives special thanks to Margie Johnson, the regional Quiz chair for making all of the arrangements for the team to travel to BC and to Mary Henry who gave special coaching sessions to the team prior to the quiz.

The Tantramar Pony Club Quiz was held was held on January 23 in Sackville, New Brunswick. Fifty-six competitors from the Nova Scotia Region attended including sixteen members from our region's newest branch the Opportunity Club.

Fourteen teams from six branches competed at Novice, D and C levels. Each competitor did an artifacts and a written portion and team members worked together at stations. Thanks very much to Avon for creating and running the dressage station.

Quiz team placings were as follows:

Awards were also given to high point individuals in each division:

The Colchester Quiz was held on March 6 in Truro. The turnout was excellent with 71 competitors from six branches, on 20 teams. The format was similar to the Tantramar Quiz. The Opportunity and Tantramar branches each contributed stations. Quiz team placings were:

Individual awards went to:

National Quiz This year our region is pleased to host the 1999 National Quiz Competition in Truro, on Thanksgiving weekend. We will send an A/B team and two C teams. Team members will be selected from those who applied in the fall and participated in this year's Regional Quiz competitions.

Tetrathlon is a Pony Club Discipline that consists of four phases of competition; cross country running, swimming, air pistol shooting and riding (cross country and stadium jumping). Tetrathlon derives its name from Modern Pentathlon which includes the four disciplines mentioned, plus fencing.

In Tetrathlon, each discipline is scored individually and the four scores combined, make up the final score.

Tetrathlon was started in England in 1968 in an attempt to involve more boys in Pony Club activities. It rapidly became very popular. The United States Pony Club started Tetrathlon in 1972. The Canadian Pony Club adopted Tetrathlon as a discipline in 1973. The first region to start a Tetrathlon program was Central Ontario, soon followed by the Western Ontario and St. Lawrence/Ottawa Valley regions. At first Tetrathlon competitions were open to boys only. Girls were not officially included in Tetrathlon competitions in Canada until 1976!

Tetrathlon has grown tremendously since those early years. Branch and Regional competitions take place in all 11 Pony Club Regions in Canada. Each year a National Competition is held, usually in August. Each region is invited to send a boy's team and a girl's team of 4 members each. Every two years, Canada sends 10 senior tetrathletes (5 men and 5 women) to an International Tetrathlon Competition, held alternately in England and Ireland or the United States and Canada.

A Regional Tetrathlon Clinic was held on November 22, 1998 in Sackville, NB. This was our largest Tetrathlon clinic yet, with 24 Pony Club members from Colchester, Avon and Tantramar branches in attendance. This was a Run - Shoot - Swim clinic, there was no riding. The day was a big success, the weather co-operated and everyone had fun.

The clinic planned for February in Wolfville was postponed. A spring training clinic, held in Sackville, NB on April 24 was attended by 6 Tantramar members. We are also planning the Regional Tetrathlon Championship, a Team Challenge on May 29-30 in the Sackville area.

The Team Challenge will also be a full competition with all four Tetrathlon phases. Mixed teams of four people (boys or girls, any level) or individual competitors will compete in running, shooting, swimming and stadium jumping. Each team is asked to bring two or more horses (which may be shared by the team members) for stadium jumping. The horses will be stabled at the Port Elgin Raceway, where the riding and running will take place. The shooting and swimming will be held in Sackville. A perpetual trophy will be awarded to the winning team. Application forms for the clinic and the Team Challenge have been sent out to all branch DC's. Everyone is welcome to attend this competition.

The Team Challenge will be the final qualifier for Nationals, to be held in Calgary, August 8 to 13. Any competitor wishing to be considered for a spot on the Regional Team will be asked to provide documentation of eventing and cross country experience.

To inquire about Tetrathlon information, clinics or competitions, please contact Gay Hansen by e-mail: ghansen@mta.ca.

Picture yourself riding along the edge of 100-foot cliffs overlooking the ocean on the Bay of Fundy. Then imagine galloping at full speed along the beach at the base of those same cliffs. Add the fabulous colours of the fall leaves, bright sun, light wind and blue skies and you have the perfect setting for a fall trail ride.

For 19 members of Annapolis and Avon Pony Clubs and a few brave mothers and instructors, the dream of galloping along an ocean beach came true on October 4. Beth Rand organized a wonderful ride and potluck supper that began at Medford Meadows. With Beth's cousin Luke as our guide, we rode back through the cross-country course and then worked our way along the cliffs which look towards Blomidon. The view was spectacular as the cliffs have eroded with the tides, leaving islands and interesting rock formations along the shore. The narrow trail along the cliff edge made the notion of keeping your horse "straight'' between hand and leg, a little more critical than in the average dressage ring. We gradually worked our way down to the beach where we rode out along a stream bed to the hard packed sand. It wasn't long before the pace began picking up and despite the misgivings of at least one slightly out-of-shape middle aged mother on a somewhat flighty thoroughbred, everyone yielded to the pull of a wind-in-the-face, all out gallop along the red sand. The two-hour trip culminated at Medford Meadows where thanks to the hospitality of the Sarsfield family, horses were placed in stalls with lots of well-deserved hay and water while the riders enjoyed a wonderful potluck supper. After working all summer on dressage, stadium and cross-country jumping skills, letting horses move along at their own pace with no particular goal in mind (other than perhaps staying on and not falling off the cliff) was a wonderful way to end the 1998 Pony Club season. Thank-you Beth and the Sarsfields for making it all happen.

The Regional Rally will be held in Windsor on July 28, 29 and 30 with the cross country phase held at Red Bank Farm. This will be a D and C rally. Branches may send more than two teams. Our Regional Rally Chairperson is Jennifer Healy. There will be a National Rally this year in Bethany, Ontario on August 22 to 27. Our region hopes to send a team of two riders and one non-riding captain. We will borrow horses from Central Ontario. The team will be chosen our members who are 15 years or older with a minimum of a C2 test level and rally and cross country experience. Application deadline is April 30. Application forms have been sent to all Branch DC's.

If you have questions, contact your DC or our National Rally Chair Pam Graves

The D Challenge was held on October 24 in Windsor, hosted once again by the Avon branch. This annual competition is for Pony Club E, D and D1 riders. Teams of three or four riders compete in dressage, equitation and stadium jumping. Seven teams and two individuals (thirty ponies and riders) from six Nova Scotia branches attended.

The individual results are:

Team placings are:

It was very nice to see so many talented young riders and reliable ponies at this event. These up and coming riders are very important to the future of Pony Club activities in our region.

The competition ran very smoothly thanks to many volunteers. It was great to see so many senior pony club members assisting. Avon members ran the canteen, did the announcing, assisted the dressage judge, judged the jumping, acted as ringmaster, typed the registration lists and many other behind the scene jobs that are so important at these events. Also, almost every challenge team had their own senior club members acting as coaches, grooms and helpers. Well done all! Special thanks to Mrs Henry for all her hard work.

We are trying to collect the names and addresses of all former Pony Club members in a Directory of Pony Club Alumni. If you are a former Pony Club member please contact Dierdre George

We have compiled a list of dates for our region. This is our current date list so far:

- That the regional raffle of three gift certificates for tack was drawn on November 17 at the Regional meeting. The winners were as follows:

Congratulations to the winners and special thanks to the tack shops who participated in our fundraiser. Tickets for this year's tack shop raffle are ready to be distributed to our members. Remember, this raffle is one of the ways that we raise money for Regional activities and keep your annual fees low. Try selling them at horse shows and events, horse people are often glad to buy them.

- That Megan White of the Annapolis Branch, has been chosen as a member of the InterPacific Rally Team to attend the InterPacific Rally in Colorado in August. Chantal Pelham of the Avon Branch, has been selected as the reserve member of the team.

- That Julie Ansems of the Annapolis Pony Club is the recipient of the Governor General's Award of Excellence, a Pony Club scholarship that will help her continue her studies at Mount Allison University.

- That Kim Eagles, a former Canadian Pony Club tetrathlete from the BC Islands Region recently won a Bronze Medal in shooting at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

	Oh Lord, won't you buy me A horsey that bends My friends all ride Warmbloods I must make amends. I practice my leg yields Each evening 'til ten Oh Lord, won't you buy me A horsey that bends.
	Oh Lord, won't you buy me A horse that won't buck I'm tired of trying To land standing up I spend all my time Brushing dirt off my butt Oh Lord, won't you buy me A horse that won't buck
	Oh Lord, won't you buy me A horse that won't bite I count all my fingers And toes every night I feel like a carrot When I'm in his sight So oh Lord, won't you buy me A horse that won't bite.
	Oh Lord, won't you buy me A horse that stays clean I brush him, I groom him, I've considered chlorine His color's too chestnut For a horse with gray genes Oh Lord, won't you buy me A horse that stays clean.
	Oh Lord, won't you buy me A horse with some guts This spooking and shying is driving me nuts And while You are at it Make me less of a klutz Oh Lord, won't you buy me a horse with some guts.
	Oh Lord, won't you give him some hindquarter drive This horse is sooo lazy not sure he's alive We bend and we circle 'till way, way past five Oh Lord, won't you give him some hindquarter drive.