Prince Philip Games
National A Division
Championships 2008
National PPG “A” Division Championships were held Saturday September 6, 2008 at the Grand River Raceway in Elora Ontario.
A team from BC and Alberta arrived in the area on Thursday and arranged their own accommodations for the night. The team from Nova Scotia arrived in Toronto on Friday morning. They were picked up and driven to the Elora area where they met up with the Alberta team and spent the day site seeing in the local area. The BC Team and Chaperone rented a van and went to see the CN Tower in Toronto for the day and met up with the Nova Scotia and Alberta Team for Supper.
Activities started Friday for supper at the Radcliffe's home. The team of 5 riders and chaperone from BC, team of 4 riders and coach and chaperone from Alberta, 5 riders and chaperone from Nova Scotia, 5 riders, coach and chaperone from the Rising Star from Central Ontario were all in attendance. This was followed by a tour of the Grand River Raceway, were the teams were able to see live harness racing and have a tour through the horse barn. Alison Rainford, The National PPG Chair, then presented the Raceway with a plaque to thank the raceway for the use of their facility for our event on the following day. The Nova Scotia Team and BC Team then went to their host Pony Club Family. Alberta and the Rising Star team from Central Ontario opted to stay in a hotel in Guelph. The coach of the BC team arrived at Toronto airport at midnight and was picked up and billeted with the team.
Saturday started with the setting up of the field and collection of the ponies to be used. A lunch was provided for all competitors and a meeting with the teams to review rules and organization of the days activities were provided by Alison Rainford. The competition started by 1:30pm. All riders did very well and there were no incidents until the tie breaker between the BC team and Ontario's Rising Star Team. A team member from BC was making a correction when she had a fall injuring her leg. The medics checked her out and she walked off the field on her own.
| The placings were as follows: | 1st Place - Central Ontario USST
2nd Place - Central Ontario Rising Star
3rd Place - BC East Maple Ridge
4th Place - Alberta Strathcona
5th Place - Nova Scotia Annapolis Valley |
The day ended with a BBQ and swim and the 4 teams relaxing and having some fun.
Sunday morning teams from BC, Nova Scotia and Central Ontario Rising Star went to Bingeman's Funworx – an indoor entertainment centre – before having a final lunch and heading home. Alberta team headed to Niagara Falls for sight seeing before their trip home.
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