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Steeplechase 2009 | Steeplechase 2008 | Steeplechase 2007 | Steeplechase 2006 | Steeplechase 2003

‘Shetland Pony Grand National’ Steeplechase at the Canterbury Show on Show day —
Friday 12th November, 3.10 — 3.30pm., 2010.

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Well some of our ponies have had a very exciting time since last November with their 5th steeplechase coming up within 12 months. Since our big trip to the Horse of the Year Show, Stormy, Foxy and Basil have been to a One Day Event and Dressage & Show Hunter Day & Basil has been broken to harness. Archie has been chilling out on the hills & secretly keeping himself fit. Sam just chilled out in his paddock doing nothing in particular and Rowan has done a little harness work. Blue and Tonto were broken in over the winter months and both were model pupils so are now ready for the real world.
This is a busy time of year for the eight ponies as they prepare for the 2010 Shetland Steeplechase. This year we have only one performance so our two new ponies and two new riders will be thrown in at the deep end. The 2010 field is made up of the following ponies, in order of experience:

Pony Cotswold Archdale Murrayfield Sam I Am Cotswold Foxfire Beechgrove Storm Cloud Beechgrove Basil Brush Mainland Steeple Jack Birchlands Jack Spratt Llewellyn Moody Blue	(Archie) (Sam) (Foxy) (Stormy) (Basil) (Rowan) (Tonto) ** (Blue) **	Sponsored By Faskine Farm Sub 5 Security Apparel & Merchandise Solutions Rural Livestock Affordable Storage for the children of Cholmondeley Dave Reid Machinery & Bird Proofing NZ Ltd Garrards Horse and Hound Mazline Partsworld
**Tonto and Blue are the two new kids on the block

The ponies are owned by Sue McLaughlin (4), Diana Humphries (1½), Jean Reid (1) and me — Lesley (1½). Our riders, also in order of experience are: Kerryn O’Sullivan, Maia Waretini, Nikita Gallop, Grace Sullivan, Steffi Whittaker, Elise Dein, with Elizabeth Wylaars and Lucy Turner being our two new riders.

Training started during the school holidays and continues for six days a week until the three day Canterbury A. & P Show on November 10th,11th & 12th. Show week is particularly busy this year, starting with the usual in-hand classes on Wednesday morning, followed by the Shetland Ridden Section (6 classes including lead rein and jumping). On Thursday Foxy and Stormy have been invited to perform a pairs dressage test in the main oval, just as they did at Horse of the Year. Friday is the big Steeplechase day at 3.10, plus the Champion Ridden Shetland (judged on Wednesday) will compete in the Supreme Champion Ridden All Breeds award in the main arena at 11am.
So that lot should keep us all on our toes and out of trouble until Christmas.