A reminder of our Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday 13th April - unmounted - at Redhouse Common, Chailey, BN8 4JE
Please meet Anne Cook for a 2.00pm start in the car park.
This is free! All members of any age and siblings are very welcome.
If you have not already registered please let Candy Robbins know so we have lots of easter eggs to go round.
Anne Cook, our District Commissioner, has decided she intends to step down from her role due to family commitments. Charlotte Russell has offered to act as interim DC with the view of taking on the role after that.
However we also have other Senior committee members looking to retire after many years of service – Candy Robbins, Mike Nichols, Mike Robbins, Sonia Chittenden.
Therefore we are looking for the following positions on our committee to be filled:
Branch Secretary
Branch Treasurer
Health Safety Officer
Safe Guarding Officer.
The general responsibilities of our committee is to:
Ensure financial soundness – managing budget and finances
Managing risk – implementing safety protocols and procedures
Operating within laws, rules and policies – ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.
Supporting the club's mission – working to achieve the club's goals and objectives
If you have the enthusiasm and time to take on one of these roles within the Committee, and are over 18 years of age, please let Candy Robbins know stating which role you would be interested in and a brief resume of why you would like the role and what merits you could bring to our Branch. If you would like more information on what each role comprises please ask and that can be provided in detail.
Full training and support would be given for all roles along with the essential DBS check, Safe Guarding training and where applicable a First Aid Qualification.
This would be a gradual changeover and nobody would be abandoned in their role.
All roles are voluntary and no renumeration paid.
Membership across Area 11 has been in decline and we are aware as a Branch we are not alone in falling numbers (membership across the Area is down by 230 since last year) This seems to be due to more events, clinics and clubs available and also for some a financial issue. We do however, make available a vast choice of rallies and activities for our members and these are also open all members of Area 11. We run all rallies that are supported by members and these are usually subsidised by the Branch.
We are luckier than many branches who have to cancel many of the activities they advertise.
We have explored the option of joining up with a neighbouring Branch but this was greeted with a complete takeover of our members rather than an amalgamation.
We very much hope the positions above will be filled and our wonderful Branch can continue. If for any reason it becomes impossible for this Branch to continue we will be under the guidance of Head Office and members given the option of where they would like to transfer their membership too.
Candy Robbins – Branch Secretary
Camp 2025
Sadly we are unable to run a residential camp at Plumpton Racecourse this year due to insufficient numbers.
We have explored several avenues including joining up with other branches but this still has not given us the numbers to enable running a residential camp. We are not alone. Many branches are also experiencing a decline in numbers, not running residential camps and holding day camps instead which seems to be the popular choice of parents.
We will try to run a residential camp in 2026 but that will rely on membership increasing across the area.
However we will run the 3 day rally at Bucklands Farm which was a huge success last year and much fun had by all.
This will run Tuesday 29th – Thursday 31st July 10.00-3.00pm and the cost will be £240
The official camp invitation letter will follow shortly and booking made available via our website.
Candy Robbins
The Pony Club Area 11 National Quiz Qualifier
Hosted by West Kent Meopham Branch
Sunday 9th March 2025, at 2- 4.30pm
Arrival from 1.30pm with briefing at 1.45pm
Ditton Community Centre, Kiln Barn Road, Ditton,
Kent, ME20 6AH
Entry Fee: £40 per team via Entrymaster https://wkmeophampc.entrymaster.online/
Closing Date: Wednesday 26th February 2025
Official organisers:
Jane Laird : 07957 252271
Beverly Saville 07791458621
Teas, coffees and cakes will be available
There will be a side hall for parents/carers to wait in and a raffle with lots of lovely prizes.
Please bring cash as no card payment option available.
SECTIONS
All ages will be taken from the 1st January 2025
Highest placed Centre and Branch teams from each section will qualify for the Quiz Final which will take place on 4th May 2025 at Sheffield Wednesday Football Stadium. Any further qualifying places will be in accordance with the rule book.
Competitors should wear PC sweatshirts/polo shirts and smart, comfortable trousers (no ripped jeans) and shoes. One team member must wear a XC bib containing their pony club branch and team name.
Team name will need to be printed at home.
STEWARDS
Each team entered is required to provide one steward to help officiate at each 'station'. Stewards do not need to have extensive equestrian knowledge but are there to assist teams and to ensure fair practise throughout the competition. Full briefing will be given for all stewards before the competition starts. Without sufficient stewards, the competition cannot run. Steward details will be requested on Entrymaster.
Health & Safety
Organisers of this event have taken reasonable precautions to ensure the health and safety of everyone present. For these measures to be effective, everyone must take all reasonable precautions to avoid and prevent accidents occurring and must obey the instructions of the organisers and all the officials and stewards.
Legal Liability
Save for the death or personal injury caused by the negligence of the organisers, or anyone for whom they are in law responsible, neither the organisers of this event or The Pony Club nor any agent, employee or representative of these bodies, nor the landlord or their tenant, accepts any liability for any accident, loss, damage, injury or illness to horses, owners, riders, spectators, land, cars, their contents and accessories, or any other person or property whatsoever. Entries are only accepted on this basis.
Please note, allowing members and others to post adverts for members is a service which Southdown East branch of the Pony Club is offering to members as a benefit of membership. It is done in good faith and without any liability on the part of the Pony Club. If you enter into any arrangement advertised or purchase any item following an advertisement listed by the branch, you do so as a private individual, without recourse to the Pony Club, and must satisfy yourself that any product or arrangement is suitable for your circumstances.
The following advertisement is placed by Gemma Johnson (a parent of a former member in the Branch). Gemma may be contacted on 07901 876199.
Two dates to add to your diaries - both on website and available for booking with spaces limited
Saturday 29th March - Working Hunter rally at East Byshee, Newchapel. Come and learn what working hunter is all about, training over natural obstacles within an arena with jumps 60cm upwards
Saturday 24th May - All Day Rally at Bucklands Farm Cross Country course - a mixture of dressage, showjumping, cross country, achievement badges and lots of fun
A Spurs Test has been organised for those that need to wear spurs but have not attained their C+ test or above. This will take place on Sunday 2nd March at Toad Hall Equestrian @11.00 onwards and cost is £15 to our members.
The test will be examined by an outside assessor and comprises of both theory and ridden sections. The theory covers all aspects of the syllabus and includes observing candidates putting on and fitting their spurs correctly. For the ridden part candidates will be observed riding without spurs at walk, trot, canter, performing school figures, jumping 2 fences to demonstrate riding over and inbetween fences.
If the assessor is satisfied that the candidate has shown a balanced and stable position with a secure lower leg, they will then be asked to put on their spurs and repeat the movements above.
After the test the assessor will deliver the results. Both theory and practical parts of the test need to be taken and passed on the same day. Unsuccessful candidates cannot be reassessed on the same day.
If you are ready for this test and would like to do it, please book very quickly. There are 8 spaces only. Any spaces not taken by 10th February will be offered to other Branches.
Once booked, Sonia will send you the syllabus and a date will be arranged for all candidates to attend an unmounted training session. Many candidates have failed for not being properly prepared and not understanding the syallabus - the 3 girls who attended the last training session do not have to redo the training unless they feel they would like to be refreshed.
Candy Robbins
0781 6580322
Easter Egg Hunt - unmounted on Sunday 13th April at Redhouse Common, Chailey, BN8 4JE - 2.00PM start.
This is free to all our members, all ages very welcome and siblings welcome too.
Please meet Anne Cook in the car park for the start.
Please message candyrobbins06@gmail.com to register so we know how many eggs to hide
Starting from 1st February we are running a points league for our members, with prizes for the top 3 in each section, ending 30th September 2025.
There will be 2 sections, 11 years and under and 12 years upwards.
Ridden rally – 2 points
Unmounted – 1 point (stable management, achievement badges etc.)
Competing for our branch at events – 2 points
Points will also be earnt for personal endeavour – i.e. cantering off the lead for the first time, coping with a tricky situation with your horse, first cross country event etc – these will be awarded at the discretion of the instructor.
So let's get booking those rallies and earning points!
Please note, allowing members and others to post adverts for members is a service which Southdown East branch of the Pony Club is offering to members as a benefit of membership. It is done in good faith and without any liability on the part of the Pony Club. If you enter into any arrangement advertised or purchase any item following an advertisement listed by the branch, you do so as a private individual, without recourse to the Pony Club, and must satisfy yourself that any product or arrangement is suitable for your circumstances.
It's advertised with HorseQuest and the reference is: #: 360619
£20,000
·
Mileage - 88,000
Fitted with isolator, New Battery & New Leaf Springs
Beautifully kept/Very Reliable
Our Beautifully kept horsebox is up for sale due to lack of use. Recently fitted with isolator, battery, and leaf springs.
· 6 speed, Manual gear box
3 Seater bench seat
Electric windows
Radio
Camera
Central locking cab - 2 sets of keys
Fully rubber matted floor and walls
1 Ton payload
Lightweight half ramp and pull down top door
Saddle bars and two bridle hooks
2 x bench seating in the rear
Tie rings inside and out
Up to date with Service and MOT
