Pony Club to star in Christmas spectacular
A call to all you young and aspiring riders… come and watch the South African Pony Club at this year’s Equestria Christmas event taking place from 8 to 10 December at the Coca-Cola Dome at Northgate.
Join in the fun as teams from Limpopo, Kwazulu Natal and the Western Cape take part in the first South African Pony Club Indoor Mounted Games.
The Pony Club is an international youth organisation that has been in existence since 1980.It is the largest association of riders in the world, with approximately 110 000 members.
Liz Templer the force behind the SA Pony Club is a doyen in the equestrian industry has been with the Pony Club internationally and in SA for 55 years.
Liz says, “The Club encourages young people to have fun while learning to ride and to take care of their ponies or horses. It is open to young people from all walks of life. Each region has a committee which works towards promoting horsemanship among disadvantaged communities.”
The objectives of the Pony Club are:
Each team competing in the pony games at Equestria this year have selected a patron to represent them. South African showjumping icon Gonda Beatrix will be the parton for the Western Cape; Gail Foxcroft for Limpopo and Tracy Cockbain for the KwaZulu Natal team.
So for all you young equestrian enthusiasts, join in the fun and watch a new tradition start in SA – The Indoor Mounted Games.
Notes to editors:
Equestria 2006 – taking place from 8 to 10 December at the Coca-Cola Dome at Northgate – has all the makings of a spectacular Christmas show, with exciting displays, entertaining animal acts and an array of speed and showjumping events of international standard.
25 of the country’s top riders and their horses will once again compete for the Equestria Indoor Showjumping Championship title, exposing horse-lovers and the general public to the thrills and beauty of horse-riding and showjumping.
The Equestria cast have collaborated to create an extra-special pantomime, featuring dazzling horse and dog displays, stunning costumes and a heart-warming script that is sure to make spectators smile and the children wanting to join in the fun.
For the children highlights of this year’s event include an animal petting zoo; pony rides and photo opportunities with Santa himself.
Not to be missed at this year’s show is the South African Shetland Pony Grand National, in which 18 Shetland ponies will compete for the title of the Grand Champion.
Equestria will also launch its new CSI initiative, “Kids raising funds for kids”. A sms competition will give the public the opportunity to select a winner on each Shetland Pony race and winning tickets will be placed in a draw.
Just confirmed for the first time in South Africa - The Endurance Riding Association of South Africa will run an endurance ride out of The Coca-Cola Dome. The process of vetting and monitoring the horses will take place before the performance on the Friday evening. The race will be set off at interval on Saturday and Sunday matinee. The race will finish after each performance and spectators may stay to witness the vet check.
In addition to the non-stop live entertainment, Equestria also boasts a retail exhibition, offering the local equestrian industry and related industries a rare opportunity to showcase its clubs, companies and products in a 1 600-metre hall. The exhibition is open daily through-out the three-day show.
The live performances kick-off at 18h00 on Friday, 8 December. There are two evening performances on Saturday the 9th and Sunday the 10th at 17h30, with the matinee performances on Saturday the 9th and Sunday the 10th commencing at 11:00.
Book at www.strictlytickets.com
Equestria is also offering exclusive VIP Tables situated on the arena. Please contact Equestria on +27 (0)11 468-2042 for further information. Seats are limited so members of the public are urged to book early to avoid disappointed.
Visit our website www.equestriasa.co.za for more information and programme details.