Newspaper Article 2022 – Learning equestrian skills

Learning equestrian skills

by Amy Fifita

Flaxmere Pony Club holds rallies and teaches children of various ages about horse and pony care and riding.

“Pony Club is about how to manage ponies, not just the fun stuff and not just the riding. There are certificates on lead, off lead, and then we go through a D Certificate all the way up to A,” acting president Amy Harvey says.

Amy started her passion for ponies at FPC, and is followed by her daughter who joined at five years old.

“We lived in Hastings, and we rented the paddock around the corner. Mum used to take us to Pony Club every fortnight to learn about management and did local shows. I used to do hunting and the local gymkhanas.”

Learners get put into groups of six with one coach to learn about the disciplines involved in riding. Amy says one of the challenges is getting coaches and that they need to understand the Pony Club Manual and the new knowledge in treatment.

“They are very interesting creatures. The kids love it and love riding with their friends and learning at the same time. We don’t just have rallies at our home ground.

“It is great seeing them develop. You see these kids that are nervous, and you see them months or a year later, and they are jumping and confident. To be able to give back is time and energy, and we all do it for the kids.

“A big part of our club is the Christmas Gymkhana, and every year we try to take the kids away to camp. For the last four years, we have taken them to the equestrian park in Taupō, and we go away for four days.”

The club is under the Heretaunga Pony Club with many riders from FPC, trying to qualify to be part of the Heretaunga team for eventing.

“It is a really big achievement if you get to do that. My daughter is trialling for the show hunter, and heaps of Flaxmere riders have done it in the past.

“The young children look up to the older riders. We have bigger girls representing as the younger ones come through and have these goals and idols in front of them.

“We’ve got two girls who received trophies from the Hawke’s Bay Area Pony Club for eventing – Anna Devescovi and Carys McCrory. This is such a great achievement for Flaxmere Pony Club.

“Anna competed in the 95-centimetre eventing competition and Carys at the A1 level (1.10m). Eventing requires talent in showjumping, dressage and cross country.

“Every eventing season has ups and downs, but this was my best season. I had fun on and off my horses, and the support around me was outstanding. I was lucky to have Dark Secret, a 13-year-old black warmblood cross gelding, to ride,” Anna says.

Photo captions –

Flaxmere Pony Club is a place to learn and hone riders’ skills and knowledge about horses and ponies

Anna Devescovi and Carys McCrory (from left) received trophies from Hawke’s Bay Area Pony Club for their eventing efforts