Don't miss the next super event for ponies....

and Barastoc Showmanship Championships

Tasmania took the reins to run the very first of the Performance Pony Championships in conjunction with the running of the Showmanship Championships, a lead up to Barastoc 2008 when the event gets launched here in Victoria with what we hope many more states to follow suit. Full credit to Tania and her crew for pulling this event off so well, under the eye of Fran Clelland who saw the need for a type of event that could help with the development of performance ponies here in Australia.

This event is for the ponies that have the talent to perform on the world stage and as a tool for their owners to use when selling them on as Performance Ponies.

The emphasis in on movement, soundness, attitude and generosity to make it a top performance pony. Today we saw Tasmanian ponies under the eyes of judges; Fiona Fehlberg, Claire Reynolds, Jill Hart and Fiona De-jersey.

Judged in sections: the led; where the judge would be looking for the pony’s performance type, soundness and movement, the ridden; where the pony is judged on its ability to carry a saddle the dressage; judged very similar to the young dressage horse classes we have seen at the elite dressage events here in Victoria and the jumping; abilty, calmness and style.

All the scores in each section were taken to the percentage of the maximum possible and a final score out of 200 for the four phase and 150 for the three phase were awarded.

It was a brilliant day in all ways.... yes we had sun! super ponies and lovely competitors who appeared to enjoy the thrill of supporting this event, all have the vision ..this will be big, this type of event can only do so much for development of the ponies.

The overall champion in the Phase3 was King Lodge Georgie Girl ridden by Maddy Way and runner up was Van Dieman ridden by Zara Gudnason. The Phase 4 [as it includes the jumping] was Owendale Headline ridden by Isobel Brettingham Moore and runner up Woodsong Honeysuckle ridden by Chloe Hodoniczky.