Parkes Pony Club opened their new arena recently, which was funded by a Northparkes Sports Grant, allowing the club to have a 60m x 20m enclosed arena with sand base for all levels of riders to train on.
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The arena provides a safe place for beginners to learn, a safe surface for small jumping set ups, right through to high level dressage and everything in between.
The club has been seeking funding for the arena sand and was fortunate to secure funding from Northparkes Mines in the last round of their sports grants.
The highlight of the day was having former Parkes Pony Club member Debbie Blaxland ride a demonstration elementary dressage test on her beautiful horse Call Me Cooper.
Debbie competes around the State regularly winning many events.
It was inspiring for the local members to be able to see dressage so close and a great coup for the club to have Debbie as the first rider in the arena.
“We are so pleased to now have an arena for our members to be able to ride in each rally day – giving the beginner riders more confidence and skills to be able to keep progressing with their horses as well as a great asset for our higher level riders,” club secretary Sally Chapman said.
The day was attended by Northparkes representative Nartayliah VanDyk and Sports Council president Al Gersbach as well as a small crowd of community members, club supporters and family.
“We could not have achieved this great outcome without the help of Steve Blackstock who levelled the arena for us, Mitch from Agriwest who donated new fence caps and my husband Adrian who spent days up here working on the surrounds of the arena and fencing it,” Ms Chapman said.
“Club members have been up here for a couple of weekend working bees to complete the project. It has been a great team effort and our club is really looking forward to growing memberships and volunteers”.
Annual general meeting
In other Parkes Pony Club news the annual general meeting of the Parkes Pony Club will be held on Friday February 8 2019 at the clubhouse on Tanks Lane.
All positions will be declared vacant.
To vote you will have to be a financial member of the Parkes Pony Club - members can join on the night.
Please come along as we welcome new faces, ideas and passion in our club.
Christmas parade
Parkes Pony Club members are reminded the club will be one of the entrants in this year's Christmas Parade to be held on Friday, November 30. The club will be in the park for a short time afterwards to see if anyone would like a photo with the Christmas ponies.
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