July 2010 Midlands and North News

Long Awaited Success with

The Pony Club!

Although a ‘strapless’ version of a Horseball game appeared in games manual over 15 years ago and despite pleas from PC members, the game has, for a number of years been a banned sport at The Pony Club for a variety of reasons. After 3 year of continued effort, earlier this year Dave Pettifor (BHA Development and Training), armed with a DVD and copies of Horseball Book 1, finally held a break through meeting with Pony Club Chief Executive Judy Edwards resulting in Judy and her committee agreeing that this year Pony Club would allow Horseball to be played by their membership at rallies. Consequently a number of Pony Clubs have held Report fr om Emma Lowther: Horseball at Camp this year, their instructors joining 26 July 20 10 Coaches from the Midlands and with BHA coaches to take rides and generating much North, ass isted by playing members of the enthusiasm. association headed North to Brayside in Durham to offer Horseball training to the Braes of Derwent

Pony Club during their first day at summer camp. 66 children attended camp starting from rein groups at 3 years up to B test riders of 16 years and older a nd all wanted to do Horseball on both horseback a nd foot. Mixed hors es - from old pony club ponies to ex race and warm bloods all took to the sport with ease - and by the end of every riding session were trottin g up and down without even noticing the ball. Confident and nervous riders all loved the game - and relaxed into it, increasing their confidence on the back of their ponies. One group were even in canter by the end and requested to continue playing with their instructor instead of their flat work lesson! The pony club now want to take up some winter training sessions with the Durham Horseball club so hopefully it will lead to much more! (Note from Mary P) One cute 7 yr old I had was devastated that his pony was lame but cheered up when I asked him to help with line outs and boldly The unusual sight of a 6’4” jockey met the proclaimed his knowledge of rugby line outs with a crowds at Ascot Races on 24th July when Joe ‘prop shaft’ on the front line! Colliver and David Worthington gave a televised Horseball demonstration in the parade ring before going for a gallop along the track with representatives from , Endurance, Eventing, Show And . Retraining of Racehorses organised the parade for former race horses with Her Majesty the Queen's 'First Love' leading the parade in full Ceremonial kit

July 2010 Midlands and North Horseball News

Junior European Horseball Championships 2010 As soon as he realised that the European Pony Championships for British Eventing, and Dressage was to be held in the UK this year, Dave Pettifor arranged to meet with all three Olympic disciplines as well as hosts Bishop Burton College and persuaded them to add Horseball to the competition and approached the FIHB to invite the other European Horseball Junior teams to attend. With committee agreement on the organisation and financial side, former Junior International Georgina Morgan offered to organise the event, along with a team of volunteers from the committee and membership who helped at the week long event during the final week of July. The Br itish Junior Horseball Team taking part in the European Championships at Bishop Burton got away to a dream star t when they beat Italy 10-3 in their opening game. So much so that the following day, John Whitaker

International approached coach Mat Worthington to present each team member with a John Whitaker hat that they wore with pride for the r emainder of the competition. The team of Christie Morgan, Megan Chiarella, Harry Hatton, Matty Fawcett, Harriet Moiser, Lauren Hudson, Sophie Neasham and Kathryn Harborough had a fantastic time, despite losing two ponies early on, they continued the rest of the competition with only 6 players and finished a creditable 4th over-all, equal on points but then losing to Italy only by goals scored

Horseball Players from the Midlands, South and SW enjoyed a weekend of friendly Horseball games at Chambly this month against Club teams from around by kind invitation of Laurent Motard