Activities by Season
There are lots of different pony club activities and if you are new to pony club you might not know what is on when. This is a short introductory guide that tells you what is on during each particualar time of the year so you can skim through everything and find something that you would like to do.
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Spring
Most pony club members will still be hunting until March. Please make sure you have adequate insurance in place because Irish Pony Club insurance does not cover you for non pony club activities!
The hunter trials (usually non pony club) also start in February. There are a few Irish Pony Club Hunter Trials as well. Their dates will be available from the IPC website and from our noticeboard at the appropriate times.
The Irish Pony Club Hunter Trial Championships are usually on in the second half of April.
All your favourite pony club activities are starting to pick up around this time of the year too, so check your pony club newsletters!
Don't forget to focus on your swimming if you are going for the Minimus or Tetrathlon in summer.
Back to top Summer
This is the busiest time of the pony club year. All the pony club activities are on and you will have to decide what you are most interested in.
Pony Club Horse Trials are very popular competitions all summer.
Most pony club members would also go to non pony club gymkhanas (showjumping) on the weekends. Check the papers for dates and venues. Please make sure you have adequate insurance in place because Irish Pony Club insurance does not cover you for non pony club activities!
Summer Camp is usually on in July. This is the highlight of everyone's pony club year so check with your club for the dates!
If you want to do your pony club tests summer is also the time of the year to do this. Most of the clubs will probably offer to do the more junior tests during camp, however, the more senior tests (C+ Test and up) will probably not be done at camp - there are special B and H Test camps on at area level.
The Minimus finals are usually on a weekend in mid to late June.
Back to top Autumn
In Ireland autumn starts on 1st August, and August is when most of the finals and championships are on. This goes for non pony club finals such as Millstreet, and the Dublin Horse Show at the RDS (where among lots of other things the Irish Pony Club Mounted Games finals take place), as well as the Irish Pony Club Eventing (Horse Trials) finals and the showjumping finals including the Robbie Bailey and John Ledingham finals.
The Irish Pony Club Horse Trials also continue until September for the Under 12s and Novices.
A lot of Hunts and other organizations will be doing Fun Rides for the rest of the year. (NON PONY CLUB - so get insurance!)
Some Hunts will offer Hunter Trials in October. (NON PONY CLUB - so get insurance!)
Back to top Winter
There is not much on in winter. Most pony club members go hunting or do non pony club showjumping (usually inside) in one of the local equestrian centres.
For members of the West Waterford Pony Club the Ballyrafter Centre in Lismore is highly recommended. You will meet many of your pony club friends there. Unregistered ponies jump on Friday evenings 50cm, 60cm, 70cm, 80cm and 90cm classes. Registered ponies jump on Sundays. Unregistered horses jump on Thursdays. Registered horses jump on Saturdays. Make sure you have proper insurance because you pony club insurance does not cover you for non pony club activities!
Another thing you can do in winter is practice your running, swimming , and shooting so you will be up to standard by the time spring comes and the Minimus and Tetrathlon training starts again.
Some Hunts still offer Hunter Trials in November. (NON PONY CLUB - so get insurance!)
Fun Rides usually run until December as well. (NON PONY CLUB - so get insurance!)
Dressage Ireland run dressage leagues in winter. Please make sure you have adequate insurance in place because Irish Pony Club insurance does not cover you for non pony club activities!
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