The Canowindra Pony Club has received a funding boost with $5000 of funding from the State Government’s Local Sports Grant to be provided for cross-country jumps.
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Vice President of the Pony Club, Tamara Pearce, said the funding creates new opportunities for their riders.
“There’s NSW State Championships for eventing, and that’s something that some of our kids would be really keen to do,” she said.
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“They’re at that right age to practice here and they’re old enough to go away and compete.”
Pearce is hopeful that as with their dressage and showjumping program, the club will be able to organise one-off workshops throughout the year to improve skills.
“Now we’ve got the cross country jumps here, we can just get that little bit of higher level coaching for the kids,” she said.
With 16 jumps to be built and an area at the Pony Club’s home of the Canowindra Showgrounds yet to be allocated, it is expected that the jumps will be ready by half way through next year.
Pony Club President Rebecca Brown said the placement of the new facility will depend on the Showground Trust.
“We have to take it to the Showground Trust for approval,” Brown said, flagging that the potential new area will add “a bit of variety” for participants.
“We don’t normally ride up there [on that part of the ground], so that will be new for the kids.”
Pearce, who is part of a farming family, added that with drought being an ongoing issue for farmers, family-friendly spaces such as the pony club provide additional benefits to the community.
“My husband’s a farmer, and it’s great for him to get off the farm and come to Pony Club with us,” she said.
“That’s how he comes and see his kids ride… And all of that just encourages the community, farmers and families in town.”
“[Pony Club is] quite a broad section of the community.”
Local member for Orange, Phil Donato, who was in town to herald the announcement of funding, was excited about what the club could do with the space.
“They’ve got a great facility here, because they’ve got the space to set up the jumps and host big events [like Gymkhana],” he said.
“[The cross-country jumps] just makes it more appealing for people to come here from further afield.”