Camp is a huge tradition in the Pony Club and we run three different ones every year.

In order to secure your place on any of this year's camps , please send your
£50 deposit to Jane Vile as soon as possible.

Rogate 2009

STARTER CAMP
This is aimed at children aged 12 and under. Camp offers tuition by qualified instructors, lots of games, lots of fun and is a great way to spend time with all your pony club friends. All levels of experience are welcome. Rides will be split according to ability. Jumping is not compulsory and we can accommodate you if you prefer not to. Camp lasts 3 days and is non-residential. Parents are required to drop off each day and we ask you to leave behind your trailer/ lorry in order to provide somewhere for the children to store kit, tie up ponies and shelter in the case of rain. Start time is 9:30 am sharp and pick up time is 3:30 pm.

We are lucky enough to have booked Casi's Farm again for this year, and Starter Camp will run from
26th to 28th July. The cost will be £85.

JUNIOR CAMP
This runs at the same time and place as Starter Camp. It is aimed at more experienced children aged 12 and under. The flatwork and jumping is to a more advanced level and on the final, extra day, we go cross country schooling at Rogate, which is always great fun.

Junior Camp will run from 26th July to 29th July. The cost will be £125.

There will be a joint prize giving and BBQ for both camps on the evening of Thursday 29th July

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SENIOR CAMP
This is aimed at members aged 11 years and over and is a 5 day residential camp. Once again for 2010, it will be based at Tweseldown . Stabling is provided. The nature of the camp means that the riders become more self sufficient in looking after their ponies. There is a full team of qualified instructors, a cook, stable helpers, daily parent helpers, "camp mums" who stay over, and a security guard who patrols the premises during the night. Apart from these helpers, adults are banned!! Each instructor will take their group for two rides per day. There is also a stable management session daily, which enables Pony Club Tests to be taken if possible. We end the week with a ridden competition. There is also a competition which runs all week to find the best Section, which is marked on mucking out, tack cleaning etc. Great entertainment is provided during the evenings with a BBQ on the final night.   Lack of sleep is guaranteed!

Senior Camp will run from 11th August to 17th August. The cost will be £325.

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Piggy French Course Easter 2008

New in 2008 was a Senior Team Training Camp, which is held at Easter for 10 invited Intermediate and Open Team members, who benefit from pre-season training and for whom the Summer Holidays are busy with competitions. We had two brilliant days with eventer Piggy French at the fabulous Hoplands Equestrian Centre in Stockbridge plus a tour of Jennie Lauriston-Clarke's Catherston Stud. In April 2009 four of our Seniors went to Boomerang, near Hungerford for 2 days with well known Pony Club instructor and eventer Will Miflin. We were sorry to lose various members due to horses not being right, but Ali, Harri, Tots and Anna Lawson benefitted greatly from Will's experience and teaching, with all four of them jumping out of their skins both days. We also had a tour of Harry Meade's yard and heard about his Badminton preparation.

In 2010 8 members travelled to Quainton Stud for a two day intense training camp with British Junior and Young Rider Event Team Trainer, Gill Watson. On arrival each girl had a flatwork session in pairs while the others watched. An excellent lunch cooked by Kate Lawson (who must be related to Nigella!) was appreciated due to the ever windy, wet and worsening weather. A course of jumps was built in the lovely indoor school to simulate difficult cross country fence combinations. In the evening we all went out for Laura's birthday. There was an early start for some the next morning to feed the horses and the riders. The morning session consisted of a warm up and a ride through upcoming tests which were videoed by willing parents. After everyone had ridden through their test, we congregated in the cabin to watch the tests and listen to feedback by Gill. Again a course was built for the afternoon and both groups had a good time tackling the course. Everybody thoroughly enjoyed the trip and a big thank you goes to Gill for training us and Kate for organising it!

Will Miflin Course Easter 2009