Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt Pony Club

Welcome to the Spooners and West Dartmoor Hunt Pony Club web site

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Latest updates:

22.04.13 - Burrator Show Schedule available to download from Diary page - Sunday 2nd June - Spooners PC Open Show.

15.04.13 - April Newsletter available to download from Newsletter page - see the 'Where to go from here' section at the bottom of this page for the link.

Spooners & West Dartmoor Hunt Branch of the Pony Club was established in 1967 in Area 16 and currently has 70 members covering an area around Plymouth and Tavistock as far north as Postbridge.

If you are not already a Pony Club member click here to see the benefits!

As a member of our Pony Club

We want you to appreciate and enjoy your pony with like-minded people and hopefully make new friendships on the way.

Within the Pony Club you will have opportunities to compete and represent our Pony Club in competitions - this is not compulsory - it is up to you! You can just come along and watch if you want!

Available to you through being a member:

  • Rallies: Open to all to teach you more about riding and caring for your pony.
  • Show Jumping/Team Show Jumping: Open to all.
  • Prince Phillip: Gymkhana games open to all.
  • Dressage: Open to all.
  • Endurance Riding: Open to all.
  • One-day events (ODE): Combination of dressage, show jumping, and cross-country.
  • D days: As above but for less experienced members.
  • Triathlons Shooting, Swimming, Running.
  • Tetrathlons Shooting, Swimming, Running, Cross-Country Jumping.
  • Pony Club Tests Lessons are given to improve riding and horse care knowledge. Tests are normally taken from 7 years onwards.
  • Achievement Badges For the younger members, a fun way to learn more about horsemanship and the countryside.
  • Pony Club Camps - Junior & Senior Open to all ages for you and your pony.

For more information please click on the links in the 'Where to go from here' section at the bottom of this page.

We also try to arrange social get togethers such as Easter Egg hunts, pleasure rides, mini mock hunts with optional tour of kennels etc etc. If you have any queries or questions do feel free to contact Rebecca Townsend (your DC) on 01822 841871 or Tracy Coupland (parent) on 01822 855304.

Latest News:

20.01.13 - Dartmoor Triathlon

DARTMOOR TRIATHLON - 20 JANUARY 2013 Well done to all those who took part in the Dartmoor Pony Club Triathlon today. Spooners had a strong contingent and achieved some excellent scores. A Senior Girls team of Kelcey, Megan and a member of the Eggesford Pony Club won their class and Kelcey was 1st (best swim) and Megan 5th. Our own Junior Boys team of Myles, Alex, Henry and Connor also won their class, with Myles 1st (best swim and best run) Alex 3rd and Henry 6th. Frankie came 2nd in the Minimus Boys class with best shoot and a PB swim. Katie performed well in a strong Minimus Girls class and swam a PB. The stars of the day were our youngest members competing in the mixed 8 & 9 year old class. The boys team of Sammy, Joe, Jim and Archie came 2nd and Becky was in a mixed team which came 3rd. Individually Joe was 3rd, Archie 4th with an impressive best shoot of 900 and Becky 5th. This was the 4th competition of the Area 15/16 Winter League (from a possible 8) and with entries still open for the Eggesford, Cury and East Cornwall, it is not too late for those who have competed only at the Spooners or Lamerton Triathlons to get scores on the board! (Report by Sue Ware)

02.02.13 - Eggesford Triathlon

The Spooners Triathlon Team enjoyed a rare day in the sunshine at the Eggesford Pony Club Triathlon yesterday. Theo claimed best run and best swim in the under 8’s biathlon class to win. Our 2 minimus girls, Katie and first timer Emily performed well in a strong minimus girls class and both swam personal bests. Their competition finished, they then cheered on the rest of our swimmers from the end of the pool. Minimus boys Frankie and Archie made up a team with the Mid Devon Pony Club which finished 3rd. Individually Frankie came 2nd overall and Archie was placed 6th. Henry made up a team with the Western Junior Boys which came 2nd (one day he will get a red hoodie!) and was 3rd individually with a P B swim. Megan competing as a Senior Girl ran superbly on sticky ground and took best run in good company, and with a strong swim finished in 4th place. Thank you to everyone for making this another successful and enjoyable day, and thanks to Gill for helping with the shooting. Sue.

03.02.13 - Spooners Endurance Ride

Congratulations to our Endurance Riders who took part in our Annual Ride on The Bere Peninsula yesterday. Apart from a bit of drizzle first thing, we were once again we were blessed with dry weather, cool and cloudy, perfect conditions. Seven Spooners members took part and all were successful with their ponies showing very good recovery rates after what is quite a challenging route with some steep climbs. Piers Brown (Pie) and Maria Murdoch (Apache Dream) completed the 15 km Merlin Ride. Emily Wooldrige ,(Blaze), Jess Macphail (Sisqo) Charlotte Clark (Shaugh Man), Millie Tillot (Troy) and Leigha Ewell riding Dusty completed the 25 km Kestral Ride All achieved their Introduction to Endurance competiton badge which will be awarded later in the year at our Annual Prizegiving evening. Special mention must go to Maria who was a 'fountain of knowlege' and I am sure would have been able to go on and quote the entire Endurance Rule Book word for word!

06.03.13 - Notes on Summer Rallies

Dear Parents This year as we have such a vast variation of levels from our youngest lone rangers to our older members working towards the B+ Test, we would like to help encourage members of a similar level to book in for the same rallies To achieve this, if it mentions on the rally booking form a specific group of members. Either the lone rangers or members aiming for the B and B+ test, This means that the rally is open to all, as are all rallies, but for the older members booked in to that rally the lesson content will be looking at the B and B+ syllabus with an instructor that regularly teaches at that level or and examines as that level. For the younger ones, again a suitable instructor and lesson content to suit that group. So all rallies are open to all levels, but we are just trying to get enough members of a similar level to make up there own groups, this makes it more economical, easier for instructors to teach, and most of all allows the members to learn more. Hope that is as clear as mud, if I have confused you, just ask me or Rebecca to explain! Thank you Jenny

15.03.13 - East Cornwall Triathlon 2nd March

On Saturday 2nd March I took part in my second triathlon for Spooner and West Dartmoor Pony, Joe Wheeldon, Becky McArthur, Rio Jackman and myself made up the Mixed Minis, aged 8&9 team. The day started really well with the shoot, Joe scoring an 880 and winning best shoot. We all went on to the run, where we went well in very cold conditions. Finally there was the swim, we all had personal bests. Jo Wheeldon won the individual event, his first win! And we came second as a team. So rosettes all round, a great day! By Emily Pascoe