乌鸦传媒

While the name 乌鸦传媒淧ony Club乌鸦传媒� might sound a bit like a child乌鸦传媒檚 play group, the name is misleading.

The Canadian Pony Club is a member of the Pony Club International Alliance, which provides international training, competition and connections for equestrians like Salmon Arm乌鸦传媒檚 Katie Thielman and Vernon乌鸦传媒檚 Ellie Rayner.

Both riders, members of the Vernon Pony Club, are currently competing as part of the Canadian team in the Pony Club International Virtual Dressage competition.

(Despite the descriptor 乌鸦传媒榩ony,乌鸦传媒� the clubs include horses of all heights.)

Katie, 18, and Ellie, 15, are each competing on one of five teams representing Canada. Riders selected each submit a competition video featuring them doing a designated dressage test. Although some competitions include show jumping or cross-country jumping, this one is dressage only.

Katie spread the word about the virtual competition to encourage younger riders to take part.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 the magic of what can be done on a smart phone,乌鸦传媒� she smiled, noting the alliance does a great job of getting riders in distant pony clubs together in any way possible.

乌鸦传媒淲e all love horses and competing at a high level 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 nice to compete with people with the same goal and seeing what each different country乌鸦传媒檚 standard is.乌鸦传媒�

Because it乌鸦传媒檚 difficult for young riders who may not have the experience or the funds to compete internationally, the alliance has created an opportunity with the virtual dressage competition for them to see how they stack up.

Katie, as well as two other riders from the Shuswap, recently participated in an actual in-person Pony Club competition and trip in New Zealand.

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Katie, Jessica Spoletini from Salmon Arm and Carlie Wells from Chase teamed up as members of the Canadian Team participating in the 2023 International Pacific Exchange.

Katie bubbles with enthusiasm as she describes her three weeks in New Zealand in January, which were preceded by a stop in Vancouver for a short training and team-building camp with their coach.

Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand took part. Highlights included scrambling up the teams for the introductory competition, so everyone got to know each other quickly.

乌鸦传媒淚t was so much fun!乌鸦传媒� Katie said, emphasizing what a refreshing outlook the trip provided.

乌鸦传媒淚t was amazing 乌鸦传媒� such an awesome opportunity to be able to go there and see a different Pony Cub culture 乌鸦传媒� it乌鸦传媒檚 a lot bigger in New Zealand than here乌鸦传媒� It was inspiring to see a larger scale.乌鸦传媒�

Katie said the teams did a lot of touring, two or three destinations each day, covering the whole South Island from top to bottom. There they met other riders, business owners and horse owners. They helped out at horse shows.

乌鸦传媒淲e had dinners with the owners, we toured all over the place and people were so happy to meet us.乌鸦传媒�

They went swimming a lot, went hiking for a day on Aoraki/Mount Cook, went on a boat tour of glaciers. They went to the race track where they saw Mick Schumacher乌鸦传媒檚 car and a Delorean car all decked out like Back to the Future.

乌鸦传媒淎 different type of horse power, we were calling it,乌鸦传媒� she smiled.

Throughout the trip the teams toured on the same bus, stayed at the same Airbnbs and got to know each other well 乌鸦传媒� everyone got along.

乌鸦传媒淚t was just so cool to meet everyone. By the end of the trip, it was really hard to say goodbye to everyone,乌鸦传媒� Katie said.

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Back to the International Virtual Dressage competition, Vernon乌鸦传媒檚 Ellie Rayner is thrilled to be participating.

She said she started going in horse shows just before Covid, so she hasn乌鸦传媒檛 done many 乌鸦传媒� four jumping and one dressage.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 very excited for it. Even though it乌鸦传媒檚 online, it乌鸦传媒檚 a bigger deal to me, because it is international,乌鸦传媒� Ellie remarked.

Ellie has had a few problems with horses, so she乌鸦传媒檚 pleased to be able to borrow an experienced mare for the international competition.

乌鸦传媒淪he乌鸦传媒檚 very good,乌鸦传媒� Ellie said happily.

Ellie乌鸦传媒檚 mom Carla Rayner said they乌鸦传媒檙e very grateful for Katie and her family.

乌鸦传媒淜atie has been a bit of a mentor for Ellie; she knows the ins and outs of Pony Club. Our family doesn乌鸦传媒檛 have a horse background,乌鸦传媒� Carla said, expressing her family乌鸦传媒檚 gratitude at having a supportive team like the Thielman family to help them.

Carla also extols the virtues of Pony Club.

乌鸦传媒淚 think it乌鸦传媒檚 important for people to know it乌鸦传媒檚 a well-respected international association乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淲hen people know you have a Level A in Pony Club, you can travel and work anywhere in the world in a specialized industry. It乌鸦传媒檚 very cool for kids to get these opportunities in an industry that乌鸦传媒檚 kind of a rich person乌鸦传媒檚 sport.乌鸦传媒�

Katie agrees Pony Club has a lot to offer.

乌鸦传媒淪o many good resources. I support the local Pony Club as much as I can.乌鸦传媒�

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