Nova Scotia Report
with Judith Scrimger
Report from Horse & Pony December 2010 - January 2011
Exciting year for Pony Club
As 2010 winds down, it's a good time to honor the many Nova Scotians who have led the way in a variety of equine sports. "A Red Jacket" party was held in Halifax for native Nova Scotian Angela Covert-Lawrence, who owns Eastwood Equine Incorporated in Ste-Lazare, Que., with her husband, fellow Nova Scotian Michael Lawrence. Covert-Lawrence was selected for the Canadian team to compete at the FEI Nation's Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in November. Covert-Lawrence and Utan, a nine-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, won the $32,000 Open Welcome at the CSI2* National Capital Show Jumping Tournament in Ottawa in August.
Nova Scotia Pony Club members have had an exciting year. Horse & Pony will have an article on the national and international performances of regional Pony Club members in an upcoming issue, but in the meantime, here are some highlights of 2010.
Jessica Bowlby of West Valley Branch won a bronze medal at the Canadian Pony Club (CPC) National show jumping competition held in Alberta in September.
Connie McLellan of the Opportunity Branch traveled to China in late July as part of the Canadian team for the Inter-Pacific Exchange. Competing against Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the U.S., McLellan's team won silver in show jumping and dressage.
CPC National Dressage was held in Kelowna, B.C., and Nova Scotia was represented by Liia Roop of Avon, Rebecca Ongo of Annapolis, and Ashley Spicer of Evangeline. Ongo won the bronze in the Training Division (overall score).
Teigan Bond of Colchester was top individual scorer in the International and C team sections of the CPC National Quiz. This is the third year Bond has placed at the top. And making it extra special, Bond scored this achievement on her home turf as Nova Scotia hosted the National Quiz in October. "I think our region should be really proud," says National Quiz Committee Chair Susan Foote of Cambridge. "We are one of the smallest regions of the CPC and Quiz has the largest attendance of any Pony Club national events."
Foote and her committee of nine volunteers worked for a year to bring 78 competitors plus chaperones from across Canada and the U.S. to Halifax for three days of competition. With competitors ranging in age from 12 to 24, the logistics of arranging the competition, food, and entertainment for more than 100 visitors and keeping track of the paperwork was a real challenge. Congratulations to all the adult volunteers and the N.S. Pony Club members who helped make this one of the best Quiz competitions ever.
When it comes to international competition, the region's miniature horse enthusiasts made it to the top 10 in the American Miniature Horse Registry Nationals in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in September. Barb Lowe of Lower Sackville (with two minis) earned two top-10 placings in her classes. With four minis, Jeannie MacLean of the Island competed in 41 classes and earned 20 top-10 placings, including a first.
And speaking of minis, in August, dedicated members of the Miniature Horse Association Nova Scotia arranged "Club" shows in Antigonish and Oxford. Fifteen members entered 20 minis in Antigonish; Darryl Green and Kandice Smith (youth) were among the high point winners. Oxford had 20 participants showing 25 horses; high point winners included James McNutt, and in youth, Samantha Langer and Kandice Smith (tied). On Aug. 24, five members and their minis ran two quarter-mile heats before more than 300 Standardbred fans at "Sports Pugwash." Truro's Ron Wallace and Wallace's Gerald Langille earned top bragging rights!
A Versatility Ranch Horse clinic was held at CJ Quarterhorses in Moshers Corner, on Sept. 25-26. Dan Mullin and his daughter Ali from Cartright, Manitoba, were the clinicians. Also visiting with the Mullins was Dan's uncle, Larry. The clinic was hosted by Rick and Laurie Bezanson of Margaretsville. Friday afternoon was a meet and greet at the Bezanson farm where everyone got to meet the Mullins and view the herd of Quarter Horses they had brought with them. Saturday evening everyone gathered at the hall in Margaretsville for a pot luck get-together. The clinic was a huge success and everyone wished the Mullins could stay longer – but happily, all three intend to visit again soon.
CJ Quarterhorses also hosted a Joey Sampson-Lewis clinic on Oct. 16-17. It was a good weekend with both novice and advanced riders. Sampson-Lewis likes her clinics to be enjoyable as well as educational, and this time she had help from Pumpkin, an orange kitten, who ran out into the arena and played tag with the horses! The horses seemed to enjoy the kitten's antics as much as the riders and spectators did.
The Annapolis Valley Hunt held its Second Annual Hunt Pace event at Rollicking Horse Ranch, home of Judy and Gerry Johnston, in South Rawdon in September. Teams from many disciplines (not just hunt club members) got together to see if they could maintain the proper hunt pace in the various divisions, which included Heels of the Hounds (for the adventurous who wanted to jump and gallop, mimicking the pace set by the hounds), Hilltoppers (for those comfortable with trotting and cantering in a group) and Turtles (more of a stroll to enjoy the trails and beautiful scenery of the Rawdon Hills.)
And finally, it looks as if the dispute between the Nova Scotia Equestrian Federation (along with five like-minded provinces) and Equine Canada is set, with the provinces going it on their own as of Sept. 15. There isn't room in this column to attempt to summarize the details of the dispute but open letters to the membership are posted on the websites of both organizations. Associations, Clubs, and individual members will have to work out what this separation means in terms of planning for 2011. NSEF is launching a Provincial Officials Program that will include workshops to train officials and judges to oversee future NSEF-sanctioned competitions.
A very merry Christmas to N.S. Report readers and their equine friends. Let us know how you are spending the winter months.
Share your news from Nova Scotia: your club activities and tidbits about N.S. people and horses. Send information to Judith Scrimger, RR 3, Newport, NS B0N 2A0, phone 902-757-3789, or email judith.scrimger@gmail.com.
