WANNON Zone tasted team and individual success at the state dressage and showjumping championships last weekend.
The zone, which consisted of 13 pony club members from the south-west, won two state titles and a runners-up ribbon at the Pony Club Association of Victoria (PCAV) two-day event at Yarrambat Park.
Wannon Zone won the PB grade title on a countback and was second in the PC grade.
Belinda Greig was named PB grade individual champion.
PCAV Wannon Zone representative Anthea Sutherland said it was a nervous wait for final results.
“I could not believe that for the second time in three years I was told that the Wannon PC team had won, only to have the scores taken down and checked,” she said.
“Wannon PC was second by four points. That is four places over three competitions ridden by 40 riders. So near but so far. North Eastern Zone won the PC title.
“The PB scores were very close and the wait seemed eternal. The scores were equal with, guess who, the North Eastern Zone.
“There had to be a countback as laid down in the rules and the Wannon Zone won the PB title.
“The last time we won was in 2006 when the Wannon Zone hosted the championships at Terang.”
Sutherland said Greig was a deserved individual PB champion with The White Witch.
Greig had no penalties throughout the competition.
“Gerald Monteith and Cheeketa had also gone clean through all competitions, however Gerald had looked after his inexperienced horse, not rushing her against the clock,” Sutherland said.
“Sarah Herring and Possum Magic won two competitions, but sadly did get enough points in the Table A against the clock to win the PC individual champion ribbon.”
The state championships started with dressage events on Saturday.
Wannon’s grade three dressage team of Mikarla Poole (Camperdown), Jade Murray (Macarthur) and Rachael Farrell (Emu Creek) finished seventh.
The association’s grade two riders Airlia Munn and Erika Grant of Emu Creek and Emily Cowell of Warrnambool PC placed sixth.
In the first showjumping section on Saturday, Greig was Wannon’s best-placed rider in the first PB competition with a fourth placing, while Herring and Possum Magic scorched their round to win the first PC competition.
Eliza Alexander on Flame was third.
Sutherland said riders were eager to build or improve their showjumping performances on Sunday.
In PB, Greig and The White Witch repeated their fourth, followed by Greig’s brother Will on his least experienced horse Iplod in eighth place.
“In PC grade, all jumped consistent rounds for their second competition,” Sutherland said.
“The final competition for all grades was a two-round championship, with faults from both rounds to count, with time taken in the second the deciding factor.
“Wannon had riders with clear rounds in both PB and PC, so the pressure was really on.”
Herring’s strong form continued with a quick clear.
“They finished with zero penalties in a time of 41.17 seconds, making them the winner of the two-round championship competition,” Sutherland said.
“In the PB ring there had been a couple of falls which had held up the competition, however the Wannon riders kept their cool and produced good rounds.”