The Whakatāne Pony Club Open Gymkhana was held at Racecourse Park earlier this month, attracting 48 competitors – an increase from last year, showing strong support for grassroots equestrian sport in the region.

A new addition to this year’s programme was the “Nervous Nellie’s” class, created for adults returning to riding. The class was well received and proved a supportive and encouraging space for those getting back in the saddle.

Strong entries were seen in the hack and pony flat classes, with an impressive standard of riding across the board. Competition was tight, showcasing the great talent in the local equestrian community.

The novice ring was full of smiles, as up-and-coming young riders demonstrated their progress and passion. The atmosphere across all rings was positive and great sportsmanship, with fellow competitors offering plenty of encouragement throughout the day.

The show jumping classes were another highlight, with several local pony club riders showing great progress and potential.

Special thanks go to Linda Virbickas, whose jump judging and motivating commentary on the microphone brought great energy to the ring.

We were incredibly fortunate to have the support of talented local riders who volunteered their time to judge our flat classes.

A huge thank you to Donna Brett-Jones, Janet Eggleton, and Molly Bradley for their time, expertise, and enthusiasm.

This event would not have been possible without the generosity of sponsors: Bays Vets, Bee Kind, Canter for Cancer, NZ Tack Saddlery, Farm Source Edgecumbe, and Dunstan. Their support allowed the club to offer fantastic prizes and vouchers, not just ribbons, which helped encourage more entries and added excitement to the day.

The Whakatāne Pony Club is continuing to grow in strength and numbers, and events like this are an important part of that journey. We look forward to hosting more days like this in the future to help nurture and support local riders.