A total of nine riders from Red Bend entered the North West Equestrian Expo at Coonabarabran for Secondary Schools encompassing Years 7 to 12 competing in various events over five wet and muddy days. Friday competition saw the holding of Dressage for One Day Event and Novice Freestyle dressage as an Exhibition event across two arena’s. Lizzie Wythes competed in the Novice Freestyle and finished 6th in her arena.

Sunday competition results which also included events from Saturday for Combined Training – Dressage & Show Jumping, Eventing – Dressage, Show jumping & cross country. Prue Baker, Forbes – 9th CT5. Katie Townsend, Eugowra – 4th D Grade Eventing, Division 1. Emily Phillips, Forbes – 9th CT2 Division 1. Jack Turner, Parkes – 8th D Grade Eventing Division 1 Kristen Grady, Parkes – 9th CT3 Division 2 Lizzie Wythes, Parkes – 5th CT5 Dana Wales and Jack Turner from Parkes also competed in the Working Horse Challenge, which is made up of a number of challenges for both handler and horse.

Monday events consisted of individual Dressage and Show Jumping competition as well as Sporting events. Lizzie Wythes 5th Dressage Prelim 1:2. Katie Townsend 4th Age Show jumping Monday’s evening entertainment was the Teams Barrel Race and is great to watch and everyone had a great time. RBCC had two teams entered and consisted of Katie, Prue, Kristen, Emily, Grace and Jack. Each rider posted some great times either the fastest or slowest. Our fastest competitor was Katie.

Tuesday’s competition was Show riding and Team Penning. We had five riders compete in their prospective Show riding classes, Prue, Katie, Grace, Jack & Lizzie with Team Penning consisting of Kristen, Dana & Emily who were unfortunate not to place but definitely had great fun.

Results for the show riding were; Grace Ross – 3rd Show Pony, Prue Baker was unfortunate not to place but was in her rider class finals, Lizzie Wythes – 1st Open Show horse, Rider class, Champion Ridden Lightweight & Champion rider.

Friday 11 September saw Forbes Pony Club members take part in the local Forbes Show. With brilliant sunny weather and all horses and children presented to a high standard, we congratulate all who participated in such a wonderful local event.

The results for the Forbes Pony Club Riders from the pony club ring are as follows:
Best Presented Rider under 7yrs –
1. Rider: E. van der Struik
2. Rider: I. Francis
Best Presented Rider 7yrs and under 9yrs –
1. Rider: H. Jacobson
Best Presented Rider over 13yrs –
2. Rider: G. Ross
Led Rider any Age –
2. Rider: I. Francis
Rider under 7yrs –
1. Rider: E. van der Struik
Rider 7yrs and under 9yrs –
3. Rider: S. Francis
Rider 9yrs and under 11yrs –
2. Rider: L. Jacobson
Rider 13yrs and under 15yrs –
2. Rider: P. Baker
Rider 15yrs and under 17yrs –
2. Rider: G. Ross
3. Rider: E. Phillips
Rider 17yrs and under 25yrs –
1. Rider: E. Turner
Pony Club Mount under 12.2hh –
2. Tim Owner: E. van der Struik
3. George Owner: H. Jacobson
Pony Club Mount over 14hh & n/e 15hh –
3. Picaso Owner: K. Townsend
Pony Club Mount over 15hh –
2. Will Owner: E. Phillips
3. Rudy Owner: P. Baker
Pair of Pony Club Riders under 13yrs –
2. Riders: J. Hodder & S. Francis
Pair of Pony Club Riders 13yrs & over –
1. Riders: E. Phillips & G. Ross
Pony Club Handler 7yrs & under 9yrs –
3. Handler: H. Jacobson
Pony Club Handler over 13yrs –
2. Handler: G. Ross
3. Handler: K. Van Dyk & K. Town

Lottie Jacobson, a 10-year-old Year Five student at St Laurence’s Primary School, Forbes, recently turned in a fine performance at the State Interschool Equestrian Championships, which were held at the Sydney International Equestrian Centre (SIEC) in Horsley Park. She gained a fourth place in the primaryschool division of the Combined Training, plus a second and fifth in her dressage tests. These results have qualified Lottie to represent NSW at the National Interschool Equestrian Championships, which will be held at SIEC from September 28 to October 3, when
more than 2000 school-based 5-18 year olds will gather for competition on the site that hosted the equestrian events for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Lottie lives with her proud parents, Nils and Sarah Jacobson, on a property at Garema, where she has room for her horse Dandy, known in competitive circles by the more formal title of Samson Fine and Dandy. Dandy is a 14 year old Arabian riding pony that Lottie has been riding for about three years. Lottie has been riding since she was four,
and has been competing for the past four to five years as a member of the Forbes Pony Club. The club will be celebrating its 50th anniversary later this year with a special dinner on November 7. Guest speaker, hopefully,
will be David Cameron, a former club member and current Australian show-jumping champion. For further information, please contact Sarah Jacobson on 0497 635 965 or Muz Francis on 0417 969 932.