NEW Web Site!

We have a new web site under the USPC Roof:

https://connecticutvalley.ponyclub.org

Please visit that for up to date information as this site is no longer active.

Thank you!

10/22 Rally Results, 2018 USPC Membership

Congratulations to the Ghost Riders and the Flintstones on their team sportsmanship at the SVPC Eventing Rally held within the SECT Schooling Horse Trials at the Mystic Valley Hunt Club on 10/22!

There were many firsts for the CVPC riders: For most of our members it was their first Eventing rally and many the first time out Cross Country at a Horse Trials with their current partners. For many it was the first time they were eliminated in a competition and those who received Horse Management points off will not make those same mistakes again! Team Spirits prevailed! Thank you to the parents for their patience in rally prep and help throughout the day.

There were 4 teams at the rally. Clubs represented were Shetucket Valley, CT Valley, Granby and Glastonbury. SVPC and CVPC each had one full team and one scramble team. SVPC won both Horse Management and overall.

The CVPC Ghost Riders, Mason Harrison Captain, Phoebe Evans, Constance Sharp, Helen Sharp and Grace Perkins Stable Manager, placed 2nd in Horse Management and 4th overall.

The CVPC/SVPC Flintstones, Corrina McKelvey SVPC Captain, Cailey Fay, Fiona Lorenzen, Nick Iarusso and Natalia Shields Stable manager, placed 3rd overall and 4th in Horse Management.

Kudos to the Stable Managers for their hard work behind the scenes !

Congratulations to Fiona Lorenzen for placing 1st in the Advanced Elementary Horse Trials Division and Nick Iarusso for placing 2nd in the Beginner Novice Horse Trials Division B.

Congratulations to CVPC member Maya Norris who rode in the open SECT Two phase to second place!

Thank you to the Gourlay & Norris families who as members of the SECT family volunteered at the event.

Reminder to all families who did not renew their USPC/CVPC /NYUC membership at the CVPC Annual meeting on 10/20 that USPC membership is due in the national office by 11/15. Members can renew their USPC membership online at any time but will pay a late fee if renewing after 11/15.

Local CVPC and Regional NYUC dues still have to be paper processed and we need to have the information to both NYUC and USPC by 11/15, which means we’d need it in hand before that. The CVPC officers would like to meet soon to process the paperwork that needs to be sent in, there are multiple annual Uspc forms for the club.

For those families with graduating members who are interested in the USPC Alumni Life membership please approach the board to set that up and CVPC will pay 50% of that one time fee as the treasury permits for members in good standing. This gives the members ages 18-25 USPC Life Membership at a greatly discounted rate.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

We plan to host a broad based educational clinic in the spring of 2018 and will have that information to you soon.

Sincerely,

Ann Guptill

DC CVPC

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Some photos of the Rally:

FUN Mounted Games Day at Lord Creek Farm!

Saturday, September 30, Rain date Sunday, October 1

1:00 start time
Lord Creek Farm, Lyme, CT

 

The Fun Games Day will offer lessons in how to play Mounted Games or improve the skill sets you already have, followed by a Fun Pairs competition.

Sessions will be set up for Pairs play to allow the most participation. Lesson and Competition start times will be sent prior to the day.

Coaches Elizabeth and Amanda Brown will officiate.

Fees: Make checks payable to CVPC.
Lessons $30/session USPC member, $35 non-member
Competition $30/session, USPC member, $35 non-member
Combined fee of $50 USPC member, $60 non-member, to ride in both the clinic and competition.

Required with entry: Negative Coggins, Proof of Rabies vaccination within 12 months and a Signed release (attached below).

DIRECTIONS From I-95 South – Exit 70, at the end of ramp, go straight 1⁄4 mile to Tee; turn right on Rte. 156 North; go 2.6 miles; Lord Creek Farm is on left. From I-95 North – Exit 70; at end of ramp go left onto Rte. 156N; go 2.6 miles; Lord Creek Farm is on the left. From Rte. 11 South to Rte. 82 West – go south on Rte. 156 for 6 miles, farm on right.

SAFETY RULES
1. Horses must be sound; all equipment must be in good repair.
2. ASTM Safety helmet and shoes with heel required for all participants.
3. A safety check will be made prior to the ride. If helmet, tack or mount are considered unsafe, entry fee will be refunded.
4. No minor child may be left on the grounds unattended.
5. Please do not bring pets

DOWNLOAD THE RELEASE FORM

USPC Festival begins!

The NYUC Pony Club kids and parents have successfully arrived in Lexington, KY for Pony Club champs competition!   This is a Festival year which means the activities are all at the Kentucky Horse Park which is the home to United States Pony Club.  Best of luck to Nick Iarusso, Cailey Fay, Maya Norris and Fiona Lorenzen from CVPC and Captain Corrina McKelvey from SVPC who are competing as the NYUC Sr. Games team – The Flintstones! Gloria Norris from CVPC is also with the group as the horse manager for a Western Dressage team.  Keep checking in for more updates as the weekend goes on, but we are rooting for them all from afar!

 

Opening Ceremonies – can you find the regional blue in the stem of the “P”?

 

NYUC regional kids –

 

GO CVPC Flintstones!

Nick and Hank are old hands at Champs – they are looking ready!

Inter-Regional Mounted Games Rally

A big Thank You to the Central New England Region of the USPC and Wentworth Pony Club for hosting an inter-regional Mounted Games Rally on Saturday at Green Acres Stables in Madbury, NH! It was a great day with a great example of sportsmanship when the SR division 5 man teams shared players to allow the Wicked team to continue playing when one of their players had to leave.
The NYUC Region Sr Team “The Flintstones” came in 1st place overall and 2nd in Horse Management! This team impressed me with how well they came together in a short period of time with last minute pony and stabling changes and played thoughtfully and tactfully. Congratulations to Corrina Mckelvey, “Nick” John Iarusso, Fiona Lorenzen, Maya Norris and Cailey Fay. A Special Thank you to coach Elizabeth Brown for her guidance and making the trip to NH.

Pony Club families give in so many ways providing opportunities to our riders. Thank you to Mary Jane Fay for arranging the loan of Elphin Kookabura to Corrina McKelvey for this rally.

Flintstones You ROCK! Looking forward to travelling to the USPC Championships with you!

Ann Guptill

DC CVPC

Games Rally 2017

The first NYUC mounted rally of 2017 ran quite successfully today at Mitchell Farm in Salem, CT. under the organization of Connecticut Valley Pony Club.  Parents, members, guests, volunteers, staff and competitors all chipped in to help with everything from scoring to equipment running to sharing horses and equipment to  cheering on those having and overcoming difficulties.

 

Games Results:

Sr. Division:

*1^st in HM & Overall & Qualified for Nationals- The Flintstones (CVPC)-

Fox Ledge Farm Overall Sr. Division Trophy

*2^nd in HM & Overall The Scrambled Eggs (CVPC, SVPC, & WNE Pleasant Valley PC)

 

Jr. Division:

*1^st in HM & Overall – Star Struck (Mt.Kearsarge PC-White Mt. Region)

*3^rd in HM & 2^nd Overall – The GhostRiders (CVPC)-

-Guptill High Score Jr. Platter

*4^th in HM & 3^rd Overall – The Firecrackers (Mystic PC & WNE’s Pleasant Valley PC)

*2nd in HM & 4^th overall– The Golden Girls (SVPC & CVPC)

-Guts, No Glory HM Cup for best NYUC  HM team score at the rally.

 

Grasshopper Pairs Division:

*1^st Riding Scores- TIED at 20 points each-

Pony Power (Mystic PC & WNE’s Pleasant Valley PC) AND

The Blazing A’s (CVPC)

*1^st in HM- Pony Power

*2^nd in HM – The Blazing A’s

 

Fossils Division:

1^st– Swedish Fish (SVPC & Mystic)

2^nd– Mickey & Steph’s Wild Ride (CVPC)

3^rd– Silver Foxes (CVPC)

 

It was great to have riders from Western New England and White Mountain Region riding with us!!! Good luck to those teams and riders going on to the rally at CNE and to Nationals!!!

If you have photos of Games Rally and would like me to post them please email them to me! (Dana)

Granby Quiz

CVPC junior D’s had a great day yesterday at the Granby Quiz Rally.

We had success on both individual and team levels and were a delight! Mason killed it as overall high score in our division and highest individual score in mega room. Helen tied for overall highest score on the written test with only one wrong. The team itself prevailed with a first in their division – we were so proud of them.

They had a ball, worked beautifully as a team, had fun with each other, and interacted and enjoyed the camaraderie of hanging out with kids from our regional pony clubs.  A few highlights were the Polocross section of the barn phase (they loved it!!!) and having Phoebe be the pony that they needed to trailer also in barn phase!

They could not have achieved this success without the fantastic help of their older club mentors, Gloria, Maya and Cailey, who ran a great prep session a few weeks ago. And without the support of our fearless leaders of CVPC – we thank you all for your help and support.

Another Great Mother’s Day Games Rally: CVPC Flintstones are going to Nationals!

Keeping up with long standing tradition, Connecticut Valley Pony Club held its regional qualifying games rally on Mother’s Day, May 10th.  The day started out a bit soggy with rains coming and going throughout the morning, however the weather did not dampen the spirit of the competitors who came from all over the NYUC region to participate.   The breadth of the region was represented either through individuals scrambling with local teams, or full teams coming from throughout Connecticut and New York for a fun day of games and camaraderie.  CVPC was so happy to see  participating clubs from Connecticut: Bit-by-Bit Stables, Mystic Valley Pony Club and Shetucket Valley; as well as folks from Running Fox and Ridge Riders Pony Clubs from New York.

The jog out and horse management inspections were on the rainy side, and judges and teams alike kept up good spirits and rolled with the weather.  However, Mother Nature decided to give the day a break and the rains subsided as gameplay began.  The Flintstones from CVPC as well as Meghan from Ridge Riders had declared their national intent for Juniors and as play began all eyes were on them.  They rose to the occasion and we are thrilled to say that they are all heading to North Carolina later this summer to compete!

The grasshopper division was a spirited crew and both teams made their parents proud on Mother’s Day for not only did they compete beautifully but BOTH grasshopper teams out-scored the junior teams in Horse Management.  We look forward to watching these girls grow and see how they blossom when they compete as Juniors next year.  And the real action was to be seen by the spirited Advanced Pairs division which was a real joy to watch as they galloped their way down the lines.  Not to be outdone, the Fossils were a great group, they weathered the high winds that came up after the rains parted and had to keep a handle on horses that aren’t used to games play!

And speaking of blossoms, CVPC continued their Mother’s Day tradition of handing out pots of flowers to all the moms who came out to support their children, nieces, grandchildren or just friends.  Its a great day to support the Pony Club kids, but also to say a special thanks to the legions of Pony Club moms who do so much behind the scenes.  Not only that, there were two great prizes for the drawings that garnered a lot of attention from the crowd:  A bucket of horse management goodies generously donated by Cosequin, and, fitting for Mother’s Day, a basket of organic skin care products donated by Rob Robillard and Nourish Organics, a local CVPC friend and supporter.

In all it was a great day for moms, dads, horses and Pony Club kids alike – the sun broke through by the end and smiles were seen on faces young and old.

The Junior and Grasshopper Teams showing off their accomplishments as well as the fantastic prize bucket donated for CVPC fundraising drawing from Cosequin!

Nationals Bound!

A little rain won’t dampen our spirits!

Beauty & the Beast?  these Fossils look like beauties to us!

Overall & HM in Junior Division: 1st- The Flintstones (CVPC), 2nd- The Jetsons (SVPC, RRPC)

Overall Grasshoppers: 1st- The Pink Panthers (CVPC,RFPC), 2nd A Bit of Sass (Bit by Bit).  HM for grasshoppers – All earned 1st! Better scores than the Juniors!!

Advanced Pairs:

1st- The Wild Things (SVPC/CVPC)

2nd- A Bit of R & R (Bit by Bit)

3rd- Thunder & Lightening (CVPC,MPC)

4th- The NightMares (SVPC, CVPC)

5th- The Alpha Bits (Bit by Bit)

Fossils:

1st -Beauty & Beast (CVPC)

2nd- Paleo Ponies (SVPC)

3rd- Better Bit Age (Bit by Bit)

Congratulations to Cailey, Nick, Fiona, Maya & Meghan who will be doing a lot of practicing as they work on their skills for Nationals in July in NC!!

CVPC Pink Panthers Rock the Granby Quiz Rally

What an amazing performance of the CVPC D Junior Team (aka our beloved Pink Panthers), Mason Harrison, Stella Marsh, Constance Sharp and Helen Sharp at the Granby Quiz Rally on March 5.  It was a wonderful day – the Granby pony club organizers set the tone with a warm welcome and a day full of fun and horse knowledge.

The CVPC team came in first in their division (by almost 100 points!), and had some great individual recognition as Team Captain Mason was THE ONLY participant in the entire rally (both divisions!) to get a perfect score on her written test.  Not only that, the 1st and 2nd individual score winners in the D Junior division were Constance Sharp and Helen Sharp, respectively.  Bottom line it was a great day for the Pink Panthers and for CVPC – they can’t wait to wow them at their next quiz rally.

Heartfelt congratulations to all!

A Successful Games Clinic With Annie Seymour

As we gear up for our annual regional games rally coming up on Mother’s Day, CVPC  hosted a special two day games clinic with expert Annie Seymour at Fox Ledge Farm on February 27 and 28.   Annie concentrated on going over the 2016 games as well as skill sets and vaulting.  We had participation from seniors, juniors and grasshopper teams as well as had some guests from Mystic Valley.  Everyone had a ball and learned a lot.  Highlights were vaulting  – many thanks to Misty for being a good sport for all the Grasshoppers to give it a try – and pairing that with balance as we tried our luck at stepping stones.  Everyone is excited for our upcoming rally – many thanks to Annie for making time in her schedule to help coach our teams!!

Juniors and seniors get some great strategy pointers from Annie.

Stella and Annie look on as Constance tries her luck at Stepping Stones.