Midland Zone Pony Club held a trials and combined training day at the Charlton Pony Club grounds on Sunday, March 30.

With low rider numbers at the Charlton Pony Club, it was excellent to see the grounds and wonderful facilities being used by roughly sixty entrants from within the Midland catchment zone.

Pony Clubs represented included Maryborough, Ararat, Horsham, Ballarat, Bealiba, Benalla, Rochester, Learmonth, Beaufort and many more, with competitions in dressage, show jumping and cross country held across the day.

Many volunteers from these clubs gave their time and effort in cleaning up the Charlton grounds, setting up and packing down for the day, catering, and a myriad other odd jobs before, during and after the event.

It is clear from the strong attendance that interest in Pony Club has not dwindled, and the future of equestrian events is held capably in the hands of talented young riders throughout north-west Victoria. Appreciation goes to all involved in making the day a success and encouraging such a good number of riders to attend.

This article appeared in The Buloke Times, 1 April 2025.