Pony Club's plans for ‘unique' 2021 champs

PLANS have been unveiled for the 2021 Pony Club Championships including a new venue – while the open eventing will take place at the Festival of British Eventing.

- BECKY MURRAY

Following the abandonment of the 2019 championships at Cholmondeley Castle due to rainfall, and the 2020 cancellation owing to the pandemic, next year’s event will take place at Offchurch Bury, on 13 to 22 August.

Pony Club CEO Marcus Capel told H&H the event will host seven of the nine disciplines with mounted games, polocrosse and tetrathlon on the first weekend, followed by eventing, showjumping, dressage and polo.

“Primarily it’s about trying to keep the sports together at a unique event, and for our volunteers it means rather than going to events across the country, we can bring the whole Pony Club family together,” he said.

“Despite the challenges with Covid-19, it’s so important we have that aspiration for competitive members. It’s a pinnacle to qualify for the championships, with past champions going on to be Olympians.”

Mr Capel said it had been “devastating” to call off last year’s championships, which ran at Cholmondeley for eight years.