TE Kūiti & Districts Pony Club held its closing rally earlier this month.
Bending, barrel races and cup races started off the day, with show jumping in the middle and a turnout class among the events.
A dozen riders aged from pre-schoolers to teens competed for a range of cups and trophies.
By the end of the day, everybody sported colourful collections of red, blue, green and gold ribbons: mostly around the ponies’ necks but around the riders’ arms for the turnout category.
President Dani Darke is impressed with the improvement of all riders over the season.
“A lot of the juniors had been on lead rein when we started off the season, and now [they are] all riding independently,” she said.
Photographer Jacky Fitzgerald was the event’s jumping judge, alongside scorer Kim Johnstone.
“Your kids were delightful today and have all come a long way,” Jacky said.
Batman, the queen of hearts, two friends and their mums dressed as fish and a skeleton on a female horse were just some of the dress-ups. A barbecue and lolly scramble completed the day.
