life
EQUESTRIAN - Sponsored by Brickfields and Froghill Tack
Champion
takes time
out for a
teach-in
Sixteen lucky participants were privileged to be
to present yourself in the ring etc.”
coached in show techniques with their ponies
Mountain and Moorland ponies include a
at a teach-in at Lake Farm Equestrian Centre in
multitude of native breeds: Welsh, Shetlands,
February, hosted by the Isle of Wight National
Dales, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Fell, Highland, New
Pony Society Area 23. The tutor was Matthew
Forest and Connemara ponies all come under the
Lawrence, who had been crowned overall
umbrella.
champion at Olympia just before Christmas.
This is the first teach-In Sharon has hosted at
“I met Matthew at Olympia and got in touch
Lake, and she plans another event in September.
with him to put forward the idea of the Teach-In.
The society puts on various shows throughout the
I was delighted he was prepared to make the
season. See the website, www.nps23.co.uk for
trip over to the Island,” said Sharon Cronnelly,
details.
vice-chairman of the NPS. “The idea was
For further information about teach-ins, contact
essentially how to get a better tune out of your
Sharon Cronnelly on 731214.
pony. Matthew has said he gets a real thrill out of
bringing a young animal on.”
Matthew began riding at the age of
14 at his local riding school in Bristol.
He spent all his time at the stables,
doing anything he could in exchange
for a ride. Although he had a gap
away from the equestrian world for a
few years he came back a little later
in life, to train with national dressage
champion Ferdi Eldiberg.
His victory at Olympia, when he was
crowned overall champion, was on a
Connemara called Bunowen Castle
Ri.
Given his experience and champion
status, getting Matthew over to the
Island was something of a feather
in the cap for Sharon. Area 23, the
Island’s own branch of the National
Pony Society, is only in its second
year, so the success of the Mountain
and Moorland pony event is crucial.
“On the Island we’re a bit out on
a limb,” says Sharon. “You have
to be so committed to take part in
mainland events, because of the
added cost of the ferry.”
It was timely, too. “The NPS finals
take place at the end of the year,
in Malvern, and Matthew took us
through all aspects of showing, how
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Island Life - www.isleofwight.net