What a difference a year makes. Just ask Jasmine Gaualofa.
At the Leamington Pony Club’s Easter gymkhana last year, she and Balu, a 14-year-old station bred gelding, were reserve champions.
Jasmine Gaualofa, 12, Cambridge Middle School on Balu, 14, a station bred gelding with Carol Dix who donated a winning hay bag in memory of her horse Just Suzy at Leamington Pony Club’s gymkhana on Easter Monday. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
This week they were the show champions picking up eight ribbons and the highly sought after prize donated by pony club stalwart Carol Dix.
The prize – a hay bag – was made in memory of Dix’s much loved horse Just Suzy and she celebrated with 12-year-old Gaualofa who is one of her riders to have come through the Leamington ranks.
More than 75 riders from all over the Waikato competed in six rings at the Leamington grounds.
Family affair from left Michelle, Charlotte, 17, twins Bradley and Dylan, 8, and Joyner Gaualofa at Leamington Pony Club’s Easter Monday gymkhana. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
The club is one of two remaining branches of the Cambridge Pony Club, which was founded in 1947. The other is Cambridge East Maungakawa.
Jasmine, who attends Cambridge Middle School, is not the first one in the family to excel in the saddle. Older sister Charlotte, 17, a student at Te Kura School, is also a pony club competitor.
She and mother Michelle helped prepare Balu for the ring. One of the pony’s ribbons was for presentation.
Dad Joyner and twin brothers Bradley and Dylan, 8, of Cambridge Primary School were also on hand to see rider and pony become champions.
Natalie Horrocks, 5, of Tamahere School on her pony Hokey Pokey, 16, went to great extremes for the fancy dress event covering him with flowers from front to rear.
Alistair and Jacqui Horrocks of Tamahere with their children Natalie, 5, and Oliver, 4 and their floral covered pony Hokey Pokey at the Leamington Pony Club’s Easter Monday gymkhana. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Night owl Carol Dix has delivered newspapers around the Waikato for more than 40 years and has also been a stalwart of Cambridge Pony Club since she was 10. She is now district commander and was one of the organisers at Leamington Pony Club’s Easter gymkhana last month. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
