It may have been a dry 22 years in between zone wins, but the latest batch of pony club riders recently returning from drought stricken Quirindi proudly bored the state's best presented zone award, for the second year in a row.
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The 2016 State Sporting and Campdrafting championship was held in the first week of school holidays. Seven riders from Gloucester formed part of the 15 member team who travelled to Quirindi to represent a zone which covers regions from Maitland, Newcastle, Nelson Bay, Dungog, and surrounding areas.
Gloucester’s riders returned bearing a swag of ribbons, despite incredibly dry conditions.
“It was so so so dusty, but all the riders rode extremely well,” Gloucester Pony Club’s Jennie Shultz said.
Jennie said that the competition was much bigger than last year as no Hendra requirements made it bigger and stronger.
“Last year there were 12 kids in Anthony’s age group, this year there were 34. In higher age groups, there were 60 odd kids in each. So for the riders to get any ribbon, was a huge achievement. A bonus.”
Amongst the highlights were Jody Harris and Chloe Shultz, who competed in the 15 and Under 17 yrs age group. Jody got sixth in Bonfield Bounce and Chloe came home with reserve champion sporting and third in the campdraft.
“In the 13 and Under 15 years we had Charlotte Maslen, Natalie La Roughetel and Emma Johnston. Charlotte got ninth in the flag race, Nat got a fifth in Diamond Flag and Emma got fourth in Diamond Flag and sixth in the Flag race.”
Amy Shultz competed in the 11 and Under 13 years, returning home with Sporting Champion and Campdraft Champion.
In the Under 11 years age group Anthony Shultz won sporting champion and won Reserve Champion Campdrafting in the 10 and Under 13 years behind his older sister Amy.
Making it almost a family affair, Anthony, Amy and their cousin Chloe formed three parts of the four member winning Zone Sporting team, along with Dungog’s Joshua Osmond.
Zone 25 won the overall point score for the second year running for Sporting as well as the Best Presented Zone.
“It was nice that the three cousins were all in it. I don’t know what we’re doing differently but we must be doing something right!” the club’s Jenny Shultz said, extending her congratulations to all the kids who competed who “did the club proud”.
“A big thank you to all the families who made it happen. A great job was also done by Neville Harris as team manager and Nick Johnston as assistant team manager.
Residing in Queensland, Gloucester club’s Chloe Shultz left the state championship to head to the National titles with Queensland’s Junior Girls Polocrosse team in Albury. Only in her second year of playing polocrosse, Chloe now plays for the Cunningham Polocrosse Club, near Warwick, but frequently travels back to Gloucester to attend pony club commitments.