Dressage

Easter Training Course

The Pony Club Tetrathlon Easter Course, was held at Stonar School on 10-13th April, with Members across the country receiving top class coaching to help them succeed in their Tetrathlon careers.

Headed by former Pony Club Tetrathlete and Olympic Bronze medal winning Modern Pentathlete, Kate Allenby MBE, the course covered the four disciplines of swimming, shooting, running and riding that comprise Pony Club Tetrathlon.

One of the main focuses of the course was to offer training in small groups to improve the skill, technique and developing athletes’ towards the next step throughout all phases in Tetrathlon.  Tetrathletes benefited from two 45 minutes sessions of shooting and swimming training on a 1:3 coach to athlete ratio. In addition, Chris Cook (Double Commonwealth Champion, World Medalist and Olympic Finalist) and John Leighton-Dyson offered extra sessions to athletes which were all oversubscribed!

A dismounted riding session took place afternoon on Tuesday, in rather windy conditions!  The aim was help develop awareness of walking a jumping course and warming up a horse effectively. The Members built and walked the course with Claire Forgacs (Olympic Course Builder for Modern Pentathlon) and were instructed on useful warm up techniques by Gay Farquharson (Pony Club Area 14 Chief Instructor). After the evening meal on the opening day, the athletes were treated to a motivational talk from Chris Cook, including a question and answer session giving the Members a great insight into the life of a professional athlete. 

In addition, supplementary sessions were offered to aid core stability, competition and training planning, psychological training and nutrition.  Members were invited to ask questions on a variety of topics which sparked lots of interesting debates between coaches and attendees.
The last day of the course saw the Members receiving further skill and endurance sessions in running, swimming and shooting.  The course closed with a girl versus boys shooting competition, with the girls winning in an exciting tie break round.

Paddy Gilling, a Member of the VWH Branch commented, “I really enjoyed the course and gained a huge amount from it, hopefully I will be able to prove this in the summer. I thought all the coaches were amazing and really helpful”

Kate Allenby MBE reflects on the course, commenting that “The course went really well, mostly because the athletes and the coaching team both had a great attitude and fantastic work ethic. When there is that level of enthusiasm from both sides the outcomes are always at their most productive and fun. As a group, the athletes bonded really quickly and showed us how hard they can work. I was both proud and inspired by them. We are looking forward to next year already!”

The aims of the course are

  • To concentrate on shooting and swimming with each athlete having 45 minutes shooting and 45 minutes swimming training per day on a 1:3 coach:athlete ratio
  • Riding Training is dismounted to develop awareness of walking a course and the importance of warming up on a strange horse for International Representation
  • Classroom based sessions will develop and link themes used during the training sessions.
  • Strength and Conditioning and stretching training will be offered and linked to all four disciplines of Tetrathlon

Kate Allenby MBE (Course Leader)

Kate is an Olympic Bronze Medal in Modern Pentathlon winner and an ex Pony Club Member.

Kate Allenby Profile

Chris Cook (Swimming)

Chris is a Double Commonwealth Champion, World Medalist and Olympic Finalist.  Chris is also an athlete mentor working with many world class athletes in a number of different sports.

Chris Cook Profile

John Leighton-Dyson (Shooting)

John was the first ever Performance Director for British Shooting.  He is Director of World Class Consultancy Services working directly with many world class shooters and was also the coach/performance manager at four Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

Louise Helyer (Running)

Louise is a World Championships medalist in Modern Pentathlon and an ex Pony Club Member.

Andy Mackenzie (Strength and Conditioning)

Andy has competed in Modern Pentathlon, representing Great Britain in teams at World Championship Level and is ex Household Cavalry

Andy Mackenzie Profile

Clare Forgacs (Unmouted Riding)

Clare is the Olympic Course Designer for Modern Pentathlon and ex international show jumper.

Claire Forgacs Profile

Gay Farquharson (Unmouted Riding)

Gay is the Chief Instructor for South & West Wilts Pony Club, Chief Examiner for Area 14 and hold her UKCC Level 2, BHSII, BHSI Stable Mgt.


Swimming

Swimming training will focus on stroke work, starts and turns, competition management and routine and helping athletes to understand periodisation of training through classroom sessions

Shooting

Shooting training will focus on the structure of shooting sessions, offer help on technique, grip and shoot cycles, competition management and routine and helping athletes to understand periodisation of training though class room sessions.

Running

Training will focus on technique, how to make a training plan for running and competition management, routine and most importantly, to make running fun!!

Riding (Show Jumping)

Training will include teaching the athletes what the course designer is trying to achieve in a Tetrathlon International Arena Jumping Course, focus on trouble spots on course and how to walk a course correctly, discuss how to apply course knowledge to different horses and what to do in a warm up situation in an International Competition.

Additional Supplementary Training

Topics included are core stability, stretching and class room based sessions such as competition and training planning, psychological training and nutrition.

Name:
Hattie Algar

Branch:
Cambridgeshire Hunt Pony Club

When did you start riding?
Around the age of 6, in a riding school to begin with, before getting a pony a year or so afterwards.

When did you compete in your first Pony Club Tetrathlon Competition?
When I was a mini, aged 10. I had no concept of swimming technique (moving arms and legs more must make you go faster?!), jogged casually round the run and failed to do the gate within the time on a stubborn pony – but still loved it!

What is your favourite phase of Tetrathlon and why? 
Probably the running for the simple reason that it’s my strongest phase. It’s also the most satisfying feeling when you cross the finish line knowing that you’ve given it your all.

What is your favourite Pony Club memory so far?
Being placed 7th as a team in the Burghley Pony Club Show Jumping 2011 and getting our rosettes awarded by Mark Todd was really cool. There are also some fantastic Pony Club camp memories – all running across a field in the dark screaming our heads off, before realising that the “ghosts” heard rustling in the hedge were in fact just the cattle in the neighbouring field. Whip cracking and horn blowing competitions from the local hunt. Also, being launched into a slimy water jump by my pony years ago and coming up with a mouth full of mud was not the greatest moment, however very memorable!

Why are you looking forward to coming to the Easter Training Course?
It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet like-minded tetrathletes and all train together whilst having a great time. I am also looking forward to receiving coaching in all four disciplines from coaches who really know what they’re talking about and will hopefully show us different ways of training and competing to help us perform better.

What are your aims for 2012?
Most importantly, I want to continue to enjoy Tetrathlon as it is by far the most sociable Pony Club Discipline. I would like to qualify for the Championships, and improve my performance from last year, as well as compete for the East of England at the UK Regionals. I would especially like to work on making my shooting performance more consistent and learn to control the nerves a bit more!

Last Updated: 19/04/2012