Deloraine District Pony Club gets second at State Games Finals

On June 2, a team made up of Hunter Palfreyman, 12, Hollie Bennett, 12, Indi Bowles, 13, Megan Bird, 15, Paige How, 18, Sophie Orchard, 21, and coach Sue Walton took on the wild weather in the state's South for the competition.

District commissioner Cristy Hall said the team was fairly new.

"Two riders have never ridden in A Division before," she said.

"This team has never ridden together as a team before which made it even sweeter that they actually made A Division."

The Deloraine team secured second spot at the Northern Zone pony club's annual games competition, held on Mother's Day, which meant they were able to proceed to the state finals.

"That was quite exciting, and then we travelled down to Hobart. The games were held at Pontville Equestrian Centre," Ms Hall said.

"It was a bit wet and slippery and not the nicest of days but games riders are pretty used to that."

The team rode really well and were aware of the conditions, she said. Accuracy also came into play.

"Games is all about agility, hand-eye coordination, speed is thrown in there too, and horsemanship," she said.

"The horse has to really trust their riders because they're being asked to do things you don't do on your horse every day."

In one game, participants had to race down their lane, lean down, pick up a ball and continue the relay-type race to their next teammate.

"Some had to pick up a stick out of a cone and pop a balloon and then put the stick back in and then pass it to the next rider," Ms Hall said.

The team took part in 15 different games event during the one day.

"They're picked out at the start of the year so that you have a bit of time to do some training because it's very skill-based agility hand-eye coordination," she said.

About eight different teams from across the state took part in the event.