April 2022 Issue

Page 22 April 2022 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN THE 29TH RUNNING OF THE The Tradition Continues! Tickets On Sale Willowdale.org Gates Open 10am - 5:30pm 6 Sanctioned Races, Tailgate Contests, Jack Russell Terrier Races & More Location: 101 East Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348 RAIN OR SHINE For Kids Who Don’t Enjoy Riding in Circles, There’s Pony Racing by Marcella Peyre-Ferry The Covid-19 pandemic changed the world in many ways and horse racing was no exception. In 2020 and 2021 many race meets were cancelled or held with no spectators permitted. Even when audiences were allowed to return, there were places where attendance was limited or social distancing required. One way racing adapted was to provide livestreamed viewing opportunities for the races as they happened and/or saved for later viewing. In some cases, the online option was so well received that events have continued to offer it to spectators. Of course, the best way to enjoy a day of steeplechasing or point to point races is to be there in person. You’ll get the full experience of being out in the countryside for a day of racing, spending time tailgating with friends while watching the excitement of the horses galloping by. You will also be able to enjoy all of the additional activities that make racing popular such as pony races, carriage parades, raffles, shopping and much more. Each event has something different to offer, which is a good reason to attend more than one race meet. Now is the time to plan ahead to make sure you are ready well in advance to get the best spectator experience possible. If you know the races you would like to attend, your first stop should be their websites. Tickets may still be limited at some events, so purchasing in advance is recommended. Websites will also indicate if livestreaming is available and provide a link that may be free or available at a fee. Purchasing tickets to attend in person is also important since many race meets make donations to a local charity or non-profit organization. If you skip the trip to the races in favor of viewing from home, please consider making a donation. Some websites even include a link to their charity to make it easy. Some race schedules have changed, In this region, the Fair Hill Point to Point Races have been dis- continued but a new event is filling that gap. The Mount Harmon Wicomico Hunt Point to Point races will hold their first race meet April 10. As Covid-19 mitigation regulations continue to change, be sure to check back at the race website to stay up to date. For older riders mounted on horses, the flat race distances are longer, sometimes with separate divisions for Thoroughbreds and non-Thoroughbreds so that the children mounted on former race- horses and those on horses with no racing experience will each hopefully have a competitive field. At the other end of the size spectrum there are sometimes spe- cialized races for Shetland ponies. These may be run on the flat or cross country over small pony sized, national type fences, or the races can be staged inside any large arena. “Some race meets have the little jumps so they can do the junior field master chase. Some events don’t have the fences available to do that, so they have flat races,” Norman said. Good competition is key to en- couraging the young riders. Neither a hollow victory nor a distanced loss in a lopsided race is very good for any of the riders. The thrill of a head-to-head gallop is what makes racing so exciting for everyone. Each race meet decides which type of pony races to include on their card. Sometimes the selection is based on tradition, while other events make their decision after considering the interest among hunt members and their families. They also consider the popularity of pony races with their spectators. “There’s nothing cuter than kids on ponies,” Norman said. “The attraction of steeplechasing is to have a lovely day out in the country, with something fun to watch. You get to watch the show, hopefully on a beautiful sunny day, with your friends out in the countryside.” For those with a young rider interested in trying their hand at racing, there are a wide selection of possibilities. This spring’s pony races, as compiled by the Temple Gwathmey Steeplechase Foundation are listed below: April 3; Green Spring Valley Hounds Point to Point; Cockeys- ville, MD; pony flat races and Junior Field Masters Chase. April 3; Brandywine Hills Point to Point Races, Northbrook, PA.; pony flat races, Leadline trot races and Junior Field Masters Chase. April 9; Elkridge-Harford Hunt Point to Point Races, Monk- ton, MD; pony flat races and Junior Field Masters Chase. April 9; Old Dominion Hounds Point to Point, Washing- ton, VA; Young Rider Flat Race April 10; Mount Harmon Wicomico Hunt Point to Point Races, Earleville, MD; Pony flat races, Leadline trot races April 17; Blue Ridge Hunt Point to Point, Berryville, VA; Young Rider Flat Race. April 24; Loudoun Hunt Point to Point, Leesburg, VA; Pony Flat Races (entries at U.S. Pony Racing) and Young Rider Flat Race May 7; Howard County Cup Races, Brookeville, MD; Shetland flat races, Junior Field Master’s Chase and Leadline trot race. May 14; Willowdale Steeple- chases, Kennett Square, PA; Pony and Young Rider flat races. May 15; Potomac Hunt Rac- es, Seneca, MD: pony and junior rider flat races. Conditions and entries for these events can be made at the Central Entry Office. April 16; Mini Manor Lead Line Trot Races, Monkton, MD, Leadline trot races. May 29 and 30; WHS Shet- land Pony Championship; Devon Horse Show, Devon, PA; Shet- land Pony Steeplechases. June TBD; Chasin’ for Children Pony Racing, Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, MD; Pony flat races. Conditions and entries for these events can be found at U.S. Pony Racing. May 8; Winterthur Point to Point, Winterthur, DE; Small and Large Pony flat races. (entries at the Winterthur website) The Temple Gwathmey Steeplechase Foundation offers a wide variety of educational programs to help young riders get involved in racing over fences including clinics, camps, trips and awards programs. For more information, visit the website at tgsteeplechasefoundation.org . (Continued from page 1) Steeplechasing and Point to Points–How to Watch