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Caithness Pony Club First Competition On New Cross Country Course
Caithness Branch of the Pony Club held its first competition at the new cross-country course built at Northfield Equestrian Centre, by kind permission of Mr and Mrs H Henderson, at the weekend. Competitors from Orkney, Caithness and Sutherland took part in a Hunter Pace which allows riders to choose which fences they wish to jump to build confidence to participate in One Day Events. Mary Alexander riding Hope, the club�s most experienced cross-country rider having represented the branch at events all over Scotland was the first on the course and was cheered through the Sunken Road complex by the group of spectators who had gathered there.

Specialist cross-country course designer Hugh Lochore who has also built some of the portable fences used at the facility designed the course. MM Miller Ltd using stone, logs and timber built the permanent fences. Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise, the National Lottery Sportscotland and MM Miller Wick (Ltd) contributed financially to the ambitious project.

Mr Hamish Pottinger, Club President and owner of the previous course at Greenland Mains very kindly carried out his traditional role of sending the riders out on to the course.

The branch will be holding a One-Day Event at the same venue on May 31st for Pony Club members. The branch is also hosting the North Cup competition in August. This competition hasn�t been held in Caithness since 1987, as the club has to win it to have the chance of hosting it the following year.

Many more pictures can be seen on photographer John Baikie's Web site