Senior
It was the hottest week of the year... and I'm not just talking metaphorically. As children and ponies scaled new heights, so the temperatures reached new highs. We sweltered and survived.

With blazing sun above and concrete ground below, it was miraculous that we suffered so few casualties. If anything, the children suffered more than the ponies. In the heat, less chocolate and cake was consumed so energy levels flagged: on the plus side, we all enjoyed more sleep. Thanks to Uncle Jack's power hose, both ponies and riders had more baths in a week than ever before and most came to relish their few minutes in the fierce spray.

My instructors - Jan, Ali, Marc, Alan, Cressida and Tamsin - never lost their cool and ensured everyone had fun while achieving. My thanks to them all. Once again, without Jack and Sandra's outstanding hospitality, camp would not have been the high that it was. Jack's early morning hack included swimming lessons for ponies and a chance to dry off in the stubble. Jack had, as ever, spent a considerable time planning and clearing the route with neighbouring landowners and the ride gave the children a truly memorable day. Thank you o Jack and to Blossom who proved to be a long suffering tripod for the video when she wasn't auditioning for Billy Smart's circus. Ali's horse scored a 10 for its levade through water and Marc's mount earned much street cred for disposing of its jockey.

We had terrific test results in camp too. Eight children passed their Riding and Road Safety on Thursday morning and eight passed C in the afternoon. Congratulations to you all.

This year we invited seniors into Camp for three non-residential afternoons of intensive B test preparation with Helen. This proved to be most successful and is something I hope to build on in the future. Thanks too to Helen whose presence will be much missed next year.

Finally, a word regarding one member who, after 9 SBPC camps, called it a day this year. Georgette Ogden and her gorgeous Ted - Camp Champ and winner of his ride's ODE . Camp without Georgette will not be the same. She has been a brilliant "right-hand-girl" for me amongst the troops, always helpful, cheerful and reliable with oodles of common sense and a drive which has inspired her team members. Good luck, Georgette, and thank you.

Test results

Riding and Road Safety
Georgina Frank
Leanne Turner-Stevenson
Millie Altman
Katie Haddock
Joanna Sprules
Georgina Braby
Scarlet Harter
Emma Horner

C Test
Georgina Frank
Emma Horner
Lily Parkinson
Katy Haddock
Emma Harris
Elsa King

We all enjoyed some gymkhana races and 10 children took and passed with flying colours, their D-tests. Well done to: Luke McNickle, Molly McNickle, Alexandra Webb, Holly Carter, Matthew Riall, Melissa Dawes, Louisa Stevenson-Hamilton, Emma Thomas, Fergus Burnand and Lily Burnand. Our display for the parents was a Handy Pony and we also had time to swim twice!

We had a new cup, kindly donated by Nolan and Louise Best, which we called The Best Cup, and Special Awards this year went to:

Mini Merit Cup - Luke McNickle
The Best Cup - Fergus Burnand
Best Loved Pony - Charlie Pyke
Best Kept Tail - Jax Dawes

It was such an enjoyable and happy week. Thank-you to all the helpers who gave their time and to Laura Howard and Traci Borcsok for instructing. Wendy Dance and Sara McNickle for all their help in organising camp before and during the week. Last but not least, thank-you to everyone who came to camp, and their ponies, for such a super week and here's to 2004!

Junior
Once again we had a great week with the weather being kind - even sunny on swimming day! Our thanks as always go to Johnny Byrne for allowing us to use his lovely premises which includes the use of his swimming pool, paddocks and stables.

A big thank you to all of our instructors, none of whom had taught at camp before - they really joined in the fun and we really hope they will all join us again next year!

We started the week with a side-saddle demonstration which everyone enjoyed and the children also had a talk on feeding. So no fat ponies next year!

Several children took their D and D+ tests and all were successful - many thanks to Jane Scholl and Jan Fletcher for their help.

The ponies had a well-deserved afternoon off on Wednesday and the children went swimming played games. Hopefully they were as tired as we were by the time they got home! Many thanks to Nina for being our "lifeguard" for the afternoon.

As always we ended the week with displays of showjumping, cross country, musical rides etc., again superbly organised by the instructors. Our cup winners this year were:

Helpful Cup - Stephanie Beglin
Deverell Cup for Achievement - Jessica Best
Best Turned Out - Annie Jo Clarke and Edward McKeown
Best Loved Pony - Sophie Clarke and Prince
Perseverance - Jackie Herbert
Most Spectacular Fall - Emily Porter
Best Effort - Olivia Palmer
DC's Special Award - Rebecca Mayle (awarded for Thelwellism and enthusiasm!)
Most Entertaining - Henry Graham

We had a wonderful new cup presented to us by the Best Family - our thanks to them for this generous donation. It was decided that it should be presented to the Best Pony Club Pony of the week, and this went to James Butler's Jimmy.

Our champion line this year was the "Green Otter Hounds"! Well done to Elizabeth Dance, Rhiannon Honey, James Butler, Matthew Hick, Georgina Best and Jackie Herbert who were all kept in line by Jodie Keeler! Well done everybody!

Thanks again to all those involved in making Junior Camp a success, not forgetting Caroline Herbert for her support. See you all again next year!