SEP/OCT09 BONUS ONLINE CONTENT - CANADIAN PONY CLUB
Canadian Horse Journal Sept/Oct 09 Online Feature
Celebrating 75 Years
By Elisa Moes
The September/October issue of Canadian Horse Journal pays homage to the Canadian Pony Club as it celebrates its 75th Anniversary. Discover its philosophy, history, and the two men credited with bringing the UK Youth Equestrian Club to Canada.
Colonel Reginald Symonds Timmis and Brigadier General Clarence McKee, honoured and decorated Canadian servicemen and accomplished horsemen dedicated to all things equine, founded the first Pony Club in North America at the Eglinton Hunt Club in 1934. This seemingly humble achievement powerfully influenced the lives of horses and riders forever, from weekend horse lovers to Gold Medal Olympians. With its 110,000 members worldwide (of which 3500 are members in Canada in 180 branches across the country), Pony Club continues to be the foundation upon which young riders develop their horsemanship skills.
We are pleased to offer exclusive online content about the Canadian Pony Club below. Learn more about the birthplace of the CPC, the Eglinton Hunt Club, and read about how Pony Club has affected the lives of its many members throughout its lifetime in Canada.
To read the whole article on Canadian Pony Club and its history, get your copy of the September/October 2009 issue of Canadian Horse Journal today! Available on newsstands across Canada, by subscription, or by online purchase at www.HORSEJournals.com.
EGLINTON HUNT CLUB
By Elisa Moes
The Toronto Hunt Club, the second oldest hunt club in Canada, formed in 1843. Lady members of the club are credited with organizing the first race at Woodbine in 1894. In 1919 the club was officially renamed the Eglinton Hunt Club (EHC) and would become home to Canada’s first Pony Club. The list of Masters from the club reads like a who’s who of Canadian military and civilian life. It includes names like Timothy Eaton (of the Eaton’s department store), 1959 Pan-American Games Three Day Eventer and 1968 Olympic jumping Gold Medalist, Tom Gayford, and many Colonels, Captains, and Majors. Now called the Toronto and North York Hunt Club with property in Creemore, Ontario, the original EHC property and land was purchased in 1938 by the Government of Canada for use by the Royal Canadian Air Force. Sir Frederick Banting (co-creator of insulin) worked secretly with Dr Wilbur Franks during World War II on aviation medicine. The world’s first anti-gravity flying suit was created here as well as North America’s first human centrifuge.
CANADIAN PONY CLUB MEMORIES
Carol Hawkins (Urquhart)
Branch: Eglinton, 1979 to 1983
“I guess the thing I enjoyed most about Pony Club was studying for the stable management portion of the testing levels. I rode the school horses at Eglinton Equestrian Club since I didn’t have my own horse but was determined that one day, I would own my own horse and when I did, I was going to know exactly how to look after it! Next to testing, my most memorable experience was attending C Rally at Mohawk Raceway both as a groom and as a rider. Staying in the barns was awesome along with being part of a team and meeting other pony clubbers from across the region. I recall being taken to a local conservation area for a swim time on Thursday after moving in then having grooms competitions like taking a bridle apart and racing to put it back together again. Then there was the huge water fight on Saturday evening after dinner between all the clubs. I learned so much over those weekends.”
Nancy Wright (Dey)
Branch: London, Ontario, 1950s and 60s
“I started representing my London Pony Club as a ‘D’ at the Mt. Gabiel Rally in Quebec in the early 1950’s and continued rallying, mainly in Ontario, every year from then on through the early 60’s. I won the Captain Dick Paton Trophy at the Royal Winter Fair — I believe it was 1959. Our early mentor was Dorinda (Dinnie) Brickenden, whose children Dee and Kelly Hall-Holland were my contemporaries. Other great influences were Nan and Marnie Johnston, Adele Davis Rockwell, Colonel Timmis, Jimmy and Norm Elder — oh, so many that I can’t list them all. Pony Club was a huge influence in my life and I will always be grateful for the training it provided and the fun we all had growing up.
“I think what I remember most [of Col Timmis] comes from the Pony Club Rallies when he would judge Stable Management. He was always very challenging and I seem to remember him with the proverbial white glove to make sure our grooming was not just surface clean but thorough. He had the military bearing but was always gentle and kind, though exacting. There was always a skit competition at the Rallies in those days and we did one involving him where he was called “Col. Slimmy Fumeous” in our parody of him. I am not sure how he liked it but I will never forget it.
“My MOST vivid memories are of Dinnie Greenaway (now Brickenden), who shepherded so many of us through the London Pony Club during the 50s and 60s. (I was actually in her Musical Ride and the Square Dance on Horseback that she mentions in her item on the Wall of Fame). She WAS the Pony Club in my day. She loved us and we loved her – and we still do!”
Laura Armstrong
Branch: Toronto & North York, 1970s
“Learning to ride through Pony Club in the North York area during the 1970s was an incredible experience. Now that my daughter is riding and a member of PC in the East Kootenays I realize just how lucky I was to have the access to Olympic calibre instructors (Jim Elder, Jim Day) and other amazing instructors (Lou Carpenter, Les Zaizer, and many others) at outstanding equestrian facilities such as the Toronto and North York Hunt Club, Elderberry Farms, Jokers Hill, as well as many others. Here in the East Kootenays our facilities are few in numbers and limited. Our closest cross-country course is at least three hours away. We have only two qualified coaches (level 1 and 2) and our region is so large that we are four hours away from the main location of other branches. Still, we do our best to train and compete. Often I reflect back to the great ‘old Days’ and am happy that I had such a great experience in Pony Club!”
Samantha Doupe (Lee)
Branch: Temiskaming, 1984 to 1988
“(Pony Club) is where I did most of my horse/pony learning. I remember one summer our pony club put on a mock tetrathlon and it was a blast — a great experience I’ll never forget. I sure didn’t appreciate back then all the volunteers that organize the meetings and events, and put up with wild children, but I sure realize the effort that was put in now. I will remember those years fondly and hope that my daughter will also have happy memories of her years in the pony club.”
Colleen Jansma (Widdess)
Branch: Alberni Valley Pony Club, 1984 to 1990
“Pony Club rocked! It was the best way to channel the energy of this horse obsessed gal. My parents figured I would ‘grow out of horses’ once boys entered my radar. Regardless, I joined PC as an older member on borrowed horses. I was able to compete in three provincial quizzes and took the high point award in two of them. It was a fabulous experience and I got to meet many wonderful people. I can only assume that this would extend to the national and international level as well. Now I’m a mom with two horse crazy daughters and loving every moment of it. Next year the eldest will be old enough to join the nearest club. I am confident that she and our dear pony will have as much fun, if not more, than I did. And, I can’t wait to be a PC mom!”
Kathryn (Kathy) Minor (Durham)
Branch: Toronto and North York Hunt/Pony Club, 1950s
“I remember going to the TNYH (Toronto and North York Hunt) Pony Club gymkhana in 1959 and the 12th annual Canadian Pony Club Rally in 1959 at Ancaster. I was the ‘C’ team’s helper. At the 14th annual Canadian Pony Club Rally at London in 1961, I rode as an associate rider. I had my ‘B’ that year. I remember the joy I experienced as my home trained Thoroughbred off the track and I achieved second place in the ‘A’ level dressage test. I cannot remember the year that I got my ‘A’ but I do remember that I was in a class of three and the other two members to also get their ‘A’s at that time were Jimmy Day and Christilot Hansen. Our instructor was Maureen Wensley. Sandy Sillcox was the DC. I remember Mr. Hollingsworth who came to give us lessons. I remember going to the Hunt Farm in the winter for lectures and Mr. Pickford teaching us about hounds and hunting. We also had instruction in show jumping from Jim Elder and trained for one rally at his farm. Other pony club members I remember were Dinny Burns, Christalot Hansen, Bobbie Baker, Tuffy Kettlewell, Claire Barrie, Danny Fitz, Jimmy Day, Angus Pickford, Nicola Kendall, Emily Dunham, and Ken — whose last name totally escapes me but he was rally captain at one of the rallies. I also met Jessie Howell from St. Mary’s at one of those rallies, probably the London Rally, and many years later met her south of Ottawa, where we both live. Her name now is Jessie Hunter and through her my two youngest, horse crazy daughters became members of the S.L.O.V. Pony Club which brought me back into the organization as a ‘Pony Club Mum.’ And that takes me full circle. My children are grown, three of them enjoy horses, I have a lovely little Tennessee Walking Horse mare that I trail ride daily, and I have Pony Club to thank for the opportunities it gave me, to do something that has always meant the world to me.”
OBITUARY OF COL. R.S. TIMMIS
Reproduced courtesy of Horse and Hound, www.horseandhound.co.uk
A Canadian Cavalryman
Col R.S. Timmis
Well-known horseman Col. Reginald Symonds Timmis died recently at the age of 84 at Toronto. Born at Caterham, Surrey, of an English father and Scottish mother, he was educated at the Charterhouse, the family subsequently making its home in Canada.
Serving for five years in the Canadian Imperial Yeomanry, Col. Timmis was in the Royal Canadian Dragoons from 1911 until the end of the last war and had the distinction of being chief instructor to the Royal Canadian Cavalry.
In the world of show jumping he was very well known, being a memeber of the Canadian Army jumping team. He not only won the gold medal at the New York Show but rode for the team on several occasions at the International Horse Show in London. He was also a member of four C.H.I.O. winning international teams.
To this impressive and distinguished record must be added the fact that Col. Timmis published several books on matters of interest to horsemen, the bset known, perhaps, being his Modern Horse Management. The fact that he was for two years at Weedon and for a similar period at the Veterinary College of Ontario added to his qualifications as a writer.
His intense and practical dedication to the welfare of horses is widely known, and he played a big part in the abolition of docking in this country.
It seemed ironical to me that a cavalryman who hated the sea should have been in charge of convoys of many thousands of troops across the Atlantic in one or other of the "Queens" during the greater part of the second world war. I think we never missed meeting during any of his short visits to London.
Friends in various parts of the world will be saddened by the death of Timmy, as he was affectionately known to many.
R.S. Summerhays
Photo 1: Lt Col R.S. Timmis and his horse Bucephalus at the Royal Winter fair in Toronto in November 1927. Photo courtesy of Royal Canadian Dragoons Archives.
Photo 2: BGen Clarence Sparks McKee (behind) hunting in 1941 at the Crawley and Horsham Hunt in England with Major General George Pearkes (front), the future Lt Gov of BC. Photo courtesy of Fraser McKee.
Photo 3: When not in active service RCD cavalry members showed their lighter side in the RCD Circus. Led by Col Timmis (top right) they would entertain at the Canadian National Exhibition and Eglinton Hunt Club, with drills, manoeuvers and vaulting. Photo courtesy of Toronto Public Library (TRL): S 249 R.S. Timmis fonds 2653.
Photo 4: Cap Badge of the Royal Canadian Dragoons. The RCD, created in 1883, acted as a military cavalry school as well as a troop with duties. RCD still serve today in Afghanistan. Photo courtesy of Royal Canadian Dragoons Archives.
Photo 5: (L-R) 1931 Don Hunter and Pardora, Col R.S. Timmis and Bucephalus, C.C. Mann and Bronte, and Marshall Clelland and Margot. Photo courtesy of Canadian Pony Club.
We hope you enjoyed the Canadian Horse Journal Sept/Oct 09 Online Feature