The Prince Philip Mounted Games continue to be one of the most popular branch and regional disciplines during the pony club year.
On July 9, participants and their parents and ponies in tow began arriving at the Fergus sportplex grounds early, with the games at 9am. Each rider is required to provide a parent volunteer, who performs a two-hour duty such as acting as a gate attendant, tack check, or lane judge, for example.
Teammates wear matching tops and socks, with Guelph Pony Club polo tops the standard option.
The races start with teams competing in their own level groupings in a fenced area as spectators and curious residents wander over.
The Mounted Games is a sport with fast races, exciting for participants and spectators, are performed by good riders on well-trained ponies.
The sport requires a high degree of athletic ability, good riding skills, hand-to-eye coordination, general determination to see things through to the end, and a competitive spirit that nevertheless requires an ability to work together with other riders and a willingness to help one another.
The games were the inspiration of Prince Philip.
When Colonel Sir Mike Ansell was director of the Horse of the Year show, Prince Philip asked if he could devise a competition for children who could not afford an expensive, well-bred pony, and in 1957, the Horse of the Year show, staged the first Mounted Games Championship for the Prince Philip Cup.
The sport as it exists today was founded by Norman Patrick, whose aim was to extend the sport for wider participation. In 1984, he established the Mounted Games Association of Great Britain.
The International Mounted Games Association now has members in 20 countries.
The original format was team competitions, but the games are now also played with pairs of riders and individuals.
In team competitions, a team consists of five riders and ponies. In each game, four out of the five take part, leaving the team trainer the flexibility to select the four best for any particular game.
In pairs competition, the responsibility is shared between only two riders, and it is often easier for two friends to train and compete together, instead of assembling a team of five.
In individual competitions, if any mistakes are made the fault is clearly identified (the rider, not the pony – which is only following orders.)
Whichever format is chosen, the same general rules apply: no whips, no spurs, and no bad or unsporting behaviour.
Each format of competition has its own repertory of about 20 different games, with some common to all formats. One of the best known and most exciting of the games is Speed Weavers, or Bending Race, because of its simplicity and speed. The rider weaves and bends, tracing a slalom path, between five poles along the length of the arena.
The Flag Flyers, with flags being put into and retrieved from small containers, at high speed, is another popular game.
Even faster is Sword Lancers, particularly in its individual variation, where rings are collected from the tops of poles with a wooden sword.
The Agility Aces, or Stepping Stones race, wherein the rider dismounts, runs across a set of upturned buckets (stepping stones), and vaults back into the saddle to complete the race, is another game of skill and control.
Ride and Lead and Pony Pairs, are for riders with compatible ponies who will willingly work together. There is also the Bottle Shuttle for those with very good hand-to-eye coordination; that tormentor, Litter Lifters, possibly the most difficult game of all; and the list goes on.
There was an upper age limit of 21, but that was relaxed until there are now “veterans” classes. At different levels the sport can be enjoyed by all age groups and levels of ability. The only limits are imposed by competition organizers to ensure each event has participants of roughly equal abilities. It remains, however, essentially a sport for the young because of athletic ability and agility required.
Top players and teams now prefer particular types of ponies, any child or youngster with any pony, whatever its breeding, can get started.
Most ponies will learn the tricks quickly, but for the ponies to succeed, the rider must teach the pony what is required.
