Holiday Program

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School Holiday Riding Program

Our program is designed to assist children from 8 to 16 years to either learn to ride and care for our equine friends or to continue to improve their current riding skills in a friendly, fun and safe environment. The program has been running every school holidays since July 2008 and has been a great success. Children of all ages and backgrounds have found the program fun, exciting and informative, as they get to learn and practice pony care, riding, games on ponies as well theory appropriate to their level of experience. It runs from 9am to 3.00pm each two weeks of every School Holidays with the exception of the Summer break where it runs for 13 weekdays.

The Annual Mini Show is a great opportunity for Children without ponies to get a taste of what it is like to compete in Equine competitions. Children fortunate enough to have their own mounts are also welcome to come and enjoy a fun low key day which includes games, jumping and show rings. The Mini Show is now a separate event to the Holiday Program being held on the First Sunday after the summer program.

Mini Show 2024: January 28th. Start time 9am sharp. Entry forms available from January 2024 online. The Mini Show is a low key fun day with prize ribbons from 1st to 4th and is open to all comers with their own mounts. WRRC mounts will be available to our Riding School students only.

All riding instructors are adults, with a range of equine and experience including, training, competing and teaching children to ride.

There is also an option of before and after Program care for the convenience of the parents to transport the children whilst still getting to work and home at the right time.

Dates for 2024 are:

April 15th till 19th & 22nd till 26th

July 8th till 12th & 15th till 19th

September 30th till October 4th & October 7th till 11th

Activities include but are not limited to:
– Gymkhana events (games on horseback e.g: egg and spoon race, barrel races etc)
– Overnight camp out! **
– Pony care (learn to look after your pony and the gear)
– Jumping (from beginner to experienced levels)
– Dressage
– Trail rides
– Prizes (for the daily competitions and most improved rider at the end of each week)
– Supervised swimming in the Waimakariri river with and without the ponies! **
– Certificates for each child with a photo of you and your pony! ***
– The Annual Mini show and Ribbon day; make sure you and your pony are dressed to impress!

** – January/Summer holiday program only at enough enrollements

*** – Those attending a full week.

Prices:

– $99.00 per day, per child
OR
– $95.00 per day, per child, for 5 consecutive days (Full Week $475.00).

Bookings are essential and available online, pre-payment is required to reserve your child’s place in the Program. For more information please contact info@wrrc-ltd.com

What to Bring:

A complete change of clothing (including underwear and socks), a healthy lunch and drink, riding boots or shoes with a small heel (must be closed in shoes), sunscreen and sunglasses for spring and summer and gumboots, warm clothing –jacket, raincoat and gloves for spring, winter and autumn. Swimming gear, including river shoes, togs, sunblock and a towel for the January program.

We Provide:

Morning and afternoon teas.

Riding Helmets

Ponies, tack, grooming equipment and all other necessary equipment

Before and after Program care

And heaps of pony FUN & Education!

Camps

** There is usually one camp over night per week of the Summer Holiday Program (January). You will need to bring your own tent, sleeping bag and pillow as well as personal hygiene stuff (toothbrush etc.) and tent may be required.

Costs are $40.- per person

Only offered in the January program as it is too difficult to predict the weather at other times of year.

Swimming is always supervised by adults and where possible we ask that the children bring river shoes (shoes that they can happily get wet to protect their feet from the stones). Sunblock is also essential.

Our Annual Mini Show will take place on Sunday January 28th 2024.

The children get the opportunity to compete in show rings, jumping games and a fancy dress competition. However they can still participate by paying the fees as listed in the Show Schedule which will be available 2 weeks prior to the show and posted on the Website. It is always a fantastic fun day so don’t miss out! The Children get to choose what they want to enter with our guidance and of course which pony or ponies they can ride. Because there are a limited amount of ponies some will have different riders in various classes. It is our goal to be as fair as possible to all the children and the ponies. Friends and family are most welcome to come and support – be ware that it is often a warm day so sun hats and sunscreen as well as seating will need to be bought with you. Unfortunately large umbrellas can often upset the horses and ponies unless they are a good distance away.

Our Mini Show is also open to children lucky enough to have their own ponies. A float parking area will be made available with an entrance off Dickeys Road. This is a fun day so bring your smile and have a great time!

To enrol klick here