By Jed Lanyon
Healesville Pony Club celebrated the opening of their new show jumping arena on Saturday 11 May.
The new arena will allow the club to hold competitions, clinics and instruction in a capacity it could not previously due to size constraints of the existing arenas.
Cr Fiona McAllister and Casey MP Tony Smith attended the opening to cut a ribbon to declare the arena officially open.
“It is great to see the old tennis courts that were no longer required by the tennis club transformed into such a wonderful space,” Cr McAllister said.
“Not only does the arena look fantastic but the Parks and Bushlands team have done an amazing job with the landscaping, blending the arena into the existing area so well.”
Healesville Pony Club President Michelle Holland said that the end result was beyond their expectations.
“The girls rode on it for the first time with their horses and they just found the surface to be really friendly.
“The girls now have so much more scope with their show jumping, they love it,” she said.
Ms Holland said that previously the pony club only had smaller arenas where they were unable to set up show jumps regularly and some riders struggled to gain momentum due to the size limitations.
Half of the new arena funding came from the Yarra Ranges Council’s Capital Development Program, and the other half from Mr Smith’s Strong Communities Grant.
