WAIMARINO Riding Club
Club Profile
The Club is based in and around Ohakune and Raetihi extending as far south as Taihape, covering a large area with relatively few people, but stunning scenery and great trekking opportunities often not available to individual riders. Our nearest neighbours are the Taupo Riding Club.
The Club was formed in 1986. In that time there have been approximately 90 members, two of whom have been with the club all of that time.We will be celebrating 30 years in October at Equidays. Past and present members are welcome to contact us for details.
Present membership is nine members, and membership has seldom reached more than 20. There have been four Secretary/Treasurers since the Club formed. Meredith Wills is the present office holder and Jenny Pearce is our President Foundation President Evelyn Cooper is our Life Member and a Patron of the New Zealand Riding Clubs.
The Club has participated in N.I.T.E. on 20 occasions, from 1990 to 2009 inclusive. The WRC hosted the event in Taupo 1994 and won it the same year and were first again in 2003. In 2012 the club hosted NITE in Taupo when it looked as though the event might have to be cancelled, with other clubs running each phase. We have had our share of trophies winning the Horsemanagement and SportsmanshipTrophy twice and likewise with the Housekeeping and Uniform Trophy and the Artistic Impression Trophy once.
In the past the Club has held Open Gymkhanas and Dressage Days. Hopefully if membership increases our competition participation will increase again.
Individually members participate in almost every discipline, including, dressage, show jumping, eventing, side saddle, carriage driving and trekking. Social and meeting evenings are held approximately every six weeks. An annual Trivial Pursuit Challenge is held one winter evening with a potluck dinner, and we have a Christmas social function.
Farm and forest rides are held in the winter, as everyone is too busy with Pony Club, dressage, eventing or carriage driving for the rest of the year.
We have hosted the National AGM twice, most recently in 2012 in Ohakune and we all enjoyed the weekends. Over the years five members have been on the National Committee and/or edited the Riders Round-up, the bi-monthly NZRC Newsletter..
More members are always welcome with or without their own horse. Members from other clubs are very welcome to contact us if they are coming into the area.
Club contact details:
Secretary/Treasurer: Meredith Wills E-mail: mhwills@yahoo.co.nz
President: Jenny Pearce E-mail: jenny_taihape@hotmail.com