The sound of horses’ hooves
From the days when the weekend sounds of horse’s hooves were not uncommon Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay children rode either along Moana Road or from the Whenua Tapu track on their ponies to here!
Can you identify where and the date of each photo?
1955 possibly Ken Gray at a gymkhana, in the background – The Winstone Pipe works
1999 photo taken as part of the Millennium Project looking south towards what is now Big Mac Slabs
Revealing photo of now from Big Mac Slabs looking north with a view of the front paddock
Map – shows the area split into a front and back paddock
From the early 1950’s to the early 2000’s Plimmerton Pony Club was held in the area shown. On gymkhana days riders used to bring their horses down to the club early on Saturday to be ready for the Sunday’s activities. As the club was situated along SH1 it was always a show stopper when the show jumping started.
Originally set up by the Gray family, the club was very strong during the early 1990’s and was a regular winner of the annual Prince Phillip Games.
By the early part of the 2000’s when the number of riders dropped and pressure came on the club’s use of the grounds with changes to the shape of SH1.
Plimmerton Pony Club then joined with the Pauatahanui Pony Club using their grounds near Pauatahanui village prior to moving up to Battle Hill.
Keen rose gardeners were always willing to clean up after the ponies had been through!
