By Nancy Spoltore
West Tennessee Pony Club (WTPC), affiliate club of the U. S. Pony Club (USPC), sent two members to compete at the Mid- South Regional Tetrathlon Qualifiers in Lexington, Kentucky on June 14-16. Egan and Francesca Spoltore, students at Schilling Middle and Houston High in Collierville, Tennessee, competed in the multi-disciplined event.
Comprised of swimming, running, shooting (10m air pistol) and equestrian riding, Tetrathlon is a unique test of an athlete’s adaptability, endurance, and concentration. The sport maintains a close working relationship with Modern Pentathlon, an Olympic Sport that incorporated fencing as the 5th sport.
In preparing for this qualifier, Egan Spoltore trained with Suzanne Stettinius, a USA Olympic Modern Pentathlete based in Maryland. Egan participated in the Junior Boys Division. He won the running, placed second in swimming and shooting, and then rode his imported Argentinian Warmblood, Saltando Conejo, to a clean jumping round to first place overall!
Francesca Spoltore competed in the Novice Girls Division, in which she outperformed all her competition and placed first in all four disciplines! Francesca rode her pony, SWF Stunt Pilot, to a clean jumping round in the equestrian section of the event.
With their wins at this regional qualifier, both will attend USPC Championships East, July 25-28, in Lexington, Virginia, competing against Tetrathletes from Pony Clubs all over the United States. In addition to Tetrathlon, both Egan and Francesca compete in US Eventing Association Horse Trials throughout the Southeast under the training of international equestrian, Jim Graham.
The USPC develops character, leadership, confidence and a sense of community in youth through a program that teaches the care of horses and ponies, riding and mounted sports in both Western and English disciplines. West Tennessee Pony Club welcomes new members at anytime. For more information, please visit www.westtnponyclub.org.
West Tennessee Pony Club (WTPC), affiliate club of the U. S. Pony Club (USPC), sent two members to compete at the Mid- South Regional Tetrathlon Qualifiers in Lexington, Kentucky on June 14-16. Egan and Francesca Spoltore, students at Schilling Middle and Houston High in Collierville, Tennessee, competed in the multi-disciplined event.
Comprised of swimming, running, shooting (10m air pistol) and equestrian riding, Tetrathlon is a unique test of an athlete’s adaptability, endurance, and concentration. The sport maintains a close working relationship with Modern Pentathlon, an Olympic Sport that incorporated fencing as the 5th sport.
In preparing for this qualifier, Egan Spoltore trained with Suzanne Stettinius, a USA Olympic Modern Pentathlete based in Maryland. Egan participated in the Junior Boys Division. He won the running, placed second in swimming and shooting, and then rode his imported Argentinian Warmblood, Saltando Conejo, to a clean jumping round to first place overall!
Francesca Spoltore competed in the Novice Girls Division, in which she outperformed all her competition and placed first in all four disciplines! Francesca rode her pony, SWF Stunt Pilot, to a clean jumping round in the equestrian section of the event.
With their wins at this regional qualifier, both will attend USPC Championships East, July 25-28, in Lexington, Virginia, competing against Tetrathletes from Pony Clubs all over the United States. In addition to Tetrathlon, both Egan and Francesca compete in US Eventing Association Horse Trials throughout the Southeast under the training of international equestrian, Jim Graham.
The USPC develops character, leadership, confidence and a sense of community in youth through a program that teaches the care of horses and ponies, riding and mounted sports in both Western and English disciplines. West Tennessee Pony Club welcomes new members at anytime. For more information, please visit www.westtnponyclub.org.
