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United States Pony Clubs
4041 Iron Works Parkway
Lexington, KY 40511-8462
Phone:  (859) 254-7669
Fax:  (859) 233-4652

Game Setup:

Three bending poles will be placed 24 to 30’ apart centered between lines A and C.  On the center post will be fixed a container in which will be placed three spare tennis balls.  Riders number one, two, three and four will be behind line A.

Game Play:

Rider number one will carry the tennis racket on which is placed a tennis ball.  On the signal to start, rider number one will ride up and down the line through the bending poles carrying the tennis ball on the racquet.  The tennis ball must not be touched by hand, except when being picked up.  On arrival at the finish line, rider number one will hand the racquet and ball to rider number two, the tennis ball still being untouched by a hand.  Riders number two, three and four will complete the course in the same manner up and down the arena successively.  The winning team will be the one whose rider number four crosses the finish line first with the tennis ball on the racket.

Correction rules:

• Should the tennis ball be dropped, the rider must either pick it up, or collect another from the container on his team’s center post, and resume the course again from the point where the ball was dropped. The ball need not be placed on the racquet until this point is reached.

• Should the ball and/or racquet be dropped over the handoff line either rider may retrieve the ball, mounted or dismounted and place the ball on the racquet of the next rider to go.

• Each racquet will have a colored band around the handle 3” below the head and competitors hands must be behind this band.

Special Tips:

• As with other similar games (Egg & Racket and Golf Ball & Spoon), the rider must ride with control--and not speed--to succeed in this race.

• A controlled pace with the rider in two point position is preferable. A seated trot is too "bouncy" and the rider cannot control the ball. Although a canter is often tried by Advanced riders, they often lose the ball during the deceleration phase near the changeover. More often than not, this race is won by the team who can always maintain control of the ball and the racket without mistakes.

• The rider should handoff the tennis racket to the next rider while carefully turning the racket so as to "present" the handle to his teammate. Care should be taken at all times to keep your hand below the colored band.  See handoff tips.

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