Barry Jameson and his team at tri4u have been working with juniors at South Northumberland and Tynedale pony clubs to improve their chances of excelling in tetrathlon and pentathlon.
While they get plenty of practise on their horses during usual club sessions, they have been training with Barry, a world age-group gold medallist triathlete, to help develop their swimming and running skills.
Tetrathlon is a popular pony club game which consists swimming, running, riding and shooting, and South Northumberland produced a national winning team in 2015.
The sport is an early taster for the Olympic sport of the modern pentathlon, which comprises all four disciplines with the addition of fencing.
Barry said: “We coach them to give them better technique, endurance and better skill work, and the aim is to develop these so they can take it to competitions at a grassroots level.
“I don’t get involved in the horse riding or the show jumping at all, but the other disciplines are similar to other sports I coach and the training doesn’t change a great deal, although it is adapted slightly.
“A lot of the group aren’t natural runners as they’re not members of running clubs or Tynedale Harriers. We’re here to help them develop and improve as young, potential athletes within the sport.”
Since working with Barry and coaches at tri4u, the youngsters have noticed a huge difference in their athletic ability and South Northumberland duo William Quinn and Jack Donaldson, and Tynedale’s Jane Collier, qualified for the recebt Winter Triathlon Championships at Bath University.
Working with children from as young as five right up to the age of 17, the team have worked wonders with the pony club members.
Lisa Quinn, of South Northumberland, has coordinated the programme and is delighted with the results.
She said: “All of the children have improved in running and swimming in their competitions, and boosting their fitness levels has also helped their horse riding.
“All of the tetrathlon skills go towards the pentathlon as an Olympic sport, so it is really important they train for all four elements.
“It’s great what he does for them, and he and his son Phil are so great with the children and they make them feel at ease straight away.
“It’s amazing that, since working with them, we have had children selected to go on to compete in the nationals.”
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