A Tivyside Pony Club member will represent not only his own Club, but the UK at the Tetrathlon International Championships in Carolina, America this July writes Anwen Francis.
Adam Carlile, 19, elder son of Tim and Melanie, was selected following a rigours application procedure to become a member of this prestigious team. His dream of becoming Team Captain was later realised and he will lead his other three team members to hopeful glory.
Adam, an apprentice with Morgan Jones Horseboxes near Lampeter has been a member of the Tivyside Pony Club since he was seven years old, and took to tetrathlon like a duck to water. Tetrathlon consists of a four minute run, a 10 metre shoot with an air pistol, running 3000 metres and riding a cross country consisting of around 20 fences.
And taking part in such a competition requires dedication and fitness.
“I do my running training with Rhys Harries and swim regularly at Crymych Leisure Centre and have shooting practice with Robin Pilcher of Cenarth. John Kelman from Carmarthen also coaches me with the shooting side of things. Louise Lewis and Andrea Phillips, the Area 18 instructor prepared me for my Pony Club B Test which I had to have before I applied to be on the team,” said Adam.
Adam usually rides his own horse Sir Lancelot, an Anglo Arab bred by his grandmother Daphne Carlile, but when he gets to Carolina, he will be given a new horse to ride – one that he has never seen or ridden before.
“Lance is a great horse and he’s helped me achieve so much. I rode him when I captained the Welsh Team to victory in 2015 at the UK Regional Tetrathlon and it will be very strange to have another ride in Carolina where I pick my mount out of a hat,” said Adam who is grateful to all individuals and companies that have sponsored him for his journey.
But it hasn’t all been glory for Adam and Sir Lance, as 2016 saw Lance needing emergency surgery having suffered with colic.
“I am so grateful to Cotts Equine for saving his life! He has made a full recovery and we are back competing as normal. If it wasn’t for them and Priory Vets, Lance wouldn’t have made it and I wouldn’t have been selected for Team GB,” explained Adam.
A former Cilgerran and Preseli School pupil, Adam, who has been on the Welsh Tetrathlon Team for six years, will travel with his team mates, consisting of Jack Stephens and Toby Johnson from Wales and George Budden from England for the two and a half week adventure of a lifetime. They will compete against teams from America, Canada and Australia.
“I just want everyone to do well. I’m encouraging the boys to train as hard as they can so we can get good scores. I’m in regular contact with them and encouraging them to train as we only get one chance out there,” said Adam.
Amanda Adams, District Commissioner of the Tivyside Pony Club said: Adam Carlile has been a member of Tivyside Pony Club for a few years and tetrathlon has been and is his passion.
“For Adam to have been selected to be part of the GB team is a huge honour but to have also been elected to be the Captain is the biggest accolade of all.
It is just reward for all the hard training and commitment that makes a good tetrathlete.”
Adam is sponsored by: Alun Williams Construction, Cotts Farm Equine Vets, Cardi Builders, Mark Jukes Storage, Trewern Farm and Hafod Farm, Rhoshill with donations from Area 18 Tetrathlon Committee and support from the Tivyside Pony Club. Cilgerran School has also held a fundraising no uniform day.
