A three day rally to take place at Gifford from October 8th-10th marks an important first for East Lothian.
Pony trekking has become big business throughout the country and the increasing number of tourists
coming each year to Scotland means that there is an even greater demand for facilities.

In East Lothian there are three centres - Gifford, Tranent and at Dunbar - and the Gifford organisation
has been selected to run a national Pony Trekking Instructors Course and Rally which will be
attended by people from all over the country.

It is the first time that the national organisers have held such an course in the East of Scotland and the
local promoters - Mr George Tait & Mr Max Muir - are hopeful that the rally will do a lot to publicise
the facilities in East Lothian.

Previously such rallies have been confined to the northern parts of Scotland, but the Lammermuir Hills offer a fine setting for pony trekking and the Gifford stables are confident that they can provide facilities and atmosphere as attractive as any in the country.

The course is for potential pony trekking instructors and while over-all control will remain in the hands of the National Organisers, Messrs Tait and Muir have responsibility for providing ponies and accommodation and selecting a number of alternative routes suitable for the tests the candidates will have to go through.
The Gifford centre has been functioning for three years, starting with eight ponies.
 

The experiment was successful and the project has steadily grown until the present time when there are
16 ponies with full-time staff. Miss Jacqueline Tait (20) Muirton, Drem who is associated
with the Gifford stable will, herself, be taking the course in October.
"It is quite a feather in our cap" said Mr Tait, commenting of the selection of Gifford for the rally.
"We are very pleased to be the first in this part of Scotland to be asked to accommodate an instructors course"