First Panama National Equestrian Competition

The Club Ecuestre Metroplitano (Metropolitan Equestrian Club) located at the old La Huaca Club in Clayton is sponsoring Panama's first national equestrian competition. The event will take place Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28 starting at 8:30 am each day. Riders interested in competing must email irmalangman@cableonda.net no later than Tuesday, March 23. Cost of entry will be $25. Despite this being Panama's first national competition there is a long history of equestrian clubs in Panama in the old Canal Zone.

From as far back as 1930 there were stables and riding clubs on both the Atlantic and Pacific ends of the Panama Canal Zone. The Atlantic side had the following stables:

Atlantic Riding Club
Brazos Brook Private stable
Ft. Randolph Riding Club
Ft. Sherman Stables
Gatun Saddle Club
Mindi Acres.

The Pacfic Side had the following;

Albrook Riding Club
Civa Civa Stable
Ft. Clayton Saddle Club
Gamboa Stable
Howard/Kobbe Riding Club
Pacific Saddle Club
Summit Stable

The largest stable was at Fort Clayton. This is the club that has now become the Metropolitan Equestrian Club and is sponsoring the first national competition. Although the club was the largest in the zone it was built within an old warehouse. It had solid sand footing in the arena and more than 25 stalls.The old club faced a large pasture surrounded by ancient trees.

For those interested in the history of Panama riding clubs from the old Canal Zone visit the Canal Zone Horsemen web site at http://www.bulldancers.com/czha/home.html. Historic information and photos are from that site.