© Pony Club Australia

By Equestrian Life

For many of us, a life with horses began with Pony Club. A familiar starting point for many riders in Australia and across the world, it’s been — and remains — a place to cultivate a young rider’s interest and skills, and a springboard to greater achievements.

Today, Pony Club Australia celebrates its 80th anniversary!

The first Australian pony club rally was held on the 20th of May, 1939 by Mrs Marjory Hirst and her family. The rally was held in the Soldiers’ Memorial Park in Ingleburn, New South Wales. Pony Club Australia has since grown into a successful national organisation that has given so much to its members over the past 80 years.

Throughout the month of May, Pony Clubs around the country have been encouraged to celebrate the milestone. Pony Club Australia CEO Dr Catherine Ainsworth said it was hoped many of the country’s 800 Pony Clubs and 40,000 members would be taking part, with a birthday cake at their May rally or lesson day.

“On this day some clubs will also be acknowledging the contribution of longstanding members and supporters, with Pony Club Australia presenting commemorative certificates to our ‘Living Legends’, anyone aged 80 years or over this year,” she said.

“Clubs will be sending in photos of the day and we are also giving prizes for the best birthday cakes.”

Pony Club provides a great grounding for young riders and has helped launch the riding careers of Australia’s best international riders, including our equestrian Olympians such as Gill Rolton, who bravely remounted Peppermint Grove after falling on the cross country at the Atlanta Olympics (1996) and continued with a broken collarbone and ribs, to help ensure Australia’s team gold medal. One of her teammates, fellow gold medallist Wendy Schaeffer, was riding her Pony Club mount Sunburst, whom she had taken right through to the highest level of competition.

Pony Clubs around the country have evolved over the years, for example there are now opportunities to compete internationally and even take part in events such as tetrathlon, however the basic principles remain unchanging: Pony Club is about bringing people together to learn and enjoy the companionship created by a mutual love of horses. On this special day we wish to congratulate Pony Club Australia on this extraordinary milestone, and congratulate those who are, or who ever have been involved in Pony Club Australia. What an amazing 80 years it has been — and no doubt many more to come!

Grab the latest issue of Equestrian Life Magazine to read more about this special milestone.

You can find out more about what’s in the latest issue here.

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