The discipline you have probably never heard of that is taking Australian Pony Club riders worldwide

Main image: The Pony Club Australia team at the 2024 Pony Club International Quiz Exchange.

This article is proudly brought to you by Ranvet.

The strengthening ties of the Pony Club International Alliance have opened a myriad of opportunities for riders to reach an international level and represent Pony Club Australia on the world stage. After the excitement of hosting last year’s exchange, perhaps you have heard of Mounted Games, maybe even Tetrathlon as the Australian team currently embarks on an exchange to Ireland and the UK – but have you ever heard of Quiz?

Quiz is a discipline that is still only young in Australia. It was first hosted at the Pony Club Australia (PCA) National Championships in 2017, with Junior and Senior Team competitions being held at the subsequent 2019, 2021 and 2023 Nationals. In 2021 and 2023, the increased popularity of the discipline also invited individual competition at a national level. This introduction sprung from a unique invite from Pony Club Canada for Australia to participate in the 2017 Pony Club International Alliance Quiz Exchange.

Across the global world of Pony Club, the Quiz discipline is strongly practiced and developed in Canada, United States and the United Kingdom. It has evolved from the Pony Club syllabus of learning, which is a guide for the development of rider’s expertise both in and out of the saddle, practiced globally at Pony Club Rally Days.

We spoke to the 2024 Australian Quiz Team Captain, Sharne Haskins, to find out more.

To introduce yourself, provide us with a brief summary of your pony club story.

Pony Club has been a tremendous part of my equestrian career having been a member of Londonderry Pony Club NSW since 2004. I have worked my way “up the ranks” so to speak, competing at Club level, progressing to Zone, State, Royal and then National and International. Whilst I am predominantly a show and dressage rider, Pony Club has allowed me to do a bit of everything: Formal Gymkhana, Mounted Games, Horsemanship, Musical Ride, and Team of Four, just to name a few. All my horses have come to Pony Club with me, and we’ve been able to travel the country representing our club/state, which has certainly made a lot of treasured memories. In 2022 I was named the Pony Club Australia Senior Rider of the Year, which was a great honour.

Back at Londonderry Pony Club, I spend most rally days instructing and am also the Vice President and Publicity Officer on our dedicated committee of volunteers.

What was your first experience with Quiz?

I had funnily enough read about Quiz in an article PCA had done in a magazine. It was introducing the discipline and promoting its national and international level opportunities as they were seeking applications for the upcoming Canada trip at the time. That article basically started the whole idea for me that, hey, I could go on an exchange and represent PCA for this! The first step was of course representing your state, so I applied to NSW when the Nationals applications came out, and a few months later got named on the team. This made my very first Quiz experience at the 2017 PCA Nationals in Toowoomba QLD – the first time they had ever hosted Quiz in Australia! At this competition we competed for a team championship with states putting forward a Junior (under 17) and Senior (17-25 years) team.

What has been your Quiz journey to make it to international level?

It really started all back in 2017! I was adamant that the next international opportunity that came up, I wanted to be ready with an application that basically couldn’t be denied. We don’t quite have the local or state level Quiz competitions available in my area, so I just did as much learning and experience-gaining as I could. I got my instructors certificate, worked up to my B Certificate and attended as many regional schools as I could. The opportunity then popped up in early 2020 to apply for the Quiz Exchange hosted by the UK; I applied but of course the unfolding circumstances of that year meant the exchange never went head in person. The opportunity then popped up to participate virtually in 2021, and yes you guessed it, I applied again! This virtual exchange was hosted by Canada and was a great exposure to the international style and level of questions; Canada is very good and very developed in Quiz! In 2022 Australia hosted another virtual quiz challenge, and I was fortunate to be selected again on this team.

Come 2023 the UK hosted another virtual format, but on this occasion the Australian team (which eventuated as the 2024 exchange team!) all met up in Melbourne and competed from the same location. This gave it a whole new feel, as I am sure we have all come to know, Zoom isn’t the most reliable, so we got to work a lot more collaboratively. I also was appointed Captain, which came with a new skill set to develop. It was at the end of this competition they let the secret slip that 2024 would be in person in the US! Pretty much from that exact second the whole team looked at each other and celebrated. We applied to PCA for the position and the rest is history!

What level do you compete at in Quiz?

In Quiz, you compete at your certificate level, with the opportunity in some phases to compete at a certificate level one, or two above, to gain bonus points. For example, I have my B Certificate, so I could answer B level questions for standard points, answer an A level question for one level up points, or answer two A-level questions for double points (since A is the highest ranking).

What are the phases? Do you do them as a team or individual?

There are a whole range of phases. In this year’s exchange we completed five phases:

1. Written – done as individual. This is a standard phase for all Quiz competitions and involves a 30-45 minute exam. It is up to the host on what content and style the exam may take, but for the majority of occasions, it will be a mix of multiple choice, match the answer and short answer responses.

2. Classroom – done as an individual. Some competitions may allow you to confer a question with your team for half points. This is perhaps the most daunting phase of Quiz, as one by one you stand up in front of the classroom and respond to a question provided by the classroom master. The captain of each team will answer first for each team and a round is complete once every competitor has answered one question. Depending on the size of the classroom group you may do anywhere between 3-6 rounds.

3. Mega Room – done as an individual. Tables are set up with 10 items, each with a theme, such as type of jumps, or types of bits/strapping. There are either pictures, models or examples of the item you must identify on your answer sheet. You have a few minutes at each table before rotating to the next table, and there may be up to 10 tables in the phase.

4. Stations – done as a team. This phase usually has everyone laughing by the end. There are 10 stations which can host a wide range of challenges. Everything from charades to building bridles can come out in the phase and is a lot of fun.

5. Barn – done as a team and individual. This phase can involve more hands-on challenges. For example, in the international challenge we had a team station where we had to build a grid and another where we had to hook up a float. Individual stations may range to veterinary activities like taking vital signs and bandaging, or even feed room challenges such as feed identification. There can be between 8-10 stations, with at least two of those being completed as a team, and the remainder answered individually by each team member.

Whilst lots of phases involve individual scores, they are all pooled together to form the team score for the phase and overall. In a team of four, the lowest score in each phase will be dropped.

What type of preparation did you do for Quiz?

My preparation for Quiz has certainly looked different over the years. For the first couple of times, especially when I was still in high school/university, I studied very similarly to how I did for an exam. Whilst I still do brush up on things, all the work I did back then in creating my original notes, flash cards, drawings etc. makes it much easier to revise now. There is of course also an element of things you just come to know! I have grown up in Pony Club and now instruct, so rules and gear are something I am always learning and unintentionally revising!

The same goes for experiences; I was always confident with vet care and breeding because I’ve grown up on a Thoroughbred stud and had those hands-on experiences, in my university degree we did a lot of biology/behavioral science, so I developed that level of knowledge there, and of course now, with my role at Ranvet, I have an extended knowledge in nutrition. So, whilst there are always parts that you revise and do have to put in the study for, a lot of it does just come from what you have experienced! Pony Club in the last five years has progressed so greatly in promoting theory knowledge, and providing a plethora of resources, and that will only continue to improve, making the process easier for new Quiz enthusiasts again no doubt!

What was involved with preparing for an international trip?

When it comes to an international trip the study certainly involves an element of “what do they do in that country”. Our team did an online study session every fortnight for the six months leading up to the trip. We prepared sessions and quizzes on different topics for example, we knew that Western disciplines, gear and horse breeds were something that was going to have a much larger emphasis in the US than here in Australia, so we would devote sessions to covering those bases. In terms of getting ready for the trip itself, Pony Club Australia and our International Coordinator Michelle, had everything sorted for us. We got spoiled with awesome uniforms and arranged a few extra goodies to bring along (such as Ripples our mascot), but other than that, we just had to show up to the right airport at the right time! Once we landed in Kentucky pretty much everything from food to our itinerary and transport was all taken care of by the host country. It took a great deal of stress off everyone and made for a very enjoyable trip.

What surprised you most about Quiz in the international setting?

Even though we are all a part of “Pony Club”, each country still has its own interpretation of things. For example, a piece of strapping we call one thing may be referred to as something totally different by the USA, and different again in Canada. It was extremely fascinating to learn how other countries identify, use and approach all ranges of equipment and activities. And whilst things may end up with five different names, there is a vast majority of things that are universal, and this did have a uniting power to it!

What is your advice to riders wanting to get involved in Quiz?

Every seized opportunity is another point for your application (and often a great deal of fun)! There are so many opportunities to not only learn but develop skills that can strengthen your participation in the Quiz discipline. These activities may range from theory based, such as online courses or podcasts, to practical based, such as gaining a job or even work experience in the horse industry.

Working on your certificate progression at your club level, and even applying to become a Pony Club coach, will provide you with even more resources that all feed into Quiz. I also recommend trying new things! Sometimes the best (and easiest) way to learn is by getting involved – if you don’t know much about a certain discipline, give it a try or even shadow someone competing in that discipline. Heading over to the US, we knew we were going to potentially face a lot of Western Riding and Reining questions; I didn’t know much about the discipline or gear, so I reached out to friends that did and learnt hands on!

When can we expect the next International Quiz Exchange?

The Pony Club International Alliance (PCIA) and the adjoining Youth Committee have been extremely supportive of the Quiz discipline and developing it into an exchange that is as highly regarded as disciplines such as Mounted Games, that have such a steeped history on the International Pony Club stage. At this time, Quiz is operating on a four-year cycle, with virtual competitions for three years, and exchange in the fourth year.

Quiz is an extremely accessible discipline, so hosting the challenge virtually does invite the chance for more opportunities to compete! I believe through the amazing work of the PCIA and Youth Advisory Council, this cycle will be elevated to every two years, with virtual hosted on odd numbered years, and in person exchanges every other year. Pony Club Australia always provides up to date information on international trips, but it’s never too early to start working on your resume!

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This article was written in conjunction with Ranvet.