What We Do
Pony Club is an international organization for youth between the ages of 7 and 21. The underlying purpose is expressed in its motto - “Loyalty, Character, Sportsmanship”. The Guelph Pony Club belongs to the Western Ontario Region commonly called WOR. Pony Club encourages young people to ride, but also teaches the specifics of horsemanship i.e. the care and maintenance of horses and ponies from the ground up.
MEMBERSHIP
The fee to join the Guelph Pony Club for the 2011 year is $152 and $122 for each additional child in your family. Each clubber will also need to hold a 2011 Ontario Equestrian Federation Membership which costs $50. Our membership drive starts at our GPC Annual Banquet in November.
EDUCATION
Guelph Pony Club is active January through November. From January to April there are regular horsemanship meetings where members learn about a variety of equine topics in a small group setting or via field trips. There are two areas of education called Junior Horsemanship (7-12) and Senior Horsemanship (13-21). All Guelph Pony Clubbers must attend 60 % of the horsemanship meetings in their age group in order to participate in testing and Regional riding activities.
TESTING
All Canadian Pony Club members can test through four progressive levels. When anyone joins Pony Club, they are considered to be at the E Level and can 'test up.' Testing is offered by the Guelph Pony Club in the spring and fall. All pony club tests consist of a written portion, stable management, and a riding portion with a passing mark of 65% or higher. For 2011, a D-D2 level test will cost $35.00 and a C-C1 level test will cost $50.00. Testing is a great opportunity for all ages of Pony Clubbers to learn new equine skills and demonstrate their riding ability. More information about the Pony Club testing process can be found at the Canadian Pony Club website at www.canadianponyclub.org under the Education and Testing link.
SUBSIDY AND SUPPORT
The Guelph Pony Club is committed to supporting our clubbers in the development of their riding skills. At the discretion of the Guelph Branch Executive, the club coffers subsidize the following riding activities:
- Guelph Pony Club sanctioned riding lessons
- GPC and WOR riding clinics
- Travel expenses outside of the Region (see Travel Subsidy Form)
- CPC testing expenses
If you have any questions related to seeking subsidy for a Guelph Pony Clubber, please inquire with your Branch DC prior to the event or activity in order to receive consideration.
REGIONAL EVENTS
There are a number of Regional events or competitions throughout the Western Ontario Region (refer to the Parent Information Form - WOR for further details) for Guelph Pony Clubbers to attend as follows:
Quiz: A one day event without horses where clubbers compete in teams to test their equine knowledge
Tetrathlon: A competition in May that includes riding, swimming, air pistol target shooting and running
Prince Philip Mounted Games:Commonly known as PPG, this event takes place every July where clubbers in small teams compete in various games on horseback and the laughter always ensues! Click on PPG Overview for Guelph Pony Clubbers – 2011 for more details.
Dressage: A one day event in July whereby clubbers can test their skills on the flat
Show Jumping: A one day event in July where pony and rider are put to their jumping test
Rally: A fabulous opportunity in August to participate in a horse trial type activity whereby riders demonstrate their ability to complete tests in the areas of dressage, stadium and cross country
Le TREC: New to Western Ontario Region in 2010, this is a great opportunity in the Fall to learn about orienteering and team work on horseback
VOLUNTEERING
Members' parents are also asked to volunteer their time towards running branch activities.
We attempt to keep annual fees low and participation costs to a minimum in order to encourage all members to take part. However, this necessitates a certain contribution of time and effort from the parents. Horse knowledge and skill are not prerequisites for parental involvement.
We welcome all efforts in whatever direction the individual is most comfortable contributing. Members may choose to participate in as many or as few mounted activities as their schedules allow. New members are encouraged to attend any events and practices of all the disciplines, even when not themselves participating, to get an idea of the fun involved, and to cheer their club mates on!
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