Pony Club believes that our Alumni are our greatest achievement, and our investment toward assuring a strong, vibrant equestrian culture in the future.
Pony Club Alumni can be found all over the world, in show rings, veterinary practices, boardrooms and classrooms, gracing Olympic podiums or shoeing horses in your neighborhood barn. They are coaches, teachers, executives, law officers, parents and citizens just like you.
They are the people who are making a difference by giving back to their communities through the same volunteerism that was part of their formative journey. But they all share a common experience and that is the lifelong connection to the Pony Club family.
With clubs operating in 27 countries around the globe, Pony Club Alumni have friends and peers wherever they go. Many lifelong friendships have had their roots in the shared journey that is Pony Club.
Temperance Lake
1979-87
I loved Pony Club! I made alot of friends - some I still have today. It was a great way to have fun and learn all about horses. My daughter is turning 6yrs old this spring, and is showing an interest in riding. I am going to sign her up this year.
Grand River
1973- 1978
Pony Club was Great Fun, and a terrific opportunity to learn, and to meet wonderful people. As a result of the mostly -parent volunteers, who so generously donated their time, I followed their example and continued to volunteer my time for almost 20 years too, being a club D.C., local, regional and national examiner, and pony club Mom. The highlight was probably being allowed to be chaperone-coach for the 1987 Western Ont. Team at National Rally in Kelowna, B.C. Many other memories abound, including many education and testing conferences in Winnipeg in winter, and tests and camp in summer...also in Friendly Manitoba. P.P.G. was also one of my favourite haunts! Pony Club offered some fantastic opportunities to travel this great country of ours, and to meet some of the best people! My last involvement was in 1997 when I was in the midst of a farm/stable move, and loaned ponies for games competition. Since then I have just been too busy,moving on to 4-H and other things, but occassionally I bump into some-one from those fabulous years, and it's like home-coming. Keep up the great work Pony Clubbers!! Sincerely, Barb Salens
London
1991-2000
tetrathlon baby... we lived for it!!!
Battle River
1996-2000
Renfrew
1962
Assinaboine
1972-1979
Went to Jokers Hill for an A/B Canadian Rally with my team from Manitoba. Personally didn't do particularly well. My horse went lame before the first event so I borrowed a horse. Remember going to Moffat Dunlap's for a reception. Having my first roller coaster ride at the CNE. I still hate them to this day. I was a regional C and D tester and clinic giver for many years. I travelled through out Manitoba meeting terrific horse people.
clearwater valley
1987-1999
Brooks Pony Club
1982
I was in Pony Club several years and loved every minute of it. We had Liz Keith as an instructor and we used her outdoor arena for dressage and her quarter of land to create a cross-country course. She organized a Pony Club camp every summer for a month and I remember our parents building jumps, painting and hauling us all over the place (especially Rolling Hills) for the horse shows all summer long.
Maple Ridge B.B
1986
High County/Albion
? to 1989
Bluewater
1993 - 2002
Grand River
1985-1987
I enjoyed my time learning and playing PPG with the Pony Club. Going to the CNE to compete with PPG was definatley a hi-light. All in all I would say Pony Club does a fantastic job teaching children how to respect, care for and love their four legged friends. I only wish some kept the best interest of the kids in mind. I did find some parents petty and judgemental of others. It can be difficult for kids to hear adults gossiping about them. I always wanted to be able to say something about that and have taken this oppurtunity to do so. I do wish you happy anniversary and keep up the good work of educating the youngsters.!
Mt Cheam,Orion,Grove
1987-1995
For the people who do not Know me I am Vic Thomas daughter. He was the National Chair person in P.C before 1993.
Prince County
1985-1989
London
1986-1991
I had the most fun doing Tetrathlon and Quiz
Ottawa Valley Hunt
1982
When I joined Pony Club I was at the limit of being a member. I was disappointed I couldn't stay a member and go further than D but I had no horse of my own at the time nor a driver's license to get myself to lessons/activities. I always wished there was a Pony Club for adults so that I could continue the levles. Now I have my own little girl & I'm hoping that she will be able to enjoy what I wasn't able to. I'm schooling my gelding so that she can use him in all the PC activities she desires.
In Brandon MB, can't recall the name, we rode out of the Horseshoe Stables in Brandon.
Somewhere between 1968 and 1972
I recall attending a D Rally in Winnipeg. I was the Stable Manager because my horse would not jump the heights required. We were billeted overnight in Winnipeg with families of other Pony Club members. I don't remember what stable the Rally was held at. None of us owned proper pillow wraps so we went to the local drug store to purchase disposable diapers to use. I can still remember the look we got from the clerk... a group of young teen-age girls buying packages of disposable diapers in the largest size available, explaining 'It's for my horse.' The wraps did the trick though because there was an accident with the horse trailer on the way into Winnipeg but only minor injuries suffered by the horses, who were still able to compete. I didn't even own any English tack except an eggbutt snaffle that I had to buy in order to ride in the lessons. Talk about 4 hooves and no brakes... I guess I had spoiled my horse's mouth with a curb bit when I first got him. Usually I rode Western in a mechanical hackamore and he was light as a feather in that, but boy, that snaffle was next to useless. I rode in a cheapie close contact saddle that belonged to the stable. It was a wooden pancake covered in leather! You had to learn a good seat just to survive. I still have my Pony Club pin, my Manual of Horsemanship (both of which I have seen on EBay for about $8 each if I wanted to get rich quick) and that infamous eggbutt snaffle. I use it on my current horse and he loves it, light as a feather in the mouth... so I can thank Pony Club for teaching me how to ride with more sensitive hands, and also a wealth of valuable information about how to care for my equine friends.
Tynedale PC (Aurora ON)
1980-1987
Bearspaw, AB
30 yrs ago
I'd like to thank the Pony Club for providing a horse crazy teenager with instruction and opportunities that my parents would not have otherwise been able to afford. I still have my pony club manuals. I am now a middle aged adult who still rides and currently owns two horses. I still show occasionally (dressage) and I utilize the skills and knowledge I gained in Pony Club every day.
Nanaimo Pony Club
1976-1985?
Rothesay, New Brunswick (RBPC)
1972 - 1983
I was on the New Brunswick team for the National Rally twice: 1980 at Joker's Hill, Ont and 1982 at Kemptville, Ont.
Langley
1976
Still involved with Pony Club after all these years!!
Kelowna
1976-1978
I was only in Pony Club for a couple of years but I still use some of the knowledge I learned way back then, today. I was very fortunate in having a couple of fabulous instructors in Mrs Dunbar and Jody Sloper. Jody and I locked horns constantly over my resusal to school lower jumps at a slower speed and I sure wouldn't admit it then but by god, she was right! My love for horses never went away and today I am a farrier. I still ride (not as fast and not over many fences) and my daughter, Erin Sowerby Greene, is in the Langley Pony Club and will test B level in 2009.
Mt.Cheam
1982-1988
Joined Mt.Cheam Pony Club in 1982. Have taught riding lessons and stable management from then until present. I represented BC at National Rally in 1987. Became the DC of Mt.Cheam in September 1996 - and currently still DC !!! Live and breathe pony club daily, great organization to be part of.
Rusty Spurs Pony Club
1994-5
Queen Margaret's School
1974-75
Westbrook, and then Horizon
95-2006
Sturgeon Valley
1991-present
I am a pony club Mom and now just a pony club volunteer. I have made alot of friends and learned alot about horses from my years in pony club. It is a very rewarding experience and even though my daughter has been out of pony club since 2003, I have still been a DC, Regional Chair and Regional Membership Chair.
Springbank
1961-1977
Springbank
Long time ago
Strathcona
1975-77
Clearwater Valley
1974-78
My team mates: Melanie Jacobi, Cindy Wright(Therrien), Karen LaCriox. Rally, Show jumping, PPG,Quiz.The best memories of my childhood came from Pony Club. No question in my mind, when my daughters started riding which young rider program they would be involved in!
Charlottetown
1974-1986?
Pony Club was a great experience for me. I have fond memories of our early instructors, especially Valerie Paton, and our camp weeks in the summer at the Pony Club barn in Winsloe. I was on the N.B./P.E.I. Regional team at 3 different National Rallies in the mid 80's which definitely was my highlight. My daughter now has joined the Charlottetown Pony Club. We both ride together in our spare time, which is so special.
Mission Hills
1995-1997
ally was a great experience...we met so many wonderful people!!
Strathcona Pony Club ?
1981-1985