PCA Team

A life with horses starts here

Pony Club Australia business is run day-to-day by a small team of specialists. Meet the team here:

MATT HELMERS, CEO

Matt is a community sport advocate whose passion is to create opportunities for young people from all backgrounds.

He has more than 10 years executive experience leading sporting organisations through growth, including CEO at National level (Skate Australia 2007-2013) and State level (Equestrian Queensland 2014-2018).

He understands the importance of delivering value to members within a federated sporting structure. With experience leading community sport workforces within Government at Commonwealth (Australian Sports Commission-2014) and local level (City of Gold Coast 2021-2023), as well as board experience with a sport industry peak body at state level (QSport 2015-2018), he recognises the importance demonstrating relevance and advocacy at all levels. 

MONIL SHAH, Sports Development Officer

Monil joined the team in 2020. He has a Masters of Sports Management with a strong interest in developing sports from grassroots level and a passion for youth development, increasing participation, and community sports engagement.

He has experience in designing, developing, and managing sports and recreation events for children and young adults along with management experience in Sports Administration, Sports Development, and Sponsorship.

Monil is helping develop the new PCA Participation Strategy and manages the extensive PCA member database which is being upgraded.

SALLY WISEMAN, Participation and Development Manager

Sally Wiseman joined the team in 2021. She has over 20 years’ experience in senior leadership roles within large, consumer-facing multi-national retail, travel, sporting and government organisations. She was the campaign manager for the Gold Coast 2008 Commonwealth Games. She has an undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Business and is part-way through her MBA at Griffith University.

Her passion for horses started in 1984, when Sally joined Mudgeeraba Pony Club in Queensland at eight years of age, riding over an hour each way with her friends to and from each rally day through the local farms. She is a PCANCAS coach and now the Chief Instructor of Mudgeeraba Pony Club. Her two daughters enjoy Pony Club too, mostly riding in gymkhanas, combined training, showjumping and eventing – like their mother who loved eventing too.

Sally is passionate about encouraging children from all backgrounds to enjoy equestrian sport through joining like-minded friends in the grass roots organisation of Pony Club, and sharing the benefits to riders, parents, carers and volunteers.

MICHELLE NEWHAM, Member Services Officer

Michelle joined the team in 2021. Her background is customer service and event management. She has previously worked in the retail equine industry and the racing industry.

She is an NCAS level 1 coach. Michelle is a life member of Londonderry Pony Club where she says she ‘had a go at everything’. An experienced mounted games coach, Michelle managed the NSW Mounted games team for seven years whilst her husband Anthony was the coach. Their four children have grown up with Pony Club ® and competed successfully at State, National and International level and three now work in the horse industry. Michelle took a team of young riders to China Pony Club and traveled to China Pony Club to coach. 

She is passionate about Pony Club ® and the values it instills in members, plus the opportunities  it provides through learning skills, and the friendships.

SUANNE WAUGH, Integrity Manager

Suanne Waugh joined the team in 2022. She started her career as a Health Information Manager however fast realised, that although administration and management was something she enjoyed, the sports industry was a better fit. An AFL SportsReady traineeship proved the perfect springboard to launch a career into the sports industry.

Since completing her studies at Victoria University, Suanne commenced work at Pony Club Victoria. After 20years with the Victorian office she moved to Sports Community for 10mths to work as a Sports Consultant before taking up the role of Integrity Manager at Pony Club Australia.

Suanne is a self professed netball tragic who still loves to get out on the court and occasionally bring home a premiership cup. She has umpired, coached and undertaken volunteer club roles over her netball lifetime. She currently coaches basketball and enjoys watching her children participate in basketball, Aussie Rules and Little Athletics. Suanne often undertakes volunteer role within her local clubs giving her a very rounded understanding of how sport works from club to national level.

BRONWYN WHEATLEY, Marketing and Development Officer

Bronwyn Wheatley joined the team in 2019. She has a background in secondary school English teaching, followed by 15 years as a journalist for her regional town’s newspaper and contributing writer for several magazines. She became Public Relations Manager for Bendigo’s public then private hospitals, handling their communications, public relations, event planning and marketing.

She had her first pony by age 13 and joined Preston Pony Club in Melbourne as a founding member, competing to state level in eventing. Her early riding years involved riding several kilometres to Pony Club and, to get to shows, sharing a Chapman’s Horse Transport with other members who kept their ponies at the same riding school. She also competed in EFA (now EA) dressage and eventing.

She is a life member of Kilmore and District Pony Club where her daughters attended and she was Chief Instructor for several years.

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A life with horses starts here

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