Emily Marshall
Age: 15
Pony Club: Ararat Pony Club, Victoria
Pony Club Journey:
Q: What do you enjoy most about Pony Club?
A: I enjoy spending time with people who have the same interests as me and making friends with people of all ages.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your time in Pony Club that has had a significant impact on you?
A: The most memorable achievement I’ve had in pony club was in 2019, during state mounted games. The last race of the day was stepping stones, and I was the last and youngest rider on my team. Riding my little grey pony, Dee, I vaulted on her and won the race for the team, going against faster and bigger horses. This moment gave me motivation that – no matter what circumstance’s I’m given – the time you take to practice will always come to help you prevail, even under pressure.
Heading to China:
Q: Why did you decide to nominate for the China exchange trip, and what inspired you to take part in this international opportunity?
A: I decided to nominate for the China Exchange Trip because, ever since I started Pony Club, I knew I wanted to go on a trip where I got to display my riding and the techniques I’ve learnt.
Q: What excites you most about the upcoming China exchange trip, and what are you hoping to experience or learn while you’re there?
A: The thing that excites me the most about the trip is that I’ll meet people from an entire different country that may have different perspectives or ideals in the horse world. What I’m hoping to experience in China are different cultures and equine knowledge that I can possibly bring back and share to people in Ararat Pony Club and the Midland Zone.
Q: Can you share any goals or challenges you’ve set yourself during the exchange, either in riding or immersing yourself in a new culture?
A: The main goals I’ve set myself while in China is to teach someone at least one new thing they don’t know about riding, and to gain first hand knowledge of the cultural heritage of Pony Club China.
Q: Are there any specific cultural aspects of China that you’re eager to explore during the trip, either related to Pony Club or in general?
A: It will be interesting to see the similarities and possible differences in the schooling system in China and Australia.
Q: What do you hope to bring back to your Pony Club community after the exchange, whether it’s new knowledge, skills or perspectives?
A: I’m hoping to bring back a new perspective of the equine world to my pony club community, with hope that I gain skills and knowledge of something I wouldn’t have learnt in Ararat Pony Club that I can then share.
Amy Bennett
Age: 16
Pony Club: Merricks Pony Club, Victoria
Pony Club Journey:
Q: What do you enjoy most about Pony Club?
- Making new friends during Pony Club rallies and at Pony Club events, and seeing them at Pony Club rallies or events and hanging out with them.
- Learning new skills that I can do with my horse at Pony Club rallies.
- Going to a Pony Club rally and having fun!.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your time in Pony Club that has had a significant impact on you?
A: Riding in PCA Nationals for Victoria. It had an impact on what I can achieve in Pony Club, that I can achieve great things if I put in the work. “If you keep showing up, good things might happen.”
Heading to China:
Q: Why did you decide to nominate for the China exchange trip, and what inspired you to take part in this international opportunity?
A: I decided to nominate myself for the China exchange trip because it seemed like a opportunity of a lifetime, and to experience a different culture and make lasting memories and it will help me with my B certificate.
Q: What excites you most about the upcoming China exchange trip, and what are you hoping to experience or learn while you’re there?
A: I’m exciting to go overseas for the first time and explore a new culture, and see how they manage their horses over there and what the China Pony club does. I’m hoping to learn all kinds of new things, and I can’t wait to experience everything that has been offered to us over in China
Q: Can you share any goals or challenges you’ve set yourself during the exchange, either in riding or immersing yourself in a new culture?
Goal: To have fun and experience many different things as possible in China.
Challenge: Be more outgoing
Q: Are there any specific cultural aspects of China that you’re eager to explore during the trip, either related to Pony Club or in general?
- Food from the local Provence
- China Pony Club
- Aspects of horse care
Q: What do you hope to bring back to your Pony Club community after the exchange, whether it’s new knowledge, skills or perspectives?
A: New knowledge from what I will learn in China and how horse riding works in China.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I think it’s just important to keep applying and to keep working hard and great stuff like this China exchange can happen! It’s very important to be teachable and keep learning.
Emily Hudak
Age: 15
Pony Club: Seville Pony Club, Victoria
Pony Club Journey:
Q: What do you enjoy most about Pony Club?
A: The friendships i have made, giving my horse exposure to different disciplines, being a role model to the younger riders. .
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your time in Pony Club that has had a significant impact on you?
A: Being nominated and winning Pony Club Australia Rider Of The Year 2023
Heading to China:
Q: Why did you decide to nominate for the China exchange trip, and what inspired you to take part in this international opportunity?
A: The cultural experience.
Q: What excites you most about the upcoming China exchange trip, and what are you hoping to experience or learn while you’re there?
A: I’m excited to be able to ride in another country, build new friendships with the team and members of China Pony Club. I’m hoping to learn how competitions run over in China.
Q: Can you share any goals or challenges you’ve set yourself during the exchange, either in riding or immersing yourself in a new culture?
A: To perform at my best on horses that I don’t know.
Q: Are there any specific cultural aspects of China that you’re eager to explore during the trip, either related to Pony Club or in general?
A: The different type of foods.
Q: What do you hope to bring back to your Pony Club community after the exchange, whether it’s new knowledge, skills or perspectives?
A: Sharing the experience and the enjoyment of the trip.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I am very grateful to have been selected and to have this opportunity.
Tess Musgrave
Age: 16
Pony Club: Wirlinga Pony Club, New South Wales
Pony Club Journey:
Q: What do you enjoy most about Pony Club?
A: My favourite part about pony club is all the friendships that you make along the way. You make friends from all around and weather you see them at just the one event a year or every weekend you just pick up where you left off. And some of those friendships last a lifetime.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your time in Pony Club that has had a significant impact on you?
A: PCNSW state camp is both a memorable moment and achievement for me. I was selected into eventing the last 2 years and I can’t decide what year I liked more. The friendships, tutoring from top coaches, memorable moments and friendships formed there will always be something I cherish.
Heading to China:
Q: Why did you decide to nominate for the China exchange trip, and what inspired you to take part in this international opportunity?
A: I thought that it would be an incredible once in a lifetime opportunity. I thought that it would be something that I would really enjoy and it would be amazing to experience what life is like over there. It would be an incredible achievement for my riding and lead to greater things in the future.
Q: What excites you most about the upcoming China exchange trip, and what are you hoping to experience or learn while you’re there?
A: It’s hard to pick one thing that excites me the most because I’m looking forward to every aspect of the trip. I think that the cultural experience and change will be amazing as I’ve never been overseas and it will be interesting to see how they live compared to us. I would like to make new connections with those from other countries and those on my team as well.
Q: Can you share any goals or challenges you’ve set yourself during the exchange, either in riding or immersing yourself in a new culture?
A: I would love to try as many aspects of the new culture as I can because you only live once so you might as well try everything, even if you think you won’t like it. With my riding I can’t wait to ride the new horses over there and coach the other kids. I would also like to win the competition as well although that isn’t my number 1 priority.
Q: Are there any specific cultural aspects of China that you’re eager to explore during the trip, either related to Pony Club or in general?
A: Just their culture in general because I don’t know to much about it. I’d also like to see what they do differently at pony club over there compared to what we do here.
Q: What do you hope to bring back to your Pony Club community after the exchange, whether it’s new knowledge, skills or perspectives?
A: I would like to bring back any new skills I learn and teach it to those at my local club. If they do anything differently at pony club over there that I think we could benefit from back at home I would love to bring that back here and try it.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I have been riding since I was 6 and it has always been a huge part of my life. I compete in a huge range of disciplines such as SJ, Dressage, Eventing, Team penning, Campdrafting, Stockman’s Challenges and Working Equitation. All of these disciplines I do on my one horse called Charlie, who is a 10 year old Quarter Horse. When I get back from my trip I will pick up my new OTT, who I am so excited to train up as an eventer. I have always worked hard at my riding, especially not coming from a horsey family, so I’ve had to learn and navigate a lot of things myself. It’s super rewarding when all of my hard work pays of, especially when that means I get to do an experience like this one. When I grow up I would love to go and work on a station up north for a bit. Then start my own racing and performance horse business with the main goal being the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Feel free to support me by following my Instagram @tessmusgrave_equestrian
Rebecca Ham (Coach)
Age: 38
Pony Club: Many! I am Chief Instructor at Tooradin Dalmore Pony Club, coach monthly at Cranbourne Pony Club as well as Cockatoo PC, Nar Nar Goon PC, Phillip Island PC, Loch-Nyora PC, Pakenham PC and others!
Pony Club Journey:
Q: What do you enjoy most about Pony Club?
A: I love helping riders to grow in their confidence, skills and enjoyment of riding!
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your time in Pony Club that has had a significant impact on you?
A: I’ve assisted any riders go from their first canter to competing up the grades and seeing success on different horses as they have grown. Its a pleasure to be able to help coach these young riders not only for their riding skills but also help them learn about horse care, equitation science and horse management.
Heading to China:
Q: Why did you decide to nominate for the China exchange trip, and what inspired you to take part in this international opportunity?
A: I have taken teams on international trips previously including to China and have very much enjoyed introducing our PCA riders to the riders from China Pony Club and helping them both learn from each other!
Q: What excites you most about the upcoming China exchange trip, and what are you hoping to experience or learn while you’re there?
A: Helping riders to get the most out of the experience of riding borrowed horses and competition is always something that is a great learning curve for them!
Q: Can you share any goals or challenges you’ve set yourself during the exchange, either in riding or immersing yourself in a new culture?
A: It is always fantastic to work with riders from China Pony Club while over there and help them complete their certificates and improve their horse care and management knowledge.
Q: Are there any specific cultural aspects of China that you’re eager to explore during the trip, either related to Pony Club or in general?
A: The horse riding environment is so different in China compared to Australia – with riding centres in all sorts of places!
Q: What do you hope to bring back to your Pony Club community after the exchange, whether it’s new knowledge, skills or perspectives?
A: Helping the riders to have a great experience and learn more about the equestrian environment in China.