An international tetrathlete, a national quiz champion, a Pony Club coach and a dressage rider with a talent for theory will combine their knowledge for Australia this Sunday.
Amos Vagg, Emmi Kneale, Sarah Willsford and Arery Lawrence have been selected to represent Pony Club Australia in the 2026 Pony Club International Alliance (PCIA) International Virtual Quiz on 4 October, supported by Team Manager and Coach Rachael Edwards.
Hosted online by New Zealand Pony Clubs, the event will bring together teams from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.
There will be plenty to keep competitors thinking. Alongside questions on nutrition, breeding, farriery and pasture management, they will identify equestrian equipment from close-up photographs, spot horse-care mistakes and unravel clues about famous equestrians. Individual scores and ten team rounds will contribute to the overall result.
Four different journeys, one Australian team
For Emmi Kneale, from Peel Metropolitan Pony Club in Western Australia, the selection follows success as part of the winning Junior team at the 2025 PCA National Quiz, where she also achieved strong individual results.
Emmi has recently completed her C* Certificate and is working towards a Certificate III in Trackwork. Riding young horses regularly through her work adds practical experience to the knowledge she brings to the quiz.
But ask Emmi what she loves about Pony Club, and friendships come first: the connections made within her club and across state and national camps and competitions.
Fellow Western Australian Amos Vagg, from Gidgegannup Pony Club, knows how much can come from taking those connections overseas. His tetrathlon experience includes international competitions in Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2024.
A Pony Club member since 2014, Amos has competed in disciplines ranging from gymkhana and ride to time to eventing, quiz and tetrathlon. He has also worked with horses across Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia, gaining experience in endurance, dressage and jumping.
He values Pony Club’s ability to bring together people with different interests and ambitions.
“It has something fun to include all ages and interests in horses,” Amos says.
That breadth of opportunity also resonates with Sarah Willsford, from Brookfield Horse & Pony Club in Queensland. Since joining in 2016, Sarah has grown from a Pony Club rider into a Preliminary Pony Club Coach, with riding and coaching experience across dressage, showjumping and eventing.
She was Queensland’s interschool show horse captain in 2025 and is focusing on retraining off the track horses in 2026. The virtual quiz offers another way to challenge herself, testing her knowledge in a friendly but competitive international setting.
“It has supported me all throughout my horsey journey from a rider to a coach,” Sarah says of Pony Club.
For Arery Lawrence, from Canberra Riding Club Pony Club, affiliated with Pony Club NSW, a love of learning has led to rapid progress through Pony Club’s proficiency certificates. Arery completed the D, D* and C Certificates within six months, followed by the K Certificate a year later.
Over the past three years, Arery has also progressed from Preparatory to Elementary dressage, competing locally and at state championships. Now, the international quiz presents an opportunity to put that theory knowledge to work for Australia.
Trying new things has been an important part of Arery’s Pony Club experience.
“I never would’ve realised what disciplines I am passionate about if I didn’t have the opportunities to try them.”
Knowledge brings them together. Quiz builds the friendships.
Helping four competitors become a team is a familiar task for Rachael Edwards, from Seville Pony Club in Victoria.
Rachael has prepared and managed quiz teams at club competitions, Pony Club Victoria interzone events, PCA National Championships and international competitions. She loves helping riders build their skills and discover just how much fun learning about horses can be.
With a short preparation period, her focus is on getting the team ready to represent Australia while giving its members the chance to get to know one another.
“Quiz is more than the podium finish, it’s about the experience and friendships,” Rachael says.
That spirit carries through to the Country Showcase at the end of the quiz rounds, when each team will introduce its members and share something about Pony Club, life and culture in its country.
For Australia’s four representatives, Sunday will be an opportunity to draw on years of riding, learning and caring for horses, and discover what they can achieve together.
Congratulations to Amos, Emmi, Sarah and Arery on their selection, and thank you to Rachael for supporting the team. We look forward to cheering you on!
