Strong Pony Clubs don’t happen by accident.
They are built by people who create welcoming environments, listen to their members, invest in good coaching, manage their clubs responsibly and keep finding ways to make Pony Club relevant, enjoyable and sustainable.
The 2026 Club of the Year Award, proudly sponsored by Gow-Gates Insurance Brokers, recognises clubs demonstrating strength across the whole member experience, from inclusion and retention to governance, safety, innovation, financial management and delivery of the Pony Club syllabus.
This year’s finalists show how differently that can be achieved. Some have responded to declining membership or regional challenges, others are managing growth, investing in facilities or finding new ways to involve riders and families. Each has taken a thoughtful approach to building a club where members can learn, participate and belong.
Balnarring Pony Club
Victoria
Balnarring Pony Club places a strong emphasis on creating a welcoming environment for riders of different ages, abilities and ambitions, including adult members who continue their Pony Club involvement beyond their junior years.
Members have access to experienced coaches across a range of disciplines, along with additional opportunities outside regular rallies. These include monthly showjumping clinics and Ride to Time practice days at Cranbourne Training Complex, giving riders opportunities to develop their skills in different environments.
The club also recognises that achievement looks different for every member. Competition success is celebrated, but so are the personal milestones of riders whose goals may have nothing to do with ribbons or championships. This approach sits behind what members describe as the “BPC Family”, with kindness, encouragement and mutual support central to the club culture.
Balnarring has also invested considerably in its facilities and equipment. Its cross-country course continues to be developed with safety and rider progression in mind, while new showjumps, dressage equipment and transportable trailers allow the club to create quality training environments both at home and at other venues.
Strong event delivery is another important part of the club’s sustainability. Balnarring runs two major events each year, supported by a structured sponsorship program with several levels of involvement for local businesses. Funds raised are reinvested in facilities, equipment and coaching.
Education remains a major focus. During 2026, 12 members achieved D or D* Certificates, with riders also progressing through C, C* and B pathways. The club has supported riders through State and National competition while continuing to emphasise the broader horsemanship and learning opportunities at the heart of Pony Club.
Moonyoonooka Horse and Pony Club
Western Australia
For Moonyoonooka Horse and Pony Club, being a regional club has encouraged innovation in the way it creates opportunities for members.
Monthly rallies and training days combine structured coaching with activities designed to keep members engaged and connected. Experiences such as the club’s Wildflower Ride and annual camp provide opportunities beyond regular rally days and help build strong relationships between riders and families.
The club works actively to reduce barriers to participation by keeping membership costs as affordable as possible, supporting the KidsSport program and providing assistance to members travelling to Pony Club WA State Championships.
Technology has also helped overcome some of the challenges of distance. Moonyoonooka encourages participation in virtual competitions and initiatives such as the Northern Zone Virtual Tetrathlon, giving riders access to opportunities that might otherwise require significant travel.
Its broader management approach combines sponsorship, fundraising, grants and community partnerships. Grant support has contributed to projects including yard improvements and accessible bathroom facilities, while local business support helps the club deliver events while keeping costs manageable.
The club also uses online systems for membership and event administration and allows committee members to participate in meetings via Microsoft Teams when they are away from town.
Rider and coach development remain central to the program. Members have progressed through Pony Club coaching pathways and officiating qualifications, while riders have represented the club across a broad range of State Championship disciplines and international virtual competitions.
Deloraine District Pony Club
Tasmania
Deloraine District Pony Club has focused strongly on creating an affordable, inclusive environment where riders can remain involved from their first experiences with horses through to State, National and international representation.
Fundraising, grants and flexible payment arrangements help reduce financial barriers for families, while eligible members are encouraged to use Tasmania’s Ticket to Play program. The club also raises funds to help support riders selected for higher-level representative opportunities.
Its rapidly growing membership now includes around 30 active riders. Rally programs are adapted to suit different ages and learning needs, including shorter sessions for younger riders, while senior members are encouraged to mentor younger riders and help build connections across the club.
Deloraine has also introduced a Riding Members Representative to provide a direct link between riders and the committee. Members can share feedback or concerns, including anonymously, and surveys have been used to help shape camps, rallies and other activities.
The club has strengthened its governance through regular committee meetings, succession planning, safety procedures and participation in Pony Club Australia’s Safeguarding Challenge. Accredited coaches and current Working With Vulnerable People requirements form part of its approach to creating a safe environment for riders and families.
Members also enjoy considerable variety, including trail rides, hunting, mountain cattleman obstacles, indoor rallies and visits to other equestrian facilities. The club shares its grounds and resources with other equestrian groups and contributes extensively to community events and fundraising.
Deloraine’s coaching program supports riders through the Pony Club syllabus and proficiency testing while offering pathways into higher-level competition. In 2026, three members were selected for the National Prince Philip Mounted Games team and another for international Mounted Games representation.
Derwent Pony Club
Tasmania
Derwent Pony Club has deliberately reshaped its program over the past three years in response to declining membership, and the result has been a doubling of its member numbers.
A major part of that change has been broadening what Pony Club looks like for its families. Recognising that many local members come from rural and farming backgrounds and may not be focused on traditional competition pathways, the club has placed greater emphasis on having fun with horses while developing safe, capable horse people.
Rallies still include dressage, showjumping and cross-country, but members might also experience agility, pace riding, polocrosse, lunging, cowboy dressage, archery, vaulting, horseball, trail riding or Equitation Science activities.
Derwent has also introduced a half-day rally option for younger riders and members juggling sport, study or other commitments. This gives riders greater flexibility while still allowing them to remain connected to their club.
Facilities have also been improved to help retain more experienced riders, including development of the cross-country course, a water jump, new showjumping equipment and a portable dressage arena.
The club works hard to make rallies family-friendly, with accessible clubhouse facilities, activities for younger siblings and regular opportunities for members to provide feedback. A goal-setting rally each year helps the committee understand what members enjoy and what they would like to achieve.
Education remains firmly embedded in rallies. Members are supported through proficiency certificates with theory sessions, additional clinics and online preparation sessions, while the club has also helped deliver coach development workshops for the wider Southern Zone.
Riddells Creek Pony Club
Victoria
Riddells Creek Pony Club has developed a structured program that combines strong rider pathways with deliberate attention to member voice, coaching quality and long-term sustainability.
Rallies provide three mounted sessions and one theory session, with activities adapted to the needs of junior, intermediate and senior riders. Club Captains representing each age group meet with riders and provide feedback to the District Commissioner, giving members a direct voice in rally planning and coaching.
Demand is now such that the club operates at capacity, with a waiting list of more than 12 prospective members. Rather than simply continuing to grow numbers, the club has capped membership to maintain manageable groups, protect its facilities and preserve the quality and safety of coaching.
Governance includes monthly Executive and General Committee meetings, subcommittees for major operational areas, an annually reviewed risk-management strategy, Safe Incident Management Plans for jumping events and a five-year facilities plan. Senior riders are also encouraged into committee roles as part of the club’s succession planning.
Financial sustainability is supported by four major competitions each year, clinics and external facility hire. Income from these activities funds approximately 65 per cent of the club’s annual coaching costs, helping maintain small groups and access to quality instruction.
The club’s education program is coordinated closely around the Pony Club Australia syllabus, with a Certificate Coordinator helping members progress through proficiency levels. Riders have achieved C, C* and B-level milestones, while senior members are also moving into coaching qualifications and mentoring younger riders.
Riddells Creek members have represented the club successfully at Zone, State, National and international level, while the club itself hosts coaching workshops, accreditation weekends and higher certificate training and assessment activities that benefit the wider Pony Club community.
The 2026 Club of the Year Award is proudly sponsored by Gow-Gates Insurance Brokers.
The winner will be announced during the 2026 Pony Club Australia Annual Awards Virtual Presentation on Thursday, 22 October.
