Three Pony Club members from Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland have been named finalists for the 2026 Welfare and Soundness Award, proudly sponsored by Scootboot.
Introduced in 2025, the award recognises members who demonstrate exceptional care for their horse’s soundness and wellbeing, not only in competition, but through the everyday decisions that shape a horse’s health, comfort and quality of life.
Judges consider each nominee’s commitment to education, hoof care and horse management, the way they apply that knowledge in practice, and their willingness to put welfare ahead of riding or competition goals when circumstances demand it. The award also recognises members who share their knowledge and help promote good horse welfare within their Pony Club community.
This year’s finalists show that good horsemanship is often found in the decisions that happen well before anyone enters an arena.
Ruby Meo
Toongabbie Pony Club, Victoria
Ruby Meo’s approach to horsemanship is grounded in careful observation, ongoing learning and a willingness to put her horses’ needs ahead of her own plans.
Ruby has achieved her Pony Club C Certificate and is now working towards C*. Through Pony Club education, coaching and practical experience, she has developed a strong understanding of hoof health, soundness and horse welfare.
That knowledge has become particularly important in managing her own horse, Delilah, who has thin soles and underrun heels. Ruby works closely with her farrier to manage Delilah’s feet through regular professional care, appropriate nutrition and close day-to-day monitoring. She has also taken an active role in helping manage the hoof care of her sister’s horses.
Daily hoof checks are part of Ruby’s routine. Both of her horses have their feet picked out, cleaned and inspected regularly, with one managed barefoot and the other wearing front shoes.
Her nomination highlights several occasions where Ruby has put welfare first.
At a competition at Wonthaggi where temperatures exceeded 40°C, Ruby remained focused on keeping her horse cool and comfortable throughout the day, using shade, regular hosing and close monitoring.
On another occasion, she withdrew from competition when she had concerns about her horse’s soundness. Rather than pressing on, Ruby allowed time for rest and recovery and sought professional advice before returning to work.
That same attention continues before and after every ride through appropriate warm-ups and cool-downs, hydration, recovery and checks for heat, swelling, soreness or discomfort.
Ruby is also becoming a quiet source of support for younger riders at Toongabbie. Her nomination describes her as someone others naturally turn to for help because of her patient, thoughtful approach.
Rather than simply telling other riders what to do, Ruby encourages them to consider what is in the best interests of their horse, helping reinforce a welfare-first culture within her club.
Gemma Emmerson
Gosnells Riding & Pony Club, Western Australia
For Gemma Emmerson, “horse first” is the principle behind the way she trains, competes and cares for her horses.
Gemma holds her Pony Club C Certificate and continues to expand her knowledge through Pony Club education and coaching. She has completed the Metropolitan Zone Gear Check Course and is working towards gear checking accreditation, building her knowledge of tack fit, horse welfare and safety.
She applies that learning closely with her current young horse, taking a patient approach to his physical and mental development rather than rushing towards competition goals.
As his body changes with growth, Gemma regularly monitors saddle fit, hoof condition, comfort and soundness and works with coaches and equine professionals when adjustments are required.
One of the strongest examples of her approach came during a State Tetrathlon qualifying event with her former lease horse, Beau.
When Beau showed signs of a soundness issue, Gemma immediately withdrew from the ridden phase, despite being in a strong position in the competition and knowing the decision would end her opportunity to qualify for the State Championships.
For Gemma, the result was secondary to protecting her horse.
She has taken the same approach with her young horse, sometimes choosing in-hand work or participating unmounted when she felt saddle fit, confidence or physical readiness were not where they needed to be.
Before riding, Gemma checks her horse’s legs, hooves, condition and tack and takes time to prepare him both physically and mentally. Afterwards, she allows him to cool down gradually and monitors closely for signs of discomfort or fatigue.
She is also beginning to share that knowledge with other riders. At Gosnells Riding & Pony Club, Gemma regularly helps younger members tack up correctly and explains the importance of properly fitted equipment for both horse welfare and rider safety.
Her work towards gear checking accreditation is another step towards being able to support the wider Pony Club community with practical, welfare-focused knowledge.
Laura Stewart
Laidley & District Hack & Pony Club, Queensland
Laura Stewart has developed an impressive depth of practical horse-care knowledge at a young age, combining Pony Club education with hands-on experience in veterinary care, hoof management and horse welfare.
Laura holds her D* Certificate and has attended Pony Club and veterinary education sessions covering topics including saddle and bit fit, laminitis, colic, parasites, first aid, lameness, equine metabolic conditions, infectious disease and gastric ulcers.
At home, she plays an active role in the daily care of her family’s horses, checking their general wellbeing, water, fencing, feet and any ongoing health conditions. She also assists with routine preventative care including vaccinations and deworming.
Hoof care is an important part of that routine. The family’s horses are generally managed barefoot and trimmed every five to six weeks, with Laura checking and picking out feet before riding and after work on rocky ground.
Her most significant learning experience this year came through the care of Tarti, a pony Laura had spent a year qualifying for several Pony Club State Championships.
Tarti became suddenly and severely lame and was eventually found to have a wood splinter deep in a tendon, with infection involving the tendon sheath. She required two surgeries and an extended period of treatment.
For Laura, missing the State Championships quickly became insignificant compared with the possibility of losing the pony.
During Tarti’s recovery, Laura travelled daily to help care for her, including cleaning her specially elevated therapeutic shoes, helping administer medication and assisting with hand-walking and rehabilitation.
The specialist farrier gradually lowered the elevation of the shoes as Tarti’s tendon healed, while Laura carefully managed the feet to prevent additional problems such as thrush.
Although Tarti’s long-term return to ridden work remains uncertain, Laura’s focus has remained on giving her the best chance of a comfortable future.
Laura also regularly assists her veterinarian mother with first aid and equine health care and has helped other Pony Club riders learn practical skills such as using a stethoscope to listen to heart and gut sounds.
She mentors younger riders at her club, has loaned ponies to riders who need additional confidence and readily helps during veterinary emergencies at events.
Her nomination reflects a young rider who has already learned an important lesson in horsemanship: sometimes the best decision for a horse is the one that changes your own plans completely.
The 2026 Welfare and Soundness Award is proudly sponsored by Scootboot.
The winner will be announced during the 2026 Pony Club Australia Annual Awards Virtual Presentation on Thursday, 22 October.
