This work was a collaboration from several people – Anne White, Debra MacNicol, Sandra Ainsley (MacNicol), Anne Rhodes and there was also input from Madeline Oldaker (Denholm) and Anne-Marie Wiltshire (White).
Zita Denholm sadly passed at the age of 90 years in March 2024 after succumbing to cancer. A close friend recalls Zita saying, “Yes I’ve got cancer, galloping cancer because it’s everywhere.”
She was the eldest of nine siblings, a devoted mother to Andrew and Madeline and a loving grandparent to their children. Zita was a highly intelligent girl with a keen sense of adventure, a love of horses and an unflappable, no nonsense belief that it could all be worked out no matter what the problem was. She was an avid reader and had a lifelong interest in Literature, History and Music as well as a life time passion for horses and in particular the Connemara breed.
In 1949 at the young age of 16, Zita decided to start her own Pony Club to entertain her siblings and their friends. She based the musters on a book she had read about Pony Club in the United Kingdom and a short promotional film about a Pony Club in NSW. It was the first Pony Club in Queensland. The first muster was held on the White family property in Sprenger Street, Figtree Pocket. The club was named after the family property, ‘LeVale’. Many of the original members continued to compete with horses in various disciplines well into adult life.
In around 1956 when there were seven or eight Pony Clubs in Queensland, the Pony Club Association of Queensland was formed and Zita was appointed the public relations officer. One of the many contributions that she made in this role was to have a weekly column in the Queensland Country Life newspaper with Pony Club news.
LeVale continued to meet every Sunday for many years. During this time Zita was a script writer for 4BH radio, a school teacher and a university student where she gained her Masters Degree. She was a wife, mother and the winner of the first 50 mile endurance ride in Queensland. For some years she was also the managing editor of Jacaranda Press.
After stints at a couple of other locations, including at a private property in Chelmer, in the late 1950’s LeVale Pony Club moved to the MacIntyre property at the end of Tristania Rd Kenmore. The pony club then moved to the MacNicol property off Rafting Ground Road.
The musters were large, ranging in age from small children to young adults and took place every Sunday afternoon. In the early days Zita was the sole instructor and she was amazing. She was enthusiastic, energetic and kind. The musters always had elements of horsemastership, flat work and games, many of which would no longer be allowed today.
A Pony Club member recalls, “During the school holidays Zita would collect groups of us on horseback and take us on day excursions to local areas pointing out historical sites and places of interest. One such excursion was a ride to the top of Mt Elphinstone in Brookfield where we tied up our horses and climbed down the rock face and into the caves.”
One thing that made LeVale unique was the annual Christmas Ride held over the week before Christmas. Pony Club members rode 15-20 miles (as it was then) per day carrying a packed lunch in their saddle bags and swimming togs and towel rolled in their raincoat and strapped over the pummel of the saddle. Each daily route and nightly camp had been thoroughly researched before the trip and the ‘chuck wagon’ meet the riders at the end of a long day with food and horse feed and swags. Destinations included Mt Glorious and Canungra. Wonderful adventures thanks again to Zita.
In due course Zita moved to Canberra when her husband, David Denholm went to the Australian National University to study for his PhD. While she wasn’t involved with LeValeday to day she still influenced matters from afar. They then moved to Armidale for David’s Post Doctoral research and in 1973 Zita was teaching part time at the New England Girls School (NEGS). She started the riding school primarily for boarders who were permitted to bring their own horses to school. Zita recruited two former LeVale Pony Club members as directors of the riding school. Zita broke new ground within the education system and founded a Horsemaster course for Year 11 and 12 students. The program was approved and became part of the NSW curriculum and the riding school continues to this day.
Zita and her family moved to Wagga Wagga in 1975. Recently she was posthumously honoured with a ceremony and brass plaque by the City of Wagga Wagga for her contribution to the city over the last 50 years. The inscription says it all.
‘Many opportunities for young people in our community would not have been possible without Zita Denholm. During her years teaching at Mt Erin Girls’ School, she established the orchestra program an annual Shakespeare production. She was involved in establishing the Riverina Summer School for Strings, and taught Speech and Drama to dozens of young people. Zita also helped establish The Wagga Horse Trials Club, served as a Zone Pony Club Chief Instructor and was an active member of the REA Wagga Dressage Club. Her commitment and generosity created opportunities for generations of people to fulfill their own dreams and passions.’
Zita, we are extremely grateful for the opportunities you gave us as children. We, the Pony Club community owe you a great debt of gratitude for having the foresight to create the movement here in Qld.
We know that your legacy will live on and continue to provide many more children with much enjoyment as they develop their riding skills, love of horses and knowledge in a safe learning environment.
Thank you, Zita, you will be greatly missed.
