Pony Club Updates

Page contents

April Update 2023
March Update 2023
February Update 2023

April Update 2023

April 2023

Dear Members, Parents and Volunteers

Well done to all the competitors at the Barrier Spring Festival at Morris Equestrian last weekend and thank you to our amazing volunteers. With the end of the winter programme of qualifiers, leagues and finals, we now see the start of the summer season of activities. Many Members will have the JCB Championships at Offchurch Bury in their sights and be looking at the qualifying routes across our range of sports. With the resounding success of the new-format Area quizzes, we look forward to the Dodson and Horrell National Quiz final at Moulton College on the 22^nd April, good luck to all the teams!

I hope you all enjoy an active and busy Easter holidays.

Best wishes,

Marcus

Contents for the April Update:

British Equestrian Research and News
Reasonable Adjustment Training
Coaching and Volunteering qualifications
Strangles Awareness Week
PCIA Dressage
Burghley Gold Cup
Pony Racing Chairman
The King's Coronation
Fraud emails
Forestry England’s Survey
Discount Code – RWHS!

British Equestrian Research and News

British Equestrian is the National Governing Body for horse sports in the UK. It exists to provide leadership, vision, and purpose in steering the direction of equestrianism. As an umbrella organisation they represent the interests of 3 million riders, vaulters and carriage drivers in Great Britain via 19 independent member bodies (14 members and five associates), which includes The Pony Club.

We often share their research, news and updates as they are released to keep you updated on issues important to equestrianism. March was a busy month for British Equestrian and there are several reports and resources we urge you to read and engage with.

Industry Guidance on Concussion

British Equestrian have produced guidelines in response to the action plan published by the UK Government in December 2021 to address concussion in sport to help reduce risks and potential long-term effects associated with head injuries, following a Select Committee report.

Ashleigh Wallace, Athlete Health Lead for the World Class Programme, is the driving force behind the project, with input from Chief Medical Officer Anna-Louise Mackinnon, who has considerable experience of the management of traumatic brain injuries.

The six-page guidance document aims to help participants to recognise concussion and know what actions to take, both in the immediate aftermath and during recovery. You can read the full report here.

For a quick reference guide that can be shared in your Branch or Centre, follow these links - Concussion and Return to Riding Guidelines and Signs of Concussion Poster.

Coaching Resources - Psychological Factors Underpinning Young Rider Development - Information Booklet

British Equestrian has added to its growing library of coaching resources with the publication of a Psychological Factors Underpinning Young Rider Development digital information booklet.

Intended for equestrian coaches working within the youth pathway, the booklet outlines the factors that contribute to the cognitive development of young riders as they progress through the early stages of their sporting career.

The booklet starts by providing an overview of the structures within the brain and their functions, and the importance of these from a coaching perspective. It then moves on to chart the cognitive developmental timeline from birth to early adulthood, including the implications for coaching. Information is also included on the psychological attributes that are specifically linked to success in equestrian sport at different stages of competition, and how coaches can use these to help young athletes to reach their potential.

To read it in full click here

Environmental Sustainability Survey

British Equestrian have released an industry wide survey around environmental sustainability in order to help us shape a strategy to address the risks, challenges and opportunities to support the wider equine community on this fundamental social impact topic.

The five-minute survey is targeted at businesses and individuals to gather opinion on pressing issues such as water availability, land stewardship, energy, emissions, waste and resources.

The survey is open to anyone in the equestrian industry – whatever your position, role or level of involvement, all are welcome to take part – we want to hear your thoughts. The survey will close on April 17^th and will be followed up by a report and recommendations from White Griffin which will then be used to shape an environmental sustainability strategy for British Equestrian, member bodies, as well as the entire industry.

Major steps towards a fully representative future

British Equestrian has today released a response to the comprehensive #HorsesForAll report, a research study into the lived experiences underrepresented communities in equestrian activity.

Undertaken by AKD Solutions on the federation’s behalf, the report is the result of four months of research across interviews, forums, experience days and a nationwide survey with over 800 respondents which gave a huge amount of data and insight. The resulting 89-page document highlighted nine key themes and set out 11 recommendations for BEF to consider.

In consultation with member bodies, BEF has published a response document which addresses the recommendations with commitments which will be incorporated into an equality, diversity and inclusion strategy. To read the full report and response click here.

In The Pony Club Strategy 2021-2025, we outlined that we seek to promote inclusion, equality and diversity amongst members, volunteers, and staff. Aiming to recruit, engage and retain irrespective of age, race, disability - including both visible and non-visible, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, how they identify, underserved socio-economic position or religion.

The findings of the #HorsesForAll report have only strengthened our resolve to continue to move forward with our action plan. During 2022 we took steps to take a closer look at our organisation and understand where changes need to be made. We know we cannot make those changes alone, especially if we do not have the diversity of thought and lived experience to inform and guide us. The next step for The Pony Club is the recruitment of our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Group. We welcome applications for this group from both inside and outside of the equestrian industry and we are looking forward to the insight this group will share. Our Pony Club values are Togetherness, Empathy, Respect and Learning and we continue to lead with these as our guiding principles as we move forward. To find out more about joining our Advisory Group click here.

Reasonable Adjustment Courses

Our Reasonable Adjustment Policy launched in 2022 alongside our forms, templates and training. We knew that Branches and Centres were already making reasonable adjustments for our members, but it has been great to hear these resources have offered more support to you all. Where possible we want all our activities to be accessible and by taking the time to discuss individual members needs, we can achieve this in most cases.

If you haven’t had a chance to attend the training, please book on here, we have upcoming dates in May, June and July.

Coaching and Volunteer Qualifications on PELHAM

Every coach and every volunteer in a position of trust or influence should be registered on PELHAM. They should have at least a full disclosure check (DBS/PVG/Access NI) and have undergone Safeguarding training. To be a fully accredited coach, they additionally need up to date First Aid and CPD (Continuous Professional Development). Once on PELHAM, they will receive automatic emails reminding them of qualifications that are due to run out. Each Branch is responsible for ensuring all their coaches and volunteers in positions of trust or influence are registered. Our Centre Coordinators will support proprietors in putting their coaches on PELHAM and Coaches that are only used at Area level can be put on the system by the AR or their PELHAM champion. National Committees and senior volunteers are the responsibility of the Chairs / appropriate staff member.

Strangles Awareness Week - May 1st-7th

In many areas of the UK Strangles cases are becoming more widespread, please join us in promoting the Redwings Horse Sanctuary campaign “Strangles Awareness Week”.

The campaign highlights how to spot the signs of strangles and how to manage its effects. In particular the need to establish a routine of regular temperature checking to understand what is normal for our horses and ponies and to help early identification of a potential problem.

We invite you to take part in ‘The Temp Challenge’ – find out more here.

We will be sharing more information on our social media channels during the awareness week and encourage you to promote the message. If you need advice and guidance now, please click here.

PCIA Virtual Dressage Competition

This is an exciting opportunity for members to take part in an International Virtual Dressage Competition alongside other members from Pony Club International Alliance (PCIA) countries. There are six classes available, and the Dressage Committee will be selecting members to hopefully make a team of four for each class. To apply, members need to meet some eligibility criteria and submit a video of them riding a specified dressage test.

Classes and Application Criteria (ages on 1^st Jan 2023):

Class 1 – Training Level, Members 14 years and under, submit video riding PC Novice Champs Test 2017
Class 2 – First Level, Members 18 years and under with C Test or above, submit video riding PC Intermediate Champs Test 2014
Class 3 – Second Level, Members 25 years and under with B (Care) Test or above, submit video riding PC Open Champs Test 2018
Class 4 – Third Level, Members 25 years and under, submit video riding BD Advanced Medium 85 2009
Class 5 – Pas de Deux Freestyle to Music, Pairs, open to all members
Class 6 – Prix Caprilli, Open to all members

All of the information, including how to apply and important rules, is on the website here.

Burghley Gold Cup and BSPS Qualifiers

The British Sports Pony Society has an amazing opportunity for those of you who are interested in showing and are riding ponies to compete at the famous Burghley Horse Trials!

To top it off, this is a qualifier to be able to compete for:
The Gold Cup – competed for by 1^st and 2^nd place from classes 1, 2 and 3

A place to compete at London International Horse Show

Take a look at the full schedule, here

Pony Racing Chairman

Welcome to Steve Taylor as our new Chairman of Pony Racing. Steve is a former winning jockey, boxer and BHA starter. He brings a wealth of experience to our excellent Pony Racing Committee, and we very much look forward to having him on board. Huge thanks to Charles Barnett, the outgoing Chairman who has done so much to promote racing and the exciting opportunities for our Members.

The King's Coronation

We will all be celebrating the Coronation of King George III and Queen Camilla on Saturday 6^th May 2023.

The Official Coronation logo is available for download to use on rosettes and other celebratory materials The Coronation Emblem | The Royal Family
Wainwright have in stock some very practical, unbreakable Coronation mugs that can be personalised with your Branch name, available in sets of 25. Purchase here.
As suggested by the King, join thousands of other volunteers in the Big Help Out on Bank holiday, Monday 8^th May.

Royal Windsor Horse Show Discount Tickets

If you are thinking of attending Royal Windsor Horse Show taking place 11^th-14^th May, take advantage of your Pony Club discount code!

Use PCMEM23 when booking to visit on Thursday, Friday and Sunday of the Show, you can save between £4-£7 a ticket.

Don’t forget to come and visit The Pony Club stand and join in the fun.

Purchase your tickets, here.

Fraudulent Emails

Please be aware that there have been several examples in recent weeks of email fraud. The most recent example is an email purporting to be from a senior volunteer or member of staff requests that you help them. If you reply, the follow up email requests that you buy some vouchers for them. We would like to confirm this is not a legitimate email, to help you check if emails are fraudulent or not: check the senders address; does the sender usually contact you in this way? Is their signature their usual sign? If you still aren’t sure reach out to the supposed sender of the email by phone and check, do not part with any money or further personal details until you have verified the email is legitimate.

Forestry England's Survey

The Pony Club and Forestry England (FE) understand how important it is to riders to have access to safe off-road riding. In light of this, FE have worked with The British Horse Society (BHS) for many years to enable access on forest roads and tracks of many of Forestry England managed woodlands.

In some forests, where unmanaged access for riding is not safe or suitable, permit systems are used to enable equestrian access. The aim of these permit systems is to balance the needs of riders without damaging the woodlands and ensuring that access is safe and suitable for all users.

As a member of the equestrian community, the FE would like to capture your views about horse riding permit systems and gather your feedback on our current systems, where relevant to you. To do this, they have developed an online survey, which is open now, until 9 April 2023.

If you would like to learn more, and to participate in FE survey, click here.

Or use this link: https://consult.forestryengland.uk/corporate-and-forestry-support/forestry-england-horse-riding-permits-survey

March Update 2023

Dear All,

The Barrier Spring Festival final for England/Wales at Arena UK last month was a great success. Thank you to all the volunteers and officials for a superb weekend and congratulations to our qualifiers and winners. I am very much looking forward to the Scotland/Northern Ireland final 1^st – 3^rd April at Morris Equestrian.

Last weekend saw the launch of the new format Quiz with the Area competitions taking place in village halls and classrooms across the country. Members of all ages demonstrated impressive depths of knowledge, thank you to all the organisers for making the days enjoyable for everyone.

As this update demonstrates, there are so many opportunities, ridden and unmounted for our members to compete, together with increasing knowledge of riding and horse welfare.

Best wishes,
Marcus

Contents for the March Update:

The EQUIDRY Chairman’s Cup
C+ direct entry to BHS, National Careers Week
Lameness Trainer
Sports news:

Mounted Games
Pony Racing
Polocrosse
Endurance
Tetrathlon & Eventing
Thoresby Spring Carnival Ticket Offer

Coronation Awards
Riding School Health Check Survey
Boys Ride Too Magazine Offer
Health & Safety - PINK Hat Tagging
Dale Dickins

The EQUIDRY Chairman’s Cup

The Pony Club is excited to launch a brand-new eventing class at The JCB Pony Club Championships this August, generously sponsored by EQUIDRY – The Ultimate Equestrian Coat.

The EQUIDRY Chairmans Cup will offer a new Pony Club Eventing experience to our Members. This format will put forward an additional challenge to our existing classes featuring a Trot Up prior to The Dressage Phase, followed by the Cross Country and finally on the last day, Show Jumping in reverse order. Prizes will be awarded for the best dressed rider and the best turned out horse. We hope that this exciting new class will offer another route for budding event riders to develop their horsemanship skills and have fun with friends at the same time!

For more information on how to qualify and the format in which this class will run, click here.

C+ direct entry to BHS, National Careers Week

Your C+ Test offers new opportunities!

We are thrilled to announce that our accessible Pony Club C+ Test now provides a direct entry route to the British Horse Society (BHS) Stage 2 qualifications.

The Pony Club B, B+, AH and A Test have supported many Pony Club Members looking to continue onto BHS qualifications, so we are excited to add the C+ Test. Find out more about Pony Club Tests here: Efficiency Tests | The Pony Club (pcuk.org)

Whatever your aspirations; caring for horses, riding professionally, or coaching the next generation, this path will provide another staircase of progression and knowledge to help young people kick start their equine career.

Don’t forget you can also access The BHS Career Transition Fund to support you. The fund is aimed at those who want to progress to their BHS Stage 2 and Stage 3 qualifications and you could receive a voucher valued up to £200 for Stage 2 and £250 for Stage 3.

Access the online form here

Lameness Trainer

The Lameness Trainer is a free, interactive online game teaching equine lameness assessment based on decades worth of published research into the biomechanics of equine lameness. Thousands of people use it every year and it is now used for teaching in veterinary schools around the world. - Click Here to play

Sports News

Mounted Games

There is lots going on in the world of Mounted Games. A time sensitive matter with regards to International Mounted Games Exchange (IMGE) Australia:

IMPORTANT! Nominations for the IMGE trip to Australia in November: the closing date has been brought forward to 31^st March so that flights can be booked earlier for the team. A reminder that nominated members must have gained their C test before submission of the nomination.

Trainers and declaration forms

A reminder ahead of the Area Competitions starting that all Trainers must be listed on PELHAM and compliant with Coaching Criteria. The Trainer's PELHAM number is a requirement on the 2023 Declaration form.

Further information and updated on the following topics can be found here:

Please the venues and dates for this years Zone Competitions
The first cohort of Area Coordinators Announce d

The Mounted Games Committee invite Members to support the committee with a youth role to share the Members' view. The closing date for applicants will be 31^st March with a view of starting this new position on the 1^st May.

More info can be found, here: Youth Role on the Mounted Games Committee

Pony Racing

There are lots of opportunities to get involved with Pony Racing 2023. Check out some of the options below:

Polocrosse

Polocrosse Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

To support coaches to further develop an understanding of the sport and tactics during play the committee is currently arranging local CPD opportunities, if you are interested in hosting please contact pxchairman@pcuk.org the CPD will count towards attaining the Pony Club coaching criteria.

Coronation Awards

Please see the link below for the Coronation Champion Awards, to celebrate the hard work of Volunteers. It would be great to see some Equestrian Volunteers nominated for the awards so please feel free to send in your nominations. Nominate Here

Riding School Health check

Last year, the BHS, alongside its member bodies launched a survey designed to give our industry a ‘health check’ which many of you took part in – and we’re extremely grateful for your time and insight. Twelve months on, we’re running the survey again to further understand the challenges faced, build on the insights learned and discover trends.

If you can spare a few minutes to complete the Health Check Survey, we would be most grateful.

Boys Ride Too Magazine OFFER

Boys Ride Too Magazine have an offer available throughout March exclusively for Pony Club Members. Sign up for an annual subscription and get your first copy FREE. Enter PCFREE1 at the checkout to receive the discount. Offer ends at midnight on March 31^st.

Boys Ride Too Magazine is a bi-monthly publication written for equestrian boys. It is produced by two family teams whose 14 year old boys have grown up riding together first at a riding school, then at pony club, and who inspired its creation. It is an inclusive publication that caters for ALL boys with an interest in horses.

To find out what you can find inside their magazine, head to their website, here.

Health & Safety

Hat Tagging

Is your hat up to the 2023 standards and do you have PINK tag? The full rule can be found here

Useful links:

Dale Dickens

We are saddened to hear of the passing of Dale Dickens who was a long-standing Pony Club volunteer. Dale was the DC of the South Oxfordshire Hunt South Pony Club in the 1980s/1990s, becoming the Area Representative for Area 12 from 2000 to 2009 and continued her contribution on many committees until 2011. We hold the family, Malcolm, Jamie, Lucy and her grandchildren in our thoughts at this sad time.

February Update 2023

Dear Members, Parents, Volunteers and Proprietors,

I am looking forward to seeing many of you at the Barrier Spring Festival final for England/Wales at Arena UK this weekend, where 500 of our Members will be enjoying a packed two days of Show Jumping, Dressage and Arena Eventing. Many thanks to our team of volunteers for creating such a great event and, of course, thanks to our sponsors, Barrier Animal Health, who will be attending and be happy to share their extensive knowledge of natural products promoting equine health.

Last night's Coaching Conference, “Empathise, Inspire, Educate”, was brilliant. Our Training Committee had pulled together three superb speakers who led us through the vital importance of rider mental health, a greater understanding of how horses learn and some practical coaching ideas for all ages and abilities. Thank you to Sylvia, Gemma and Corinne for an excellent, thought provoking evening and to the inestimable Paul Tapner for his humorous yet insightful hosting. The recording of the evening will be made available for attendees and will also be available for those unable to join us on the evening, see below for more details. I highly recommend this informative Coaching Conference to all of our Members, Parents and Volunteers, not just Coaches. It will count as the annual Coach CPD requirement and I am glad that nearly 900 of our Coaches and Volunteers attended last night.

I hope you all have a great February half term!

Best wishes
Marcus

Contents for the February Update:

Hat Tags
Safeguarding
Membership Badges
Horse and Pony Care and Quiz training
Pony Club Search 4 a Star
Endurance
Pony Racing
Polocrosse
Mounted Games
Pony Club Coaching Certificate courses
Spurs Guidance
The Pony Club Coaching Conference - Watch On Demand Now
Health and Safety
Centre Revenue Share
Branch Returns

Hat Tags

A reminder that the Pony Club hat tag has changed this year (new pink colour) to reflect the updated accepted standards for hats. Please note that the tag is only an external verification that the hat standard has been checked, it does not imply any check of the fitting, suitability or condition of the hat. If you are looking at buying a new hat, please check the accepted standards for Pony Club activities Dress and Tack | The Pony Club (pcuk.org)

Safeguarding

The Pony Club is committed to keeping our Members safe. Key Safeguarding policies and documents and information about Safeguarding training are all available on our website: Safeguarding | The Pony Club (pcuk.org)

If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, the Police should be called on 999. Each Branch, Centre and Area has a trained, nominated Safeguarding lead that can support you. Nationally, we have a highly experienced independent lead Safeguarding Officer, Christine Gould who can further advise. Her contact email is Safeguarding@pcuk.org.

For enquiries regarding Safeguarding training, please contact Beverley Laurie or Jane Smith in the office enquiries@pcuk.org telephone 02476 698300.

Membership Badges

Welcome to all our new members! We are delighted you have joined us for a fun packed year and your membership letter and badge will be on it's way very soon.

We have a slight delay due to addressing member feedback about the current brooch clasp design of our badges. We have made adjustments in our new batch and hope to have our new stock in shortly, apologies for the delay.

Horse and Pony Care and Quiz Training

Thank you to everyone who organised and attended the recent webinars on running Horse and Pony Care and the Quiz. These fun activities encourage learning about horses and ponies and highlight the passion, care and great depth of knowledge regarding horse welfare held by our Members.

For those unable to attend the webinars, the recordings are available through the links in your members email.

SEIB Search 4 a Star

After the success of our new showing classes last year, I am delighted that SEIB are continuing to offer the chance for our Members to qualify for Your Horse Live.

We have three Pony Club classes for lead rein, first ridden and Pony Club pony and 7 qualifiers around the country.

Read all about the Top 10 reasons for giving this competition a go!

Endurance News

Coaches CPD
In March we have the opportunity for coaches to take part in a virtual continuous professional development session to learn more about the sport of Endurance and how to engage members in it.

To find out more about the session and book your place please click here.

Racing News

Half-Term Activity with Racing to Schools
As part of the Pony Racing Pathway, we have the exciting opportunity for members to visit Racecourses to take a behind-the-scenes look at what happens before each race day. Places are limited to 20 young people, to find out more and book your place please click here.

Qualifying for Race Day
To help get ready for race day you can take part in a Pony Racing Authority/ Pony Club Training day, on the day you will learn more about the sport including ridden exercises, on-foot balance, and fitness whilst also learning about the equipment used. To find out more and access booking please click here.

Pony Racing- Race Days
As we start to head into the 2023 season the Race Day entries are opening. Currently, Milbourne St Andrew, Wincanton and Cheltenham Race Days have entries open. To find out the dates and enter please see the Race Days page here.

Pony Racing Points Series 2022
Throughout last year members taking part in each race day gained cumulative points at each race day. These points have been tallied and we are very pleased to share with you the nine highest-placed members of the Pony Racing RaceTech Points Series Here.

The Pony Club Pony Racing Committee would like to say well done to each member taking part in the Race Days and Congratulations to the winners of the series. Special thanks to RaceTech for their continued support of the Points Series.

Polocrosse News

Four Nations 2023
The Four Nations Camp and Tournament will be returning to our wonderful hosts of Celyn Polocrosse Club at the Cheshire Polo Club in Tarporley on 22nd & 23rd July 2023 with the camp in the preceding week.

The Polocrosse Committee are pleased to share the opening of the Nominations for the 2023 Four Nations. Members wishing to be considered to represent their nation in this event please see the invitation sharing selection criteria and submit the nomination no later than 30th April 2023.

The full details can be found here.

Mounted Games News

International Mounted Games Exchange (IMGE) 2023 – Sydney, Australia 8th-18th November 2023
The IMGE returns for 2023 with the full support of the Pony Club International Alliance (PCIA). Applications are invited from good games players who are able to mix well and be an excellent representative of their Branch and The Pony Club. Those interested in being part of the team will need to meet criteria which include holding the C Test and a reference from the District Commissioner and Centre Proprietor. Full Details can be found here.

Royal Windsor Horse Show Trials
Thank you to all branches and members who have been nominated for Trials, we are currently reviewing the nominations and will be in touch with more details shortly.

Mounted Games Trainers
A reminder that all Mounted Games Trainers are required to be listed on PELHAM by their Branch or Centre. To be listed as a coach on their database trainers will need to meet the coaching criteria which can be found here. Declaration Forms this year will require the Trainers PELHAM number.

Pony Club Coaching Certification Courses

If you would like to further develop your coaching qualifications, there are new courses taking place this year at level 1 and 2, please see the website for further details here.

Spurs

The training committee has carefully reviewed the use of spurs at Pony Club activities and the latest guidance can be found here.

Watch On Demand Now

For the third year, The Pony Club Conference took place online and feedback has been outstanding.

"This year's conference was excellent, it was practical, relevant, introducing important new areas, and primarily dealt with a 90% of members who do not ride elite horses and represent the country."

"Thank you so very much. I can 100% say the conference was exactly what it was advertised as. I am looking forward to getting out and putting all of your extremely useful tools in to action."

If you couldn't make it but would like to watch it, you can! It is now available online to view at anytime. Just click the link below to buy your ticket for £20.00 and you will then be taken through to the recording. By watching the full conference your CPD certificate will be issued at the end.

Click Here to Buy Tickets

Health and Safety

Ambulance Strikes
Unfortunately, the proposed Ambulance Strikes may affect the cover needed for our activities. Please bear this in mind when undertaking your activity risk assessments. We have the following Dates for planned strikes based on regions:

West Midlands: 17 February and 6 and 20 March.
North-East: 20 February and 6 and 20 March.
East Midlands: 20 February and 6 and 20 March.
Wales: 20 February and 6 and 20 March.
North-West: 22 February and 6 March and 20 March.
Northern Ireland: 16, 17, 23 and 24 February.

Risk Assessment Templates
In support of the increased number of activities taking place over the Half-Term break, please see the Risk Assessment templates to support activities. These are to be edited and amended to meet the needs of each club and/ or activity. You can find them here.

Risk Assessment Courses
The Risk Assessment Courses remain a popular training course for Volunteers, Officials, and Coaches alike. To help ensure you have a space on the course to suit you please book here.

Accident Reporting
A gentle reminder, at the end of 2022 the Accident Reporting form was updated. The downloadable form and the digital reporting forms for all injury accidents or near misses can be accessed on our website here.

Parents/ Guardians and Branches alike can report accidents and near misses through the online portal. For additional guidance and support using Risk Reduce (the online reporting system) please see the Accident Reporting Guidance PDF.

January Update 2023

Dear all,

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a good Christmas and are looking forward to a year of fun and friendship with The Pony Club. This month’s update shares some details on rules for 2023 and a reminder to check your mailbox for your membership renewal email, we don't want you to miss out on all this year has to offer.

Best wishes,
Marcus
Marcus Capel (CEO)

Included in this update:

Rulebooks / Handbook
- Vaccination Rule 2023
- Hat Tags
- Body Protectors
- Guidance on Team Selection
Membership renewal – look for your email
Have you bought your ticket for the 2023 Coaching Conference?
Spring Festival is just around the corner!
Pony Club Pen Pals
All things Mounted Games
Polocrosse Four Nations
Risk Assessment Courses

2023 Rulebooks & Handbook

The 2023 rulebooks are available free on our website under the Officials Tab. In addition, printed copies of each book can be ordered directly from Amazon, search for Pony Club Rulebooks 2023 and you will have the full list available.

There have been some important rule changes this year and below are just a few key updates, please do refresh yourself with the 2023 Handbook and the rules for your sport.

The Vaccination Rule 2023 is available on the website with the rulebooks. This has been simplified so that the vaccination schedule for Pony Club activities requires a booster every 12 months. Please be aware that other organisations and event venues may have different requirements, including Pony Racing and some racecourses.
Hat Tags: From the 1st January 2023, the following hat standards will no longer be accepted, due to the age of hats made to these standards:

PAS 015 1998
2. SNELL 2001
A new pink hat tag will be required for all Pony Club, BE and British Riding Club activities from 1st January 2023. These tags are available now for DCs and Branch Officials to buy from Wainwright Screenprint.

Body Protectors: Advance warning that BETA 2009 level 3 standard (purple label) Body Protectors will not be accepted at Pony Club events after 31^st December 2023. After this date, only the BETA 2018 Level 3 standard (blue and black label) will be allowed.
Pony Club Transfers: After much discussion and consultation, The Pony Club rules on transfers and rally attendance for team representation have been simplified.

Rules 8.9 – 8.15 cover the transfer process: whilst The Pony Club does not encourage transfers it recognises that there are valid reasons for moving. Members wanting to transfer should discuss the potential move with their current DC before submitting a Transfer Request via the website. Both DCs and the Area Rep will be informed automatically of the request, the receiving DC will make the decision to accept or decline the Membership transfer.
Rules 7.6-7.9 have been rewritten (incorporating the old 2022 rules 10.7 – 10.9) to promote training and attendance at rallies, loyalty to the Branch and to support competence and safety to compete. Branch Committees may make a Branch rule that Members wanting to represent the Branch in any competition should demonstrate an interest and commitment to the Branch. The Rules and Compliance Committee have issued Guidance on Team Selection to support Branches and Centres, available here. In addition, Areas may also make a rule that to compete at Area Competitions, Members and their horse or pony should have actively taken part in a specified minimum number of rallies / Qualifying Coaching or Training sessions.

Membership Renewal

Renewal emails are flying out to many of our Members this month to share your personal link to renew online. We know there is a busy training period already starting to prepare for competitions, like our Spring Festival and many of you are busy completing Pony Club badges in the winter months, so look out for your renewal email so your membership doesn't lapse.

Please also remember if your membership expires so does your insurance!

Our Membership Team are also here to help, just email: membership@pcuk.org if you have any questions and we look forward to you joining us again in 2023.

Have you bought your ticket for The Pony Club Coaching Conference?

It is less than 4 weeks till our annual Coaching Conference goes live on February 9th at 7pm!

It is set to be another great evening as we come together and listen to 3 industry professionals covering topics such as the benefits of horses on our mental health, learning theory and key exercises that can be used through the levels of training.

The Conference is ONLINE, tickets cost just £20 and it counts as Continued Professional Development (CPD).

To check out the full list of speakers and to book your ticket, click here.

Barrier Animal Health Spring Festival

Good luck to all our Members competing in the Area qualifiers for the Barrier Animal Health Spring Festival, to be held at Arena UK 11^th-12^th February (England and Wales) and at Morris Equestrian 1^st – 3^rd April (Scotland and Northern Ireland). We look forward to seeing you at the finals!

To see the full timetable and schedules, follow the link here.

Pony Club Pen Pals

Did you know The Pony Club has members all around the world in Countries such as China, Dubai, France, Bahrain, Austria, and Kenya?

Would you or your Members be interested in getting to know what it’s like to be a Pony Club member at one of our Overseas Centres, what sports they enjoy, the different tack and equipment they use and their favourite badges?

We are super excited to be launching Pony Club Pen Pals! This is a great opportunity for members to share their love of horses and ponies, exchange Pony Club adventures and make new friends around the world. Sign up as a Centre, Branch or an individual by clicking here. Letter templates will be sent out at the end of January for members to complete.

All things Mounted Games

National Study Day 2023

The National Study day will be taking place in Area 5 on 11th February, bookings are open now. These will close early February to ensure that joining information can be sent out. Please do not miss your opportunity to attend, book now here.

Area Competition dates

The dates are now available on the website to support getting teams and pairs ready for the season, find your dates here.

Area Coordinators

The Area Coordinators roles are available for application, please enter here.

The role will close on 27^th January to support the committee to review applications and make appointments.

Royal Windsor Horse Show- Mounted Games Trials

A reminder that nominations for Mounted Games Trials for the Royal Windsor Horse Show close on February 2nd. Nominations can be made here and all supporting documents must be submitted digitally, either with the application or emailed separately.

Mounted Games Trainers

The Mounted Games Trainers are in regular contact with children and young people in a coaching capacity to support progression within the sport. Trainers are to be listed and compliant with the Coaching Criteria, which can be found here - Coaching Criteria.

If you are a Mounted Games Trainer please ensure you liaise with your club to keep your records up to date and correct on PELHAM. Your PELHAM Number will be required for the declaration form this season.

Polocrosse Four Nations 2023

Returning for 2023 is the Four Nations Camp and Tournament, this event is invitational to see members represent England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales across the Mini, Junior, and Senior sections to determine who will become the overall Champions.

To support the camp, tournament and teams there is the opportunity for coaches and volunteers to apply for positions for this event, full role descriptions and the application process is available on the website by clicking the link below:

Applications close 12 noon on 27^th January 2023 - Click Here

Risk Assessment Courses

A gentle reminder that 2023 Risk Assessment Courses offered by the Pony Club are available to book now. These courses do become full quickly so please book on earlier to ensure you do not miss out!

Book online here.