Rally Days
Rally days are usually held on the first and third Sunday of each month during school term time. They are when our members get together and ride together. There are no rally days during the school holiday periods. Click here for our calendar.
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In addition to rally days, members have numerous opportunities to compete in closed and open competitions. A closed competition means it is just amongst our members, where as an open competition is against other clubs.
Each rally day begins with compulsory gear check for horse and rider outside the clubhouse at 9:15 am, for 9:30am (prompt) start, 11am morning tea, and approx 1pm finish. Riders are to be in correct club uniform, horse and gear are to be clean and horses hooves are to be oiled. No one is to ride on the club grounds before being gear checked.
Rally days usually offer riders a range of activities and learning experiences. Riders are expected to take part in all activities wherever possible. Some rally days will be devoted to one particular discipline such as a dressage competition. Only one other activity may be offered on these special days. Such days are noted in the club calender.
Members are designated points for attendance and overall appearance.
Rally Days include instruction in the following disciplines:
• Showjumping
• Showjumping Equitation
• Sporting and Mounted Games
• Dressage
• Cross-Country [eventing]
• Horsemanship
Certificates
We have a strong commitment to the completion of the Pony Club proficiency certificates.
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All Pony Club members are eligible to work towards their certificates.
The proficiency certificates look at a range of areas associated with horses:
~ Riding skills including jumping.
~ Horsemastership: essential & fascinating info. on horses!
~ General knowledge.
Candidates work through the year, both in their Riding groups and in Horsemastership groups, to learn the skills and knowledge to progress through each of the certificates.
Riders are then assessed on the requirements for that certificate. Successful candidates are rewarded with a certificate and cloth patch to be worn on their shirt or jumper sleeve in recognition of their achievement.
All the requirements for the certificates (at the lower levels) is conducted through activities on Rally Days.
What do I get?
• Syllabus requirements for the certificate you are attempting
• Lots of horsey information (how to fit saddles & bridles, horse feeding, illnesses, shoeing) and riding skills (mounting and dismounting from either side, sitting trot, canter and recognising leading leg, lungeing, jumping).
• Guest speakers
• Fun games and activities as you learn your riding skills.
• Certificate of Achievement
• Cloth patches to show your success!
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You can purchase your certification manuals from Pony Club NSW by clicking the button below.
Competitions
During the year the club will hold special events eg. dressage competition, showjumping etc. They may be closed (ie only members) or open. We are also designated one zone event to host which is totally run by the club. In all these events, parents and children are asked to help in as many ways as possible as all money will go back into the club but also these events showcase the club.
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Avondale Pony Club is part of Zone 23, which also includes the following
Forest Hills, Arcadia and Dural Pony Clubs
During each year a zone event is held in all of the disciplines (Sporting, Show Jumping & Showjumping Equitation, Dressage, Mounted Games and One Day Event) plus a Gymkhana and a Jamboree.
This means our riders compete against other riders in the zone.
State competitions are held approximately 6 weeks after Zone competitions.
In all competitions age is taken as the age of the rider on the day of the competition.
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All our competitions and zone competitions are listed on our events page.
Safety
For safety reasons no one is to get on a horse without a helmet and because of Pony Club insurance only members are permitted to ride.
Adults are not permitted to ride on rally days unless at lunch time or before and after pony club but only with the permission of the chief instructor or executive member.
Children are not permitted to go off riding on their own either before, during or after rally days or at lunch time.
Cross country jumps may only be jumped when an instructor is present.
