CALEDON – Established in 1960, the Caledon Pony Club (CPC) is a member-owned riding club founded by Joan Kendal and her daughter Nicola.
The club is a branch of the Canadian Pony Club within the western Ontario region, and its main facilities include hosting events, giving riding lessons, and providing educational opportunities to youth.
The CPC has members from Fergus, Erin, Guelph, Rockwood and Caledon, run by a parent committee.
Members participate in disciplines and activities throughout the year with their ponies and horses, including dressage, show jumping, rally, Tetrathlon (Pony Club’s version of the modern pentathlon), and the Prince Philip Games to name a few.
During the off-season, they participate in several social and educational activities.
Volunteers who run the club are committed to fostering loyalty, responsibility, friendship, and sportsmanship among its members.
Pony Club originally started in Britain in 1929 before spreading worldwide. Today it is represented by no less than 25 countries with membership exceeding 100,000. Canada has about 150 branches and a membership of over 2,100. It is supported by some 1,000 volunteers.
The CPC is a grass roots equestrian skill building organization that builds the proper foundation, knowledge, and ability for participants to make it to the top of their chosen equestrian discipline. Currently the club has members ranging in age from 7 to 18.
Members meet for education, socials, and competitions from May through September and gather weekly to ride on the grounds of the Caledon Riding Club. They host riding lessons on a weekly basis.
CPC district commissioner Aislinn Jones is the main representative attending regional meetings. She assists with questions and sign-offs related to Pony Club member competition requirements and organizes educational events.
“Pony club is a volunteer- and parent-driven non-profit organization. We rely on fundraising and volunteers to support the bulk of Pony Club, making it affordable and allowing as many children as possible access to ponies, horses, and an understanding of how to care for them,” Jones said.
“Wellington County members work hard and volunteer to give back to the equestrian community.”
Regionals – Isabelle Thompson with Marshmallow at the regional Prince Philip Games in 2022. Photo by Aimee Adams
The CPC hosts a riding sleepover camp at the Caledon Riding Club. Instructors give lessons to members over a week-long period, teaching them how to care for their equines in a group environment focused on team building and safety.
“Our competitions have rules, restrictions,and requirements to ensure safety while competing. All equestrian events carry some risk, but the club works very hard to mitigate that risk,” said Jones.
“Pony club is designed to make our members and children safe, well-educated and responsible horse owners, equestrians, and competitors for the future.”
The club has ties with members in the equestrian community to broaden education. It offers members the opportunity to take part in field trips to various institutions in the equine industry. Racetracks, vet clinics, breed shows, and farrier demonstrations are among the trips included.
Lessons from various high-level instructors in a variety of disciplines also contribute the success of aspiring riders.
CPC treasurer and Prince Philip Games representative Aimee Adams hopes to have more involvement in the future working alongside other agricultural events in the area.
“Many of our members go on to do amazing things. Most of our coaches and trainers were members of pony club when they were kids,” Adams noted.
“We’ve had kids that have competed on an international level through pony clubs international exchange program.”
This year Adam’s daughter Adriana is the first alternate to go to Australia to compete in the international Prince Philip Games competition.
“There are so many opportunities for these kids to travel and have so many fun and educational experiences,” she added.
An all-breeds event will be hosted May 26 by the Ontario Society for Working Equitation in Ancaster, where invited members from the Pony Club will compete in teams to complete an obstacle course.
“It’s for fun and bragging rights, and to let people see what these kids and ponies can do,” Adams said.
The tetrathlon regional competition will take place July 1 and 2. It is a combination of riding, running, shooting, and swimming. Ages seven and up compete at different levels.
Tetrathlon is similar to the Olympic event Pentathlon which includes the sport of fencing.
Individuals interested in joining can find information at the Western Ontario Region Pony Club website at wor.ponyclub.ca.
