One of the main objectives of pony club is to encourage and improve horsemanship and horse care in its riding members, therefore the Working Rally is the backbone of the Pony Club Movement. It is by such rallies the Aims and Objectives of the pony club movement are best carried out.
The Club Chief Coach is responsible for the club’s coaching program and the safe implementation of the current PCA Syllabus of Instruction.
All rally dates are arranged by the Club Committee, recorded and minuted by the secretary and notified and open to all financial members. No person shall conduct a rally or coach at a rally unless authorised by the Club Committee and the Club Chief Coach.
DEFINITION OF A WORKING RALLY
A WORKING RALLY is a rally to which all financial members are eligible to attend and where coaching from the current Pony Club Australia Syllabus of Instruction is given – e.g. flatwork, jumping, horse care, general knowledge and active riding, e.g. games, polocrosse, vaulting. A Working Rally is generally a minimum of three (3) hours of instruction in duration, with lesson times varied to reflect the ages / level of riders, weather and other factors. A riding member can expect two (2) or three (3) ridden (flatwork, jumping, active riding) sessions and at least one unmounted horse care session
VISITING RALLIES
Horse and rider combinations may attend Working Rallies at a club other than their own financial Club, which must be notified too and agreed by the rider’s Club Chief Coach and the Chief Coach of the club they are visiting.
A member may not be a visiting rider more than twice in any calendar year unless an exemption is applied for through the State Coaching Panel on the appropriate form.
SPECIAL MOUNTED RALLIES
These can be a club outing to a different venue when the whole expedition is a learning experience for all. Examples are, but not limited to, trips to the beach, farms or forest trail rides.
UNMOUNTED RALLIES
These can be of great value and are generally devoted to horse care. These lectures provide practical knowledge and experience and can be delivered by experts in the field or experienced coaches on horse ailments and their treatments (vets), fitting and care of saddlery (saddle fitters), shoeing & trimming (farrier) grooming, feeding, stable management and other aspects of horse care, Landcare, vaulting and many other equestrian related topics.
STATE TRAINING DAYS AS WORKING RALLIES
If a State Training Day takes place on a normal club rally day, then the rider attending the Training Day may be granted one Working Rally. Only one State Training Day per year may be claimed as a Working Rally.
State Training Days are defined as State Squad Days as acknowledged by the relevant Sport Committee in relation to PCA National Championships.
Updated January 2025
STATE SCHOOLS AS WORKING RALLIES
Mounted attendance at a State C/ C*/K/B/H/A Development School can be used as one Working Rally over a 12-month period.
CAMPS AS WORKING RALLIES
Club / Zone Pony Club Camps consisting of one or two-day duration is counted as ONE (1) Working Rally ONLY.
Senior Riders ONLY, are permitted to count 2-3 day camps as TWO (2) Working Rallies as long as they are participating (riding or coaching) all day at camp as set out in 2.2.
RALLY QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Where qualifications for pony club activities are required such as national/state/zone competition or Efficiency Certificate assessments, The riding member and horse combination must:
1.1 attend a minimum of three hours at three separate Working Rallies within the 12-month period required by the event or competition, two of which must be at the club at which they are a member; and
1.2 participate in at least one ridden session at each Working Rally.
1.3 If riding two horses at a Working Rally, participate in at least one ridden session on each horse.
1.4 If a riding member has achieved their C*/K Proficiency Certificate then a two rally qualification will apply
A maximum of two horses/ponies may be ridden by one rider at any Working Rally
RALLY QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR A SENIOR RIDING MEMBER
As above, the Senior Riding Member and horse combination must attend a minimum of three hours at three separate Working Rallies within the 12-month period required by the event or competition, two of which must be at the club at which they are a member;
OR
A Senior Riding Member can attend a minimum of three hours at two separate Working Rallies (as set out in 1.2 and 1.3 in this document or General Regulations 1.1ii and 1.1iii) within the 12-month period required by the event or competition, one of which must be at the club at which they are a member provided at least one of the following conditions has been satisfied:
2.1 The Senior Riding Member holds their C*/K or above Certificate;
2.2 The Senior Riding Member has provided coaching instruction for at least three hours at a minimum of one Working Rally (in addition to attending 2 Working Rallies as a riding member as above) or
2.3 The Senior Riding Member has provided other regular service to their club or Pony Club WA (i.e. Club Executive, Zone Representative, State Sport Committee) over the required prior 12-month period.
A Senior Riding Member can qualify a maximum of 2 horses.
Senior Riders qualifying under option 2.1, 2.2 or 2.3 must be agreed to and signed off by a Club Chief Coach and a member of Club Executive, provided that the qualifying mount(s) are known to the Club Chief Coach to be competent at pony club activities at the level chosen for competition.
