Pony Club starting up in Sisters

Young Central Oregon equestrians interested in English riding disciplines will shortly have a new option to explore. The High Desert U.S. Pony Club is set to begin in Sisters on September 13 with an information and sign-up meeting.

The get together is from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at O'Neal Farms, on Perit Huntington Road in Sisters. Potential members and their parents can meet each other and the club instructors at the meeting, and questions such as "Just what is Pony Club?" will get answered.

The first thing to understand about Pony Clubs, according to joint district commissioner Annie Winter, is that horses are allowed, too. Riders from age five through 21 participate in Pony Club and most of the older riders, and some of the small ones, ride full-size horses.

The Central Oregon club, while based in Sisters, is open to all riders in the region. Horse ownership is not a requirement; O'Neal Farms has horses available to lease to committed club members.

A Pony Club's purpose is to foster all-around horse care and riding skills, emphasizing safety, responsibility, teamwork and fun. Two meetings are held per month, one mounted where the riders are instructed in the various Pony Club disciplines.

The activities include dressage, show jumping, cross-country, mounted games, vaulting (mounted gymnastics), polo, polocrosse (a combination of polo and lacrosse), fox hunting (perhaps not in Central Oregon) and tetrathlon (riding, running, shooting and swimming).

The non-mounted meetings concentrate on horse management skills, such as feeding, veterinary care, hoof care, grooming and care of equipment.

While Pony Club emphasizes instruction over competition, members do compete with each other at club, regional and national rallies.

O'Neal Farms owner and instructor, Karen O'Neal, has fond memories of her years in Pony Club in California.

"I think it is a wonderful education for anyone who wants to ride or be around horses. It focuses on safety, knowledge, correct riding and teaches discipline," she said.

Annie Winter is another Sisters resident who spent her childhood involved with Pony Club. Her formative years were spent in Wales and Yorkshire, and it's long been a dream of Winter's to have her daughters experience the outstanding opportunity Pony Club presents to young riders.

Winter and Yvette Chandler are joint district commissioners and are well versed by now in the intricate rating system of the Pony Club. Riders progress through rating levels, with each level requiring more knowledge of horse care and increasingly accomplished riding skills.

"Colleges (with equine programs) look favorably at Pony Club participation," said Winter.

A meeting for interested adults to become sponsors of the club is scheduled for Thursday, August 30, at 4 p.m., at O'Neal Farms. Sponsors, who pay $40 per year, become the voting board and form the by-laws and committees of the club.

For more information contact Annie Winter, 549-1225 or Yvette Chandler, 549-6260. The United States Pony Club Web site is http://www.ponyclub.org.