United States Eventing Association

2013 Pony Club Inter-Pacific Exchange Celebrates Borderless Horsemanship and Friendship

The 2013 Pony Club Inter-Pacific Exchange (IPE) took place in Queensland, Australia from July 26th through August 12^th, 2013. The exchange, held every other year, consists of 4-rider teams from five countries: Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Canada, and USA. Riders must be between the ages of 17 and 21, rated B or higher in Pony Club, and be comfortable jumping 3’7” courses on unknown horses. Representing the United States Pony Clubs this year was Alexa Ehlers (‘A’) of Bartonville, TX, Amanda Silver (‘A’) of Chappaqua, NY, Ann Bellinger (‘HA’) of Arlington, VA, and Reesie McGuigan (‘HA’) of Indian Trail, NC. Pony Club graduate ‘A’ Janna Ritacco of Greer, SC coached the four girls and graduate ‘HA’ Amber Gooding of Hendersonville, NC joined them as team chaperone.

The main goal of the exchange is to give upper-level Pony Club members the opportunity to meet each other and foster relationships across Pony Club’s international borders. It was a fun two-and-a-half weeks of travelling and competing. The most amazing part of the exchange was the generosity we experienced from the host country, volunteers and sponsors. Generosity and teamwork are two things that Pony Club emphasizes throughout all of the levels, and the exchange would not have been possible without all of the volunteers who brought horses from all over Queensland to be used in various parts of the exchange. We would also like to thank all of our sponsors who donated riding apparel, equipment, lessons, and many other items. While some of the donations were for the team, most were used in silent auction fundraisers we held around the country to raise money for the exchange.

The trip started with a short training camp with our coach in South Carolina where we worked on dressage and show jumping a few different horses. We moved quickly to the West Coast and on to Australia, landing in Brisbane. Staying on the Australian Gold Coast, we began our time together with “the Kangaroo Cup,” a Combined Test where each IPE team was split up and reformed into one rider from each country. Because we were split up from our real team, we immediately began building relationships with the other competitors, coaches, and chaperones. After a few days of touring, we travelled across the Great Divide to Warwick. One Australian from the 2011 IPE managed to round up thirty-seven horses for us to hack around the Warwick CNC*** cross-country course. During our time in Warwick, we also visited a working draft horse farm, watched sheep shearing, toured a saddlery, and viewed a demonstration by the Australian Pro Rodeo Association. We finished the trip on the Sunshine Coast, where we took full advantage of being on the water. We also spent an entire day touring Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world, and Rainbow Beach, whose dunes contain seventy-two different colors of sand. Through it all, we built amazing bonds with each other and Pony Club members from other countries and are very much looking forward to staying in touch with everyone!

Our time in Australia culminated in “the Nations Cup,” a 3’7” Show Jumping competition on the host country’s horses. Each team draws five horses’ names and is given one hour the day before the competition to ride the horses and decide which teammate will ride which horse. The Nations Cup is a two-round competition with a jump-off as needed. Team USA ended with a total of 16 jumping faults and in third place. We were just one rail behind Australia and New Zealand, whose first place tie was broken in a jump-off, leaving Australia with team gold.

If you are interested in learning more about this year’s exchange, please check out our blog, our FaceBook pageand watch our video. The United States Pony Club is looking forward to hosting the Inter-Pacific Exchange in 2017!