membership
Gympie Pony Club offers two categories of membership; Riding and Social.
To join Gympie Pony Club, please make an application through the Pony Club Queensland website.
Membership Categories
Riding
First Member $209.00 (+ cc fees), Second and Subsequent Members $109.00 (+ cc fees)
Social
$50.00 (+cc fees)
RIDING
Riding Membership entitles you to participate in all club rallies and competitions, as well as other Pony Club Queensland (PCQ) events. The Gympie Pony Club club’s grounds are also available for your use, under supervision of one of our Instructors, for riding or coaching.
Riding members are required to own or lease their own horse or pony.
SOCIAL
A Social Membership is required for parents and guardians of Riding Members under the age of 18, or they may become a Riding Member instead. At least one parent is required per family.
We also offer social membership to others who simply want to support our club and its work.
PONY CLUB RULES
- Any riding member under the age of 18 years must have at least one parent or guardian who is either a riding or social member
- Each family is required to volunteer at club rallys, events and working bees
- Only financial Gympie Pony Club members, or members of other PCQ affiliated Pony Clubs, may use the Club’s grounds, except where the Club hires out the use of its grounds to another club, organisation or school
- When the Club hires out the use of its grounds to another club, organisation or school, that entity must have its own insurance coverage for the period of the hire
- All riders at Gympie Pony Club and other PCQ-affiliated events must comply with PCQ equipment and dress rules regarding saddlery, helmets, boots and other gear
Horses & Ponies
The welfare of our riders and their horses is the highest priority of our club and all our rallies, events and activities are conducted according to the rules and by-laws of Pony Club Queensland (PCQ).
A rider shall be confined to the use of one mount and that a horse may only have one rider at any event. A horse must be either owner-ridden or leased (except where special rules permit otherwise).
No stallion, colt or rig is eligible to take part in or attend any event, competition or otherwise, at any function conducted by Gympie Pony Club.
Any act or series of actions which, in the opinion of the club’s Chief Instructor, can clearly and without doubt be defined as abuse of horse or dangerous riding, shall be dealt within the relevant PCQ Code of Conduct.
Similarly, any rider who affects the safety of any horse, rider or third party will be considered to have acted dangerously, and will be penalised as determined by relevant Code of Conduct (up to and including withdrawal of membership).
Riders are required to provide a completed Horse Health declaration at club events.
It is preferred that dogs are not brought to the pony club grounds; if they are, they are to be securely tied and restricted the the confines of the owners’ horse float.
Club Colours and Uniform
UNIFORM
Gympie Pony Club’s colours are bottle green and cerise.
Our formal uniform, worn at gymkhanas and all competitions, consists of beige jodhpurs or riding pants, collared, long sleeve, pale pink shirt, club tie and badge and bottle green vest. Tie, vest and badge are available from the club house on rally days . Horses are to wear official Gympie Pony Club saddlecloth at events (not compulsory at rallys) available to purchase from Saddleworld Gympie.
To make a pale pink shirt use the following instructions: purchase a white cotton shirt (school shirts are best – Big W or Target) plus a sachet of ‘Rose Pink’ fabric dye,.Follow the instructions to die the shirt pink.
For rallys riders can (not compulsory) wear the club polo shirt and jodphurs or riding pants. Polo shirt also is to be worn on the cross country phase of Eventing. Gympie Pony Club Polos available from the clubhouse.
HELMETS & BOOTS
Safety is paramount in pony club and all riders are required to wear PCQ-approved helmets and smooth-soled, heeled riding boots.
Equestrian helmet AS/NZS 3838, EN 1384 or ASTM F1163.
Helmets must have an effective chin strap. Riders with unstamped helmets of the required specification will not be expected to replace them. For competition – black, brown, navy blue & white are allowed.
See our ‘uniform’ page for more detail on helmets and boots.
INSURANCE
Horse riding is a hazardous pastime and all members must sign a Gympie Pony Club indemnity form limiting liability for any injury or damage suffered.
Gympie Pony Club membership includes basic insurance cover through Pony Club Queensland for members and others participating in the club’s equestrian activities. The insurance is not all encompassing and does not seek to replace your need for private health and other insurances.
Members may also be subject to restrictions set down by the Department of Primary Industries when traveling to and/or riding at Gympie Pony Club.
VOLUNTEERING
The success of Gympie Pony Club depends on the contribution our members make. Each of our member families is required to volunteer throughout the year.
Examples of volunteering include working bees, mowing the grounds and operating the canteen, which is open during rally days and staffed by members on a roster basis. We also need to maintain our cross country course and members are asked to ‘adopt’ a jump, clean it up and decorate it before our ODE in August each year.
All riders are also asked to help set up on rally days, which provides an important learning opportunity. Many hands make light work and packing up provides a great opportunity to reflect on the day’s achievements and share a few laughs.
