Your Membership

Your membership of Yarrambat Horse & Pony Club provides members with access to all our club activities and much more. From February to December each year, we hold a rally meeting each month at our club grounds.  This is a fantastic opportunity for our members to enjoy group based learning activities and socialise with like minded horse enthusiasts.  We also host competitions throughout the year and your PCAV membership also enables you to compete at events hosted by other pony clubs.

Outlined below is a wealth of information about your membership at YHPC and our rally days.  Please take the time to read through it all and if you still have questions, please contact the relevant committee member who can clarify your queries:

Membership Coordinator : Ashley Davies Email Ashley 

District Commissioner (DC): Sinéad Hanlon Email Sinead

Secretary : Fiona Heseltine Email Fiona 

Rally Groups

Members are instructed in groups based on their riding standard. The numbers of groups vary so that each group has between 7 and 10 riders. There are currently nine of these groups and groupings are reviewed on a regular basis throughout the year. Rally information is updated each month and posted on our website and our facebook page a few days before the rally. For further information, please refer to our rallies section.

Grading

Grading for Dressage, Combined Training and Horse Trials are from Grade 1 to Grade 5, with Grade 5 being the lowest.  There are no grades for Games or Showing.

Showjump gradings are slightly different, in that they range from A grade to F grade, with F being the lowest.  Rider’s grades are not necessarily the same across all disciplines – for example, a rider could be in Grade 3 for Dressage, Grade 3 for Combined Training, but Grade 4 for Horse Trials and D Grade in Showjumping.

For a rider to be graded on their horse they must have attended at least two official club rallies.

Riders must be 8 years of age and over to compete in Horse Trials. All other disciplines do not have a minimum age requirement.

How does grading work?

Gradings are based on the ability of the horse and rider combination, not just the rider. Other factors taken into account include competence, , safety, confidence, experience, size of the horse and the age of both horse and rider

Each rider can be graded on as many horses as they wish, provided they have attended at least two rallies on each horse. The grading given on one horse may be different to that given on another horse.

Grading occurs at rallies and is decided upon by the District Commissioner (DC ) in conjunction with our Chief Instructor. Only the DC can enter grading details on your grading card and amendments must not be made by anyone else.  If a rider would like to be graded for the first time, or move up a grade, upon check in on rally day, riders need to complete a grading form, available at the DC desk.

Riders over 13 years of age must have their C Certificate to compete in Zone and State competitions.

Membership /Grading cards

Your membership/grading card is the same card. It is often called your grading card, but it also provides evidence of your PCV membership, insurance and pony club grading.

Grading Card Requirements at a Rally.

You must submit your grading card at each rally to record your attendance.

Your grading card is maintained and can be stored by either the Grading Card Coordinator or yourself. Riders who regularly compete, generally opt to look after their own card, dropping it off and collecting at each rally after updating.

Grading Card Requirements at a Competition.

To compete in a pony club event or provide evidence of insurance at an EA or open event, riders must present their grading card.

At a competition, a rider and horse combination must be graded for that competition and have attended at least five rallies in the previous twelve months (only two rallies for associate members). These details must be recorded on your membership card.

If you choose to store your card with the Card Secretary, it is your responsibility  to collect it before an event.

Remember: Grading cards must be presented at all events. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to compete. No card, no ride.

Access to our Grounds

Members’ Access

Our grounds are there to be enjoyed by all members and are available to be used throughout the year with the exception of:

  • The second Saturday in the month. This is the day when the Yarrambat Adult Riding Club (YARC) uses the ground.
  • When there is a competition run by either our club or YARC
  • When the grounds have been hired to outside equestrian groups as listed on the YHPC events calendar

Keys to the grounds (to open gates on non-rally days) are available to members who have been a member of the club for at least 3 months.

A refundable deposit of $100 is required to secure this key. The key must be returned when membership ceases and the deposit will be refunded.

Gates that need to be locked

The following gates must be locked when you are the last person to leave the grounds:

  • The double entry gates
  •  The white gate that is close to the equipment shed. This one protects all our equipment that is stored in the sheds
  • The junior yard gate
  • The gate to cross country course.
  • The toilet gates

Riders (under 18 years) must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Parents riding at the  YHPC grounds.

Parents of financial members can ride at the grounds, as long as they have adequate equestrian insurance cover.  If you wish to ride under this category, you must submit proof of insurance to our secretary before riding.

Non-members use of the YHPC grounds.

Non members are unable to ride at our grounds, unless accompanied by a member.

Members are permitted to bring 1 guest to ride at our grounds on non rally days, providing they submit the relevant paperwork beforehand and pay the $10.00 fee.  Guests must have insurance with either PCV, HRCAV or EA.

YHPC XC Course and Access to Aero Club

There is a parcel of land (with cross country jumps) alongside the Greensborough Model Aircraft Club. Use of this area is restricted to weekends between the hours of 7am to 7pm.  There is a sign on course indicating the area and hours of use.  Please be mindful at all times in this area, that there may be model airplanes flying overhead.

Rally days

Your first rally is very exciting, but also a little daunting. Being prepared helps and that’s why we’ve developed a run through of how a rally day progresses. Every effort will be made to buddy up new members with someone who knows the ropes so they can show you around and introduce you to other families.

Lesson 1 and gear check
10:30—12:00

At 10:30am we all meet in the Junior Yard to check that our gear is safe and clean before our first session commences at 11.00am.

What will instructors check?

Presentation of pony or horse
  • Neat and tidy
  • Hooves trimmed
  • Mud removed
Presentation of rider
  • Neat and tidy – no earrings
  • Pony Club uniform is worn with beige, cream, white or banana coloured jodhpurs.
  • Correct foot attire – smooth soled riding boots
  • Helmet – compliant with Australian standards
  • Pony Club badge
  • Medical armband with current and correct details – available for purchase from the Uniform Shop
Tack

Tack is required to be clean – some instructors prefer that the children have a go, so mums and dads, it isn’t just up to you. Safety is important and that’s why we check for any worn or potentially dangerous damage to your tack. Correct fit is also checked (particularly stirrup irons, which must have a finger’s width either side of the child’s foot). This is for your pony’s sake – an incorrectly fitting saddle or bridle can cause great pain to your pony or horse.

Lunch
12:00pm—1:00pm

Please take care of your pony before you visit our lovely canteen for lunch. If you need help to look after your pony, please talk to the DC. We recommend unsaddling, providing food and water and making sure your pony is comfortable and safe (in cold weather a rug will stop them getting a chill).

Lesson 2
1:00–2:00

Check the rally plan board at the clubhouse for details.

Lesson 3
2:00—3:00

Our final lesson for the day.

Important points – before you go home!

Please pick up any manure and put it in one of our manure pits.

If you leave early, it is essential that you let our DC know. If you need more details about our rallies, visit the important rally information page.

Member duties and responsibilities

As you can imagine, there’s a lot of organising that goes into a rally day. And even more for event days! As a result, each YHPC family is required to provide the following assistance:

  •  canteen duty and set up and pack up duty at a minimum of 2 rallies each year.
  • two working bees held throughout the year.
  • assistance as required at our events held throughout the year.

When you are on duty, please confirm your availability with your team leader. If you cannot make your assigned duty, it is your responsibility to contact another member and arrange to swap.  If you fail to complete your duties, you will be charged an extra fee when you renew your membership.

Committee

Our club is run by volunteers and requires a lot preparation for events and clinics to run smoothly. Our committee is a dedicated group who can always do with extra help, so if you wish to be more involved please contact us.

Fundraising

We try to keep our fees affordable, hence our fundraisers are really important. Our major fundraising activities tend to be event days and the canteen profits from each rally!

Our events also enable members to compete on home turf and are a great way to learn the ropes. So please put your hand up to volunteer or talk to one of our committee members.