Old Chatham Pony Club

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About the Old Chatham Pony Club:

The Old Chatham Pony Club is one of the oldest clubs in the United States Pony Club organization.  In fact, we were one of the original clubs, chartered in 1954. We draw our current membership of 25 from throughout Columbia & Rensselaer Counties, NY and are in the New York/Upper Connecticut Region.

In the beginning, we were sponsored by the Old Chatham Hunt Club.  We have remained close to the Old Chatham Hunt Club and to foxhunting in the area. 

The United States Pony Club supports disciplines such as Dressage, Eventing, Show Jumping, Mounted Games, Tetrathlon, Quiz, Vaulting, Foxhunting, and Polocrosse.  USPC Fact Sheet

Old Chatham Pony Club has supported members in all these disciplines over the course of our existence.  This past year, some of our members finished in the ribbons at the National Quiz competition.  Additionally, our own Danger! High Vaultage! Vaulting team has traveled twice to Germany where they came home with both bronze and silver medals in competitions. 

Over the years, our club has produced three graduate A-rated Pony Clubbers: Deirdre Gill Koloski, Lorinda Lende, and Diane Weber Spoto.  Diane Spoto continues to serve as an instructor and mentor to the Old Chatham Pony Club.  In addition, the United States Pony Club has many graduates that went on to become great riders.  USPC Alumni Olympians

Foxhunting

Old Chatham Pony Club has had a long association with the Old Chatham Hunt Club and we are very grateful for their support. One of our great joint activities is Youth Foxhunting Day when Pony Clubbers get to go along for the ride and learn the ropes.  Some of our members are also Junior Members of the hunt club where they join the foxhunt weekly in the autumn months and bask in the glow of having ridden several hours in all conditions. 

Eventing

Eventing embodies the core activity of Pony Club – that of three riding disciplines (Dressage, Cross-Country, Show Jumping) and horse management, providing members with a broad equestrian base needed to enjoy any horse activity throughout their lives in a safe and competent manner.* 

Old Chatham Pony Club members participate in the USPC Eventing Rallies held annually within the New York/Upper Connecticut Region at both "D" levels and "C" levels.  They work very hard all year long to attend these annual rallies and their teamwork and sportsmanship show in their team scores.  They must meet the riding expectations as well as horse management expectations at their respective levels and the goal of the team is to achieve the lowest penalty points throughout the rally to win.  There are four riding members and one non-riding horse manager for each team and sometimes they have to join other pony club members from other areas to make up a team.  There are usually ten or more teams at these rallies.  Each member always comes home with a smile and great memories to share even if they didn't win!

*From USPC Eventing Rulebook

Quiz is a non-riding team competition where Pony Club members show their knowledge and skills in 1) the Standards of Proficiency and topics related to the standards of proficiency through their rating level and at least one level above their rating level, 2) Rally competition rules, 3) Horse sports including Foxhunting, Polo, Vaulting, Distance Riding, and Polocrosse, and 4) Safety.  Many aspects of Pony Club mounted Rallies can be learned at the Quiz Rally.  Quiz rallies, besides challenging the Pony Club members to learn horsemanship and horse care, provide them with opportunities to display and learn good sportsmanship, leadership, stewardship and team work as they prepare thoroughly, plan and cooperate with their team mates, and take winning or losing in stride. Thus, the purpose is to design Quiz to be competitive but comfortable, comfortable but challenging, challenging but fair, fair but rigorous, rigorous but flexible, flexible but efficient, and efficient but educational all while promoting creativity and FUN.*

Old Chatham Pony Club has members that qualify for NATIONALS again this year!  They competed in Regional quizzes this winter and spring and one of our members will head to Nationals in July.  Last year, two members qualified and attended Nationals where they placed quite well and brought home memories to share with all their fellow Pony Clubbers.  

*From USPC Quiz Rulebook

Vaulting

Vaulting is gymnastics on a moving horse, an ancient sport which had its beginnings in the bull vaulting of the ancient Minoans. It was used in the training of cavalry troops since Roman times, throughout the Middle Ages and into the Twentieth Century.  Vaulting became an Olympic event in the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, where the competitors were cavalry teams. Vaulting is officially recognized as an international equestrian discipline by the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), which is the world governing body for international equestrian sports, it is one of the six disciplines offered at the World Equestrian Games (in addition to Jumping, Dressage, Three-Day Eventing, Endurance Riding and Driving).  This sport is divided into two sections by the FEI - Juniors (up to 18 years of age) and Young Riders (16 to 21 years of age).  It is also recognized by the American Horse Shows Association (AHSA) at the Silver and Gold Medal levels with no age limit.  Vaulting competitions are divided into two major categories: 1) compulsory, or required exercises and 2) kür, or free-style exercises. Competitions are offered for teams, pairs and individuals.  The practice of vaulting fills many needs in the equestrian world - sometimes as the means to an end, sometimes as an end in itself. The following are some applications of this sport: SAFETY is the first and most important application of vaulting. By increasing confidence and balance, it decreases falls; by teaching proper vault-offs from every position as well as good landings, it reduces chances of injury from a fall. Helmets and boots are not worn for vaulting because they alter a vaulters balance. RIDER TRAINING is enhanced with the improvement of confidence, suppleness, balance and rhythm.  Using vaulting techniques, the time required in learning to ride safely can be cut in half.  It is also good for Pony Club Games competitors because they learn to dismount and remount more quickly and safely.*

Old Chatham Pony Club's own Danger! High Vaultage! vaulting team has traveled twice to Germany where they came home with both bronze and silver medals in competitions.  They have also competed nationally and occasionally you can see them at expositions throughout the area. 

*From USPC Vaulting Rulebook