FAQ2 What is Pony Club?
> What is the US Pony Club?
With national organizations in 31 countries and an estimated membership of 130,000, the Pony Club is the leading junior equestrian organization in the world!
The United States Pony Club has over 600 individual Clubs spread throughout 48 states and the Virgin Islands, with more than 10,000 members. All clubs are run by parents/adult volunteers, who must adhere to the bylaws and policies of the national US Pony Club organization in the administration of their local club's activities. The United States Pony Club, Inc., its regional offices, and all local clubs* are non-profit youth organizations.
The mission of the Pony Club is to provide a program for youth that teaches riding, mounted sports, and the care of horses and ponies. The Pony Club process develops responsibility, sound judgment, leadership and self-confidence. The goal is to ultimately produce well-rounded horsemen and women. The pony club is fun for its members, but that is not its sole purpose; the USPC has a serious mission to help produce adults who are knowledgeable, competent, responsible, and caring.
The Pony Club’s focus is on the English style of riding, and sponsors competition and instruction in the equestrian sports of Dressage, Show Jumping, Eventing, Tetrathlon, Polocrosse, Polo, Foxhunting, Quiz, and Mounted Games. In 2011 the USPC began a program for Western Riding including Western Dressage. Trail and Gymkhana.
The USPC mission statement: The United States Pony Clubs, Inc., develops character, leadership, confidence, and a sense of community in youth through a program that teaches the care of horses and ponies, riding and mounted sports.
The word "pony" in the United States Pony Club reflects the age of the members, rather than the size of the mount. The members ride all sizes and breeds of horses and ponies.
USPC is divided into 44 US regions. The Shore Riders Pony Club is one of 13 local clubs in the Delmarva Region. This is the link to the Delmarva Regional website: Delmarva Region (ponyclub.org)
* In 2005 the USPC began the chartering of Pony Club RIDING CENTERS. Pony Club Riding Centers are centers that teach the Pony Club balanced seat riding program and whose members may participate in all the USPC activities (competitions, exchanges, certifications, scholarships, etc). However, Riding Centers are not eligible for non-profit status under the US Pony Club 501( c)3 umbrella. Some facilities that have a Riding Center Program may ALSO be a non-profit facility with their own non-profit status.