Rallies are Pony Club events that allow members to test their knowledge and skills in both horse care and riding in a competitive atmosphere. Rallies and resources can be offered in various formats, and can be administered by the region with clubs and centers sending teams to compete or hosted by a club or center.
Pony Club values teaching independence and teamwork. This means parents, coaches, and chaperones are not allowed in the barn area to allow the members to compete independently. Members work with their teammates under the supervision of Horse Management judges. These are trained volunteers who are available to answer questions, do safety checks, and to judge and score the teams on their overall organization and horse care skills.
In all disciplines members compete as part of a team. Teams may be of mixed ages and skill levels. To ensure that competition is fair, members are judged based on their certification and competition level. Teams have 4-5 members with a Team Captain as well as a Stable Manager. Team Captains are responsible for representing the team in all official matters, while Stable Managers are in charge of coordinating the team schedule. As a team, members work together to ensure that each horse and rider is properly turned out and prepared to compete to the best of their abilities.
Quiz rallies are slightly different. Team members are unmounted and are tested on their equine knowledge in five separate phases. In some phases members may collaborate to answer a question and in others, they must answer individually. Topics range from horse care to horse sports to general equine knowledge and can offer a hands-on component.
In Pony Club riding disciplines members are scored on their individual performances and judged on their horse care skills. Individual results are compiled and added together to create a team score. One award is given to the team with the best Horse Management scores. Another award called the Overall Team Award is based on combined riding scores and horse management points.
Regions may hold more than one rally per discipline per year as necessary with the approval of the RS.
Standard Rally
This is always the preferred type of rally. Standard rallies specifically follow all the rules outlined in the current discipline rulebooks and Horse Management Handbook including utilizing a Chief Horse management judge from the national CHMJ list, as well as any other specified licensed officials.
Standard rallies can include non-Championships divisions and make individual accommodations and modifications for members not seeking Championships eligibility as appropriate for the local membership
Members who earn Championships eligibility (and meet the age and certification) at a standard rally have the opportunity to compete in standard divisions at Championships.
Modified Rally
Modified rallies do not specifically follow the discipline rulebooks and generally occur because of limited resources. This could potentially include: not utilizing a CHMJ from the current approved CHMJ list or not utilizing specified licensed officials.
While attendance of a modified rally makes some members eligible for modified Championships divisions, it does not meet the minimum eligibility requirements for standard divisions.
Everything But The Horse (EBTH) Rally
This rally is known as a “horseless” rally. The EBTH rally is meant to give members a chance to experience a Pony Club rally, but without the pressure of preparing a horse. It is conducted like a regular competition where members set up a tack room and stalls, and are judged on their Horse Management skills.
It is geared towards new members and younger members of Pony Club who either do not have a horse or have never experienced a rally. Everything but the horse rallies are not offered at Championships.
Model Horse Rally
Another version of a horseless rally, but this time members will set up and prepare their barn to hold a model horse. In addition, a riding competition will be held as members “ride” their horse in the ring or over a course. Members will compete in teams and the care of their “horse” is judged and scored. Model Horse rallies are not offered at Championships.
General Rally Information & Materials
In the following chart, you will find links to documents and resources to prepare for rally competition.
Note: You must be logged in to access some of the resources listed below.
Rally Preparation
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Rally Forms
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Additional Resources
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Coaches Forms
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