The Power of Pony Club Alumni

By Megan Scharfenberg, USPC Marketing and Instruction Coordinator

Before the United States Pony Clubs (USPC) was open to all ages, members “graduated” or became alumni at age 21. In 2008, the graduation age rose to 25. By 2015, there were no age restrictions on USPC membership, meaning members no longer graduated from Pony Club like in days past. Nowadays, USPC doesn’t really use the term “graduate” since previous members of any age can rejoin at any time and enjoy the benefits of membership again. For those past graduates, we now refer to them as either “former members” or as “alumni,” and this term could also refer to someone who was a member of USPC for a while and then stopped being a member.

There are many different ways alumni can still be fully involved in Pony Club, and the National Office and local clubs and riding centers welcome them and appreciate all they have to offer.

If you are a former member of Pony Club, you may know a lot from your past experiences, but USPC’s offerings, programming, and curriculum has changed over the years, which makes it an enticing organization to rejoin.

Alumni have the option to rejoin USPC in one of our various membership categories (see www.ponyclub.org under “Join”). Other ways to stay involved include:

Encourage others to join. Share your love of Pony Club with horse lovers of all ages. Many alumni have children or grandchildren who are now Pony Club members.

Promote Pony Club at an event. Whether it’s a large regional event, such as a horse expo, or a local event, such as a barn open house or an after-school club fair, some alumni have set up a booth or helped at one to provide information to individuals about Pony Club. To make it easy, USPC offers a rentable tabletop display and a tablecloth, along with a large selection of promotional materials. To request, visit www.ponyclub.org/lead/promote.

Keep up with your local club, center, or region. Visit www.ponyclub.org/about/find-a-club-center to find a club or center near you and reach out. Many alums are invited to clubs/centers to share their experiences in Pony Club, as well as offer their expertise on different topics. In addition, many clubs/centers love when former members visit and/or keep them updated about their lives.

Volunteer with your local club, center, or region. This can be a wonderful way to give back to Pony Club, and the need is great in a volunteer-run organization like USPC. Ask a local leader what is needed.

Become a National Examiner or a Horse Management Judge. National Examiners have a deep understanding of horses and strong connections to Pony Club to evaluate national-level certifications (H-B, C-3, H-A, B, A). Horse Management Judges are present at rallies to offer helpful advice, support, and encouragement for safe practices and teamwork. These roles are perfect for alumni.

Offer to teach mounted/unmounted lessons or clinics. Qualified alumni can be a great instructional resource to local clubs, centers, and regions.

Become a Professional member. Alumni who are involved in the horse industry and are teaching lessons might want to become Professional members, which provides educational materials to use with your students without having to run a Pony Club or Pony Club Riding Center. USPC Professional membership also demonstrates your belief in the value of teaching safe, responsible horsemanship.

Mentor USPC members. Many alumni are a wealth of knowledge about USPC and the equine industry. Offering to mentor or teach USPC members allows you to share your expertise.

Become a workshop presenter at the USPC Convention. Every year, USPC invites members of the equestrian community to speak at the USPC Convention. This is your chance to pass along what you know and your passion on topics relating to USPC, horses, or non-profit management. If you are interested, applications typically open in the fall and close mid-summer for the following year’s convention.

Attend the USPC Convention or USPC Festival. Anyone can attend USPC national events. Events allow alumni to reconnect and forge new relationships with current USPC members and equine professionals from around the country. The USPC Convention has extensive hands-on opportunities, educational workshops, and social events. At the USPC Festival, both members and non-members can watch exciting competition during Championships, as well as attend or participate in educational workshops during Education.

Follow USPC’s publications and communication outlets. USPC has a wide range of ways we communicate to members and beyond. There is the blog at blog.ponyclub.org and a twice-monthly enewsletter, which you can subscribe to on the main website, www.ponyclub.org. The website also features the latest news on the homepage and under the News menu. The magazine shares educational articles. On social media, USPC and its members are mostly on Facebook and Instagram, as well as LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube. Just search for “United States Pony Clubs” on those platforms. And, don’t forget to share USPC posts, and stay tuned to the above to catch announcements about our latest happenings.

Write content for the USPC blog. Alumni, as well as members, are invited to write content for USPC. From stories about Pony Club experiences to experts providing informational content, those who like writing can find the submission guidelines at the bottom of the blog.

Create a new club or center. Alumni with a passion for nurturing horsemanship and who do not have a club or center in their area are encouraged to start one. For more information, reach the National Office at 859-254-7669 or officeadmin@ponyclub.org.

Donate to USPC. Supporting the USPC Annual Fund and other USPC funds is essential to the future of USPC. You can make a tax-deductible donation at donate.ponyclub.org. There are also opportunities to support USPC by sponsoring events or purchasing advertising. USPC is grateful for each donor, event sponsor, and advertiser.

Share this article with alumni. Help USPC spread the word about all of these options.

There are many other ways an alum can stay involved, such as inviting local USPC members to your workplace, or visiting a local school to talk about the United States Pony Clubs and horses. However you choose to stay involved as an alum, your continued engagement will not only offer you a sense of fulfillment, but it will also benefit other horse lovers, as well.

This article was originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of Discover USPC magazine. Read more content from that issue.