Member Spotlight: Hannah Fountain

This Pony Club Member Spotlight, brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products, features Hannah Fountain, an Eventing rider from Huron Valley Pony Club in the Great Lakes Region.

Age: 20

Club/Region: Huron Valley Pony Club/Great Lakes Region

Years in Pony Club: 10

Current certification (and/or certification currently working on): H-B HM, B EV

What disciplines and/or activities are you involved in?
Eventing

Tell us about your current mount(s) and what you do with them:
My current mount is Junior. He is a 14-year-old off-track Thoroughbred (OTTB). I compete with him in Eventing! I have had him for about six years now. My other horse’s name is Ollie. He is a 6-year-old Thoroughbred that I got from a rescue a couple of years ago. He is currently learning the ropes of Eventing, and I am hoping to compete with him this season!

Tell us about your goals (with Pony Club, with riding, and life):
My goal in Pony Club is to complete my A Eventing certification this year. With riding, I am hoping to go as far up the Eventing levels as I can with my current horse, while also working with and starting younger horses.

In life, I am currently working towards my Master’s degree in social work.

What is your favorite thing about Pony Club?
My favorite thing about Pony Club are the connections I have made and opportunities I have gotten that I would not have gotten any other way. I have been able to meet members from all across the country with similar interests to mine and travel to places I would not have had the opportunity any other way.

What is one thing you would tell younger members first about joining Pony Club?
I would tell younger members to take every opportunity they can. Go to meetings, go to camps and lessons, try something new; that is the best way to learn. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. At times Pony Club can be a bit overwhelming between rallies, certifications, etc., but there will always be someone there to help you.

What is your favorite way to prepare for a Horse Management certification?
I like to get together with other members going for the same certification as me (in Zoom or in person) and go over all of the certification material.

If you could try out any other discipline or activity, what would it be and why?
Mounted Games! It looks like so much fun!

Describe your favorite Pony Club memory (give any details you remember):
My favorite memory was this past year at the 2024 USPC Festival Championships. I was the president of the Great Lakes Region Junior Leadership Council, so I was able to plan activities for our members to do after the barn closed for the night. We invited members from other regions and had ice cream socials and bonfires. It was a lot of fun to be able to get to know other members outside of just the horse aspect.

How did you get started with horses? Are you a member of any other equine organizations?
I started riding horses when I was four years old. My parents took me to the fair and let me go for a pony ride, and the rest is history. They got me started doing lessons at a western barn where I did barrel racing for a few years before moving to an Eventing barn. I am a member of the United States Eventing Association (USEA) and The Eventing Association of Michigan (TEAM).

Have you done any specific special activities in Pony Club, such as International Exchanges, Recognition Programs, Virtual Competitions, etc.)? Tell us more.
I have participated in the USPC National Youth Congress in 2024. It was a lot of fun to meet members who were similar to me from all across the country. I am excited to be on the USPC team for the 2025 PCIA Inter-Pacific Exchange to Australia in September!

What makes you #PonyClubProud?
I am Pony Club proud that I am not only able to ride horses and use my skills inside the barn, but I am also able to apply these skills outside the barn. Whether it is cleanliness, time management, attention to detail, or speaking skills, Pony Club has taught me skills that I can use in my everyday life.

Thank you to our latest USPC Member Spotlight Hannah Fountain. Want to be featured in a future Member Spotlight? Fill out the form here.

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