Community social hubs are a staple to every small town. Sometimes, all it takes is for them to disappear for the town to realise their importance.
Following a period of inactivity due to the Covid-19 fallout (forced closures and a reluctancy to reinstate and run the club after lockdowns concluded caused a significant drop in interest), the Junee Pony Club was closed.
However, following their closure, the Pony Club has now been re-established following a community expression of interest meeting held at the Junee Ex-Services Memorial Club on April 28.
Facilitated by representatives of the local Pony Club Association (PCA) NSW Zone, Junee Pony Club President, Jack Hughs says they saw a good turnout from the Zone and their new committee, along with members from the local equestrian enthusiast community.
The countdown is now on until the Junee Pony Club officially starts up once more.
“We’re looking to start in mid-July to have our first meet,” Jack says.
“There’s a lot of work to do around on the ground, so the first couple of weeks we are going to try to fix it up and look for sponsorships and donors.”
Jack says their inspiration behind pushing for the reinstatement of the club was seeing several “horsey kids” within the community without a club to attend.
“Some kids just want to be with horses,” he says.
“They don’t want to play football or netball, or anything else, and they didn’t really have anything, so that’s really a big reason.
“It brings families together, it brings children together, and they get lifelong relationships with others.”
According to Jack, the Pony Club has a proud tradition in towns like Junee by offering people a safe space to further develop their horsemanship skills.
“It’s far more than a weekend activity,” he says.
“It is a place where lifelong friendships are formed, rural values are nurtured, and young people are given the chance to grow.”
Membership is now open on the Just Go platform, and Jack says the Committee encourages interested people not only to register, but to join their Facebook Group, where they will provide constant updates on progress.
The Junee Pony Club is run through volunteers, and Jack says they will be looking at some fundraising opportunities to continue bringing in money for the club to continue long into the future.
Junee Pony Club is open to all levels of horsemanship, from beginners to experienced riders, Jack says they welcome and are looking forward to seeing the next generation of horse riders in July.
Elizabeth Kovacs
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