LAKE Macquarie horse riding coach Margrete Erling has been chosen by Pony Club Australia to co-lead a group of young riders to China to help establish equestrian sports in the county.
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Ms Erling, who runs Yara Balba Stables, at Mandalong, has been paired with coach Paul Seuren, from Victoria, to accompany six young riders from across Australia on the two-week tour.
The four boys and two girls, and their coaches, will stay at the tropical city of Nanning, near the Vietnam border, and the port city of Haikou.
"It should be quite adventurous," Ms Erling said.
"I think it will be a real eye-opener for us."
The Pony Club Australia delegation will liaise with China Pony Club which boasts 38 riding centres in China.
The Australians will run a series of workshops and demonstrations on how to host events, coaching seminars, and provide insights into how Pony Club operates in Australia.
Mr Erling said she was chuffed to have been selected.
"I enjoy training and coaching, and I like a challenge," she said.
Her selection comes as reward for her longtime dedication to the sport, and her ongoing pursuit of qualifications and upskilling across several disciplines.
Making news:
Ms Erling is a Level 1 coach/instructor with Pony Club Australia through the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme (NCAS), and a Level 1 general coach accredited by Equestrian Australia.
Her Yara Balba Stables is an accredited delivery centre for the Ready Set Trot program which teaches young people horse riding skills.
She said delivering those skills in China, in a very different environment, would come with challenges - not the least of which would be the language barrier.
Translators would play a vital role, she said.
On a previous trip to China, a Pony Club Australia delegation witnessed a pony club that took place on the roof of a multi-storey shopping centre.
"The horses and the riders would take the lift up to the roof level, and that's where they would ride," she said.
Ms Erling's group will spend a week being billeted with families from China Pony Club, and a week in hotel accommodation.
She said activities including archery, martial arts, a trail ride along the shores of a river, and banquets were part of the itinerary.
"I think the cultural experiences will be fascinating," she said.
Pony Club Australia chief executive officer, Dr Catherine Ainsworth, told the Lakes Mail the organisation signed an agreement with their Chinese counterparts three years ago.
"With the increase in wealth and urbanisation in China, the Chinese are looking for leisure activities to do, and so the people who are wanting to learn to ride are just like Aussie kids who are often city dwellers who are looking for a different experience," Dr Ainsworth said.
The Australians had already trained and accredited a couple of hundred coaches in China, she said. Groups of young Chinese riders had also started coming to Australia.
Dr Ainsworth said the pony club system in Australia was respected and well credentialed to share its expertise with China.
"It's a very sound program, so we would like to see that the equestrian industry in China develops with good practices, safety standards and animal welfare," she said.
"We're very happy to help them make sure things are done properly."
The Australian Pony Club group will leave on Thursday, May 16.
- Footnote: Pony clubs around Australia are celebrating the national organisation's 80th anniversary in May. Watagan Pony Club will celebrate the milestone at Morisset Showground this Sunday, May 12. Current and previous club members are invited to take part.
