Sport
5 November, 2024
Lisa Streeter claims Pony Club Australia award for work with Maryborough Pony Club
The Maryborough and District Horse and Pony Club are celebrating once again.
Weeks after claiming Pony Club Victoria’s Club of the Year in the 2023 edition of the awards, the club has now gone one better and can lay claim to one of the best in Australia, with member Lisa Streeter taking out the ‘Equinade’ Best Achievement by a Rider Aged Over 25 Years award in the Pony Club Australia awards.
Streeter participates both within Maryborough and Rokewood Pony Clubs as an instructor, but it is her work at Maryborough which has seen her win national acclaim, which was announced on October 17.
The illustrious best achievement by a rider is met with three pieces of criteria, with participation in Pony Club rallies and activities, the enthusiasm and improvement in riding and horse management, as well as the application of the Pony Club Australia syllabus.
Already having claimed the Victorian award recently, Streeter’s ascension to the Australian award is a terrific coup for the Maryborough and District Horse and Pony Club.
Streeter met the criteria the best out of all members aged above 25 across Australia, and was duly awarded the win as a result.
However, it’s the thrill of being in Pony Club, and her dedication to horses, that continues to drive Streeter more than any award could.
“It’s crazy. You’re involved with horses for a long, long time, and then all of a sudden, you join Pony Club because it’s about working with horses, riding with different people and working with kids, as well as exposure to different environments for the young horses,” she said.
“It’s not so much the competition awards that you get, it’s the reward you get for being in Pony Club, just being here.
“I instruct at Rokewood Pony Club as well, and even when I instruct here, to be able to transfer what I know to kids is great, because it means I might be helping them, and it’s something I’m doing for them, rather than just having the knowledge in my own head. If I can make one kid happy, and pleased with their horse on the day because I’m helping them, that’s me happy.”
Streeter’s love for her horses outweighs anything else in her life — while she isn’t the competitive type, the thrill of simply being able to ride a horse, talk about horses and enjoy it all is what it’s all about for her.
“I thought it [the awards] was crazy,” she said.
“I don’t compete much, I thought it would be for the kids who compete, get out there, and flash the Mary-borough colours around com-petitions, but because of the rising cost of living, competitions cost a lot of money and take a lot of time, so basically, I like to ride at Pony Club because I get instruction, I get companionship, I get horse people to talk to, and that’s why I do it.
“We have a number of people who are very active around the club, and love the place, doing lots of things around the club, and decided that we were meritorious enough within Pony Club, and put our names up for different levels of awards.
“When it came out and I won the Victorian award earlier, I thought that someone had gone out and won ribbons, but it’s simply for what we do at Pony Club.”
Streeter emphasised that the culture at the Maryborough Horse and District Pony Club is the singular important thing which allows their members to shine.
“It is really inclusive, and we love everyone that comes along who wants to learn, and we cater to everybody,” she said.
“We have the right community here, you come here, you have a good day, and lots of fun and laughs, doing different things.
“It keeps you fit for a start, you have a commitment and you stick with it.”
As for Streeter’s next goal, it’s quite a rudimentary one — and perhaps one which sums her up the best.
“I just want to go on my horse, go around and enjoy a day out with it,” she said.