Former members of the Kingston and District Pony Club are making a last ditch effort to resurrect the club to its former glory.
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The club has been in recession with the Pony Club Association of Victoria for the past 18 months due to a low number of riders and volunteers.
Former club parent Margaret Giles said the popularity of Kingston and District Pony Club had decreased over the years.
She said it would be great to get new members on board so the club could get up and running again.
Both her daughter and grand-daughter attended the club and enjoyed their time there immensely.
She said they enjoyed learning to ride and care for their horses, compete in events and foster friendships based on a mutual love for horses.
The Pony Club Association of Victoria said it is not unusual for its pony clubs, which are independently incorporated and volunteer run, to have a rise and fall in numbers.
It said this is mostly due to a change in population growth, access to appropriate land for horses and the number of volunteers.
A spokesperson for the Pony Club Association of Victoria said Ballarat Pony Club was one of the biggest clubs in the state, with 75 members.
As of March this year, there were 193 certified pony clubs in Victoria with more than 4,400 riding members, not including the number of volunteers who run the clubs.
Kingston and District Pony Club opened in the mid 1960s, with the very first rallies held on Bald Hills Road in Creswick.
At the time, the club sought permission to use the land behind the block before seeking permission to use land on the Haintz brothers’ farm.
The club eventually found a home at what is now known as Adaho Estate in Springmount.
It formerly requested to become a member of the Pony Club Association of Victoria in the late 1960’s.
The name Seven Hills Pony Club was rejected by the association as it was not a place on the map. The club was named the Kingston and District Pony Club after the name of the closest town.
The club was forced to move its rallies to Kingston Showgrounds due to the very wet weather in the late 1970s.
With the help of Kingston Agricultural Society Members, it made the showgrounds its permanent home and built new facilities, include the current club rooms, kitchen and canteen.
It was incorporated to the Pony Club Association of Victoria on August 28, 1984.
A meeting will be held on May 16 at 7.30pm at Kingston Fire Brigade Station to discuss the future of the club.
