Pony Club Australia, Media Release, 19 April 2023
Pony Club Australia congratulates its members selected to compete in the 2023 World Clubs Tournament in France in July 2023.
This event is scheduled every year during the French National Championships (Generali Open de France) which takes place in the Parc équestre fédéral, located in Lamotte-Beuvron (France). It is one of the largest equestrian gatherings in the world.
The team is Catelin Crawford, Tumut NSW: Amy Cunzolo, Comet, Queensland; Lalwa May, Berrimah, NT: Abby Raymond, Bellingen NSW. The team will be accompanied by PCA coach Rachael Edwards from Victoria. The team will ride horses borrowed from a French riding school and compete against teams from twenty-six nations.
Each of the team members has both a strong competition record and demonstrated their skill in riding unfamiliar horses. Rachael was PCA coach of the year in 2020. Abby was PCA junior rider of the year in 2022. Lalwa was the only NT rider to compete in the last PCA Nationals in 2021 and is believed to be the first indigenous rider of any age to represent Australia in showjumping.
Pony Club Australia last sent a team to this event in 2018 and relies on the generosity of colleagues at the Normandy Committee of the French Equestrian Federation. During their time in France the Australian team will tour the historical French National stud farm at the Haras du Pin, and be guests at a unique performance by the elite French Cadre Noir Riding Academy on the World Heritage site of Mont Saint Michel in Normandy.
Pony Club Australia is the nation’s largest equestrian organisation providing education, participation and competition opportunities to riders since 1939. In 2023 PCA members will also compete in NZ, host teams from the UK, USA and Canada, and participate in virtual events in dressage, showjumping and horsemanship quiz.
