The local and regional Codes of Conduct for, Members, Parents, Coaches and Volunteers have all been replaced by National Guidlines issued by The Pony Club.

You can find the Codes on the Area 5 Website:

For other Safeguarding and Duty of Care Policies, please visit The Pony Club website.

Rules and Reasonable Adjustment

Area 5 Team Selection Policies

  • Winter Tri Champs Team Selection Policy 2026

From the Area 5 competitors who qualify to compete at the Winter Tri Champs, the Tet committee can select one Open team, two Junior teams and two Mini teams. All teams contain 3 or 4 people and can be any mix of boys and girls.

The selection will be made by three members of the Area 5 Tetrathlon Committee who have no direct interest in any of the competitors as parents or coaches. These people will be agreed by the Committee and known as the Selection Sub-committee.

The Selection Sub-committee will select the teams which are likely to score the most points based on performance at the Area 5 Tri Qualifier where possible. Where competitors have qualified out of area and not taken part in the Area 5 Qualifier their relative performance at the other Area 5 Winter Tris that season will be used to rank them against those who competed at the Qualifier.

Competitors who have qualified out of area and not taken part in any of the Area 5 Winter Tris that season will only be included in a team if no one else is eligible. This is to reward those competitors who support their area’s competitions.

If a competitor has qualified out of Area and intends to do part, but not all, of the Area 5 Qualifier, they must inform the Tetrathlon Committee by midnight on the day before the Qualifier to receive confirmation that for the selection process they will be treated as if they did not enter the Qualifier.

10/02/26

Wales and Borders Tetrathlon Selection Policy for Teams and Individuals at Regional and International Tetrathlon Competitions

Principles and Process
  • The Wales and Borders Region is comprised of Areas 5, 10 and 18.
  • Windsor Exhibition Junior Tetrathlon
  • Junior Regionals/International
Details of the selection process for the above can be found here

Qualifying out of Area

  • Any member wanting to attend a non Area 5 PC Qualifier for Eventing, Dressage or Show Jumping will not be able to enter or qualify unless they follow the rules .
    • The DC must give the reasons to the Area Representative stating which event the member wants to attend.
    • The DC will then ask the Area Representative to get the Pony Club Sport Chairman to give written consent.
    • This means if you plan on going outside the area you need to do this or your entry will be rejected.

Winter League Rules

  • Winter League Show Jumping Rules 2025-2026 : Click Here
  • Winter League Dressage Rules 2026-2027 : Click Here

Area 5 Training Policy (update 28th August 2026)

Spurs Assessment – 

Purpose

This policy sets out the procedure for Pony Club Area 5 branches wishing to host a Spurs Assessment within their own branch.

This represents a different way of organising and delivering the assessment within Area 5, allowing branches greater flexibility to arrange assessments for their own members and neighbouring branches. Although the administration and organisation of the assessment is changing, the assessment itself and the required standards remain unchanged and must comply fully with the rules and requirements set out within The Pony Club Training Guide.

  1. Branch-Hosted Assessments

Branches within Area 5 may now organise and host a Spurs Assessment for their members and can accept other members from other branches.

Before making arrangements, the Area Representative (AR) MUST be contacted and included in the planning of the assessment.

The Area Representative will appoint and send an appropriately qualified/approved/independent assessor. Branches must not independently appoint an assessor themselves.

  1. Assessor and Assessment Fee

The assessment fee will be:

£70 per assessment for up to six riders, requiring one assessor.

The hosting branch will be responsible for payment of the assessor’s fee.

Where there are more than six candidates, then there will be two assessments one after each other. Maximum of 2 assessments per day.

  1. Branch Organiser

The hosting branch has to  provide a Branch Organiser who will be present and available to support the assessor throughout the assessment.

The Branch Organiser is responsible for ensuring that the practical arrangements are in place and that the assessment can run safely and efficiently.

The assessor’s role is to assess the candidates and should not include responsibility for the general organisation or management of the event and will be required to fill in an assessment evaluation form after the assessment. This form will then be shared with the DC after for quality control.

  1. Risk Assessment

A suitable Risk Assessment MUST be completed and submitted no later than five days before the assessment.

A copy must be sent to:

  • The Area Representative; and
  • The appointed assessor.

Failure to provide the Risk Assessment within the required timeframe may result in the assessment being postponed.

  1. Reasonable Adjustments

Any candidate requiring a reasonable adjustment must be identified in advance.

Details of any agreed or requested reasonable adjustments must be included with the information submitted to the Area Representative and assessor prior to the assessment.

This allows sufficient time to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place while maintaining the required assessment standard.

Where clarification or approval is required regarding a reasonable adjustment, this must be resolved before the assessment takes place.

  1. Assessment Standards

Although this policy introduces a different method for organising and hosting Spurs Assessments within Area 5, it does not alter the assessment criteria, required standard or rules of the assessment.

All assessments must continue to be conducted in accordance with the current requirements contained within The Pony Club Training Guide and any associated Pony Club guidance.

https://resources.pcuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/National-Guidelines-Organisation-of-The-Spurs-Test-v.3.pdf

Check list for organiser.

When a branch wishes to host a Spurs Assessment, the following process must be followed:

  1. Contact the Area Representative with the proposed assessment request.
  2. Provide the proposed date, venue and anticipated number of candidates plus booking link.
  3. The Area Representative appoints/confirms the assessor.
  4. The branch appoints a Branch Organiser to support the assessment.
  5. The branch confirms candidate details and identifies any reasonable adjustments required.
  6. A completed Risk Assessment is sent to the Area Representative and assessor at least five days before the assessment.
  7. The assessment takes place in accordance with the current Pony Club Training Guide.
  8. The branch is responsible for the £70 assessor fee for up to six candidates/one assessor.

Effective from: 1st September 2026