In 1960 six riders from Victoria and NSW were invited by the Pebble Beach Pony Club in California, USA, together with six from Canada and New Zealand to compete in an ODE there.  In September, 1961, Victoria returned the invitation, and during that visit a meeting was held and the Inter-Pacific Pony Club Council came into being.  It was planned to hold biennial rallies between the four countries alternately.

At this rally held on and near the Mornington Racecourse in Victoria, Tasmania sent two teams of three riders with their horses, and borrowed two Victorians to make their numbers to four per team.  Those who went over with Ann Graves as their manager and trainer, were Ann Paterson – Viscount, Caroline Chesterman – Wizefella, Janet Murray – Kestral, Judith Wadley (Kilby) – Silver King, Danny Donovan – Shandy and Robert Thomson – Parak.  The two Victorians lent to us were Wayne Roycroft and Peter Winton.  Our first team were placed 4th, only two points behind the joint 2nd placegetters, while Ann Paterson was 5th overall.

Since then the IPR has held regular biennial rallies but the countries have changed.  Australia, Canada and New Zealand have attended every one, while Japan and the Far East – Hong Kong, the Philippines and Malaysia have since been added.  Great Britain, the mother country of the Pony Club movement was also invited to join the IPR which it did for a while and hosted the 1985 rally, but has since withdrawn while USA withdrew sometime ago but then rejoined and Hong Kong has become a separate entity.

Tasmania had been fortunate in having their chosen member included in the Australian team of six riders every year considering that we represent less than 1/40 of the total Australian Pony Club membership.  In 1971 the number was reduced to five, and Tasmania was the unlucky state balloted out.  However our candidate for that year, Elizabeth Beveridge (Richards), was included in a team visiting Great Britain, so did not miss out on an international visit.  In 1987 it was decided to increase the number of participants per country to seven riders, providing the host country could cope with the number, which allowed the Northern Territory, now a member of the PCA, a place in the team without a ballot.  However, this only happened once, with New Zealand limiting the number to six again in 1989 – NT losing out in the ballot – and it has occasionally been limited to five.

The Inter-Pacific Exchange is open to Pony Club riders age 17 – 20 years inclusive and is a Youth Exchange.  Riding competitions are held in conjunction with the exchange including two main events, the Nations Cup and Horse Trials (ODE).  For Show Jumping the riders compete as teams representing their own country, but for the Horse Trials riders are mixed into scrambled team.  All mounts are supplied by the host country, and all riders, including the hosts, ride strange mounts.

The Australian team consists of one rider from each state inc. NT.  When the number of candidates exceeds the number of positions available States take turns to miss out.

Selection to represent Australia in the Inter-Pacific Exchange is the ultimate honour available to Pony Club members, therefore applicants must display talents additional to horsemanship.

Organisers are keen that this exchange should continue and as a result of previous experiences have now formulated a set of guidelines for representatives available on the PCA Website.  Clubs should take heed of these notes before nominating riders for selection for any international or national visit/team. 

2015 Inter-Pacific Exchange Leearn McNamara
2019 Inter-Pacific Exchange Jess Cowan