The Inter-Pacific Exchange Rally is a competitive and cultural exchange for Pony Clubbers who have attained their B rating (and the age of sixteen) by January 1 of the exchange year. Participants are drawn from those countries on the Pacific Rim: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, the United States and, on occasion, Great Britain (as the mother country of Pony Club.

In 1960, the Pebble Beach Pony Club (California) invited members of Pony Clubs from New South Wales and Victoria to visit. Because of the tremendous success of that "exchange," the Pony Club Association of Victoria issued an invitation to the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and all seven Australian states to participate in an exchange during 1961. During that visit, the Inter-Pacific Exchange Rally Committee was formed. It was decided that exchanges would take place every second year, in odd years, and participating countries would rotate hosting duties.

Each Rally takes on its own character through the influence of the Host country by ensuring the opportunity to exchange ideas, learn about different cultures, cultivate friendships and enjoy the Pony Club concept of joining together in the many programs provided, including a variety of equestrian activities. The equestrian activities are the common bond between team members to encourage the highest ideals of sportsmanship and friendly competition. This exchange provides an exceptionally valuable goal for older Pony Clubbers.

Competition is run under FEI Young Rider rules and consists of a Nations Cup Show Jumping as well as a One Day Event (ODE) at Preliminary level.

The aim of Inter-Pacific is to encourage international friendship and competition between young riders united by the common bond of the Pony Club movement, not so much to compete against each other as to get to know each other.

Each country takes a turn to host the rallies, which occur every two years. Great Britain joined the competition from 1965 until 1985. On their last rally, on their home ground in 1985, they treated the teams to a 'royal visit' of sightseeing and a garden party with the Queen at Buckingham Palace. They have re-entered the last couple of events.

USA withdrew in 1975, also after hosting the event and entertaining with riding and sightseeing to Disneyland, fox hunting in Philadelphia, a trip to New York, a visit to Flying Horse farm, and three days in Texas.

The Far Eastern team of Hong Kong and Singapore were invited for the first time to compete in New Zealand in 1977 and have competed since.

The rose bowl (the David Jones Trophy) won by the New Zealand team in 1969 for Inter-Pacific show-jumping in Australia was presented to New Zealand - maybe we had won it too many times! This is now used at the NZPCA horse trials championships as the teams dressage trophy. (Incidentally, in Australia and Japan blue rosettes must mean first! New Zealand uses red.)

The first event of each rally is conducted in scrambled teams made up of one member from each country. Each of the teams takes on a name significant to the host country, for example, native trees, birds or famous racehorses. The scrambled teams train together in order to get to know one another and then compete for the Kangaroo Cup, generally in an ODE event, although it has been a dressage, show- jumping or games event. The friendly, helpful atmosphere of this event sets the scene for the tour.

The main event is the nations team event (New Zealanders call it the Nations Cup), when teams from each country compete in friendly rivalry under their own banner with their national anthem played ... a very moving atmosphere.

They compete in a two-round show-jumping competition for the Goodwill Trophy.

In 1977, when New Zealand hosted the rally, Hong Kong presented us with a cup which we keep here in New Zealand. This is presented after each rally to the top-performing New Zealand rider.

Certain requirements must be met for a candidate to he considered suitable for selection for the team, these being. 'A or 'B' certificate, age between 17 and 21 years, and all the qualities of a good Pony Clubber.

To this end nominations are forwarded from individual Pony Clubs to area level, where a selection panel recommends two, a boy and girl, from each area for national selection. Here there are two panels, one testing the candidates for their ability to successfully ride unfamiliar mounts and the other concentrating on aspects of general knowledge and personality.

It is a thrill and an honour to be shortlisted, let alone selected. A very long-standing discussion has been the balance of team members. Generally more than twice as many girls as boys ride in Inter-Pacific, but many believe that each of the six teams should have three girls and three boys.

Our team has been granted the privilege of wearing our country's national emblem, the silver fern, in conjunction with an especially designed motif. The New Zealand Horse Society generously donated ties, together with a New Zealand flag, but nowadays team members wear the NZPCA tie.

The flag is for the impressive parade of national teams and later makes a colourful sight fluttering from the stand.