Celebrating 80 years of Pony Club NSW in 2026!
The 2026 Pony Club NSW State Sporting, Campdraft and Challenge Championships were held at Gresford Showground across the weekend of 18–19 April 2026, bringing together riders, families, volunteers, officials and supporters for a fantastic weekend of competition.
Hosted by Zone 25 with the support of Gresford Pony Club, the Championships showcased the incredible variety of skills within Pony Club NSW, from the speed and precision of sporting, to the horsemanship and cattle work of campdrafting, through to the all-round versatility required in the challenge competition.
The weekend began with the State Sporting Championships on Saturday, with just under 100 competitors taking part across five age groups and seven sporting events.
Thanks to the hard work of the organising team, officials and volunteers, the sporting events were set up and ready to go, with riders able to commence almost exactly on time after gear check. With electric timers in place and volunteers assisting at each event, the competition ran efficiently throughout the morning.
Riders showed speed, determination and great sportsmanship across all events, with several close results and run-offs required to decide placings. The finals for the Flag, Bend and 3 Mug races were a major highlight, drawing plenty of excitement from the crowd as spectators cheered on their riders.
The atmosphere during the finals was fantastic, with competitors giving it their all and supporters creating a wonderful championship environment. The Sporting Championships concluded with a mounted presentation, celebrating the achievements of riders across the day.
On Sunday, riders turned their focus to the State Campdraft Championships, also held at Gresford Showground.
The competition began early with gear check before riders entered the arena for a two-round aggregate competition. With 86 competitors across the Under 13, Under 15, Under 17 and Under 26 divisions, the day provided a great opportunity for riders to showcase their horsemanship, cattle handling and control.
The cattle were in good condition and ran well, allowing many riders to complete strong runs and receive scores. There were some impressive performances throughout the day, with riders demonstrating patience, skill and confidence in the campdraft arena.
The Championships were judged by Gerald Newton, and the day concluded with a mounted presentation to recognise the riders who achieved outstanding results across the competition.
The State Challenge Championships were also held on Sunday in conjunction with the campdraft, allowing riders to take part in both events across the weekend.
Challenge riders completed three phases: Utility, Working and Time Trial. These phases tested a wide range of skills, including control, accuracy, versatility, confidence and partnership between horse and rider.
The younger age groups completed Utility UP1, Working WP1 and Time Trial TTP4, while the older age groups and associates completed Utility UP2, Working WP11 and Time Trial TTP4.
The Challenge competition gave riders the opportunity to demonstrate true all-round horsemanship, with each phase requiring focus, preparation and a strong connection with their horse. The event concluded with a mounted presentation, recognising the efforts and achievements of all competitors.
Pony Club NSW extends a sincere thank you to Zone 25, Gresford Pony Club, the Technical Delegates, judges, officials, volunteers, families and supporters who helped make the weekend possible.
A special thank you also goes to the volunteers who assisted with set-up, gear checking, timing, scoring, cattle, presentations and the many behind-the-scenes jobs required to run a successful State Championship weekend.
Congratulations to all riders who competed at the 2026 Pony Club NSW State Sporting, Campdraft and Challenge Championships. It was a wonderful weekend of competition, teamwork, horsemanship and Pony Club spirit at Gresford.
