At our Annual Geeneral meeting Erika Woodland gave her Report for the CIP:

‘As chairperson of the Zone 1 Chief Instructors Panel (CIP), I am pleased to present the 2024 CIP report to the members of Metropolitan Zone One.

Firstly, to my fellow 2024 CIP panel members, Gemma Burger, Amy Burgess, Michael Carlson, Carmen Coombs, Maree Forest, Suzanne Newman, John Martin & Sandy Pollitt – many thanks for your dedication, team spirit, time and efforts. On behalf of the CIP, I would also like to thank those Zone instructors, personnel and riders who have assisted the CIP through the year, and to the various Pony Clubs who have hosted our CIP events. Finally, many thanks to the members of the Formal Disciplines Sub C’tee, Sporting Sub C’tee, and Zone 1 Executive for their input and support of the CIP.

The role of the Zone CIP includes involvement with instruction & coaching, preparation of instructor candidates and assessment, organisation of clinics and technical schools, assessment of rider proficiency certificates, and communication with our Zone members. Please remember that the CIP is always open to new ideas, suggestions and requests, and we encourage clubs to communicate with us to address your needs.

Overall, the CIP had another productive year in 2024, with one of our key strategies being holding joint activities on the same date and at the same event.

We hosted 2 Rider C certificate assessment sessions for 12 Zone 1 riders; 2 Instructor Refresher/ Update/ Preparation Clinics which 20 coaches and 6 trainee coaches attended; 2 Coach Assessment days where 5 trainees were successful in gaining their PCA NCAS Preliminary coaching qualifications; and various Gear Checker practical assessments.

Zoom sessions were also hosted to support the Instructor Clinics & the Zone 1 Instructor night where coaches from 6 Zone 1 clubs came together to discuss and share many aspects of pony club instruction. I want to particularly thank Suzanne Newman, for taking a leading role in the Gear Check assessment process, and Sandy Pollitt for being our Zone 1 Rider C Certificate co-ordinator.

I would like to thank all our Zone 1 coaches and trainees for the role they play in making our pony clubs, and our Zone, successful – without you, we don’t have a pony club movement, and the fact that you volunteer willingly to help our riders learn, have fun, and build our communities is  wonderful. I have gathered data on the numbers of coaches who have qualified in the last 5 years in our Zone. 28 coaches have gained their accreditation – 20 PCA NCAS Preliminary, 6 PCA NCAS Level 1 & 2 PCQ C. This meant that since 2020, 9 Zone 1 pony clubs gained new coaches, while 7 clubs did not gain any new coaches. We can identify that this needs to be addressed going into the future.

Now looking forward to 2025, the CIP expects another busy year, and our 2025 programme is already being devised. Our first CIP event will be our Rider C Certificate Assessment, which will be held on Sat 15^th Feb. Our Zone 1 Club Chief Instructors have been co-ordinating with Sandy about their riders who are ready for assessment. Following this will be our first CIP Clinic – the annual Instructors’ Refresher, Update & Preparation Clinic. It is scheduled for Sat 8^th March. It will also include Coach Assessment, plus Gear Check Assessment.

In conclusion, the Zone 1 CIP is already planning for the continued education and support of our clubs, riders, coaches and trainees.

With regard to our 2025 CIP members, I recommend to the Zone 1 Management Committee that  Gemma Burger, Michael Carlson, Carmen Coombs, Maree Forrest, John Martin, Suzanne Newman, Sandy Pollitt and Erika Woodland, be endorsed as members of the Zone 1 Chief Instructors Panel for 2025, with Erika Woodland serving as Chairperson. I would like to thank Amy Burgess for the time, effort and dedication she has put into serving on the CIP, and know we will see her at our Zone 1 events.

Erika Woodland (2024 Zone 1 CIP Chairperson)