The Australian Sports Pony is bred for its ability to perform in an athletic discipline at the highest level, primarily dressage, showjumping and eventing - which are often referred to as equestrian Olympic disciplines. The Australian Sports Pony will not be bred with the intention of producing a highly refined 'pretty pony' with nice movement as often seen in the show ring.
As a guide to what attributes and future type are sought within an Australian Sports Pony, we can look to the American and British sports pony registering bodies who have used the German Riding Pony (Deutches Reitpony) as a model for their breed standard. Theirs is a pony of considerably more bone and substance than the Riding Ponies we are generally familiar with in Australia. For example, the German Sports Pony was originally developed through the crossing of native Mountain and Moorland ponies from the British Isles renowned for their calm, cool temperament and smaller size (eg: the Connemara, New Forest and Welsh B) with horses of "hotblood" breeding (eg: Arabian and Thoroughbred), producing a noble pony of substance, character and good temperament with dynamic, spacious and elastic movement similar to a small warmblood. The quality of these ponies was developed through selective breeding and performance testing over many generations.
We believe we have what it takes to cultivate such ponies within Australia. As it is early days for the sports pony movement in this country it is perhaps too soon to declare a "type" preferred by Australians, therefore it is our aim to cultivate a sports pony in this country from readily available bloodlines which will be well favoured on both the world stage and in Australia when compared to its overseas counterparts.
Definition of the Australian Sports Pony
Maximum Height - 148 cms without shoes - 149 cms with shoes
Colour - Any
Breed - Any (Pedigree may be known or unknown)
Age - Refer to following information
ASPR REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
PERFORMANCE CLUB PONIES
- No inspection required.
- Maximum height is 148 cms (without shoes - 149 cms with shoes)
- Minimum age is three years as at 1st August preceding assessment date.(amended 22/11/07)
- Proof of height MUST be supplied with the Performance Club registration application.
- Performance Club ponies are not required to be microchipped for registration, but if they have been microchipped previously for
identification purposes, the microchip number will be recorded on their Performance Club Registration Certificate.
- Registered Performance Club ponies are eligible for Premium Grading assessment at any time (as per Premium Grading rules
below).
- When applying for Performance Club registration, a pony may be physically presented for an under saddle assessment only. This
is an option provided so that owners may evaluate the ponies suitability for future Premium Grading and to give owners an
introduction to the Premium Grading system.
Performance Club ponies will be recognised as being a versatile pony with good bone and substance, regular even stride and give the appearance of a pony which could carry its rider cross-country all day if required. These ponies will receive recognition by way of Roll of Merit (ROM) awards for highpoint achievements, divided into two categories ie: junior rider (up to the end of the year in which rider turns 16 years of age) and open rider (from the beginning of the year rider turns 17 years of age). ROM Awards are based purely on achievements in the disciplines of dressage, showjumping and eventing.
Full Performance Club registration By-Laws are available from the Forms page
Registration application can be downloaded from the Forms page
ALL PREMIUM GRADE PONIES
Following successful completion of premium grading assessment, the pony will be registered AND must be microchipped with the Australian Sports Pony Registry. Assessment fees are payable at the time of booking. Registration, microchipping and membership fees are payable upon successful completion of assessment. The specific grading assigned to any given pony is based on scores awarded by the Inspectors during assessment. The classifier's decision is final.
No refund will be given should the pony fail to meet Premium Grading requirements on assessment. Refunds and waivers, should the pony not attend the inspection as booked, will only be given under special circumstances ie: unforeseen illness or injury to the person exhibiting the pony for inspection (medical certificate required) or unforeseen illness or injury to the pony to be inspected (veterinary certificate required.)
Inspection tours for ponies applying for Premium Grade are conducted once a year in each State -
PREMIUM GRADE PONIES - INSPECTION GUIDELINES
Ponies will be inspected under saddle (r), in hand (ih) and at liberty (l) where applicable, and graded in the following categories :
* Correctness of movement (r/l)
* Carriage and Elasticity (r/l)
* Flatwork (r)
* Jumping (r/l)
* Shoulders and withers (ih)
* Top-line and quarters (ih)
* Front legs (ih)
* Hind legs (ih)
* Conformation (ih)
* Temperament/Overall Impression (r/ih/l)
Each of the above categories will attract a score with a maximum overall score out of 100.
Gradings -
Second Premium - for ponies which achieve an overall assessment score of 60 and less than 70 out of 100. (Entires ineligible for Second Premium Grading)
First Premium - for ponies which achieve an overall assessment score of 70 and less than 80 out of 100.
Premier - for ponies which achieve an overall assessment score of 80 or above out of 100. (It is expected that only 2% of ponies will achieve this score.)
Additional to the gradings listed above, a star ( * ) grading is applicable to ponies that complete all four (4) phases of the assessment ie: in hand, at liberty, under saddle and jumping (free or ridden). Ponies that complete less than than the four phases, do not receive the extra star grading.
EG: A pony that successfully completes 2 to 3 phases will be referred to as Second Premium, First Premium or Premier
A pony that successfully completed all 4 phases will be referred to as Second Premium*, First Premium* or Premier*
Premium Grade Stallions, Mares and Geldings
Preliminary Premium Grading
Stallions, mares and geldings under 3 years of age as at 1st August preceding assessment date will be inspected in hand and at liberty only to obtain a Preliminary Premium Grading.(amended 22/11/07)
Premium Grading
The minimum age for a stallion, mare or gelding to be assessed for a full Premium grading is 3 years as at 1st August preceding assessment date. (amended 22/11/07)
Assessment in hand and at liberty is compulsory. Under saddle and jumping (free or ridden) assessment is by owners choice.
Ponies successfully completing an ASPR Premium Grade Assessment will be issued with a Premium Grading, dependant on their scores (as above).
Ponies presented for Premium Grading must be a minimum of 4 years of age (as at 1st August preceding assessment date) in order to be ridden under saddle for the jumping phase. 3 year old ponies to be assessed for jumping may be free jumped only. (amended 22/11/07)
Any pony that has successfully passed a Premium Grading Assessment may, at any future Assessment Day, be presented for re-assessment if the owner is not satisfied with the first score achieved.
Ponies that are assessed/licensed with a studbook or registry recognised by the ASPR Inc. should apply to the Federal Office. (amended 22/11/07)
By-Laws for Preliminary, Premium & Premium *, Breeding License, Re-assessment and Foal Recording information can be printed from the forms page
Breeding License
An ASPR Breeding License is issued additional to the Premium Grading
In order for a registered Premium stallion to be issued with an ASPR Breeding License, the stallion must have received a Premium grading as per above. An ASPR Breeding License will only be issued after the stallion produces 6 foals that are registered with
the ASPR as per the following :
- A Premier or First Premium graded stallion must produce 6 foals that are fully graded and registered with the ASPR as First Premium or Premier ponies. In order to be eligible, the progeny must complete the in-hand, at liberty AND under saddle sections of the assessment. Preliminary Premium graded progeny are not counted for the Stallion Breeding License.
Measurement Conversion Chart
(hh to cms)
HH
11.0
11.0 1/2
11.1
11.1 1/2
11.2
11.2 1/2
11.3
11.3 1/2
12.0
12.0 1/2
12.1
12.1 1/2
12.2
12.2 1/2
12.3
12.3 1/2
13.0
13.0 1/2
13.1
13.1 1/2
13.2
13.2 1/2
13.3
13.3 1/2
14.0
14.0 1/2
14.1
14.1 1/2
14.2
CMS
112
113
114
116
117
118
119
121
122
123
125
126
127
128
129
131
132
133
135
136
137
138
140
141
142
143
145
146
148
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The height maximum of 148 cms is used instead of hh as this is the accepted standard measurement for FEI and international pony registration.
Conversion of hh to inches to cms is approximate only.
148 cms actually converts to 14.2 1/4hh. Any pony that has measured close to or on 14.2hh is highly recommended to attain an official EFA height measurement certificate prior to submitting registration applications and before attending the assessment tour. ASPR assessors do NOT have access to highly accurate measuring facilities at some venues.
Measurement of pony is 'without shoes'. 1 cm will be deducted for shoes.
What is an Australian Sports Pony?
ASPR Events
