Ponies of the Americas

The Wisconsin Pony of the Americas Club (WPOAC) is a state chapter of the National Pony of the Americas Club, dedicated to promoting the Pony of the Americas breed through opportunities for youth and adults to participate in events, clinics, shows, and activities to develop horsemanship skills and build community connections.

Anyone can join! Riders, owners, breeders, and families of all ages are welcome to become members and take part in everything WPOAC has to offer.

No! You do not need to own or ride a POA to become a member of Wisconsin POAC.

Fill out the membership form and submit it to the contact listed at the bottom of the form. Forms can be found under Members > Forms & Documents on our website.

Members receive voting rights, and are eligible for show and year-end awards, youth royalty, and Midwest Horse Fair (MWHF) breed demonstrations.

To qualify for year-end awards, both the exhibitor and the horse/pony owner must be current WPOAC members. Exhibitors must compete in at least 51% of WPOAC-pointed shows during the season, and points will only start accruing once membership dues have been paid.

The Year-End Awards Banquet is a fun night to celebrate the year with fellow members, enjoy good food, watch a slideshow of show highlights, and receive a participation award—everyone who attends is recognized!

Good news! You don’t have to figure it out alone. When you purchase your first POA, you’re eligible for a FREE first-time owner membership with Wisconsin POAC. This gives you guidance from experienced POA owners, access to our shows and events, youth and family opportunities, and a community that understands the joys of owning a POA.

The best part? The wonderful POA families in our club are always happy to answer questions and help you navigate showing, registration, and more. You bring the pony—we’ll help with the rest!

All WPOAC shows follow the rules of the National POAC. The National POAC Rulebook is the official reference for all classes and guidelines. Any situation not covered will be decided by the WPOAC Board or noted under the WPOAC Show Rules & Guidelines document.

National POAC Rules

Shows begin promptly at 7:30 AM. Exhibitors should arrive early and be ready to show. Warm-up and practice is typically available Friday evening and before 7:00 AM on show day unless otherwise posted.

No. However, both the exhibitor and owner must be WPOAC members to earn points toward show high point and year-end awards. Both the exhibitor and owner must also be WPOAC members to be eligible to enter our Futurity/Maturity classes.

No! Our all breed open classes and Inter-Breed Competition (IBC) shows allow horses or ponies of any breed to participate. Only registered POAs that meet national requirements are eligible for National POAC points.

An IBC Show is a mixed-breed show hosted by WPOAC where horses and ponies of any breed can compete in the same classes. All classes on the showbill are open to everyone, except for JPFC classes, which are reserved for registered POAs. If “IBC” appears at the top of a showbill, the entire show is open. Whether you have a registered POA, an over-height or solid POA, a Quarter Horse, Paint, Appaloosa, Arabian, Grade, or any other breed, you can enter and compete just like a registered POA.

Yes. ASTM/SEI approved helmets are required for youth in hunt classes and all exhibitors in timed games and jumping events. All attire and equipment must comply with National POAC rules for the discipline shown.

All exhibitors must have a current negative Coggins (dated within one year). Registered POAs must also provide registration papers and a Permanent Card if applicable. Every horse/pony and exhibitor combination must have a back number, which must be worn on both sides in mounted classes.

No. We would like the 18 & Under classes to be reserved for those riders or horses not yet ready for 3-gait classes and want to give them the opportunity to compete against others with similar skill levels.

No. Exhibitors may choose at each show whether to enter Walk/Trot division or Walk/Trot/Canter division classes. Exhibitors may not cross-enter into the corresponding 3-gait class at the same show. For example, an exhibitor may not enter the 18 & Under Western Pleasure Walk/Trot class and their age-group Western Pleasure class at the same show. Likewise, an exhibitor may not enter 19 & Under Walk/Trot and 19 & Over Walk/Trot with the same horse or pony.